Curious if anyone has spent any time without a car in Cornwall and how you got around? We will be staying in Fowey and doing some walking along the coastal path, but would like to visit the Eden Project or possibly the Lost Gardens of Heligen. It looks like there are some buses, but not very frequent. We don't want to rent a car. We drive very little in the US and we don't think we can handle the opposite side of the road thing.
Posted by
Royaume-Uni nul points, pas plus
2600 posts
First Group run most of the buses
Journey planner here https://www.firstgroup.com/cornwall
Network maps here https://www.firstgroup.com/cornwall/routes-and-maps/network-maps
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Yes, there are some buses. Yes they are not very frequent, like outside the main inter-town routes they can be 2-4 times per day.
Makes sure you do your homework first before setting out.
First Kernow runs most of them, but not all.
There is also trains. The main access the length of the county from Plymouth to Penzance, with 4 branches, to Looe, Newquay, Falmouth and St Ives.
Cornwall Council website lists all companies here: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/public-transport/public-transport-information-and-advice/cornwall-public-transport-guide-and-town-plans/
It includes an all-operators map here: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/33382068/countymap.pdf
Make sure you double-check on the bus company website. I have noticed the routes and times get changed frequently, and the Cornwall Council site is not always up-to-date.
Posted by
Washington DC
28247 posts
I traveled around Cornwall by train and bus in 2017. I went to both of the gardens you mentioned while I was staying in Mevagissey. It all went fine except that I missed the outbound bus to Heligan and had to walk there along a very, very muddy trail. Totally my fault; I tend to poke around in the morning.
Both of the gardens are large, so I recommend a reasonably early start. I don't know what staying in Fowey will do to your overall travel time.
A tip: Make dinner reservations! I don't know how much it differs from month to month; not all restaurants seem to stay open year-round, so it's possible demand always exceeds supply. In my experience, you couldn't count on getting a table in the evening if you didn't have a reservation. I'm not talking about fancy places, just places with tables (as opposed to food trucks).
Also note that you can't be sure of finding an ATM in every town. Or a tourist office. If you like to have a printed map of the places you visit, I suggest printing something off the Internet before departure.
Posted by
OP
21 posts
Thank you, ramblin on, Chris F. , scythian, and acraven. Very helpful links and advice, and yes, I am printing maps like crazy before I leave and expect to arrive with cash. Dinner reservations would not have occurred to me, however, so that's a great tip!
Posted by
401 posts
And in case you weren’t aware Fowey has the peculiar pronunciation of “Foy”
Posted by
9 posts
We were in Devon and Cornwall for 2 weeks a couple of years ago. Stunningly beautiful but very difficult to drive even for my Englishman! In some of the off-the-beaten track areas the roads were only wide enough for one car, even though they were for two-way traffic. This meant lots of reversing up and down hills (with stick shift) so that cars (or tractors!) could pass you. If you are unsure about driving in England, I would not recommend trying Cornwall.
The Eden project was amazing. St. Michaels Mount is great to see too and the outdoor theater there (if you get good weather!)