Driving route questions Cornwall

1. I'm going to bet the driving time is closer to four hours, plus the Fal ferry back and forth to St Mawes. Plus the wait times, plus how much time you spend messing around in Falmouth.

2. It looks like almost four hours of car time again. There's a couple of segments I haven't driven but all the secondaries in the area wind up with about the same speed. With all the villages, the only place you can hustle right along is the M5 segment from Exeter to up around Bridgewater.

Thanks, Ed.

No car ferry links Falmouth with St.Mawes - only a foot ferry. I have driven from Truro to St.Mawes (via King Harry ferry) & then to St.Just before taking back roads to Mevagissey. These back roads were very narrow. Good job I can drive backwards! To be honest, I don't think it is worth the bother - especially as you are going from Marazion to Stoke Gabriel.

If you want easier places to visit en-route, I would suggest going E to just beyond St.Austell and then taking A3082 to Fowey. On leaving Fowey, take B3269 to Lostwithial to rejoin A390. After about 4 miles, take another detour right - on B3359 to Polperro = lovely old Cornish fishing village. Then, go E to visit Looe. You can then proceed E to Stoke Gabriel.

The number 2 trip is perfectly reasonable. When staying in Broughton Gifford, I would suggest you take the train from Bradford-upon-Avon into Bath rather than drive. www.nationalrail.co.uk
You might also wish to visit this place - which is not far away -http://www.longleat.co.uk
Also >http://www.abbeyhousegardens.co.uk

Oh good thing you answered. I actually thought we could take the King George car ferry to St Mawes and St Just and then drive on to Mevagissey easily. But this makes it sound like it is easier and perhaps faster to see the 3 small villages you suggest instead. I thought they would be harder since I heard they are "car free". So much better when we can get information from people who have done it and know the route and roads rather than just looking at a map. Thank you.

Reading between the lines, I figured that you had assumed it was a car ferry between Falmouth & St.Mawes. I suggest that you try and follow the intended routes on Google Earth. When they say 'car free village'; what they mean is that visitors will not be able to drive their cars through the village. (This can also apply to locals). What will happen is that you drive to the approach to the village(s) and will be directed to a car park. When (if) you visit Fowey, Polperro & Looe, it will become quite obvious that the narrow streets, laid out hundreds of years ago and all lined with cute cottages, would simply be impossible for modern day traffic. If you Google the name of each of these and the word 'images', you will see what I mean.

You might also like to see this place en-route or as a day trip:> http://www.edenproject.com

You might wish to consider visiting these gardens (which are just SW of Falmouth) whilst staying at Marazion:>http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/glendurgan-garden/
and www.trebahgarden.co.uk
I have not visited these gardens but they seem to have a good reputation and they are right next to each other. You may even have time to take the foot ferry from Falmouth to St.Mawes on the same day.

When in Stoke Gabriel, you should be able to take a ferry down to Dartmouth. Totnes main street has some wonderful old buildings.
Salcombe should be another place at the top of your list. Torquay & Paignton are congested.

BOA is the rail code for Bradford-upon-Avon & BTH for Bath. It only takes 12 minutes on the expresses (Portsmouth > Cardiff) & about 16 on the stopping trains. This is likely to be more convenient than trying to drive into Bath. Not sure about parking near BOA station. Last time I drove to Bath, I got stuck in a jam and did 1 mile in 20 minutes!

Thank you for your very helpful post. We were planning on taking the train to Bath. It sounds like it will make it a much easier day. I appreciate your clear directions and suggestions.