Weekend in Cornwall

Warning: If you don't book those train tickets early, they may be painfully expensive. I met a local on a train whose son had to make a spur-of-the-moment trip from somewhere in Cornwall or Devon to London for a job interview. The roundtrip fare was about 250 GBP.

Weather is highly variable, with precipitation predictions seeming particularly unreliable. Expect chilly/damp/windy/overcast weather. I learned never to head out without my hooded rainjacket.

I visited quite a few gardens in Cornwall (not interested in beaches); they are scattered around, with two major ones not far from St. Austell/Mevagissey on the southern coast. I don't know what is around Padstow.

I liked the touristy town of St. Ives despite its commercialism. It has a branch of the Tate Modern, a lot of quality art galleries, and the Leach Pottery, so I did a lot of browsing in the shops.

I enjoyed a couple of hours walking around Truro and also went to the Royal Cornwall Museum (worthwhile, and not limited to paintings). I didn't have time for the cathedral, but photos look impressive. Truro is attractive and quite different from the touristy, beachy towns, where I can usually stand only so much time (St. Ives being--somehow--an exception).

There are stretches of Cornwall where the bus service is quite regular, at least in the summertime; I have no idea what it's like in April. Many of the summertime buses are double-deckers, so you can see over the high hedges that often block a motorist's view. I think traffic can be an issue is a lot of areas due to the Poldark/Doc Martin effect. Again, the conditions are probably very different in April. I hope you'll be able to get around easily by car.

One problem I encountered in the coastal towns was that it was very difficult to get a table, at least at dinner time, if you don't make a reservation in advance. Lunch might have been easier; I'm not sure. I assume April will be fine if most of the eating establishments are open then--but will they be? You might email your various accommodations and ask whether reservations are necessary beyond your special plans in Padstow.

I recommend trying a scone with clotted cream and jam at least once. (Once was not enough for me.) I had several opportunities to have eggs with smoked salmon in that part of England. Yum.

Thank you for that advice- we have a train alert on to get the cheapest tickets! And I will definitely look into St Ives as well as Truro.Appreciate your reply.

Truro puts you much more in the heart of Cornwall, which is where I'd want to be if I were going all that way. And Truro is very near St. Michael's Mount, which is really magical IMO.

Regarding the other comment on getting a table reserved for dinner, when I stayed in Truro my B&B hostess served a light supper for a very reasonable fee. That was years ago and she was quite elderly so I doubt she's still in business, but you could inquire about supper availability if you book in at a B&B.

Also consider ‘The Night Riviera’ sleeper train - but it is expensive:>https://www.gwr.com/plan-journey/journey-information/on-board/night-riviera-sleeper

Thank you both for your help. I'll be researching further!

Except chilly/damp/windy/overcast weather.

Or conversely expect warm, sunny weather as we experienced when in Cornwall during April. The weather is so variable you just cannot assume what it will be on any given day.

Variable weather is a NZ speciality so we should be good to go with that!Thank you for that information! Really looking forward to seeing Cornwall, even just a little.

I think Truro would be a better base than Plymouth, easier to get in and out of by car, closer to both coasts. The tradeoff is a longer train ride both ways, of course. St. Michael's Mount is well worth seeing. Land's End is to be avoided unless you just want to say you were there -- there are equally scenic "land's end" type peninsulas nearby without all the hype and nonsense. Cornwall roads are narrow and often crowded (maybe less so in April than when we visited in September), so it will take longer to drive places than you might think.

Thank you, Dick. I will take that helpful advice into consideration. I would love to see St Michael's Mount!