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England

Cornwall: England’s Hidden Treasure

Program No. 22431RJ
Venture to the famous Falmouth Harbor to learn about Cornwall’s 4,000-year-old history, from the ancient standing stones of Bodmin Moor to medieval castles and historic mines.
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Start
Small Group
Length
10 days
Rating (4.68)
Activity Level
Starts at
4,699
Flights start at
1,000

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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
10 days
9 nights
What's Included
19 meals ( 8B, 4L, 7D )
9 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
8 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.
Lunch:
In the hotel dining room for those whose arrival time allows.
Afternoon:
Orientation, 5:00 p.m.: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This Road Scholar program is staffed with both a Group Leader, who will accompany us throughout the program and deal primarily with logistics, and a Study Leader who will lecture, conduct field trips, and serve as an information resource on program-related topics. All transportation will be provided via motorcoach unless specified otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 3.0 hours, approximately 125 miles to Plymouth then about 2 hours, approximately 70 miles to Falmouth. Walking about 1.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets and paths, some cobblestones.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll check out of the hotel and board a motorcoach to begin our transfer through England's south-west to Falmouth. On our way, we will stop for a field trip led by our Study Leader in the city of Plymouth, an historic seaport with a wealth of visible history and a dramatic location.
Lunch:
In Plymouth, we’ll have vouchers allowing us to choose food and drinks from a range of eateries.
Afternoon:
During our visit to Plymouth, we will have the opportunity to explore the historic seaport, known as the Barbican, which dates back to Tudor times with many of the original buildings. The Barbican was the point of embarkation for the ‘Pilgrim Fathers’ onto the Mayflower in the 1620’s. Much of the Barbican would still look familiar to the crew of the Mayflower and, indeed, Sir Francis Drake, Sir Walter Raleigh and Charles Darwin - all of whom sailed from here. The port is home to a large fishing fleet and there are numerous restaurants (not limited to seafood), some of which own their own boats - so the fish is as fresh as it gets! The harbour is home to the National Marine Aquarium and the Plymouth Gin distillery (Winston Churchill’s favourite). We’ll then continue on to Falmouth by motorcoach, for a late afternoon check-in.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off the boat; sailing approximately 10 miles, about 1 hour. Walking approximately 2.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets, sandy beach with rocky areas. Extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Today we will travel by boat and on foot in the Falmouth Bay area to learn about natural beauty, maritime heritage, wildlife, the Civil War, the fishing industry, shipping and commerce, great liners, and the Falmouth Packet. Falmouth is one of the three deepest natural harbors in the world, only behind Sydney, Australia, and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The boat trip takes us along the Carrick Roads estuary, passing Mylor, Flushing, and Restronguet, important pilchard and herring fishing villages up until the mid-20th century. We will then land in St Mawes, an idyllic fishing village at the mouth of the Carrick Roads. We will visit the castle here, one of two guarding the approaches to Falmouth harbor.
Lunch:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to sample some local produce in St Mawes. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon:
Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Study Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. You will be given a ferry ticket to Falmouth and have the opportunity to explore the pretty town, visit English Heritage’s Pendennis Castle, or the National Maritime Museum, among others.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like.
Evening:
Returning to the hotel on our own, the rest of the evening is at leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 95 miles, about 3 hours. Walking about 3 miles, periods of standing; varied terrain including paved streets, sandy beach with rocky areas, farm fields.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll set off by motorcoach to West Penwith and the Land’s End peninsula, with more visible ancient monuments than the rest of England put together. As we explore this landscape, we will look into the theories revolving around these ancient villages and stone circles. Our field trip begins with a stop at Chysauster village, where the eight stone dwellings are among the finest examples of life in England 2,000 years ago. A prime example of an Iron Age and Romano-British village, it is set on southwest-facing slopes and surrounded by ancient field system, showing their agricultural way of life. It is believed that this settlement was inhabited until the Roman occupation. As we explore, be on the lookout for the “fogou,” the Cornish name for underground cave – the purposes of which is unknown. From the Penwith peninsula, we’ll then continue by motorcoach to Penn-an-Wlas (Land’s End in Cornish), the westernmost point of the mainland, that has been held in high regard since the ancient Greeks referred to it as the “place of the sun.” We’ll enjoy the breathtaking seascape and clifftop views and discover more about the rich past of this famous area of Cornwall. The Land’s End headland is home to a Neolithic – or Stone Age – cemetery, Bronze Age burial mounds, and an Iron Age hill fort within 200 yards of our famous Cornish landmark—evidence of 10,000 years of human use and settlement. We will then regroup as we take the motorcoach for the short ride to Geevor mine where our day of exploration will continue.
Lunch:
A traditional Cornish Pasty lunch.
Afternoon:
We will continue with a field trip on foot at Geevor mine, led by a local expert. The Geevor mine is a link to Cornwall’s most famous traditional industry and part of the UNESCO Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. At the end of the afternoon, we’ll return to the hotel by motorcoach.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 140 miles, about 4.5 hours. Walking about 2.5 miles, periods of standing; gravel and grass paths with some steep sections, uneven grassy and rocky areas, paved streets.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will travel by motorcoach to mysterious Bodmin Moor, where we will look at legends and superstition tied to Christian evangelism. We will stop at Jamaica Inn, which inspired Daphne Du Maurier to write a novel of the same name – later to be made into a film by Alfred Hitchcock. From there, we’ll continue to Minions to visit the Bronze Age stone circle. Minions is home to the Hurlers stone circle, the Cheesewring or natural granite tor, and several old granite quarries where a hermit lived through much of the 20th century. Afterwards, we’ll continue on to the village of Boscastle.
Lunch:
On your own to choose in Boscastle.
Afternoon:
Boscastle is a beautiful village at the head of a fjord-like natural harbor. It was scene of a terrible flood in 2004, and is a good illustration of how topography contributes to natural disasters, how communities recover, and the effects of climate change. We’ll hear tales of witchcraft associated with the village from our Study Leader, before time to explore on our own. Reconvening in central Boscastle, we will drive to Tintagel. Here we will enjoy a short walk from the town for breathtaking views of Tintagel Castle and Island. We’ll then continue by motorcoach through slate quarrying country to Port Isaac – a picturesque and ancient fishing village with an interesting history. This was also the location for the movie “Saving Grace” and comedy drama “Doc Martin.” Here, we will have another opportunity to explore a Cornish fishing village independently. Our Study Leader will provide options for exploration. Afterwards, we’ll return to the hotel by motorcoach.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 70 miles, about 3.5 hours. Walking about 2.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets, some cobblestones, woodland and gravel paths.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board a motorcoach and ride to Wheal Martyn China Clay Center for an expert-led field trip. The only visitor center in Cornwall dedicated to this two-century-old industry, Cornish china clay is of a particularly high quality. Then we'll continue to Mevagissey, where we will consider the fishing architecture and vernacular architecture as a group. Mevagissey is a picturesque fishing port founded in medieval times, with attractive old buildings around the harbor, narrow cobbled streets, and an excellent aquarium and local museum.
Lunch:
On your own to choose in Mevagissey. Needless to say, the pasties and the fish and chips are top class!
Afternoon:
We will have some time following lunch to explore Mevagissey independently. We will then depart for the Lost Gardens of Heligan, one of the United Kingdom’s most popular botanical gardens. A staff member will lead us through the extensive garden before we explore independently. The Lost Gardens are a faithful reconstruction of the original Georgian/Victorian garden after many of the staff members were lost in the Great War. The garden is a charitable trust and has been dedicated to the memory of those gardeners. The intrepid may wish to venture into the lower level "jungle" area. We will regroup to return to Falmouth by motorcoach late in the afternoon.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 70 miles, about 3.5 hours Walking about 2.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets, some cobblestones.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll experience some spectacular views and literary associations as we travel by motorcoach to Fowey, and then on to Charlestown and the County Town of Truro. At each location, we’ll delve into the literary history of Cornwall while also learning about local history, geology, myths, and legends. Fowey is a beautiful harbor spectacularly located on the estuary of the same name. It was the home of Daphne Du Maurier. As well as literature, local crafts, and industry, there is a wealth of natural beauty on display too. The Fowey estuary is a deep-water anchorage and you never know what you will find anchored up – Bill Gates' yacht has been spotted here!
Lunch:
In a traditional Cornish pub.
Afternoon:
We’ll continue by motorcoach to Charlestown, made famous by the BBC series “Poldark”, and then on to the County Town of Truro, with opportunities to visit Lemon Quay, Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery or the iconic cathedral. We’ll then return to Falmouth by motorcoach.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
We will bid farewell to Cornwall as we spend our last evening at leisure here and prepare for our transfer to London in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off motorcoach; driving approximately 300 miles, about 6 hours throughout the day. Walking about 1.5 miles, periods of standing; paved streets and paths, some uneven flagstones.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will check out of the hotel for our full-day transfer to London’s Heathrow Airport. On our way, we will stop for a field trip in the cathedral city of Wells. Wells is among the smallest cities in England, earning the designation thanks to its 13th-century Cathedral Church of St. Andrew.
Lunch:
On your own in Wells for you to choose from the many central eateries.
Afternoon:
We will continue with the final portion of our transfer to the airport, checking in in the late afternoon.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning:
If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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