England
Cornwall: England’s Hidden Treasure
Program No. 22431RJ
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Cornwall: England’s Hidden Treasure
Cornwall: England’s Hidden Treasure
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Participant Reviews
Based on 33 Reviews
SHOWING
Peter Maxted and Anne were wonderful group leaders.
The length of the tour was appropriate, and covered everything that we hoped to visit.
Our group was very cohesive despite variation in conditioning and ages.
— Review left October 14, 2025
Wonderful trip! The guide and his wife were delightful and knowledgeable. Accommodations were lovely. One note: Morning coffee service at the hotel in Falmouth was slow. Most Americans expect coffee immediately, so be prepared to wait, or use the room coffee.
— Review left October 1, 2025
Highly recommended this trip! Stunning scenery, steeped in history, exemplary guides whose knowledge and love of Cornwall make you want to experience and read more. I learned about ecology, industry, culture and enjoyed every minute. Really appreciated our caring trip leader, Simon
— Review left June 4, 2025
Tour leaders. Simon was outstanding and an authentic leader and person. I've been on several other trips with competitors, and when I've met their group leader outside of the context of their official duties. They were standoffish and much less friendly. Their role during the tour was a fake personality. When I met Simon and Peter outside the official roles they behaved as they did on the tour. Simon is a real mensch.
Peter was very knowledgeable and gave good short explanations of the places we visited as we approached them. If he was asked a question he provided detailed information. I appreciate that he did not give infantizing legends and stories about the places we were seeing.
I would suggest 2 changes to the program which I think would make it more meaningful for the participants. First after seeing the three Bronze Age rings, there is a necessary bathroom break. We stopped at the Jamaica Inn to use the facilities and had a coffee for about 1/2 hour. This delay cut into the time in the next village when we had lunch and could have walked to the pier and looked at the coast. I understand that the Jamaica Inn isn't just going to allow a bus to pull up and use facilities without buying something. I would suggest you order the coffee, tell everyone to get back on the bus after using the facilities, and tell the staff just to pitch your coffee. It was a very short ride from the Jamaica Inn to lunch.
The Lost Gardens was a good place to visit but we only had a short time there. I would suggest two ways to increase this time. First have Peter give a overview of the gardens on the bus rather than the staff of the garden giving that overview; and two, skip the little town we went to before that. There was some TV show that was filmed there which people didn't fly thousands of miles to see, given all the beauty and other sights to see in Cornwall. One of the other participants in the group just sighed and told me another “cute seaside village.”
My wife and I immensel
— Review left May 25, 2025
Highly recommend this program. Cornwall is a must see.
— Review left May 17, 2025
I had wanted to see Cornwall ever since I read Daphe DuMaurier's "Rebecca" 60+ years ago. After all this time, I was afraid I might be disappointed but in fact the trip far exceeded my expectations. The tour had a stimulating mix of history and current life in this very distinctive corner of the UK. The study leader and all the site guides were terrific. I highly recommend this trip (and also re-reading "Rebecca," which stands the passage of time!)
— Review left September 28, 2024
THis tour takes one to a beautiful, quiet part of the U.K. rarely visited by Americans. If ancient monuments, gothic cathedrals an boat trips on lovely waters are your thing, this is the perfect trip for you.
— Review left September 20, 2024
Our 4th trip with Road Scholar was a great trip, like the previous three. We would probably take any tour led by Simon! He was always energetic, helpful, knowledgeable and very patient. Our area guide Peter was also superb and patient and seemed to know everything about the Cornwall area.
— Review left July 6, 2024
A visit to Cornwall is a timely reminder of the good things in life:
--a unique geographic setting.
--absence of billboards, guns and violence.
--charming people and historic sites.
--a place to remind ourselves on how to live a quality life.
Go there and see for yourself!
— Review left July 2, 2024
Interesting well organized program in an area of much history and great natural beauty. Very glad my wife and I made the decision to attend.
— Review left June 30, 2024
This is a fascinating tour of Britain’s Southwest. (We learned Natives of Cornwall think they are a separate country from England). The course is a great mix of beautiful scenery, archaeology, and economic history combined with lots of fish and chips and real Cornish pasties.
— Review left June 25, 2024
Our experience with ‘Cornwall: England’s Hidden Treasure’ was overwhelmingly positive. We were with a terrific group and had two wonderful guides/instructors. Even our bus drivers were fun! This was a perfect blend of education, exercise and fun. The accommodations were lovely and the food was great and plentiful. We had couples, sisters, singles and friends on our tour, and it was an exceptionally compatible group. We would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to get to know Cornwall.
— Review left May 13, 2024
I was not prepared for how dramatically beautiful Cornwall is in all kinds of weather. Its many layers of history proved well worth exploring, and this program is based at a vintage seaside hotel -- a location that in itself was a delight!
— Review left May 8, 2024
This trip started on a pretty disorganized note, I had contacted the FootPath tour company which supplied the RoadScholar guide to give him my arrival information. Apparently he didn’t read it or didn’t get it because he sent his contact information to my emergency contact instead of me.
Ian was the guide, he stated that this was only his second RoadScholar trip, and I would say it showed. He really made no effort to do the activities that RoadScholar does to make the group cohesive and engaged. He remained pretty detached.
The area we were in was one of the most beautiful in England, lovely landscapes and beautiful coastlines. The trip from London to Faulmouth was long as we were on a bus in heavy traffic. It’s beyond me why we just didn’t take the train from London to Truro which is a lovely route and no traffic!
The Falmouth Hotel most have been grand at one time, the views are lovely and thankfully my room had wonderful views. The rest of ghe hotel was understaffed, and the food underwhelming to say the least.
It was unfortunate that the trip to The Lost Gardens were crammed into a very full day in which we spent way to much time on the bus. Also, stop taking us to tourist traps, there are so many beautiful places there of interest, we don’t need to be with hundreds of other tourists going to the same place.
Peter, the local guide was certainly well versed in Cornish lore and knew a lot about the area. He did have a tendency to rush around though.
It was very warm at the time and the beaches and coastal areas were inundated with tourists and a number of cruise ships also.
I actually think staying in Truro would have been better than Falmouth as there is more yo see and it’s the county seat. There were no talks in the evening or any suggestions from our guide about places to go.
I’m glad I got to see the area though, very beautiful
— Review left September 21, 2023
With good weather, this a wonderful trip with varied sights of Cornwall ranging from towns, harbors, countryside; to tin mine, china clay factory, and fantastic garden.
Adding to the experience is a 150 year old (but functional) hotel right on a beach with a beach walk as far as you wish to go; and within half mile of main streets in Falmouth.
The level of effort is almost entirely up to you. It can be a stroll, or you can add as much as you want for distance and speed.
Two days on the bus to get to and from Falmouth.
And very good guides with detailed knowledge of the area.
All in all, fantastic trip.
— Review left July 4, 2023
You couldn’t ask for better tour leaders than Peter and Anne. I’d take any future tour they were offering. They are Cornwall’s treasures!!
— Review left July 1, 2023
I really enjoyed this program. Cornwall is filled with natural beauty and interesting history.
— Review left June 17, 2023
Beautiful country. Great field trips. Good leadership. Possibly a bit too hectic for me (or those preferring more free time).
— Review left May 23, 2023
Outstanding place to visit=Cornwall with Road Scholar
— Review left May 22, 2023
My trip to Cornwall was amazing! I prefer to be immersed in one region and really learn about its history and culture, as opposed to jumping from place to place. Our group leader and guide were excellent and fun to be with.
— Review left September 12, 2022
Cornwall is experienced in a pleasant and informative manner. Historical sites and scenic vistas are everywhere.
— Review left September 10, 2022
Lovely tour. The tour guide can make or break a tour and Heather was wonderful--helpful and knowledgeable. Her tour partner was ill and couldn't make it, so that put a heavy load on her. She handled it well, including when one of our own got Covid during the tour. Pros: loved, loved, loved The Falmouth Hotel, our main stay. My single room overlooked the bay and was quite large. Also, the lounge was a wonderful place to have a glass or a cup of something and read or chat with new friends in the comfy chairs. Very British, I think! Also, I am now watching Doc Martin with greater appreciation having been to Port Isaac. Cons: We were often rushed visiting places, I think mainly because we didn't leave early enough each morning and got stuck in traffic. Overall, I recommend the tour. Road Scholar rocks! (P.S. I got Covid as I was departing UK. Probably never would have been allowed on the plane if the US rule had still been in place. I can't recommend enough that everyone should wear a mask, even be required to, on the bus. I didn't. Our guide & driver wore masks, but the rest of us were hit & miss-mostly miss. Fortunately, not a bad case, but, I'm wearing a mask in future!)
— Review left August 10, 2022
Our tour guides were superior. They interacted well with our group as well as each other. They were funny and full of facts from the history to current events of the areas that we visited. I would like to take another tour with our group leaders Neil Flather and Peter Maxted some time in the futhre.
— Review left July 8, 2022
Loved Cornwall:England's Hidden Treasures. Beautiful hotel and countryside.
— Review left July 3, 2022
If you have a chance to participate in one program in the UK, I strongly recommend the Cornwall: England's Hidden Treasure. Seeing the country side, the villages located in the various harbors and learning more about the history in this area is well worth time I spent there. The weather is a little challenging as I learned that an umbrella and a rain coat has to be
packed everyday. Staying at the Falmouth Hotel which faces Falmouth Bay was and even better reason to choose this program. The staff there were so accommodating and friendly.
— Review left July 2, 2022
Pretty good overview of SW England, but not much time in any one place and few options in the event of poor weather. Many "culture" spots turned out to be merely tourist traps.
— Review left May 21, 2022
Excellent tour of Cornwall; enjoyable and informative narration; lovely accommodations and interesting site visits.
— Review left October 13, 2019
Great opportunity to visit a part of Great Britain (don't call it part of England, we learned) that is somewhat off the beaten path. We saw familiar scenery (think Doc Martin and Poldark), visited the green but stark moors, stood on the most western point of Britain (Land's End), learned about the lives of the people who have inhabited this part of the British Isles from pre-Roman times through the age of modern tin mines, and I, personally, enjoyed eating a lot of fish and ice cream -- but not at the same time.
— Review left July 2, 2019
What a beautiful trip in every way! Cornwall was absolutely enchanting. Each and every day we experienced landscapes that literally took our breath away! Ocean and sky such a beautiful blue, fields lush and green, and flowers everywhere! So much history, seen in everything from the incredible cathedrals at Wells and Exeter, to the Stone circles, to the cities and towns with narrow streets, and old homes and buildings built in a sort of tiered fashion as viewed from below. The trips to the tin mine, china clay center, and lost gardens were very interesting and two boat rides, one in Falmouth Bay and the other in Fowey Harbor were memorable for their beauty and their fascinating history, including how they figured into the end of World War II.
We learned all these things through our two fantastic leader/guides as well as the individuals who led certain specific field trips. Heather was amazing, from her able coordination of all the logistics to her vast knowledge of England and Cornwall—history, weather, flora, fauna, (and more), sharing so many interesting facts and stories about each location. She had a positive presence and her knowledgeable narration/commentary during all our travels made even the longer bus rides (London to Cornwall and back) go by quickly. We also appreciated our other guide, Peter, who has a depth of knowledge and passion for Cornwall. We appreciated all he shared from history of the area, to poetry, to music, songs, and more. Finally, we had a great group, gorgeous weather, and a beautiful, historic hotel with ocean views! The amount of free time was great, too. It was the best RS trip we have taken, and that is saying a lot because we have enjoyed them all! We wholeheartedly recommend this trip.
— Review left June 26, 2019
This is a great program for anyone who can walk--a few weeks practice walking uphill and down, fast and slow, will help you gain confidence and ability to easily manage this trip. No need to pack evening wear--save a bit of room for souvenirs and T-shirts!
— Review left June 8, 2019
Cornwall was unknown to me – now I think I will try to return.
— Review left June 6, 2019
I was somewhat disappointed by this tour. The choice was made to go to more places superficially than we had time for: so it was necessary we should go to Jamaica Inn, Boscastle, Port Isaac all in one afternoon. There was not enough time to eat lunch and see Boscastle. Port Isaac was chosen because a TV show is filmed there; meanwhile we were said to pass by Tintagel but pointed out from the bus it was not visible to me. Two afternoons were structured this way. I had rather have gone into Michael's Mount and experienced it than stand on a nearby place so people can take photos. Either devote more days to this tour, or go fewer places but really do them. There were a number of experiences where real time was devoted: e.g., the two mines, the visit to the Hurlings; Fowey.
For "free time" luckily I was with someone so went to Pendennis Castle.
Heather Newman was conscientious, well-meaning, patient, good-tempered, but very unwilling to do the usual events to facilitate helping people to get to know one another. She claimed not to recall to have people introduce themselves the first night; when reminded did it minimally. She took a list of emails from us to hand out to all, and also a group picture but after being reminded she had not sent this material out, she said she was far from her computer and would do it the next day. To date, she has not done it. She did not know much about the literature of the places she took us to. Peter Maxted knows about Cornwall but sometimes he too was unwilling to answer any real question. He was saving that for later. His idea of explaining the Cornish language was to recite Cornish slang words: no idea that to explain a language, you begin with what family it belongs to, something of its history. His book is excellent & I used it on the bus to help me understand what we were seeing and how each place related to the other. I do not recommend this tour to anyone who wants to see Cornwall or learn about it by the trip.
— Review left June 3, 2019
This is an excellent program. Very well informed group leaders. Lots of fun things to see and do. I can't recommend this highly enough.
— Review left March 11, 2019