Visiting Marazion beach in a Force 6 northwesterly wind is not recommended. In true British fashion, we get out the pop-up tent (which is immediately flattened) and weigh down the picnic blanket with bags. With the wind whipping our hair and sand stinging our faces, we attempt to make sandcastles and enjoy the view for at least half an hour before we finally give in, dig out the picnic blanket, and head for something requiring less endurance.
In Mount’s Bay, just opposite Marazion, lies one of Cornwall’s most famous landmarks – St Michael’s Mount. Atop the cone-shaped island sits an impressive granite castle dating back to the 12th century. Myths and legends surround the Mount, not least the story of a giant named Cormoran who is said to have built and lived on the island many years ago. After stealing one too many cows from the locals, so the story goes, he was finally tricked into falling into a pit and killed by a local boy named Jack.
The Mount gets its name from the legend of the appearance of the Archangel St Michael in AD 495 to fisherman, and has been a pilgrimage destination ever since.
To get to the island you can walk along a roughly 300-metre-long cobbled causeway. But this is only exposed at low tide, and today, the tide is in. So we set off down to the Gwelva landing point to catch one of the many small boats ferrying people back and forth to the Mount.
In Mount’s Bay, just opposite Marazion, lies one of Cornwall’s most famous landmarks – St Michael’s Mount. Atop the cone-shaped island sits an impressive granite castle dating back to the 12th century. Myths and legends surround the Mount, not least the story of a giant named Cormoran who is said to have built and lived on the island many years ago. After stealing one too many cows from the locals, so the story goes, he was finally tricked into falling into a pit and killed by a local boy named Jack.
The Mount gets its name from the legend of the appearance of the Archangel St Michael in AD 495 to fisherman, and has been a pilgrimage destination ever since.
To get to the island you can walk along a roughly 300-metre-long cobbled causeway. But this is only exposed at low tide, and today, the tide is in. So we set off down to the Gwelva landing point to catch one of the many small boats ferrying people back and forth to the Mount.
The wind has churned up the waves, making the short crossing an exhilarating rollercoaster ride. My son and I cling on to my husband, who claims this is just a light swell, as we head for the granite harbour steps.
Back on dry land, my back wet with spray, we seek refuge in the National Trust’s Sail Loft Restaurant. The restaurant serves dishes made from local, seasonal ingredients, including freshly caught fish, and has beautiful views of the sea. Two Cornish pasties and a kid’s lunchbox later, we are ready to tackle the climb up to the castle.
The steep steps and cobble paths wind up the wooded hillside among granite boulders, one of which is labelled the “giant’s heart”. Looking back as we climb higher and higher, the view over the bay is stunning. At the top we are greeted by a battery of cannons that guards the entrance to the castle – a relic from the War of the Roses (1473) and the Civil War (1642–46).
Read on From 1659 until 1954
Back on dry land, my back wet with spray, we seek refuge in the National Trust’s Sail Loft Restaurant. The restaurant serves dishes made from local, seasonal ingredients, including freshly caught fish, and has beautiful views of the sea. Two Cornish pasties and a kid’s lunchbox later, we are ready to tackle the climb up to the castle.
The steep steps and cobble paths wind up the wooded hillside among granite boulders, one of which is labelled the “giant’s heart”. Looking back as we climb higher and higher, the view over the bay is stunning. At the top we are greeted by a battery of cannons that guards the entrance to the castle – a relic from the War of the Roses (1473) and the Civil War (1642–46).
Read on From 1659 until 1954
From 1659 until 1954, when the Mount was gifted to the National Trust, the castle was privately owned by the St Aubyn family. The Victorian wing of the castle remains the family’s home today.
The series of rooms that are open to the public take us on a fascinating journey through the history and life of the castle and island. My favourite is a room full of old maps that document how Cornwall and its place names have changed over the centuries – and is also home to a model of St Michael’s Mount made by the butler in 1932 from Champagne corks.
Up on the terraces, the view is spectacular back across to the golden sands of Marazion and Cornwall beyond. Peering over the walls, I spy the incredible subtropical terraced gardens clinging to the sides of the cliff below, which are unfortunately not open to the public today.
From the terraces, we step into the cool darkness of the priory chapel, built in around 1193 after the Mount was granted to the Benedictine Abbey of Mont St Michel – the Mount’s French cousin across the English Channel. Sitting in quiet reflection, I watch patterns of coloured lights dance on the stone walls as sunlight glints through the ornate stained glass windows.
Passing through the Garrison Room, where there is a full set of Samurai armour on display, we make our way out of the castle and back down the path towards the harbour. We have just enough time for tea and ice cream at the Island Café, before we catch the boat back to the mainland.
As we disembark at the Chapel Rock landing, the causeway is just beginning to emerge from beneath the lapping waves, the wet cobbles glistening in the fading sun.
The next day, we return to Marazion beach. With the wind calmer and the sun shining, this time we even manage to have a paddle.
Further information:
St Michael’s Mount is run by the National Trust, www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk, 01736 710507. It is open from 10:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Saturdays, from March 27th to October 30th. Gardens are open Thursdays and Fridays only.
Entry is £7.00 for adults, £3.50 for children over 5. Family and group tickets available. There is an additional fee of £3.50 for entry to the gardens.
The ferry boats run continuously all day from three different landing points depending on the tide. Fare per trip is £1.50 per adult and £1 per child. Phone 01736 710265 for information about tides.
For more information about the area and other things to do see www.marazionguide.com and www.visitcornwall.com. The children’s play area near Marazion beach is fantastic.
Passing through the Garrison Room, where there is a full set of Samurai armour on display, we make our way out of the castle and back down the path towards the harbour. We have just enough time for tea and ice cream at the Island Café, before we catch the boat back to the mainland.
As we disembark at the Chapel Rock landing, the causeway is just beginning to emerge from beneath the lapping waves, the wet cobbles glistening in the fading sun.
The next day, we return to Marazion beach. With the wind calmer and the sun shining, this time we even manage to have a paddle.
Further information:
St Michael’s Mount is run by the National Trust, www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk, 01736 710507. It is open from 10:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily, except Saturdays, from March 27th to October 30th. Gardens are open Thursdays and Fridays only.
Entry is £7.00 for adults, £3.50 for children over 5. Family and group tickets available. There is an additional fee of £3.50 for entry to the gardens.
The ferry boats run continuously all day from three different landing points depending on the tide. Fare per trip is £1.50 per adult and £1 per child. Phone 01736 710265 for information about tides.
For more information about the area and other things to do see www.marazionguide.com and www.visitcornwall.com. The children’s play area near Marazion beach is fantastic.
