Itineraries for Cruise Liners calling at Fowey

Cruise Liner Information

Guided Tours & Experiences for Cruise Liner Passengers

"Fowey as a destination has a heck of a lot more to offer than just Lanhydrock House!"

The following sample tour itineraries have been developed by Cornish Riviera Guides, Cornwall's leading partnership of Blue Badge Guides. CRG specialise in tours for Cruise Liners calling in at all the ports along the coast of Devon & Cornwall as well as leading all the walks and tours during the annual Du Maurier Festival in Fowey.

The Blue Badge, worn by all members of the group, was established 50 years ago to ensure the highest standard of professionalism in tour guiding in Britain - it is your assurance of quality. All our guides are also full members of the Association of West Country Tourist Guides which is affiliated to the Guild of Registered Tourist Guides.

Be guided by us -

there's no substitute for local knowledge!

The suggested tours listed below - designed to be informative as well as to entertain - have been divided into half, three-quarter and full day duration. Although Cornish towns and villages were definitely not designed with the motor coach in mind (!), all these tours are designed to be suitable for 49/53 seat coaches, singly or in multiple. However, due to capacity limitations at some locations, it may be necessary when running multiple coaches to stagger timings and/or use different eating establishments.

For special interest groups, there is a section at the end devoted to "themed" tours. Here, especially for smaller groups using mini or midi coaches, the possibilities are almost limitless so please do call us for suggested itineraries.

Half-day tours may be either a morning - returning in time to allow passengers to lunch aboard ship or in the town - or an afternoon, starting just after lunch. Where the length of stay permits, they may also be operated "back to back" (with a break for lunch taken either on board ship or in the town) using the same coach and guide.

Three-quarter day tours are designed to visit one main "attraction" in the morning followed by lunch then a leisurely return drive (during which there will be some photo opportunities) so as to arrive back in Fowey in sufficient time for a spot of shopping and some sightseeing in the town.

Flexibility is the keynote, so all our half and three-quarter day tours can be extended, shortened or modified to suit your needs - please call us to discuss the possibilities!

Full day tours, designed to make the most of the visitor's time in Cornwall, can include a formal or buffet style lunch in a hotel or restaurant on the route. Alternatively, for those in need of a lighter lunch or for the more budget conscious traveller, tours can be arranged which stop in a town at lunchtime. Passengers can then "do their own thing", choosing from the wide variety of local specialities available in the nearby pubs, inns, cafes and restaurants. Stops may be made in the morning for coffee and/or in the afternoon for that all important "Cornish Cream Tea" featuring locally produced clotted cream.

Themed tours - Cornwall is brimming with history, heritage and artistic talent, not to mention some rather splendid scenery and a climate which supports sub-tropical plants, so tours can readily be devised for groups with interests in subjects ranging from King Arthur to Daphne du Maurier, Gardens to Film Locations and Art to Architecture. They can be tailored to any length and either be coach or walk based, or even a mixture of the two.

Half-day (morning or afternoon)

Eden Project. Claimed as the eighth wonder of the world, the huge "biomes" contain plants from all over the world, including tropical plants shown off in their humid habitat. Now the number one attraction in the South West of England, it has attracted world-wide interest and acclaim.

Eden Biomes

Lost Gardens of Heligan & Charlestown - Combine a visit to the famous gardens at Heligan with a guided walk around the charming old port of Charlestown and the opportunity for a spot of shopping.

Tregrehan House Gardens & Charlestown (Spring only) - apart from an amazing variety of camellias (many of which the Carlyon Family introduced themselves) enjoy rhododendrons, azaleas and magnolias in a splendid woodland setting, then on to Charlestown for a guided walkabout

Charlestown Harbour

Pencarrow House & Steam Train Ride - Voted by visitors to be one of the very best stately homes in the South West, Pencarrow is a delightful and definitely more informal house set in beautiful gardens which has something to interest everyone. Timings permitting, an optional extra is for a short walk along the famous River Camel Trail to catch a steam train at Boscarne Junction. Cornish Cream Tea can be served on the train during the journey to Bodmin.

Lanhydrock House & Restormel Manor - With 43 rooms open to the public and its unique Long Gallery, Lanhydrock House is the jewel in the National Trust's crown in Cornwall. Optional Cornish cream tea or sherry reception at an exclusive location in the Lostwithiel area can be arranged.

Polperro - A charming fishing port brimming with maritime history and tales of smuggling with plenty of opportunities for guided walks or sightseeing "on your own" as well as shopping.

Fowey - A town which has inspired many artists and writers, including Daphne du Maurier, best remembered perhaps for her 'Rebecca', 'Jamaica Inn' and 'Frenchman's Creek'. Enjoy a leisurely "Du Maurier's Fowey" or "Historical Fowey" walk with morning coffee/cream tea overlooking the harbour in one of the leading hotels or exclusive clubs. Optionally combine this with a boat trip around the harbour and up the river which inspired "The Wind in the Willows".

Three-quarter day

Eden Project & Charlestown - A visit to Eden as above followed by lunch in a high quality hotel overlooking the sea at Carlyon Bay then a guided tour around the port of Charlestown.

Pencarrow House - A visit to the superb Pencarrow House and gardens near Bodmin followed by lunch at a beautiful hotel set high up on Bodmin Moor which used to be a vicarage. Relax after lunch in the gardens or take a guided visit to the adjacent church.

Plymouth - The city that gave its name to 43 others world-wide is always a popular destination. After a guided walk taking in the famous Plymouth Hoe (where Drake played bowls before defeating the Spanish Armada and Nancy, Lady Astor lived for many years), the Elizabethan House and the Mayflower Steps (from where the Pilgrim Fathers set sail), there's time for some shopping in the historic Barbican area or a chance to sample the world famous Plymouth Gin before returning to Fowey.

Tregothnan - An opportunity to visit Lord Falmouth's large estate with its wonderful gardens and views over the Fal estuary. Please note that this is an exclusive offer as the Estate is not normally open to the general public.

Full day

Prideaux House & Padstow - Enjoy a visit to the interesting stately home of the Prideaux-Brune family then, after lunch, a guided walk around the old harbour at Padstow, a town 'put on the map' in recent times by seafood chef Rick Stein.

Buckland House & The City of Plymouth - visit the house where Sir Francis Drake once lived then its on to Plymouth for a guided City walking tour and time to explore the shops. Optionally include a visit to Jamaica Inn, high up on Bodmin Moor, for morning coffee or afternoon tea.

Guides

Saltram House & The City of Plymouth - a chance to visit a fine 18th century stately home containing priceless furniture and works of art where "Sense and Sensibility" was filmed. Then it's on to Plymouth for a guided walking tour of the Hoe and Barbican. Optional outward or return via Dartmoor and Tavistock.

Tintagel & Boscastle - Tintagel, legendary birthplace of King Arthur, offers stunning views from the castle perched high on the rocks whilst the nearby small port of Boscastle, accepted as the setting for the smuggling scenes in Daphne du Maurier's novel "Jamaica Inn", has much to offer the visitor, particularly its charming harbour.

Falmouth, Pendennis Castle & The National Maritime Museum - Falmouth, home of the National Maritime Museum as well as of renowned art galleries, has one of the world's largest natural harbours and is guarded by the formidable Pendennis Castle, scene of much action during the English Civil War as well as in both World wars. Tour can include a short visit to Truro on the return.

Trelissick House

Trelissick & Truro - Combine a tour of the spectacular gardens of the National Trust's Trelissick with a tour of Truro, Cornwall's Cathedral City and County Town. Optional visit to the unique Copeland China collection in Trelissick House.

Ropunzel'sTower at Trelissick

Polperro - After visiting the old fishing port of Polperro (ideal for tours where passengers "do their own thing" at lunchtime) either visit Restormel Castle or enjoy a ride on an old steam train from the heart of the Fowey Valley up the steep hill to Bodmin.

Tregothnan & Truro - Combine an exclusive tour of Lord Falmouth's splendid estate with a short walking tour around the City of Truro, including the Cathedral, and the opportunity for some shopping.

Mount Edgecumbe & The City of Plymouth - Priceless works of art in an interestingly designed house set amidst acres of parkland and spectacular formal gardens make Mt Edgecumbe a regular favourite. Combine this with a ferry crossing to Plymouth for lunch, city tour and shopping.

Stately Rooms

The "Two Moors Tour" - Bodmin Moor & Dartmoor - Pause on the journey across the bleak but beautiful upland landscape at the notorious Jamaica Inn and again at Princetown (one of the highest towns in England and home of the infamous Dartmoor Prison) before lunch in a leading country hotel and a tour of Plymouth.

Pencarrow & Charlestown - Pencarrow House visit and lunch at Wenn Manor Hotel as on the 3/4 day followed by a journey through the lunar landscape of china-clay country to visit to the charming port of Charlestown, now a location popular with film-makers.

St Ives - Outward journey via Marazion for views of St Michael's Mount then lunch at Tregenna Castle before a short walking tour of the town made famous by its artistic community. Free time to visit the Tate Gallery, Hepworth Museum or for some shopping.

St Michael's Mount

St. Michael's Mount - A visit to the spectacular house and chapel perched high on the solitary rock in Mount's Bay combined with a short tour of Truro make a great day out. But to make it truly memorable, it is sometimes possible to add a reception hosted by Lord St. Levan, who likes to show some parts of the house not normally open to the public and tell a few family anecdotes.

Themed Tours

Literary Connections - Daphne du Maurier, who spent most of her life in and around Fowey, is one of Cornwall's best-known authors. A two hour walk around Fowey (or longer if coffee/tea is taken in a hotel or club overlooking the river Fowey) visits houses she lived in and places she wrote about in her novels. Longer walks and tours can examine individual novels - eg Rebecca, House on the Strand, Frenchman's Creek and My Cousin Rachel - as well as afford magnificent views of the countryside. Let us also show you the land that has provided inspiration for so many other writers, including as Winston Graham (Poldark), Rosamund Pilcher (The Shell Seekers & Coming Home), A L Rowse (Cornish Childhood), Virginia Woolfe (To The Lighthouse), John Betjeman et al......

Film locations - Dramatic seascapes, quaint villages, windswept moors dotted with granite cottages - all lit by a special clear light which attracted artists to Newlyn & St Ives, is now highly valued by photographers. No wonder that Cornwall has been chosen by so many film makers as the ideal location for films such as The Eagle has Landed, The Three Musketeers, Frenchman's Creek, Rebecca, and Amy Foster to name but a few. Follow in the footsteps of famous actors and film stars and be transported into a world of fantasy where fact and fiction begin to merge.

The Cornish Celtic Heritage. The Celtic Saints on their journeys of pilgrimage converted many a community to the Celtic form of Christianity, leaving their mark not only on the countryside in the form of chapels and holy wells but also in the names of so many towns and villages.

Rhododendrons at Trelissick

Gardens - discovered and forgotten. The mild climate of Cornwall, warmed by the Gulf Stream, ensures a wealth of flora and fauna not often seen elsewhere in England. We have many glorious gardens to share with you: a good time to visit is in Spring (which comes early here) to see the fabulous display of camellias, rhododendrons and azaleas.

Shipwrecks and smuggling - Privateering, wrecking, "free trading", piracy and "trading in illegal substances"; just about every little port or cove along the Cornish coast has been witness to these activities and has a fascinating story to tell.

Kings, Castles and Manors - The strategic value of Cornwall has been recognised for centuries so both coast and country are rich in the remains of early fortifications as well as later castles and defensively designed manor houses, not to mention the odd "second castle" for the king's summer holidays.

Industrial Heritage - From fish, tin and copper - Cornwall's traditional industries - to kaolin (china clay). One tour features a fascinating look behind the scenes at how china clay - South West England's most important extractive industry and a substance we all eat, apply to ourselves and touch dozens of times a day - is won from the granite hills, refined, dried and finally transported. Another tour, this time mainly on foot, explores the Cornwall's "hidden gem" - the Luxulyan Valley - a lushly vegetated and densely wooded valley still rich in relics of bygone extractive industries.

King Arthur, Camelot and Merlin - the legends explored and the visits made to the sites associated with them: Tintagel, Camelford, Slaughterbridge and many more.

Myths and Legends - long known as a land of mystery, Cornwall offers the visitor many legends and stories upon which to ponder.

Roche Rock