In 1981, a shop opened in Penzance. It was called General Clothing Stores and it sold workwear to fishermen. The sons of the owner decided to expand the idea and now, that little shop has become Seasalt, a brand known round the world. Despite a global reputation, Seasalt are still Cornish through and through, so we asked them for some advice about what to do if we ever happened to be near their Falmouth base.
Do
The is a wonderful, family friendly gallery that features a really interesting mix of mediums and eras. There are usually temporary exhibitions running alongside the permanent collection and a range of workshops for children and adults help bring art to life. Check for free kids activities if you’re visiting in the holidays, or drop in on the first Saturday of every month for a casual artist-led workshop.
Other galleries worth mentioning are Cor Gallery, a contemporary art space featuring a carefully curated mix of fine art, ceramics and sculpture, and Morgan’s Gallery, set across five floors overlooking Customs House Quay. They host rotating exhibitions with a strong focus on Cornish artists and emerging talent from Falmouth University, bringing together makers in a beautiful light-filled setting.
The ferry over to St Mawes is a little passenger shuttle which chugs across the harbour to the picturesque village where the castle occupies the headland. The old fortress, built by Henry VIII to defend the waterway, is squat and round and decorated with inscriptions praising the king and his son. It’s a fascinating place to stroll and the village below, while hardly deserted, is a more timeless and traditional version of the Cornish coast than bustling Falmouth.
While this is an obvious draw for anyone who loves boats and the sea, it’s also another great way for families to spend a couple of hours. There are multiple floors of fascinating seafaring history, always with a special exhibit on; a permanent soft play room for small children, and a big window below the tideline so you can go down and see what lives in Falmouth’s waters. Once again, during the holidays, there are even more activities for children, so it’s always worth seeing what’s on. Pendennis Castle, the sister fort on the Falmouth side of the water, is also worth visiting for its explorers trail, summer activities and legendary jousting days!
Cafe and artisan shop by day, arts venue, cinema, theatre and comedy club by night. The Poly, run by the charity The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society, does a bit of everything and does it all brilliantly. It’s the place to go to immerse yourself in the latest of Cornish culture, from pottery to film making. The programme is vast and varied, so check their calendar and see if anything takes your fancy or just drop in and browse the finest of local craft.
The Cornish Bank and Princess Pavillion
On a similar note to the above, these two showcase even more of the Cornish vibe. The former is a grassroots, not-for-profit organisation with a focus on promoting local talent and new acts, while the latter hosts some big names alongside more niche performers. With all three of the above options, whether you want comedy, film, music, theatre or something completely different to blow your mind, you’ll find it.
Eat
On the old high street, this lovely shop serves a huge array of breads, buns and pastries, perfect for breakfast, lunch or a crusty loaf to go with your stew of the day’s catch. What’s more, on certain Fridays it transforms into a beautiful little pizzeria, for which you definitely need to book. The ambience is a lovely buzz and the dough, naturally, is top-notch stuff.
Directly opposite stones is a bar created by three friends to honour the late local legend David Bruce, Chintz being his nickname. It’s a cultural haven where everyone is welcome and anything can happen, especially during the Wednesday jam sessions.
On Queen Mary Road, which runs round the back of Gyllyngvase Beach, you’ll find a small green horsebox converted into a mobile kitchen. A passion project of two brothers, it sells superb bagels, pizza and coffee. It’s absolutely our go to when we’re down in that part of town.
A great choice when you’re looking for a special evening meal, Bodega 18 serves superb tapas and has a drinks list that’s as carefully curated as the menu, working with small-scale wineries as well as some larger producers to ensure there’s something that works for every guest and every dish.
See
This is Falmouth’s main beach and while the location on the edge of town means it’s rarely quiet, it also means that you can wander down whenever you need a sightseeing break and stick your feet in the water to cool off. The Gylly Beach Cafe and beach hut do really good food, to eat on the sand or on their beautiful patio area where you can watch the waves.
A little further east is Castle Beach, where a rockier shore than the one at Gylly is exposed at low tide, making for perfect rockpooling and seaweed foraging. It’s no harder to access and you can even pick your way up over the rocks to storm Pendennis Castle!
This seven-acre green space at the heart of town is wonderful for when you don’t feel like sitting in the heat of the day on the beach. It has a children’s play area and assault course and hosts a big festival in summer, but its lovely as a quiet place for a bit of shade and rest. The gardens have helped Falmouth to victory in many Britain in Bloom competitions.
While Trebah is a short drive south out of town it’s well worth a visit. Huge, rolling, privately owned gardens lead down to a little shingle beach and make a magical world to explore for a few hours. It’s also right next to the National Trust’s Glendurgan Gardens which are similar and have a good hedge maze. They both cost to enter, which you have to factor into your day, but it often means they’re fairly quiet.
Shop
Seasalt Cornwall (of course!)
Our shop has been on the main street for 30 years and it’s lovely to feel so much a part of Cornwall’s past, present and future. We’re just up from the harbour, on Fish Strand Hill where it meets Church Street, so drop in and say hi!
A bookshop in a pub is such a great idea we can’t believe you don’t see it everywhere. Browse the shelves, take your finds over the bar and settle in to read with a pint. You’re also allowed to bring your own food, so it’s good for a kind-of-picnic stop if the weather isn’t right for hitting the park or the beach.
Willow & Stone
A joy to browse and a real danger if you’ve got space in your bag on the way home, Willow & Stone is a homeware shop with a specialism in ironmongery, although its range runs from toys and cards to stationary and soft furnishings. Wander in and you might have a hard time leaving without your hands full.
Owner Emily’s background in environmental science combines with her extensive training in the UK and Tuscany to create a sustainable and superb florists. There’s a prioritisation of locally grown flowers and a focus on supporting the region’s growers and economy. They’re also just wonderful arrangements as well!
We hope our Pocket Guide to Falmouth has given you a flavour of this vibrant harbour town and its creative spirit. If we’ve inspired your next Cornish escape, take a look at our other personally inspected places to stay and start planning your visit.
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