We run a 9 seat minibus that can comfortably accommodate up to 8 passengers. The West Cornwall tours depend on what you would like to see, what the weather is doing and how far you would like to walk. We typically squeeze in ancient monuments, mining works, a cup of coffee and coastal scenery before running out of time.

Our tours tend to focus on the magical stone monuments that punctuate Penwith’s (West Cornwall’s) moors and coastline. Quoits, stone circles and burial chambers are found in greater abundance here than perhaps anywhere else in the British Isles and we take you on a tour through time. We have quoits (also called dolmans) from the Stone Age, standing stones from the Bronze Age, Celtic ruins and tin mines abandoned in the last century. Do these mysterious stones mark the graves of ancient warriors or do they tell tales of giants that once ruled the land? Archaeology and folklore play equal parts in Cornwall’s past and we’ll give you a bit of both.

With a detailed knowledge of local history and a twinkle in the eye we offer you a relaxed, interesting and invigorating West Cornwall tour. Join us.

We leave from Penzance Tourist Information Centre (next to the bus/train station) at 9.30 am and return at 1.30. The guided tours cost £30 per person, or we can pick up from St Ives: 9.10 am from Porthminster car park (by the train station), dropping off at 2 pm.

 

Call 01736 362763 or email us on info@westcornwallwalks.co.uk for details and availability.

 

We require a minimum of two people for each West Cornwall guided tour, but if you are on your own we can usually get a group (or at least another person) for you to join.

If you prefer your own guided tour of Cornwall without the company of strangers, you can book a private tour. This way we can tailor the tour to your interest, fitness and the time you wish to spend out and about.

The price for private guided tours starts at £130 for the full four hours. If your group is more than 5, this actually works out cheaper per person than the open tour. Or if you would like to go a little further and enjoy a full day tour of Cornwall's ancient monuments, beaches and countryside, please contact us in advance.

Yes. Everyone is welcome and do our best to make sure that you enjoy the tour.

 

If you are interested in a tour of Cornwall's ancient monuments, a Penzance tour or a Cornwall history tour, you will have a great time. We try to keep the tours relaxed, humorous and explore Cornwall in a leisurely fashion.

 

Sometimes we remember to ask people for a comment on their experience and sometimes people are kind enough to email them to us out of the blue. These are all genuine comments from 2010:

 

"Western Discoveries Tours—If you want to explore Cornwall’s hidden nooks and crannies with a local, a minivan tour is a must. Russ Peake is an enthusiastic, energetic young guide with a broad knowledge of Cornwall’s history, geology, and culture. He packs up to eight people into his van and takes them on Cornwall’s twistiest back lanes to track down forgotten Neolithic monuments and Iron Age settlements. You won’t see any of the big attractions listed in this book—Russ takes you way off the beaten path. The route and specific sights covered change based on the weather and the interests of the group. This is a great way to experience the real Cornwall...away from the tourist congestion on the coast" - Rick Steves guide book

"Just to say thanks for the tour today which we really enjoyed and we really appreciated your suggestion for the walk and the lift to Perranuthoe. Truly personal service! The walk from there to Marazion was great with lovely views of St Michael's Mount.

 

I'm sure we will re-visit this lovely part of the world and would happily do another tour with you. Hope your pasty was good." - Maggie P, London

 

"Great trip! From a very pleasant and knowledgeable guide. Thanks so much." - Jerry L, Baltimore

 

"Ernie and myself enjoyed the walk with you very much. Your explanations about the different monuments have been very good and very interesting. In addition we learned also many things about plants (the ones which smell like coconut) and people from this region. We only can recommend to book you as a guide." - G Schlatter, Switzerland.

"Thank you for a most informative and pleasant tour of Cornwall. "6th October was a dark and rainy day, and I was quite afraid the tour would not go on, but Russ did a wonderful job of showing us the various "faces" of Cornwall, from abandoned mines to gorgeous cliffs despite the drizzle. Thanks for making my last day in Penzance so enjoyable!" - Sarah Tan, Singapore