Your day, in words
42 miles of Cornwall, 9h 7m door to door, one car and one driver for £200. Here is how it unfolds.
Penzance to Mousehole3 miles · about 22 min
Your driver collects you from Penzance at a time you agree the day before. First up, a pleasant run to Mousehole.
A tight knot of granite cottages around a tiny working harbour, one of the prettiest villages on the Penwith coast. Narrow lanes lead down to a handful of galleries, pubs and a harbour wall made for wandering.
You have about 1 hour here, and the car waits for you.
Driver's tip: Gallery browsing in the lanes. Narrow lanes behind the harbour hold a handful of small galleries and craft shops worth a slow look.
Mousehole to Minack Theatre9 miles · about 29 min
Back in the car for a steady drive to Minack Theatre.
An open-air theatre carved into the cliffs above Porthcurno, with granite tiered seating and a stage that looks straight out over the Atlantic. Summer evenings here mix live performance with one of the best sea views in Cornwall.
You have about 1h 30m here, and the car waits for you.
Driver's tip: Rowena Cade exhibition. A small exhibition tells the story of the woman who carved this theatre into the cliff by hand.
Minack Theatre to Porthcurnounder a mile · about 9 min
From Minack Theatre, a short hop brings you to Porthcurno.
A cove of pale sand and turquoise water, sheltered by granite headlands just below the Minack Theatre. The beach is a short, steep walk down from the car park, which keeps it quieter than its neighbours.
You have about 1h 15m here, and the car waits for you.
Driver's tip: PK Porthcurno. A museum built into the old cable station, telling the story of the transatlantic telegraph that once ran from this beach.
Porthcurno to Sennen Cove4 miles · about 20 min
From Porthcurno, a gentle run brings you to Sennen Cove.
A working fishing cove backed by nearly a mile of golden sand, popular with surfers and families alike. The old lifeboat station and a handful of cafes sit right above the beach.
You have about 1h 15m here, and the car waits for you.
Driver's tip: Old Success Inn. A proper harbourside pub right above the cove, good for a pint with a view of the beach and the old lifeboat station.
Sennen Cove to St Ives17 miles · about 44 min
Next, St Ives: a good stretch of Cornish road from Sennen Cove.
A former fishing town turned artists' colony, with whitewashed cottages, narrow cobbled streets, and a run of sandy beaches right in town. The Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum sit alongside working studios and galleries.
You have about 1h 30m here, and the car waits for you.
Driver's tip: Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden. A studio and garden that once belonged to the sculptor, left much as she worked in it.
St Ives back to Penzance9 miles · about 33 min
Then it's 9 miles home. Sit back; your driver does the thinking while you argue about the best bit of the day.
Timings are honest estimates, not a timetable. Linger where you are happy; your driver adjusts the day around you.