Bike Route: Penzance to Marazion, 9mi
Walking Route: Across causeway to St. Michael's Mount, St. Michael's castle and gardens, and back, 4mi
Accommodation: Lovely 1-Bedroom Apartment (Airbnb); hosts Phil and Chris
Dinner: The Boatshed. Ken had bream grilled in garlic, ginger, coriander, and citrus butter; I had sea bass grilled in chilli and lemon butter. We shared sides of new potatoes, green beans, salad, and ratatouille. The dishes were garnished with samphire, which we had never seen before. It it is a sea marsh grass that looks like a small, dark green asparagus and tastes very salty.
Sightseeing day!
We rode our bikes to Marazion, locked them up in the bike parking lot, armed the new Scout alarm on my bike (a birthday gift from Joshua, Meghan, and the boys), and waited for the tide to go out far enough to expose the causeway to the tidal island called St. Michael's Mount.
St. Michael's Mount is the family home of the St. Aubyns. A castle and church on the island date back to medieval times. Parts of the castle and gardens are private, parts are managed by the National Trust and are open to the public. We purchased a combi ticket, giving us access to all the public areas.
We spent a couple of hours wandering around and soaking up the history and beauty. Then it was back across the causeway, disarm the Scout and unchain the bikes, and cycle back to Penzance. Although the day was cloudy and cool, it didn't rain, which made the outing more relaxing.
After a little rest at the apartment, we hiked down to the harbor and enjoyed an early dinner at the Boatshed.
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| You can see St. Michael's Mount from the harbor in Penzance. |
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| A gravel walking and biking path follows the coast around from Penzance to Marazion. |
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| On the way to Marazion, Ken cleaned the muck off our chains and oiled them. On the way back from Marazion, he realized that might not have been a great idea: the fresh oil attracted the fine sand on the path. Oh, well. We had plenty of degreaser and oil for a repeat the next day. |
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| We got to Marazion about 30 minutes before the tide receded enough to reveal the causeway. |
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| As the tide went out, walkers began to cross to the island... |
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| ...and we joined them. |
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| The castle was originally built in the 14th century. The St. Aubyn family purchased it in 1659 and continues to own the property. A Victorian wing was added in 1887. The current family moved in in 2003. |
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| Extensive gardens step down the hillside from the top of the mount. |
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| We passed this interesting building on our walk from the apartment down to dinner on the harbor in Penzance. |
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| Penance harbor. |
