Within the grounds of a 400 year old tudor manor house, the self catering holiday properties at Kenegie Manor enjoy a peaceful position just outside colourful Penzance in West Cornwall.
The grounds around the resort sit around 100 metres above sea level, and it is possible to catch some excellent views of St Michael’s Mount and the surrounding areas. The resort offers a variety of self catering accommodation, from barn conversions and more modern bungalows to splendid manor house apartments that have been thoughtfully converted and restored – all set in well kept gardens in West Cornwall.
Facilities at the resort include the ‘Old Forge’ restaurant and bar, tennis courts, a putting green, indoor heated pool with toddler splash pool and a sauna. Please note, site facilities may be subject to seasonal openeing hours, so if you are in any doubt, please just give us a call and we can find out for you before you book. Alternatively, venture off site and explore everything that West Cornwall has to offer, including the magical St Michael’s Mount, near Marazion or Porthcurno with the astounding Minack Theatre perched on a cliff looking over the turquoise waters below.
Set in the Heart of West Cornwall
1.9 miles from Penzance
Penzance is a historic town positioned within the well known Mount’s Bay area of West Cornwall. Providing a plethora of independent shops, cafes, eateries and art galleries on top of the usual high street retailers, the town retains a lot of character and charm; boasting a long sea-front promenade which leads to the glorious Jubilee Pool (a 1930’s lido style pool with waterside cafe and sun terraces. Explore the old high street (Chapel Street) with its unusual buildings and boutique style shops or explore the sub-tropical gardens dotted throughout the town.
4.3 miles from Marazion
Marazion is most famed for its connection to St Michael’s Mount – a hill top castle and chapel linked to the mainland via a cobbled causeway that emerges at low tide. The St Aubyn family still reside on the mount, but the grounds are managed by the National Trust. The town centre of Marazion offers several smaller shops, cafes and galleries as well as a handful of local pubs as well as access to a sandy beach that is popular with windsurfers, kit-surfers and families alike. Parking in the town centre is limited, so it is always best to park just outside and walk along in to the town.
7.2 miles from St Ives
A most beautiful town that needs very little introduction. Still very much a working harbour town, the town is an artist-hotspot that is well publicised for offering fantastic light. This is put down in the main to the town being surrounded almost entirely by water and boasting some of the best beaches that West Cornwall has to offer. The cobbled streets are now awash with contemporary restaurants, shops and galleries, but still offer visitors an insight in to an old Cornish harbour community from yesteryear. For art-lovers, visit the Tate St Ives and wander through the Barbara Hepworth Sculpture Gardens before stopping in the harbour for a paddle and an ice cream!
Beaches Near the Resort
Marazion – just 4 miles away
A long stretch of sloping golden sand overlooking Mount’s Bay and towards St Michael’s Mount, this beach is well regarded as safe for families to take a dip and try their hand at watersports such as kayaking and wind-surfing. There is a large beach car park behind the beach and there are toilets and a cafe within easy walking distance. Further along from Marazion beach is a year-round dog friendly beach at Long Rock.
A stunningly picturesque cove on the way to Land’s End, this beach is a very popular destination in the Summer. With turquoise waters and drifting sand bars that appear at low tide, this beach feels truly Mediterranean and is a good place from which to spot basking sharks, dolphins, seals and other playful sea creatures. On the cliff above the sandy beach is the famous Minack Theatre which hosts plays throughout the Spring and Summer.
Sennen Cove – just 11 miles away
Around the corner (via Land’s End) from Porthcurno is the delightful cove at Sennen. Frequented by surfers, families and wildlife enthusiasts, this long stretch of golden sand is backed by dunes and has cafes, shops and a pub within easy walking distance. There are toilets in the seafront car park, and if there are no spaces in the first car park you come to, continue along the front and park at the harbour – a pleasant 5 minute stroll from the ramp to the sandy beach.
Further afield…
Take the road towards Nancledra and on to St Ives, where you will find golden sandy beaches at every corner. Porthminster offers a beach bar/cafe as well as a restaurant overlooking the surf. Porthmeor is the beach most popular with surfers, but also offers a beachside restaurant as well as easy access to the Tate St Ives. Porthgwidden may be one of the smaller beaches, but is a great family beach with views towards Godrevy lighthouse near Gwithian. Lastly, the harbour beach is easily accessed form the main seafront and at low tide offers great space for families to relax and watch the colourful boats come and go.
Things to do Nearby
Attractions
West Cornwall offers a great range of attractions for visitors. Start in Mount’s Bay and cross at low tide to climb St Michael’s Mount. The house and gardens are open to the public and managed by the National Trust. Travel around the coast towards Land’s End, taking in the cute fishing villages of Newlyn and Mousehole – Mousehole is a small village, but well worth a visit. The village has a sandy harbour and a number of pubs, cafes and gift shops, so plenty to keep you entertained. Onward from Mousehole, you will come to Lamorna Cove and a little further on again, Porthcurno; the home of the Minack Theatre. The Minack is a amphitheatre carved out of the cliffside and affords guests fantastic sea views throughout their tour or performance. Land’s End is roughly 30 minutes drive from Kenegie Manor and has a variety of family-friendly facilities including a 4D cinema, shops, play areas and a petting zoo – there is also a hotel here which serves food and drink with unrivalled sea views.
Journey along the coast road from Land’s End towards St Just and keep going to get to Geevor tin mine – a wonderful reminder of the area’s heritage and industry. The mine is open for underground tours, or you can tread the coastpath nearby to spot some of the scenery made famous by BBC’s Poldark series.
Walk the Coastpath
The South West Coast Path extends around the West Cornwall peninsula and there are some fabulous stretches to enjoy. Walk from Land’s End across moorland and clifftops to Porthcurno via secluded inlets and coves known only by local residents. Read more about this walk here.
If you would like to walk from one town to another, park your car at St Just and head towards the coast at Cape Cornwall. From here, pick up the coast path taking you West towards Land’s End – this path winds up and down the coast, bringing you in to Gwynver and ultimately Sennen Cove. The walk takes roughly two or three hours, depending on ability and how often you stop to take in the breath-taking vistas.
To spot, explore and marvel at the mining landscape in West Cornwall, you can walk East from St Just towards Botallack – dotted along the coast are mine stacks and engine houses in different states of repair, but all equally mind-blowing in their cliff-side positions.
Explore the Art Scene
West Cornwall is home to hundreds and hundreds of artists – all inspired by the landscapes and views around the area. St Ives is known worldwide for its formidable light and the galleries, artists studios and gardens here mean any art lover will never be bored. For contemporary fans, visit the Tate St Ives which overlooks a golden sandy beach, or explore the smaller galleries peppering the cobbled streets.
Penzance and Newlyn offer an altogether different ‘scene’ to St Ives in terms of art and the Newlyn School of Art has spawned a mini explosion of galleries throughout Penzance and the area. The Exchange Gallery has regularly changing exhibitions, while local artists display their work in high street galleries or outdoor street markets.
A lesser known home to art enthusiasts is St Just; England’s most Westerly town. The town square is rich in culture and commerce with independent galleries throughout the town. Kurt Jackson, a very well known local artist, can often be seen around St Just and his gallery is due to open here around Easter 2015.
For Little Ones Staying at Kenegie Manor
Children of all ages are catered for at Kenegie Manor, near Penzance. With the indoor swimming pool and toddler splash pool, rainy days need not be a problem for parents wanting to relax and unwind. There is also an outdoor play area for smaller children and a putting green to entertain the whole family. Around and about the resort, there is also plenty to divert the kids’ attention (besides the beautiful beaches and clear blue waters).
Take the family underground
Geevor tin mine can be found on the West Cornwall coast between St Just and Pendeen (roughly 15 minutes drive). Mining for tin and copper in Cornwall was big business until very recently, and the remnants of this colossal industry are still visible today. Geevor was last operational as recently as 1990, but now sits idle on the coast as a heritage museum and visitor attraction. Learn about the materials, the process and the incredible man power it took to create and maintain such a successful working tin mine.
Originally, the huge network of tunnels created by the men at Geevor stretched below the sea and out beneath it, however only a small fraction of the network is open to visitors. Geevor Tin Mine is open from Sunday to Monday (closed on Saturdays) all year round and tickets can be purchased for individuals or as a family ticket. For those less keen to explore the dark and cavernous tunnels, you can just browse the extensive museums and learn about the industry. Once finished, be sure to visit the cafe/coffee shop – it has a glazed wall at one end with jaw-dropping views out to sea.
Nearby, stroll West along the coast to another mining area called Levant – the landscape here has been left exactly as the miners left it, so take on a positively lunar look with craters, piles of bright red rubble and traces of underground tunnels emerging on the surface – an eery, but fascinating stroll!
Hit the water
Penzance, Marazion and nearby village Mousehole all offer easy ways to get out on the water.
Take a trip with Cormorant Cruising in Mousehole or Penzance – a small boat manned by a local skipper that will take you out and around Mount’s Bay. You will float out past Newlyn, passing local fishing boats out on their day’s trawl and around the bay towards St Michael’s Mount. Your local skipper will be on hand to give you information about the bay, the fishing that goes on here and also some interesting tales about the way the bay has changed over the centuries. The boat holds up to 12 people, so it is worth booking! Booking for Mousehole Trips – ring 07767 651726 / 01736 362032 and Booking for Penzance Trips are on the same numbers or through Mermaid Pleasure Trips 07901 731201.
Ever fancy hopping on a kayak and exploring the bay at your own pace..? Well now you can! With single, tandem and even larger sit on top kayaks available for hire in Marazion, you can pay by the day and paddle around to your heart’s content. There is no specialist training or experience necessary, but you will obviously need to be aware of currents, tide times and weather conditions before setting off. Give Sit on Kayak Hire a call, and one of the staff will be happy to help advise on what you need for a day on the water… 07939 380380
If the open water doesn’t really appeal, there is always Penzance’s art-deco Jubilee Pool – a feat of modern engineering and a real beauty to behold on a Summer’s Day, this seawater pool-cum-lido is surrounded by paved sun terraces and a very popular pool-side cafe/bar. More details can be found here.
From Tropical Gardens to Ancient Villages
Penzance and the area around Penwith in West Cornwall is blessed with its own unique microclimate, and besides the Isles of Scilly, is one of the first places in England to see daffodils bloom in Spring. This gentle and frost-free climate has meant the area has many public gardens to explore. In Penzance, there is Morrab Garden, or the wildly wonderful Penlee House and Gardens. Slightly further out of Penzance towards Newlyn are Trereife House and Gardens and Trengwaiton Gardens – much grander gardens offering a tropical mix of plants, shrubs and flowers.
For an insight in to the deep, dark past, why not take the family to one of the Iron Age settlements dotted around West Penwith in Cornwall. One of the finest examples of a 2000 year old village settlement can be found at Chysauster, located just 2.5 miles from Gulval. Another unusual and well preserved settlement is a lesser known Carn Euny near Sancreed. Here you can see underground village houses and walkways protruding from the landscape in West Cornwall.
For Four-Legged Friends at Kenegie Manor
There are a few dog friendly beaches around Kenegie Manor and the Mount’s Bay area.
The most reliable and year-round dog beach is found at Long Rock. Follow the road towards Long Rock and Marazion, passing Morrisons supermarket on your left. Shortly after, there is a right turn off the road and across a railway crossing – this takes you in to Battery Rocks, Long Rock beach car park.
If you are out and about in the Land’s End area for a day, stop by Gwynver, the smaller sister beach to Sennen Cove. Accessed via a long sweep of steps from the parking spaces, the beach is soft white sand, interrupted by the odd rock. The surf here can be choppy, but the scenery is wonderful and you can watch the local surfers while your pet runs wild in the smaller waves.