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Celtic Cornwall

Prices from £1,099 pp

Single Supplement £199

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With St Michael's Mount, Truro Cathedral and Trengwainton Gardens

Single rooms with single beds are available at no single supplement - Only four remaining!

St. Austell, St. Ives, St. Minver, Perranporth … in Cornwall, saints are everywhere! Towns and villages are named after churches founded by them or dedicated to their memory. Saint Piran is the patron saint of Cornwall and he travelled through Wales, Cornwall and Brittany, spreading the Christian faith and starting churches. It is thought that he arrived in Cornwall at Perranporth (Perran’s Port), where he founded his first church and monastery in the sand hills at Perranzabuloe (Perran in the Sands). His shrine at Perranzabuloe was a popular place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. Saint Piran’s bones, bishop’s crosier (staff) and copper bell were preserved there. St. Piran became the patron saint of tinners and miners, and his feast day on 5th March was celebrated in Cornwall by receiving a day off from work and a bonus of money. The Cornish flag is known as Saint Piran’s Cross – a white cross over a black background, symbolising the Christian faith shining over lies, good over evil. Although St. Piran is generally recognised as the Patron Saint of Cornwall, Saint Michael and Saint Petroc also have some claim to this title

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Itinerary

Travel to Penzance, Cornwall (D)

Make your way to Penzance and check-in to the Queens Hotel for a four-night stay and be met by your Tour Leader. Situated by Penzance Beach with views across Mount's Bay, St Michael's Mount and Newlyn Harbour the Queens Hotel is a great base to take in some Cornish air. Complimentary parking has been negotiated for all McCabe Pilgrims. Penzance Railway Station is just a fifteen minute walk from the hotel.

Evening: meet your fellow pilgrims for a welcome drink followed by dinner in the hotel.

Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink
St. Piran’s Oratory & Perranporth (B, D)

Morning: meet your qualified local guide and enjoy an introduction to the Patron Saint of Cornwall as we drive to St. Piran‘s Oratory the remains of one of Britain's oldest Christian sites, the 6th-century remains of an oratory established by Piran, and Irish saint who landed on the beach here after exile from his homeland. The saint's oratory, or chapel, remained in use until the 10th century when shifting sand forced its abandonment in favour of a new church in a more sheltered location just inland. That new church, in turn, was overwhelmed by the sand and was abandoned in 1804, leaving not one but two historic churches buried beneath the dunes. After, we will take a short walk on a gentle section of the Cornish Celtic Way.

Afternoon: free time for lunch at Perranporth where we can also enjoy the beach. In the afternoon we will explore Perranporth town and return to the hotel for dinner.

Evening: dinner in the hotel

Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink
Tregwainton Gardens & St. Michael’s Mount (B, D)

Morning: the day begins with a visit National Trust garden at Trengwainton perhaps the best for exotic trees and shrubs. including tree ferns. Many tender species flourish in the unusually mild climate, a plantsman's paradise. There is a new pond and summerhouse with fine views to St Michaels Mount

Afternoon: pass Marazion Beach from where we can enjoy the view of St. Michael‘s Mount. Our plan is to cross the causeway and visit the chapel and the castle on St. Michael‘s Mount. From as far back as 495AD, tales tell of seafarers lured by mermaids onto the rocks, or guided to safety by an apparition of St Michael. The patron saint of fishermen, it’s said the Archangel Michael appeared on the western side of the island – below where the entrance to the castle is today – to ward fishermen from certain peril. It’s a legend which has brought pilgrims, monks and people of faith to the island ever since, to pray, to praise and to celebrate. And four miracles said to have happened here during 1262 and 1263 would have only added to the religious magnetism that drew pilgrims from far and wide.

Evening: dinner in the hotel.

Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink
The Fal and Truro (B, D)

Morning: drive to Falmouth for the boat trip to Truro passing the castles of Pendennis and St Mawes and Trelissick Gardens. Our coach then takes us into Truro centre where there is time to have lunch.

Afternoon: in the afternoon we visit the Cathedral for a guided tour. Why not visit the shop and take a Cornish cream tea? Our time at Truro Cathedral ends with Evensong. The Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a Church of England cathedral in the city of Truro, Cornwall. It was built between 1880 and 1910 to a Gothic Revival design by John Loughborough Pearson on the site of the parish church of St Mary. It is one of only three cathedrals in the United Kingdom featuring three spires.

Evening: farewell dinner in the hotel.

Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink
Homeward bound (B)

After breakfast, check out time is 10:00am to bid farewell to your fellow pilgrims and Tour Leader. Luggage storage is available at the hotel should you wish to explore Penzance further before departing.

Key to symbols: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, DR = Drink

Days and times are subject to change depending on weather and tides. Your Tour Leader will keep you informed.

Essential Information

Included excursions

St. Pirans Oratory
Short walk on a section of the Cornish Celtic Way
Trengwainton Gardens
St Michael's Mount
Boat trip on the river Fal
Guided tour of Truro Cathedral

Optional excursions

None! – all excursions and extras as listed above and below are included!

Included extras

Hotel porterage
All hotel, restaurant, guide and driver gratuities
Optional worship with our accompanying Tour Leader

Included meals & drinks

Meals: all breakfasts and all evening meals are included. Breakfasts will be a buffet with full English breakfast options in your hotel. Dinners in the hotel will be three-course with menu choice.

Drinks: welcome and farewell drinks.

Our team in Cornwall

Each excursion and visit will be escorted by a qualified Local Guide who will bring to life the stories and Legends of Cornwall, it's people, sights and saints. Throughout your stay in Cornwall our dedicated McCabe Faith leader is there solely for our guests and will arrange optional worship in some special locations. They will escort all excursions and be available for any queries.

Getting to Cornwall

You make your own way to Penzance by car, train or coach. You can also fly to Newquay. We suggest that you plan your travel to arrive in Penzance between 15:00 and 17:00. Check in begins at 16:00 and dinner is served at 19:00.

By Car
If you are driving we have negotiated complimentary parking for all McCabe guests.

By Train
Penzance Railway Station is a fifteen minute walk from the Queens Hotel. For train times and information visit the trainline website.

www.thetrainline.com

By Coach
National Express coaches serve Penzance and the coach station is a fifteen minute walk from the Queens Hotel.

www.nationalexpress.com

Your hotel

PENZANCE: QUEENS HOTEL (3*)

Four-night stay

Situated by Penzance beach and just five minutes walk to the town centre with views across Mount's Bay, St. Michaels Mount and Newlyn Harbour. Complimentary parking is available on site.

Hotel facilities: breakfast is available every morning in the restaurant and is highly rated on review websites and the restaurant serves feshly caught seafood. Full English and continental breakfast is served.

Your room: all rooms are equipped with a desk, tea and coffee making facilities and complimentary Wifi.

Your bathroom: bath or shower on request, hairdryer and complimentary toiletries will be provided.

Practical information

Clothing

The UK weather and English summer has its own mood as we are all aware. Please do cater for all eventualities. Also comfortable shoes for walking the cobbled streets and paths of Truro and St Michael's Mount and Trengwainton Gardens are advisable.

Mobility

There is a certain amount of walking (and stairs) involved on a daily basis on this pilgrimage so please make sure you pack comfy footwear for this so that you are prepared. Your Local Guide and Tour Leader will keep you updated on a daily basis with what to expect the following day. If you are finding it difficult to keep up then please make sure you tell them so they can help you to find places to rest and relax and then you can re-join the group at a later stage.

Whilst this is not a trekking or adventure holiday there will be some walking required where you may be on your feet for up to 90 minutes and the terrain may be a little uneven. The paving may not always be smooth and seating not always available.

Cancellation insurance

Whilst UK residents are fully covered under the UK National Health Service we do advise that you have insurance in the event of having to cancel your travel plans and need to claim loss of deposits or payments made.

Ensuring that your holidays are appropriately protected is one of our main priorities. That’s why we have specifically chosen Holiday Extras as our *preferred travel insurance provider to ensure that you are protected before and whilst you are travelling. Holiday Extras offer McCabe Travel guests favourable rates for single trip, multi-trip and annual policies.

For more information or to obtain a quote click below for their website

https://www.holidayextras.com/travel-insurance

Or call them on 0800 083 3551 to speak to a friendly advisor.

Please quote AG628 upon calling to receive the best rates

The McCabe Educational Trust

The McCabe Educational Trust is an independent registered charity with the aim of helping inspiring people we meet on some of our pilgrimages. As ‘the haves’ encounter the ‘have nots’ the Trust has become a practical tool for one to help the other.

McCabe Pilgrimages invite all travellers to become partners in this work. A £20 voluntary donation to the Trust’s work is added to every pilgrim’s invoice and all money raised in this way is given in full to the projects the Trust supports. This scheme is voluntary and confidential with nobody put under any pressure to participate.

Full financial security

All money paid to McCabe is fully secure. Holidays including flights are covered by our ATOL license from the Civil Aviation Authority, and holidays without flights are protected by our membership of the ABTOT bonding scheme. If a pilgrimage is cancelled, for instance through lack of numbers or for political considerations, McCabe will promptly refund all monies paid.

AITO Quality Statement

McCabe Pilgrimages is a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators. The Association represents Britain’s leading independent tour operators and encourages high standards of quality and service. McCabe abides by the Association’s Code of Conduct and adheres to the AITO Quality Charter.

You can read McCabe reviews on the AITO website here

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Dates

Upcoming Pilgrimages

We have no tours scheduled to this destination at present.

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