The Old Stores

Best picnics

Porthcurno Beach, with the legendary Minack Theatre on top of the hill. Pop to Jessie's Dairy at 11 Fore Street, Mousehole, and get them to wrap some pasties in foil to take away; their biscuit tins make great souvenirs too.

Best beaches

Sennen beach is Cornwall's famous surfing spot. Fly by helicopter from the Penzance Heliport (+44(0)1736 363871, www.islesofscillyhelicopter.com) to the Isles of Scilly.

Best walks

Find the path along Mousehole’s own rocky coastline and gaze out across the water to St Michaels Mount. Watch the sun set beyond Longships Lighthouse at Land’s End in the far southwest of the British Isles.

Activities

An area of truly outstanding natural beauty, the Penwith peninsula is celebrated for its rugged cliffs and rocky beaches. Eden Project (www.edenproject.com), near St Austell, and its iconic biodomes is a ‘global garden’ that flourishes year round; and even on a rainy day, it’s totally tropical. The open-air amphitheatre at Minack Theatre (+44 (0)1736 810181; www.minack.com) in Porthcurno is built into the rocks, waves crash dramatically behind the set as you sit facing the sea. (Locals' tip: pack a picnic hamper for a sunset play.) There’s also a great little cliff top café, worth a visit even if you’re not watching a performance. The Lost Gardens of Heligan (www.heligan.com) are a 45-minute drive away: think Kew Gardens, then double it. Head a few miles to the most westerly point of the country, Lands End. Once you’ve had the obligatory by-the-sign snapshot, (874 miles to John O’Groats, 3,147 to New York).

Cafes

2 Fore Street

+44 (0)1736 731164

A charming, contemporary café right next door, perfect for a cappuccino, snack or hearty meal in the fresh, white-wash-and-wood interior.
2 Fore Street, Mousehole, Cornwall

Porthminster Beach Café

+44 (0)1736 795352

Perfect for a seafood lunch overlooking the surfing beach. Choose from the day’s specials menu – most of which have a pan-Asian twist – or try the excellent soup of the day.
Porthminster Beach, St Ives, Cornwall

Janners Fish and Chip Shop

Less an eaterie, more an ordering counter and snack shop; while it may be no-frills, when it comes to good old fashioned battered cod and chips, this village chippy up the road from the Mousehole gift shop is just the ticket.
3 Commercial Road, Mousehole, Cornwall

Restaurants

The Old Coastguard

+44 (0)1736 731222

Hard to beat as a rendezvous for a romantic meal with a gorgeous sea view. It can be hard to get a table to enjoy the innovative cuisine made from fresh, local cuisine but guests of Skipper’s are guaranteed a table here even in peak months. Try and reserve a table by the window.
Mousehole, Cornwall

For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Cornwall, check out our Cornwall restaurant guide

For a full list of recommended activities in Cornwall, check out our Cornwall destination guide

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