Three days in cornwall... advice needed

so anyway, ridden my plug to work everyday, some steep hills, lots of wind and rain. Rode my old holdsworth, (campag 16 speed down tube shifters, on fri. nearly killed me.) Out today every bad hill round here, very windy. Stopped off for some proper beer, nea bother. why am I finding s/speed not that bad in Cornwall, is it cos I is Catholic?

I find it really easy'
Gears i have problems with though.
Is that because I'm not Catholic

from what I've read about Cornish history,Cornwall is not a good place for a catholic!

They enjoyed the grief though.

If your around camelford this may be worth a squirt
Eery cycling museum but also sell some second hand bits, nothing amazing mind but old as the hills and good for a rummage, some of the stuff they have is pretty cool as well.

When me and my mate rolled up and started locking out bikes up the lady who ran the place showed us a brilliant anti theft device whereby you flick a catch on your saddle when you leave it unattended and if anyone tries to sit on it up pops an almighty spike.

good thread peeps.

on friday i am heading to near some where St Erth for a week or so and will be checking dome of the places mentioned.

rowes is the cornish greggs, its alright but a bit naff really.

?!
sorry, but as cornish boy, I would like to say that rowes are the definitive working mans pasty (none of that hey-pesto bullshit). BUt don't even get me started on warrens...

Did the origanator of this thread ever make it down to godzone?

a real working mans pasty is made by his wife, if you dont have a wife your local butcher or nanna stokes is where its at.

rowes is good in a fix, but its just mass produced in a factory and has a far too high veg to steak ratio and tends to become slushy. the quality of the pastry varies dependng who cooks it instore. somtimes youl get a good old maid who does it justice, and other times youl get a 17 year old chav from st just who doesnt give a fuck about anything. i know its only pastys but i grew up on these things, and much the same reason why i dont eat at McDs, why eat expensive shit when theres good cheaper stuff around the corner.

does anyone happen to know if theres any connection between viscount bikes and cornwall? theres alot of them about down there but not anywhere else it seems. only a little info on the net.

I kinda used up all my holiday to do the RAAM...but I'm planning on going to cornwall someday to do this.

?!
sorry, but as cornish boy, I would like to say that rowes are the definitive working mans pasty (none of that hey-pesto bullshit). BUt don't even get me started on warrens...

As an older more experienced pasty eater than this chappo I would say chokes are pretty fair bit expensive but lots of meat and there made in front of you by a friend of mine joe
Happy pasty eating days

The Borough Arms on the Camel trail is good: http://www.theaa.com/bike-rides/the-camel-trail-dunmere-to-wadebridge-418674

Sennen Cove is great have stayed at the Old Success Inn and a campsite thats just up from it via a tarmacked cliff path: http://www.oldsuccess.com/

Bump. I'm going to be in Penryn for five days in a couple of weeks.

Can anyone recommend a few long road rides? Anything else I should see?

Also, where's a good place to try a day's surfing?

Also, where's a good place to try a day's surfing?

Porthtowan is lovely, usually quiet, gets good swell, has a Blue Bar (googeisyourfreind) and a secret saltwater pool (ssshhh). It might be worth phoning the bar regards board/suite hire, it's right on the beech.

Sennen Cove

^ also a stunning beech, and great surf. Gwithian is good for kite/windsurfing but sometimes good surf too.

Im off there next week. Also looking for some good routes if anyone has any. North cornwall to anywhere within 60miles and a train back to somewhere recognizable

Wish I could help with routes more but I did very little cycling when I lived there.

Spotter knows the area, he may know the road for cycling?

I used to take my bike down to st ives every year to paint, the coast road from there to lizard point through st just and zennor is beautiful, a few sharp climbs, often with a bastard of a headwind off the sea. Thee are two hills, windbeaten and covered in heather and gorse about 8 miles apart that I always thought were shaped like sleeping crocodiles, strangely similar. One time I was riding through the fog on the way back from lizard point and saw one of these hills, thought I was just 2 miles from home and sprinted over it. But I still had another 10 miles to go and had run out of food, I totally bonked and only just made it back. Dont stop at lands end it's a bit depressing. If you follow the coast around and back up to penzance the landcape changes in the lee of the headland, out of the wind there are beautiful woods to ride through.

Surfing - Perranporth is a very good spot for surfing, there was a surf school when i went, thoroughly recommend it. Beach front bar and there's a couple of caves to explore when drunk to the far right / north of the beach.

+1 for Porthtowan and is just down the road from me.

As for rides, I love the ride around from Penznace to St Ives along the coast road taking in Land's End and Sennen. There is a little map shop in Truro which sells waterproof maps of Cornwall for £4 with all the NCN routes, the shop is opposite Holland and Barrett on the corner with dinosaur teeth in the window.

Maybe try to fit in the ferry that leaves from Falmouth accross to St Mawes and ride back.

PM if you want some more local info.

I used to take my bike down to st ives every year to paint, the coast road from there to lizard point through st just and zennor is beautiful, a few sharp climbs, often with a bastard of a headwind off the sea. Thee are two hills, windbeaten and covered in heather and gorse about 8 miles apart that I always thought were shaped like sleeping crocodiles, strangely similar. One time I was riding through the fog on the way back from lizard point and saw one of these hills, thought I was just 2 miles from home and sprinted over it. But I still had another 10 miles to go and had run out of food, I totally bonked and only just made it back. Dont stop at lands end it's a bit depressing. If you follow the coast around and back up to penzance the landcape changes in the lee of the headland, out of the wind there are beautiful woods to ride through.

That sounds really nice. I'm staying in Penryn, but we'll have a hire car. We're going to St Ives one day, so maybe we can have a morning there, then lunch, and I can ride back while the other half drives. Does this look like a sensible route?

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/possible-cornwall-ride

Porthtowan is lovely, usually quiet, gets good swell, has a Blue Bar (googeisyourfreind) and a secret saltwater pool (ssshhh). It might be worth phoning the bar regards board/suite hire, it's right on the beech.

+1 for Porthtowan and is just down the road from me.

As for rides, I love the ride around from Penznace to St Ives along the coast road taking in Land's End and Sennen. There is a little map shop in Truro which sells waterproof maps of Cornwall for £4 with all the NCN routes, the shop is opposite Holland and Barrett on the corner with dinosaur teeth in the window.

Maybe try to fit in the ferry that leaves from Falmouth accross to St Mawes and ride back.

PM if you want some more local info.

So, starting from Porthtowan and heading back to digs, how does this look?

http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/another-possible-cornwall-route

I'd 'go scenic' and avoid the A roads like the A30 personally, but it depends on what you're after.

If you're going FG/SS then quite a low gear is recommended for the coastal stuff coming out of coves can be < 20%. The 2nd route less of a problem.

Don't forget to check the King Harry ferry is running for the 2nd route (it should be at this time of year).

If you get time for a 3rd ride try and get down to the Helford Passage and the Ferry Boat Inn. Every cove down there is stunning.

Other things...
The Lost Gardens of Heligan is a not too far away and (I think) much more interesting than the Eden Project.
Pick the right evening and the Minack Theatre is just about the best hot date venue ever so keep that in mind.

Have fun.

^ooh, definitely dont go to the eden project, I found it really depressing, extremely ugly buildings and shops full of expensive tat...

@Sparky, yes that's the coastal route I used to take, it is my favourite bit of cornwall, it's the most wild and empty. It's not a busy road either, as long as you avoid bank holiday weekends. There is the occasional local maniac in a zouped up renault 5 to look out for though. If you're not pushed for time, it's worth leaving the main road and going down to the sea at St. Just, cape cornwall is very dramatic, often with big seas. It is the point at which the Atlantic and the Irish sea meet. Last time I was there I snapped my rear deraillieur and had a long walk, still managed to paint a picture though. The disused tin mines at Levant, just north of there, are very interesting too, but you might want something tougher than a 23mm road tyre for the coastal path.

Porthtowan is lovely, usually quiet, gets good swell, has a Blue Bar (googeisyourfreind) and a secret saltwater pool (ssshhh). It might be worth phoning the bar regards board/suite hire, it's right on the beech.

haha, that bar used to be my mums pub, the nelson. she had it for about 8 years, great beach. had a few music charity events on the dunes.
blimey, must be over 20 years ago.