St Michael’s Mount is a stunning tidal island in Marazion, which is about 4 miles from Penzance. It’s a historical landmark, and is one of the first things you see when you approach Penzance. When the tide is low, you can walk across the causeway to the mount, or go by boat if the weather conditions allow. Originally it was a Benedictine Monastery and dates back to at least the 11th century, and was purchased by the St Aubyn family in 1650, who still live there today. A day trip to Marazion and St Michael’s Mount is an unmissable experience if you are in Cornwall and worth planning into your itinerary.
Marazion is an ancient town that used to be a huge thriving business market before Penzance began to become more developed and supplanted it. Today, it’s much quieter with a few shops, a town hall/ museum (only open seasonally), some galleries, a few hotels and restaurants. The beach in particular is exceptional, with views of St Michael’s Mount, a seafront walk, a play area for children, and the beach itself is a deep golden sand. There is a wonderful independent cancer charity shop there (open for very few hours a day as it is run by volunteers), independent galleries, and shops that sell local and handmade items. For those who want a snack there is a pasty shop, and most hotels have a restaurant and bar that are open to the public.
There are a couple of car parks near the beach, and it’s a good idea to take cash because some don’t take cards, but the best way is to get the bus (U4 or A2) that go through the town. They are irregular, so do plan your visit as to when you wish to arrive and leave, or alternatively walk from Penzance which is about 1.5 hours to walk around the coast and is just under 4 miles.
https://www.firstgroup.com/cornwall
Most people come to Marazion to visit St Michael’s Mount, which is open Sunday to Friday seasonally, and is closed on a Saturday at the time of writing. The shops, village, harbour and cafes are free for visitors to visit, but you do need to pay to visit the castle, or the gardens separately (or a joint ticket), which is free for National Trust members. The church dates back to 1135 and you may attend a Sunday service there between May to September, but do check for dates and times. You do need to plan your visit because the mount maybe closed if the weather or sea conditions are poor.
https://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/plan-your-visit/opening-days-times
On the mount you can wander around the village and harbour where there are free guided tours three times a day (except Saturday), and Barge House which as a visitor centre has a free permanent exhibition of the history of the mount for those who can’t visit the castle. The postcard display in particular was impressive and gives you a feel of how special the place was in bygone years, and is a delight for those who collect stamps or postcards to see. There are also two picnic lawns so you can really can spend the day on the mount and enjoy the beauty of it.
Many compare the mount to Le Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France which is much larger than the Cornish counterpart. Both were sanctuaries for pilgrims, and the the mounts are still symbolically used as sites for pilgrimage walks. Legend has it that the Cornish mount was named after the French version and was ‘given’ to the monks by Edward the Confessor, but then the Norman Conquest happened, so there were more pressing matters as to whom owned what. Monasteries, and priories were dissolved by Henry VIII from 1539 during the Reformation, so ties between the two monasteries were severed, and St Michael’s Mount came to be used as a fortress due to the advantageous position of blocking enemies off by sea.
Le Mont-Saint-Michel is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site where all the buildings on the mount are protected, and St Michael’s Mount is run jointly by the National Trust and St Aubyn Estate, where Lord St Levan (third) in 1954 bequeathed most of the mount to the National Trust with an arrangement for a 999 year lease to allow the family to live there and to oversee visits to the castle. The National Trust looks after the causeway and the upkeep of the grounds and conservation, which helps to preserve this historical landmark for the future.
The shops sell their own range of chocolates and jams among other items.
Crossing the causeway can be fun if you are there to watch the tide go out, otherwise you can get a boat (it’s a tiny one that seats up to 12) that leaves from one of three landings; the closest being the Purple landing which is Chapel Rock (the rock on the right hand side of the causeway) to get there or to come back if the tide is high.The others are the Orange landing, Gwelva and the Green landing, Top Tieb which are west of the causeway.
https://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/plan-your-visit/causeway-opening-times
Chapel Rock is to the right where you get a boat to cross over to the mount
Just by the causeway there will be a sign of the estimated time the causeway is likely to be open, but it’s worth checking before you arrive. Many people will take off their socks and shoes to walk part of the way when the tide is low enough. When I visited, there were lots of people being given piggy backs across the causeway, and it’s a short walk of about 5 minutes. Given the at times short opening of the causeway (4 hours usually), it’s likely that if you spend the day there that you will have to do one leg by boat. I did a short visit of an hour so I was able to arrive and leave by the causeway, mainly because I didn’t want to miss a bus back to Penzance.
Once you step onto St Michael’s Mount you can feel it’s such a special place immediately. I wandered around the grounds and the shops, and spent time at Barge House looking at the history of the area. This is a visit you need to plan because of the short opening hours, and also because it’s weather dependent too. It’s definitely worth putting a day aside to visit this very special and historical place; plus it’s fun to walk there on the causeway! Don’t forget to wear sturdy shoes, and a warm coat and scarf as it gets quite breezy on the island.
St Michael’s Mount ~ Marazion, Cornwall St Michael's Mount is a stunning tidal island in Marazion, which is about 4 miles from Penzance.
