Cornwall Thoughts & Ideas

[ChilledChilli]

My wife has been offered a job in Truro at the hospital - which is on the East side of the city - and we're weighing up a possible move.

One of the big things that appeals is the possbility of keeping a small (say 26') lift keeler somwhere, as well as doing some dinghy sailing with our 8 year old.

If we do go ahead with the move we'd like easy-ish access to the water so that deciding to go for either kind of sail wouldnt turn into a major expedition. So a quick sail after work / school kind of thing.

We've spent a little time looking around the area (difficult at the moment as the 8 year old is back in school and it was a 6 hour journey last time we did it), and quite like the area South of Newquay (Perranporth) - affordable for us, a reasonable commute for my wife and good primary / secondary schools.

The issue seems to be that whilst the Atlantic coast looks great for beaches and surfing, it would be better to be based in Falmouth or Penryn for dinghy sailing and cruising. This would give a longer commute, and the schools (at least secondary schools) seem to come in for a bit more stick than the Newquay area.

Although I can see there is a sailing club in Newquay - this seems to be focussed exlcusively on dinghy sailing.

So what suggestions would people who know the area make (that doesnt involve being a millionaire)?

 

[doug748]

North Cornwall can be too busy in the season and very quiet in the winter. Of course the distances are not great but it is a fag to drive back and forth having the workplace and sailing a good way away.

I think aiming for the Fal as a sailing area is a good idea but I might look for somewhere nearer Truro for accommodation, so that the sailing, mums work, your work maybe and school is all in one direction. Tresillion or Probus could be worth looking at and other places on the A390; south of that line get pricier, north and east potentially cheaper.

Can't imagine there is a problem with the quality of schools, I think they still have selection at 11+ but others will be better able to comment. This would be a blessing or a curse depending on your point of view.

PS

I like Devoran but could be too pricy and a bit restricted in the type of property. Carnon Downs might also be worth a look.

 

[snooks]

Falmouth has to be first choice for sailing, I went to Falmouth School and I ended up alreet

But you could always live in Mylor, or even Truro and travel to the boat...Which will you be doing more?

Penzance and Newly are deep in the fishing industry and there aren't that many places to cruise around there. Where as the Fal has many places, especially for a lift keel 26 footer, from St Mawes to St Just, Malpas, Devoran and Mylor and all would still be within easy commuting distance to Truro.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

We had a week in Falmouth a few weeks ago, never sailed there before. Carrick Roads and up river Malpas and beyond was stunning, what a lovely area. Plenty of dinghies too. Go for it.

 

[Corribee Boy]

We had to come back from Penryn via Truro to Bristol the other Friday: getting up to the A30 took almost an hour, just because of the queues and the barging going on. I'm not an expert but if you're planning where to go, summer traffic could be a big issue!

 

[FWB]

+1 for Mylor Bridge.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I've lived in Truro, Falmouth, Penryn and Mylor over the years ..... Mylor was best for boating but not house prices. Probably Penryn best all rounder ... depends on your budget. Truro easiest for you and your wife's work and houses at all prices. Personally I've always reckoned Newquay the cess pit from hell for half of the year and best avoided!
Check out the estate agents on the internet ... this will give the whole range of prices then you can look up the various towns and villages on Google Maps and figure out the convenience. As for commuting there is a rush hour glut of traffic between Falmouth and Truro both ways morning and evening but it doesn't really amount to more than allowing an extra 5 minutes over normal driving time. Apart from actually living in Truro if it was me I'd try to be as near to the South coast as you can afford ... look at Mylor first then Penryn.

 

[tatali0n]

Falmouth is great. Carrick Roads, Falmouth Bay, Helford River. Love the place, and take any excuse to visit.

Fowey is also worth considering, and (residentially speaking perhaps) neighbouring St Austells. There is a great sailing club in Fowey (Fowey Gallants), the harbour may not be as expansive as the Carrick Roads but is very sheltered, the river is picturesque all the way up to Lerryn (if you go right) or Truro (if you go left) or you can head out to sea and turn left for Polperro, Looe and Plymouth, or right for St Austell's Bay, Polkerris, Mevagissy, etc.

It's also very close to Truro for your wife's work.

In case they're of any interest, below are some links to write-ups & photos of previous trips to Fowey, when Dad and I used to trail our old Drascombe Lugger down there. One of the only regrets of swapping the Drascombe for a Westerly is that we can't fit the Westerly on a trailer behind the car for a quick weekend away in Falmouth or Fowey

scapegoatsanon: friday-25th-fowey-polkerris
scapegoatsanon: saturday-26th-fowey-lantic-bay-lerryn
scapegoatsanon: sunday-27th-fowey-polperro
scapegoatsanon: carlyon-bay-cornwall-2012

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Now that's just unkind, posting pictures of lovely lovely Cornwall sailing.. when I'm stuck in my office 100 miles from the sea...

 

[snowleopard]

I'll second the comments about the North coast. There is only one place you can realistically base a boat that stays afloat - Padstow/Rock. I's pretty tidal and once out past the Doom Bar there's really nowhere else to go. All the other harbours dry and are only suitable for dinghies.

On the South coast there are various options but limited by availability of moorings. You'd die waiting for one in Fowey, Charlestown is limited to ships, Mevagissey has a few drying moorings in the inner harbour for boats of that size by AFAIK there's a long waiting list. The best bet is of course the Fal. There are plenty of moorings off Falmouth town, St Mawes, St Just in Roseland, Mylor, Restronguet, Feock, and up the Truro river, particularly off Malpas. You might be able to lay your own mooring downstream of Malpas with permission from the harbour office in Truro.

Then there's the Helford river which has lots of all-tide and drying moorings.

Beyond that, there is a well-sheltered drying harbour at Porthleven and Penzance has drying and locked basins.

The Tamar has lots of options but you might think that too far.

And that's yer lot. Good luck.

 

[ChilledChilli]

Many thanks to everyone for replying - it really is appreciated.

My wife has given me 0/10 for navigation having pointed out that the NHS Hospital is in fact a couple of miles to the West of Truro, not the East. Not that I suspect it will make that much of a difference to the recommendations here.

To answer a couple of the points that came up - I work from home so I'm OK being anyhwere as long as it's not suburbia like where I am now.. I don't mind town centres, rural houses or small villages - just not Terry & June land.

Doug - yes I get what you mean about North Cornwall - and I get the feeling that some of the places might be a bit too bleak in the Winter.

Kingfisher - your opinion on Newquay seem to be shared by a lot of people, though I understand things are better now than they used to be, it doesnt sound like the sort of place I'd like to walk around with my family on a Saturday night.

Mylor and Devoran do both look great and I'll have a closer look there.
Penryn also looks great - I have heard people describe it as "sleepy" - which I'm not sure whether I like the sound of or not.
Falmouth sounds great from what I've heard - I suspect that the large student population helps give the place a bit more of a buzz than Truro.

Fowey also looks great but Google maps puts the wifes commute at 1 hour but only 35 min from St Austell - so I'll have a closer look at that too.

We probably could have spent our time a bit better there this weekend.
Based at the Premier Inn at Carnon Downs (recommend the hotel - not what you'd call cheap though).
We went to Loe Beach first thing - just because it was nearby and a "beach" - seemed to be quite a nice little place to keep a boat, - and then into Truro on Saturday for a a look around (nice little city - reminded me of York where I used to live a long time ago).
Then drove over to Hayle in search of a toy shop (it was my daughters birthday), - Hayle looked like it might be an interesting place to keep a boat - and from what I understand the harbour there is one of the few on the North coast that has moorings available at the moment - so that went on my mental "check further" list.
From there MrsChilli insisted on going to Lands End - "because we have to since we're here".

That took us via Penzance / St Michaels Mount which was quite spectacular. We stopped for lunch at the First & Last Inn at Sennen Cove (daughter really getting into the smugglers tales) and walked from there to Lands End to walk off the lunch with the nice side effect of avoiding the £6 parking charge.
Lands End itself was great once you looked past the blatent commercialism and tat. Looking out at the Longships Lighthouse and the map showing 40 odd marked wrecks nearby was quite sobering - I was reminded of the poor lady (discussed at length in this forum) who decided to sail her new yacht from Falmouth round to North Devon and didnt make it. Even in the fine weather that we had it certainly struck me as a place I wouldnt want to be without people who knew the area well.

Back into Truro in the evening for a Pizza for daughters birthday - I always like to have a look around towns in the evenings - a few teenagers hanging around but didnt seem to be causing problems for anyone.

Sunday we took the Old Harry ferry to the Roseland peninsula - very interesting to see the size of some of the ships in the river. I wasn't expecting them to be that big.
Down to St. Mawes for breakfast and dreaming about being a zillionaire so we could live there. It like someone just made up a perfect seaside town and put it there. Clear blue sky - kids out everywhere in the bay on their dinghys, people heading out in their boats for a day sailing and pottering.

There to St. Agnes on the North coast, then to Porthowan so the little one could play on a beach before the joyful journey back to Berkshire.

So again - many thanks for your thoughts - looks like a busy night for me with Google and my maps!

 

[snooks]

We had to come back from Penryn via Truro to Bristol the other Friday: getting up to the A30 took almost an hour, just because of the queues and the barging going on. I'm not an expert but if you're planning where to go, summer traffic could be a big issue!

Any weekend around a bank holiday is bonkers on the roads in the Dutchy. It's great place which is why so many visit it each year :0)

 

[Wansworth]

From experience making your wives day job easier is the way to go.......pleanty of time for sailing at week ends and hols.Living by the sea can leaf you to sailing even less

 

[duncan99210]

The area to the south east of Truro is peppered with both housing estates and small villages which offer a range of houses to suit most pockets, along with reasonable schools. The area also offers easy access to the hospital, missing out the rush hour car park of the Truro - St Austell road. It also offers reasonable access to the Fal river sailing and mooring areas.

Alternatively, look at the Roseland between Truro and St Austell. Again reasonable range of housing and there's a good secondary school (I'm biased here, as my daughter teaches there.....).

 

[cindersailor]

I've a feeling that Ponsanooth might tick most of your boxes.

 

[Goldie]

I'd suggest one of the villages West of Truro. We live at Perranwell so Truro hospital is an easy 15 min or so drive via the back roads (avoiding the main Truro - Falmouth Road which can be busy) or there's a railway station at Perranwell and Truro station's not too far from the hospital; I think the rail journey is about 10-12 mins. You'll find there is a definite premium to pay in some of the higher profile coastal villages such as Mylor Bridge and by looking inland in the rural areas, there's a lot of choice for less money.

As for boating, Mylor Harbour offers everything you'd want - slipways, moorings, access to both the open sea and the creeks and rivers of Carrick Roads. The Mylor Yacht Club is very friendly, affordable and administers a small number of very reasonably priced moorings. Alternatively, you could contact Truro HM (jurisdiction extends as far South as Mylor) as they administer several mooring areas in the upper reaches of Carrick Roads. Feel free to send me a private message if you wish to explore any of these ideas further.

It's a great area to live/work/sail - but don't tell anyone.....

 

[Sticky Fingers]

It's just lovely there, we were knocked out by it. Seriously tempted to do the same thing. SWMBO works at Addenbrookes in Cambridge so the hospital commute topic is also very interesting....

 

[Sticky Fingers]

...As for boating, Mylor Harbour offers everything you'd want - slipways, moorings, access to both the open sea and the creeks and rivers of Carrick Roads...

Do you know if Mylor has (any) pontoon berths? SWMBO is very opposed to dinghy-ing out to the boat...

 

[Goldie]

Do you know if Mylor has (any) pontoon berths? SWMBO is very opposed to dinghy-ing out to the boat...

Mylor Yacht Club doesn't have any pontoon berths, but Mylor Yacht Harbour has a small ish marina, with (and I'm guessing here) maybe about 150 pontoon berths. For the swinging moorings though, there's a good water taxi service included in the mooring fee for mooring holders and available via a season ticket to those on the MYC or Truro HM moorings at Mylor. The taxi is a proper hard workboat with a cuddy so definitely not a dinghy! Have a look a www.mylor.com for all the detail, pics and the aerial video shot from a drone. They have a webcam on line so you can even have a look around now

The only other pontoon berths would be in Falmouth - Pendennis Marina, Falmouth Marina or at what was known as the visitors' marina which now (I believe) offers permanent berths.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks, looks interesting. The Water Taxi is a workable solution...