Coming south next week and have a choice of Newlyn or Penzance after rounding Land's End. Does the panel have any preference? Both sound like we'll be rafted to fishing boats but I'd be interested to hear people’s opinions.
Penzance for me every time. You have to arrive with the tide or wait on the boys or in the bay) for the gate to open but I much prefer Penzance to Newlyn.
Newlyn has the advantage of access at any time but there is IMO nothing to do or see.
Penzance on the other havd is very quirky and is is a cross between the 1930s, 1950s with some 2020 for good measure. Although most of the hippy shops are closing down and turning into trendy something or others.
You could always anchor in the bay if you just want a rest! /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
on the other hand Newlyn is a true working fishing harbour. There was an excellent restaurant on the road overlooking the harbour- can't remember the name though.
Also a pleasant short walk to Mousehole.
Anecdote: in 2003 we passed by there on our honeymoon cruise. We radioed the harbour-mistress to ask if we could raft up to any of the fishing boats (there were no pontoons then). She told us that yes, we could, and that there was no problem as the funeral of a prominent fisherman was going to take place the following morning and the boats would not go out. Yes, you've guessed it: the only boat to defy this, was the one we had tied up to. At 4am a lound hoot and the torch shining through the cabin windows brought us rapidly out: they were already untying our warps. We motored out in our pijamas and eventually found a mooring outside Penzance to wait for sunrise and breakfast. Unfortunately the resonating swell against Penzanze harbour wall made SWMBO sick...
Went into Newlyn in April and was most impressed by the new pontoons. There was room for us and the HM was very friendly. Toilets are a long walk though. Supermarket handy and pubs etc.
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Went into Newlyn in April and was most impressed by the new pontoons. There was room for us and the HM was very friendly. Toilets are a long walk though. Supermarket handy and pubs etc.
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Second that - not touristy and good pub very handy.
Hmmm. New pontoons in Newlyn and the all states access means we'll be able to leave on LW to head East the following day. Equally lots of votes for Penzance.
I'm tipping towards Newlyn for berthing but perhaps an evening stroll over to Penzance for dinner. Only looks to be a mile or so between the two - possibly a pleasant cliff edge walk?
If its calm, and you want to leave early, then take one of the buoys outside Penzance. Dont know whether they are meant to be free but they are in practise. And you wont spend half the night listening for the fishing boat inside yopu to move, or the pontoon owner to come back. The pontoons are all for locals with no official visitor provision I'm told.
apparently the pontoons were courtesy of an eu grant.that stipulated that they were for fishing boats only.if there were any free spaces a yacht or two could be squeezed in on the explicit understanding that any fishing boat could come back at any time and ask you to move.
last year there were quite a few yachts in but we all talked about getting woken in the night.I bottled out and went to penzance but was told later that all was quiet that night.
I'm sure it will be a pleasant walk from Newlyn to Penzance but sadly no cliffs. Pavement with buildings both sides for the first few hundred metres, then seaside promenade for the rest.
Was at Penzance a month ago just inside lock gates on the starboard side,no fishing boats near us but the fuel and water was next to us very convenient.Harbour master very helpful but the harbour was like a scrap yard with water in the middle for boats,good eating tho. would go again perhaps they will clear it out sometime.
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.... perhaps they will clear it out sometime....
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they already have and what you saw was the result! Still IMO a great place to go and now the added benefit of a wall dedicated to NOT-Fishing-boats or "projects" /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
Personally I'd go for Newlyn just because you can get in and out when you want no waiting for locks if the weather is good you can leave there and then if the tide's right
Here are the pontoons that arrived in 2006
There's nothing stopping you going to Penzance once you've got to Newlyn