Walk The St Michael's Way
The St Michael's Way is a 12.5 mile walking route that runs from Lelant all the way across country to Marazion and St Michael's Mount. It is relatively easy walking, with only one really steep hill, although parts can be extremely muddy. It can be done in a single days walk (if you are up to it!).
The history behind the route is really very interesting. It had all but disappeared for years, but it was re-established in 1994 after the discovery of ancient shipping rosters. This showed that pilgrims historically came to Lelant by sea from Ireland and Wales on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. In the past, Lelant was a much more important place than St Ives, hence why the pilgrims started there. They chose to travel over land to Marazion, rather than to sail, in order to avoid the tricky sailing waters around Land's End. It is the only pilgrimage way in Britain that is officially part of a European Cultural Route.
The route begins at St Uny Church in Lelant, on what is known as the North Coast, and ends at St Michael's Mount on the South Coast.
- St Uny Church in Lelant
- South West Coast Path
- St Euny's Well (Fairy Well)
- Carbis Bay
- Steeple Lane
- Knill's Monument
- Laity Lane
- Beersheba Standing Stone
- Bowl Rock (from the legend of the Giants: Treccoben of Trencrom and Cormoran of St Michael’s Mount)
- Trencrom Hill with it's Iron Age hill fort and ancient holy well.
- Trencrom Car Park
- Ninnes Bridge
- Trembethow Farm
- Cross over Red River
- Blowing House Lane
- Ludgvan
- Ludgvan Church (apparently the last church to hold a Cornish language service, in the late 17th century)
- The White Hart pub - lovely to stop for a drink and food.
- Eglos Road
- Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens - lovely cafe (free to enter the cafe but you have to pay to enter the gardens)
- Gulval Church - The Coldstreamer pub is next to the church
- Cross over A30
- Coast Path
- Long Rock
- Marazion - lots of places to eat plus loos!
- St Michael's Mount
You can make the walk shorter by starting in St Ives from Steeple Lane (a short walk from the harbour) or cutting out the Tremenheere/Gulval section. Also, climbing Trencrom Hill is optional (although really nice).
If you wish to get across to St Michael's Mount, you will have to check the tide times. You can walk across for free at low tide and enter the front section of the Mount and cafe, but in order to get into the rest of the Mount you will need National Trust membership, or to pay on entry.
If you need to get back to St Ives/Lelant and don't want to walk, you can get buses into Penzance from Marazion, and either get a bus or the train to St Erth and get the onward train to Lelant, Carbis Bay and St Ives.
Have you read 101 Brilliant Things To Do In St Ives Cornwall?
It will give you so many ideas of things you can do on your next visit to our lovely town!
Have You Heard About Our St Ives Game?
If you like St Ives you will love playing it!
