Guest Post – Nomadic Matt visits Penzance

While Matt Kepnes was visiting us last week, I persuaded him to write me a guest post on something he’d enjoyed while travelling in the UK. You can find Matt’s other travel tips, hints and photos on his website Nomadic Matt’s travel site.

While I was in Cornwall, I was fortunate enough to visit to Penzance, a coastal town in western England. Penzance is famous for being near St. Michael’s Mount, a historic church built on an island in the harbor. It’s similar to that of Mont St Michel in Northern France.

My friends and I spent the day driving through the English countryside. I’m in love with the English countryside. Rolling green hills, grazing farm animals, and the occasional house conjure up images of a simple and relaxed lifestyle. Everything is so green, so peaceful, and so picturesque. Every train ride, every car ride sees me staring out the window in awe. The English countryside is my favorite thing about England.

But back to Penzance. Penzance is a little town that sees an influx of tourists during the summer months. They flock here for the history, the sights, and of course, St. Michael’s Mount. We wandered the tiny little streets, exploring the ancient town’s shipping past before settling into a traditional English café for lunch. The café was still decorated as it was when it first opened in the 60s. The paint was faded and the paintings covered in a layer of grime only time can bring. Around us were a few old couples who had probably been coming here since it opened. The menu was filled with traditional English food- pie and mash, shepherd’s pie, potato jackets, and sandwiches. The food was heavy with fat but very edible and tasty.

Our stomachs full, we wandered Penzance a bit before heading to St. Michael’s Mount. It was low tide and we could walk across the pedestrian path to the Mount. During high tide, when the water covers the surrounding beach, visitors must take a boat. Walking up to the Mount, I pictured it bigger. Maybe it was my expectation that it be something like Mont St. Michel in France, which itself is very big. The English version was small and, though grandiose and beautiful, felt disappointing. It just goes to show you that having expectations can take a little beauty out of something stupidly beautiful.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the Mount very much. Atop the island sits a church and castle, still privately owned. The family live on the top five floors and visitors get to explore the bottom three. Costs of running the place are covered through the entrance fee. Down along the pier are little buildings were the commoner lived and are now cafes, information centers, gift shops, and some private buildings. The buildings look like old English cottages.

Penzance makes for a good day trip, though one could use it as a base for exploring England’s most western point. And St. Michael’s Mount is a must for anyone in Penzance or Cornwall. It’s stunning, even if it is smaller than its French cousin.

You can follow Matt’s progress on his travels at Nomadic Matt’s travel site.

Thanks to nick777, sacred destinations, davesag and skinnyde for their photos from flickr
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