Private St. Michael's Mount

Depart the pier and enjoy the drive through the Cornish countryside to the unique and ancient Mount harbor, which is of great historical interest in itself.

According to ancient Roman historians, the mount was the island of Ictis, an important center for the Cornish tin trade during the Iron Age. It is dedicated to the archangel St. Michael who, according to legend, appeared here in 495 AD. Following the Norman Conquest in 1066, the invaders were struck by the similarity of the mount to their own Mont St. Michel off the Normandy coastline, whose monks were invited to build a smaller abbey here in Cornwall. During Henry VIII's dissolution of the monasteries, St. Michael's Mount was turned into a coastline defence to protect England from feared French invasion. In 1659, the Mount was purchased by Sir John St. Aubyn whose descendants turned the fortress into a magnificent residence.

St. Michael's Mount is now the ancestral home of Lord St. Levan & The St. Aubyn Family. The island is cared for by the National Trust. Therefore your guide can not "guide" while on the island. There will be stewards from the trust throughout the island to answer questions. You will have time to tour the Mount at your own pace, followed by some free time to take photographs and soak up the scenery. There are also some wonderful shops around the harbor area - the perfect place to buy a memento of your day.

The lovely seaside town of Marazion is easily accessible either by foot along the causeway (0.25 mile), or by ferry, depending on the tides. Cross to join a coach for return to Falmouth.