Mousehole
PorthenysA perfect Cornish harbour
Popular for retaining its original character, charm and beauty, Mousehole is a historic fishing village in West Cornwall, three miles west of Penzance. Its picturesque harbour is surrounded by narrow streets and lichen covered houses, which huddle together creating a stunning location.
Discover Mousehole
All along the harbour road and tucked away up little lanes, you’ll find galleries, gift shops and places to eat. Lose yourself for an hour or two as you wander the maze of narrow streets that always lead back to the sea. With the tide out the harbour becomes a safe sandy beach, popular with families, whilst the sea wall is a great place to promenade and take in the views across to St Michael’s Mount.
Lights in the darkness
One of the highlights of Mousehole’s year are the Christmas Lights that fill the village with colour at the darkest time of the year. Visitors come from miles around to enjoy the spectacle which ties in with Tom Bawcocks Eve on December 23rd when Star Gazy Pie is made in the village. The lights are turned off on December 19th in respect to the lifeboat men from the village who were lost in the 1981 Penlee disaster.
Things to do
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If you can drag yourself away from the harbour and its surrounding lanes, why not head up to the Wild Bird Hospital or take the South West Coast Path along the cliffs to Lamorna Cove? Boat trips will take you out to see the actual cave that gives the village its name or head into Newlyn, Cornwall’s main fishing port.
The Mousehole Cat
The well-known story is based on the legend of the fisherman Tom Bawcock, who it is said took to sea in a winter storm to save the villages from starvation. With him on his journey was his cat Mowzer who when the storm was at its most ferocious calmed it by his purring.
When Tom and Mowzer returned to the harbour all the different types of fish they had caught were turned into a pie with the heads and the tails of the pilchards poking out through the pastry lid. This is now known as a Stargazy Pie and is only ever cooked on Tom Bawcocks Eve, December 23rd.
So stay a while in Mousehole, explore the narrow streets, soak up the atmosphere and have a pint in the pub, but make sure you call it Mowsul, not Mousehole!
Plan your trip
Everything you need to know to plan your perfect trip to Mousehole.
From the M5 at Exeter, follow the A30 all the way down through Cornwall to Penzance. On reaching Penzance, take the road that runs along the seafront and follow it as it goes through Newlyn and on to Mousehole. There is limited parking on harbour so it is better to either park for free on the road leading into the village or in the carpark on the left just before the Old Coastguard Hotel.
All trains terminate at Penzance where the bus station is right beside the train station.
National Express also run to Penzance.
There are regular local busses to Mousehole from here.
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