UK 2009 Spring Meet - April 25/26 West Cornwall

[delphine]

How far is Helston ?

I found this hotel there and I just called them. They have 20 doubles and 1 single available. The single is at the price of the double, so I guess double rooms can have single occupancy. Out of the 20 doubles, there are 15 doubles at £72 per night per person which includes dinner bed and breakfast, there are 5 doubles (superior with sea view) at £84 per night/per pers incl dinner.

http://www.polurrianhotel.com/

 

[Neil Souch]

Yep. that seems to be the general drift as I've just spent a while lookiing at a load of likey hotels and they all only have one or two two rooms left for that weekend :-( The problem seems to be the cheaper places only have about 8 to 10 rooms and the larger places with the facilities we need are either too expensive or nearly booked up. Can we have a hands up who's coming count to get an idea of the number we are looking at?

Neil.

 

[delphine]

I am coming, still single.

 

[Keith Tapscott.]

Send me a PM when the accommodation is agreed.

 

[bill spears]

How far is Helston ?

I found this hotel there and I just called them. They have 20 doubles and 1 single available. The single is at the price of the double, so I guess double rooms can have single occupancy. Out of the 20 doubles, there are 15 doubles at £72 per night per person which includes dinner bed and breakfast, there are 5 doubles (superior with sea view) at £84 per night/per pers incl dinner.

http://www.polurrianhotel.com/

This looks good. Its near Mullion which is on the south coast, opposite to St Ives. The good thing about west Cornwall is it doesn't matter where you are, its easy to acess both north and south coasts because of the narrow peninsula. Mullion area is quite picturesque, not far from the Lizard, Britains most southerly point which is also very beautiful.

As I'm in Penryn I'll be commuting down by car so won't need any accomodation.

 

[Baxter Bradford]

Great location for this get together. My absolute favourite! Just the 10 trips in 2008...

Numbers are currently looking too high for my suggestion of seeking somewhere to stay in Marazion. I use the Mount Haven Hotel when running the Light and Land workshop. They are popular and rightly so. Food and service are superb. Alternative is the Godolphin Arms which is right on beach with St Michael's Mount opposite.

Fully concur with the locals - Neil and Bill, that distances are relatively small, but can be slow if travelling during middle of the day, when the 'scenic' drivers are out. Traffic in St Ives is a hassle except for a dawn shoot! Personally I find that the very far west offers the best locations, Godrevy being an exception well worth visiting. A weekend will be a struggle, but there are so many locations to visit. Not many will accommodate a big group though.... so some co-ordination is advised.

Logistically, sunset time will potentially impinge on evening meals.

Currently I'm not in a position to commit to attend, but will visit the thread from time to time.

 

[Stoo Batchelor]

Can we have a hands up who's coming count to get an idea of the number we are looking at?

It's in my diary and I will need a single, though can stretch to a double.

Stoo

 

[Stoo Batchelor]

Great location for this get together. My absolute favourite! Just the 10 trips in 2008...

Numbers are currently looking too high for my suggestion of seeking somewhere to stay in Marazion. I use the Mount Haven Hotel when running the Light and Land workshop. They are popular and rightly so. Food and service are superb. Alternative is the Godolphin Arms which is right on beach with St Michael's Mount opposite.

Fully concur with the locals - Neil and Bill, that distances are relatively small, but can be slow if travelling during middle of the day, when the 'scenic' drivers are out. Traffic in St Ives is a hassle except for a dawn shoot! Personally I find that the very far west offers the best locations, Godrevy being an exception well worth visiting. A weekend will be a struggle, but there are so many locations to visit. Not many will accommodate a big group though.... so some co-ordination is advised.

Logistically, sunset time will potentially impinge on evening meals.

Currently I'm not in a position to commit to attend, but will visit the thread from time to time.

It sure would be nice to have you along Baxter. I do hope you can squeeze a visit in.

Stoo

 

[Neil Souch]

How far is Helston ?

I found this hotel there and I just called them. They have 20 doubles and 1 single available. The single is at the price of the double, so I guess double rooms can have single occupancy. Out of the 20 doubles, there are 15 doubles at £72 per night per person which includes dinner bed and breakfast, there are 5 doubles (superior with sea view) at £84 per night/per pers incl dinner.

http://www.polurrianhotel.com/

A lovely looking hotel but more suited to do the Lizard area from IMHO. As Bill says the Lizard is a very beautiful place and I am worried that folks will get carried away and never get to see the many delights of West Penwith - which what you all voted for! Although the distance is not that great from coast to coast ( S to N) the drive to the far west from the Lizard to places like Botallack, Cott Valley and the Penwith Quoits is not that good. I can see valuable time being wasted following caravans or being stuck behind a herd of cows!

I am still checking out some other options and will report back in due course.

Neil.

.

 

[delphine]

Thanks Neil, if you give me a list of suitable hotels, I don't mind calling them all up.

 

[Neil Souch]

Thanks Neil, if you give me a list of suitable hotels, I don't mind calling them all up.

Delphine, I have been chatting to Bill this morning and we are each looking into this - but we agreed that PENZANCE would be a good place to be. Have a look at any Penzance hotels that you can find on the net, I will carry on the search tonight.

Neil.

 

[Neil Souch]

Just to confuse things further I decided to have a drive down the Carbis Bay / St Ives road this afternoon to have a look for some hotels and I came up with this one:

www.atlantichotelstives.co.uk

The Atalntic Hotel has 20 bedrooms and most of them are vacant for the 24/25/26 of April. It is a nice road-side hotel with a good restaurant and bar and is just outside St Ives to the east along the Crabis Bay / St Ives road facing the sea. The hotel also has a fair sized car park just across the road from the hotel. St Ives is about a 10 - 15 minute walk away if you should wish to walk into town.

I had a chat with reception and I was told that an all in meals deal was possible in the region of £75 - £80 but I couldn't agree anything as the lady that decides on such things is off duty until Monday. So I propose to go back on Monday to see what I can get. So will report back on Monday on this hotel and will post my findings here for your consideration. But I will in the meantime carry on looking to see what else can be found.

Neil.

 

[BarryWilkinson]

Looks ideal Neil, many thanks.

 

[Martin Aislabie]

I would like to come but will not be able to commit to a definite until much nearer the day.

Martin

 

[Martin Aislabie]

Neil, it does look ideal.

We do need somewhere we all can say togather
and
We need somewhere that has some excess capacity so may-bees like me can book up nearer the time

Martin

 

[Neil Souch]

Neil, it does look ideal.

We do need somewhere we all can say togather
and
We need somewhere that has some excess capacity so may-bees like me can book up nearer the time

Martin

Martin, the message Bill and I are getting is that something must be on that week (maybe a surf competition) as the hotels seem to be unusually booked for the time of year. I have just spoken to the manager of a 70 bedroom place in Penzance and they said the hotel was nearly fully booked Also no one is prepared to hold places - can't balme them I suppose in these uncertain times.

Neil.

 

[Neil Souch]

Just tried the Lands End Hotel which had some attractive prices but a party of walkers has beaten us to it and they have only 4 rooms left for that weekend. I am beginning to think we may have to switch to using several B&Bs if I don't have some luck on a hotel early next week.

Neil.

 

[Martin Aislabie]

We could go with Dee's suggestion of the hotel near Mullion and then say do one day on the North Coast and the other on the Lizard ?

Only a suggestion

It’s not ideal but the B&B isn't either

Realistically we only get two locations each day - one each morning and another each afternoon - and for somewhere as photogenic as West Cornwall we are always going to struggle to do more than scratch the surface of the place even if we were there for a whole month.

Martin

 

[BarryWilkinson]

Let's hope your lucky with the Atlantic Hotel on Monday Neil?

Barry

 

[Neil Souch]

Re the Mullion hotel (or others on the Lizard): obviously this is up to the group to decide if they wish to switch to that area and I think it is certainly worth thinking about if I don't have some Luck on Monday. I did look at the Mullion hotel and the only word of caution I would have is on the use of their double rooms for singles. Before a decision is made someone should check this out with the hotel to see if they are going to add anything on for use of their double rooms for singles. This can be just 10% but often much more - it needs checking out.

Neil.

 

[Neil Souch]

Let's hope your lucky with the Atlantic Hotel on Monday Neil?

Barry

Barry, I shall be visiting the Queens hotel in Penzance and the Atlantic hotel in St Ives to see what I can obtain on Monday. Whilst I am in Penzance I will have a cruise about to see if I can find anywhere that I've missed.

Another possibilty is a large good quality B&B in Penzance (nice position) with 9 rooms. I have spoken to the lady there and she was very obliging. The premises also has a sister B&B four doors away with seven rooms and the lady told me any over-spill could go there. I shall keep this one up my sleeve for the moment but may put it to the group if I have no luck on Monday.

Neil.

 

[BarryWilkinson]

Barry, I shall be visiting the Queens hotel in Penzance and the Atlantic hotel in St Ives to see what I can obtain on Monday. Whilst I am in Penzance I will have a cruise about to see if I can find anywhere that I've missed.

Another possibilty is a large good quality B&B in Penzance (nice position) with 9 rooms. I have spoken to the lady there and she was very obliging. The premises also has a sister B&B four doors away with seven rooms and the lady told me any over-spill could go there. I shall keep this one up my sleeve for the moment but may put it to the group if I have no luck on Monday.

Neil.

Thanks for all the hard work Neil, much appreciated.

Barry

 

[Neil Souch]

Thanks Barry, I am sure we shall get there eventually!

Neil.

 

[Roger Bulcock]

Hi Neil,

Please can you add me to the list? This looks like a good trip.

Roger

 

[Neil Souch]

Hi Neil,

Please can you add me to the list? This looks like a good trip.

Roger

Hi Roger,

Welcome to the trip - you are now on the list !

I look forward to seeing you in Cornwall

Neil.