Cornwall Gardens Tour
Enjoying the warmth of the Gulf Stream, Cornish gardens are home to some of the most exciting, rare and beautiful plants and trees in the British Isles. On this seven-night holiday we’ll visit seven of the fourteen ‘Great Gardens of Cornwall’, including the incredible Eden Project and the equally enchanting Lost Gardens of Heligan.
What you’ll love
- Visiting a selection of notable and award-winning Cornish gardens
- Discovering 7 of the 14 ‘Great Gardens of Cornwall’, including the world-famous Eden Project
- A guided tour of the Lost Gardens of Heligan with a site expert
- Meeting like-minded garden lovers
- Small group sizes with a maximum of 15 guests per departure
What’s included
- All entrance fees (other than National Trust & English Heritage properties)
- Guided site visits at the Lost Gardens of Heligan and Trewidden
- Fal River ferry trip
- Comfortable en-suite accommodation in our country house
- Cream tea on arrival day
- Cooked or continental breakfast every morning
- Daily packed lunches
- Three-course evening meals, plus tea & coffee
- Guided sightseeing with an experienced HF Holidays Leader
- All transport to and from sites of interest
- Easy-to-follow routes, maps, and information in our Discovery Point if you want to explore independently
Trip Notes
Easy to download as a PDF, our trip notes provide detailed information for every holiday. Please click below to find the trip notes for your departure date.
Check-in at the hotel is available from 4pm. Enjoy a complimentary cream tea on arrival.
Our holiday begins with a visit to the Lost Gardens on Heligan. Tim Smit, creator of the Eden Project, first discovered these derelict and overgrown gardens in 1990. An arduous 10-year reclamation programme followed, restoring the gardens at Heligan to their former glory. We’ll enjoy a guided garden walking tour with a site expert and then have the full day to explore at our leisure.
Trebah Gardens is a wonderful ravine garden of 26 acres descending to a private beach on the Helford river. It features lush exotic woodland glades, tranquil ponds and a plant collection to inspire at any time of the year.
Bonython Estate Gardens, situated on the Lizard Peninsula, is recognised as one of the most interesting gardens in the southwest. Remodelled in recent years, and infused with innovative planting, here we’ll discover a unique blend of tropical and traditional horticulture.
Discover more about Chy Morvah and the local area for ideas on how to make the most of your free day.
From Falmouth, we’ll take a short ferry cruise up the River Fal to Trelissick Gardens. This large estate garden is on many levels, boasting woodland and riverside walks that offer year- round colour and interest.
Lamorran Garden is situated on Cornwall’s beautiful Roseland Peninsula. This subtropical, Italianate inspired garden has featured in a Gardener's World special - 'Gardening on the Edge' – and in the top ten of the BBC’s 'Nation's Favourite Gardens'.
Please Note: Trelissick Garden is a National Trust property and entry to the site is not
included. There is a steep walk up to the garden from the ferry wharf.
The Eden Project is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Britain, and its sheer scale warrants a full-day visit. The mission of the Eden Project is to promote understanding and responsible management of plant resources from around the world for a sustainable future. The main focal points are the two giant multi-domed conservatories known as the Biomes, each offering different climates with associated planting. However, the external gardens surrounding the Biomes are equally exciting and well worth exploring.
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before making your way home.
Chy Morvah
This beautiful property is just steps from the centre of St Ives – the seaside town that has inspired generations of artists with its working harbour, proud fishing community, white-sand beaches, and stunning Cornish landscape. Enjoying an elevated position with sweeping views over St Ives Bay, Chy Morvah means ‘house by the sea’ in Cornish and you'll find four great beaches nearby - Porthmeor, Porthminster, Harbour, and Porthgwidden - plus plenty of walking routes along the Penwith peninsula. It’s also a short drive to St Michael’s Mount – the tidal island crowned by a medieval church and castle.
Rooms
Designed with your comfort in mind, Chy Morvah has 39 well-appointed guest rooms available in three categories: Classic, Premium, and Superior.
Classic Rooms are comfortable en-suite guest rooms, ideal for a peaceful night's sleep. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, and shower gel), and a TV.
Premium Rooms are more spacious en-suite guest rooms*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
Superior Rooms are even more spacious en-suite guest rooms offering upgraded views of the surroundings*. Amenities include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee-making facilities, toiletries (hand wash, shampoo, body lotion, shower gel), and a 32-inch TV. Extras include bathrobes, slippers.
We love: The guest rooms that make the most of the sea views are easily the best.
The Choose Your Room service is available at our UK country houses, allowing you the option of choosing and confirming a specific room for an extra charge of £30 per room. This is subject to availability. Upgrade supplements apply.
Room supplements
| Superior | Premium single | Premium double/twin | Choose your room |
| £25 pppn | £20 pppn | £20 pppn | £30 per room |
*Views and layout reflect each properties unique character and location
*Please note, pool opening hours are: 07:00am – 09:00am and 16:00pm – 18:30pm
About your stay
A warm welcome
We want you to feel comfortable from the moment you arrive. You’ll find a welcome pack in your room with guest registration forms, menus, order forms for dinners and picnic lunches, the Wi-Fi password, and the front door code. Our houses are locked at night, so we recommend noting the Duty Manager’s number on arrival in case of an emergency (or getting locked out).
Evening entertainment
While evening entertainment varies from house to house, HF Holidays Inter-House Quiz night held after dinner on Wednesdays is a weekly staple. Your HF Holidays leader may be around for tips on guided and self-guided waking routes as well as visit-worthy local attractions.
Walks talks
Our HF Holidays walk leaders host guided walking information briefings before dinner on guided walking holiday arrival days. This is followed by a group Walks Talk for information on the following day’s guided walks (held before dinner every evening). Self-guided walking guests are, of course, welcome.
The walking day
Prior to setting off on guided walks, your HF Holidays Leader will run you through a short safety briefing. There’s also an up-to-date weather forecast on display at the house to ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear. If you choose to do your own walks or are on a self-guided walking holiday, we ask that you please complete an Independent Walker Card each day. These can be found near the Discovery Point in the house.
Food & drink
Seasonal dining, tailored for you
Our team of skilled chefs design our dinner menus to showcase the best of each season, from warming winter comfort food to vibrant summer dishes, including vegetarian, vegan and high-protein options. We also source fruit and vegetables within a 40-mile radius of each house, open every break with a Chef’s Special menu inspired by dishes and flavours of the local area, and are able to adapt dishes to suit special dietary requirements.
Welcome Cream Tea
What better way to start your stay than with a cream tea, served fresh on arrival to make you feel instantly at home. A quintessentially English tradition, our scones are baked in-house and served with preserves and clotted cream, providing the perfect opportunity to meet fellow walkers.
A hearty breakfast to start the day
Start the day with a freshly-prepared cooked breakfast and a wide choice from our continental buffet, including hot drinks, juices and fresh fruit. Our team offer a quick and friendly service, leaving you fuelled and ready for your day’s adventures.
Our famous picnic lunch
Our personalised picnic lunches are perfect for a day out walking, ready to enjoy when hunger strikes. Choose from a large selection of fresh sandwiches and salads, freshly baked cakes and snacks, including the ever-popular Freddos chocolate bar! Everything is designed to fit neatly into your rucksack, and all of the packaging we provide is recyclable or compostable.
3-course evening meals
Our à la carte evening menus feature a wide choice of starters, mains, and desserts, made with seasonal ingredients and, wherever possible, herbs and vegetables from our own gardens. Shared around sociable tables, dinners are relaxed occasions, with drinks available to order at the table or from the bar, and a traditional Sunday roast to round off the week.
Accessibility
For accessibility and assistance information, please contact our expert team on 020 3974 8865 or view the accessibility information online for Chy Morvah
Getting to Chy Morvah
Find out more about this location including travel details and room types.
More InformationAddress
Chy Morvah
Bishops Road
St. Ives
Cornwall TR26 2DB
Tel: +44 (0)1736 796314
By train
The nearest rail station is St Ives. Chy Morvah is a short 10-minute walk uphill from the station. Exit the station, turn left and walk through St Ives Station car park, take the walkway on your left to Terrace Road A3074. Turn left, cross the road and continue uphill on a No Entry road to reach Pendolver Terrace. Turn left on Pendolver Terrace and follow the road around uphill to the right. Chy Morvah is signposted ahead.
An alternative to St Ives rail station is St Erth, which is connected to many mainline services. Please check National Rail for train times and route planning.
By taxi
St. Ives station is only half a mile away, but it’s a steep uphill walk.
St. Erth is four miles away and the journey takes just over 10 minutes.
For pricing, please contact Ace Cars directly.
Ace Cars
You can pre-book a taxi from our recommended company, Ace Cars*. We recommend booking your taxi at least seven days in advance by contacting:
Tel: +44 (0)1736 797799
Email: acecars2@aol.com
A return journey can be arranged on your behalf by the HF Holidays House Manager at Chy Morvah.
*Ace Cars is not owned or managed by HF Holidays.
By car
Head to Cornwall via the A30 then take the A3074 signposted to St. Ives. At the next two small roundabouts, go straight across the first and take a right at the second towards Lelant. Pass through Lelant and Carbis Bay on the same road.
As you approach St. Ives keep left at the fork, which heads slightly uphill, following signs to visitor parking and the leisure centre. Follow the road and turn left up the steep hill. Almost immediately the road turns left again, but instead of following the road, turn off and head directly up the hill on Porthminster Terrace.
Chy Morvah is at the top of the hill. To reach the car park you’ll need to drive left past the front of Chy Morvah and turn immediately right behind the back of the building. The car park is on the right 15 yards along Bishop's Road.
By air
The nearest airport is London Heathrow Airport.
First take the train to London Paddington station from where you’ll find direct trains to St. Erth, and a short train journey to St. Ives.
A morning arrival into Heathrow would be best as you’ll need around 6.5 hours to complete the journey.
The airports at Bristol and Newquay are also nearby, but there aren’t as many flight options.
Check National Rail for routes and train times.
The UK has a famously unpredictable climate so it's best to be prepared for weather that’s sunny one minute and raining the next. To make it easier, here’s a list of items you should consider packing.
Essentials
- Suitable, sturdy footwear with a good grip - you’ll be on your feet for much of the day on uneven ground
- Waterproof jacket
- Sunhat
- Rucksack
- Water bottle (at least 1 litre capacity)
- Sunscreen
- Mobile phone
Recommended
- UV sunglasses
- First aid kit, including plasters
- Sit mat
- Waterproof pouch for valuables
- Rubbish bag (remember to always leave no trace)
- Wallet/purse
Optional Extras
- Walking poles – some gardens are not flat and may require walking up/down uneven
- steps or across potentially slippery ground or rocks
- Waterproof overtrousers
- Flask for hot drinks
- Durable lunch box
- Waterproof rucksack liner
Chy Morvah Calendar
- Guided Walking
- Self-Guided Walking
- Special Interests
- Unavailable to Book
Angie Tiller
Angie is a seasoned HF Holidays Leader based in Cornwall. She loves sharing her knowledge of Cornwall’s fascinating geology, history, horticulture and industrial heritage through intriguing tales and fun facts. Her approachable and friendly manner inspires our guests to develop a deep appreciation for this beautiful and captivating corner of the world.
Guest reviews
All holidays are subject to availability. Supplements may apply.
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All our carefully-curated itineraries are designed by our experts. While we make every effort to adhere to the described itinerary, we may take an alternative route, or vary the running order for weather and/or operational reasons.
Holiday prices
| Date (Start - End) | Itinerary | Double / Twin Room | Single Room | Notes / Offers | Trip Notes | Book | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ||||||||
|
09 May - 16 May 2026 7 nights |
Garden Tour
Single Call to Enquire
Double from £1,519 pp |
from £1,519 pp |
Call to Enquire |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | |||
|
20 Jun - 27 Jun 2026 7 nights |
Garden Tour
Single Call to Enquire
Double from £1,519 £1,407 pp |
from £1,519 £1,407 pp |
Call to Enquire | Save £112pp Birthday Offer |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | ||
|
25 Jul - 01 Aug 2026 7 nights |
Garden Tour
Single Call to Enquire
Double from £1,519 £1,407 pp |
from £1,519 £1,407 pp |
Call to Enquire | Save £112pp Birthday Offer |
Trip Notes
|
Book Now | ||
7 nights
from
£1,519pp
£1,407pp
112th birthday
or call 020 3974 8865
