Discover Helston: Heritage, Trails and Special Experiences

Helston combines an impressive history with a variety of experiences involving culture, walking trails and countryside.

Town History and Cornish Culture

A good starting point for exploring the town's history is the Guildhall. The building dates from 1839 and was designed in the Neoclassical style. It is located at the upper end of Coinagehall Street and regularly hosts local markets. On Flora Day, the Guildhall marks the beginning of most of the day's dances. The Hal-an-Tow pageant also looks back to the past: the characters who perform and the songs tell the story of Helston.

The Museum of Cornish Life is housed in the former Market House and Drill Hall. The building was originally designed as a Market House in 1837 and retains its sloping granite floor. The collection includes agricultural objects, evidence of the town's history, Cornish crafts and occupations, archaeological artefacts, domestic items and textiles. It also contains objects relating to Henry Trengrouse's important life-saving inventions. Another notable landmark is the Lowertown Viaduct: the granite-built structure has six arches and is considered an example of Victorian engineering.

Trails, Art and Activities for Children

The Helston Heritage Trail leads through historic streets and hidden opes, sharing local stories and myths. You should allow about an hour for the main route at a steady walking pace. This makes it easy to include a cultural tour as a self-contained part of a day without requiring a longer walk.

CAST, a centre for contemporary art, is housed in a former school building dating from the late 19th century. Its programme includes film screenings, talks, workshops, art laboratory sessions for schools, and creative holiday activities for children and families. In Coronation Park, by contrast, outdoor leisure facilities alternate: there is a boating lake with swan pedal boats for hire, play facilities for children, a skatepark and a café. The park has been designed to be more accessible for wheelchair users and people with visual impairments. The car park has more than 30 spaces, including some reserved for visitors with disabilities.

Rail Journeys, Countryside and a Longer Circular Walk

The Helston Railway offers journeys on a restored section of the former Great Western Railway branch line that once connected Helston with the wider railway network. All journeys begin at Prospidnick. There is a shop there, as well as refreshments in a historic diesel railcar; free visitor parking is also available on site.

From Coronation Park, you can walk through the Penrose estate to Loe Pool and the beach. For a longer walk, the Loe Pool Circular is a good option. The route is 11.1 kilometres long and starts and ends in Helston. When choosing your accommodation, this allows you to weigh up a shorter historical walk, a park visit with children, a railway journey and a more extensive countryside circuit.

Local Flavours and Travel Planning

The Blue Anchor adds a culinary dimension to the town's history. The brewery there produces Spingo ales according to traditional recipes. According to reports, The Blue Anchor has existed as a public house since the 15th century; its traditional layout with several bars and adjoining rooms has been preserved.

The regular bus services can also help with your choice of location. They connect Helston with Penzance, Hayle, Praa Sands, Porthleven, Falmouth, Redruth and Camborne, as well as with Truro. There are also numerous services to the Lizard Peninsula. A holiday apartment or holiday home in Helston can therefore serve as a suitable base if you would like to include town history, nature trails, family activities and excursions in various directions in your travel plans.

Discover More Places

For additional travel ideas, you can also explore Roche, Launceston, Penrose, Maxworthy, St Agnes, Polperro, Praze-an-Beeble and Carlyon Bay.

For the main travel overview: Cornwall.