Kernow Tours, Penzance (2026)

01/06/2026

When conducting a private guided tour of Cornwall, whichever one our guests choose (8 'off the menu' Tours), we always handover a map.

Right at the start of the Tour.

It helps to prepare folk for the journey of discovery that lies ahead of them, and gives a visual with regards to the route that we are going to take on our 'Historic and Cultural' experiences across Kernow.

Sometimes, depending on our guests specific interests and what they want to focus on, we find ourselves going a little 'off piste' in order to deliver what we are becoming very well renowned for.

OUTSTANDING private tours.

Our clients leave us after a day tour with a meaningful insight into aspects of Cornwall that they never considered initially.

Will you trust us to give YOU an unforgettably amazing tour of Kernow?

(Check our Google and TripAdvisor reviews before booking for some reassurance)

We can't wait to work with you!

01/06/2026

Have you ever heard of a Fogou?

The word ‘fogou’, pronounced foogoo, comes from the Cornish word for a cave. They have been known in dialect as vugs, vows, foggos, giants holts – and our favourite – fuggy holes.
A fogou is an archaeological hole in the ground dating from between about 500BCE to 500CE. This means that they really are Celtic, unlike the older standing stones and stone circles and so their construction could have some connection with the occasional druid.
Fogous are only found in the south western tip of Cornwall – they are not the same as the souterrains found in Ireland, Scotland and Brittany. They are always found in association with a settlement or defensive earthwork.

Want us us to take YOU inside one?

'Stones and Bones' - 6 HOUR PRIVATE TOUR:-

🪨Unique monuments: portal tombs, ancient villages, stone circles and dolmens...
🪨Very special, sacred and ‘off the beaten path’.
🪨Far from the crowds, even in high season.
🪨A mesmerising journey of discovery!

✨Men-An-Tol – bronze age holed stone.
✨Lanyon Quoit Neolithic portal tomb.
✨Botallack Mine and Iconic engine houses.
✨St Just – most Westerly village in Britain.
✨Ballowal Barrow – ancient funerary mound.
✨Cape Cornwall.
✨Medieval Churches and ancient Celtic crosses.
✨Boscawen-un neolithic stone circle.
✨Carn Euny Iron age village, ‘fogou’ & holy well.
✨Sancreed Beacon archaeological area.
✨Home.

PLUS : very many points of interest en route – some visible from vehicle, others just moments from the car. Wayside crosses, burial mounds, landmarks, mining setts and engine houses, menhirs, barrows and even fogou are all pointed out and key historical information given. Your very own ancient sites tour of Cornwall!

(We may even squeeze in time to go underground...)

If you KNOW....you Kernow.

30/05/2026

Honestly, these old red phone boxes crop up on tour in the most unexpected places!

The continued presence of red telephone boxes in active service is a reminder that technological change is rarely absolute. Although mobile phones have made public telephones largely unnecessary for most people, a small number of these boxes remain in use, particularly in rural areas where mobile coverage can be unreliable. Their survival owes less to sentiment than to circumstance. They continue to provide a useful service, however infrequently used, and their persistence illustrates how older forms of infrastructure can retain a practical value long after they have ceased to occupy a central place in everyday life.

Plus - some international visitors see them as being SUPER cute! 😂

30/05/2026

Wherever we travel around Cornwall, there are historical facts, hidden stories, and remarkable details that many visitors pass by without ever noticing. Part of the experience is discovering these lesser-known aspects of the places we visit and understanding their wider significance.

To most visitors, Newlyn is a busy fishing harbour. Less obvious is its national significance: mainland Britain’s official height reference is based on sea-level measurements taken here.

The Newlyn Tidal Observatory was established in the early twentieth century to record tides. Data collected between 1915 and 1921 was used to define Ordnance Datum Newlyn, the reference point for elevations across mainland Britain.

Nearby, the lighthouse serves a different but related purpose. While the observatory provides a fixed scientific reference, the lighthouse aids navigation and helps mariners identify the coast in poor conditions.

Together, they reflect Newlyn’s long connection with the sea. One represents measurement and surveying; the other safety and navigation. Though modest in appearance, both have played an important role far beyond Cornwall...

Hidden stories...

Pieced together by our guides for visitors to consider...

I'd you KNOW, you KERNOW 😉

datum

30/05/2026

THANK you SO much to this beautiful family from the South of the USA. A couple of days ago off a cruise ship in Falmouth and just one day for us to give them a wonderful flavour of Kernow in just eight hours... no pressure then!

There are few places in Cornwall that carry quite the same weight of expectation as Land’s End. Long before visitors arrive, they have seen the photographs, the postcards, and the famous signpost marking the western edge of England. It stands at the end of a long journey for some, and at the beginning of a deeper acquaintance with Cornwall for others.

As a guide, it is always interesting to watch those first moments. People step from their vehicles and make their way towards the cliffs. The Atlantic stretches away beyond sight, restless and immense, while the granite headland stands firm against it, as it has for centuries. Whatever the weather, there is usually a pause—a moment when the scale of the place quietly makes itself known.

What has always pleased us is that visitors rarely leave disappointed. Some arrive with a keen interest in history, others in geology, photography, or simply the satisfaction of reaching one of Britain’s most famous landmarks. Yet almost all find something that speaks to them.

Of course, there are practical matters to attend to. There are photographs to be taken, refreshments to be enjoyed, a shop or 2 to be explored?
Some visitors depart with a couple of souvenirs; others leave with nothing more tangible than a memory and a collection of photographs. Whether a fridge magnet finds its way home with them or not seems of little consequence.

The real value of Land’s End lies elsewhere. It is found in the sea air, the distant horizon, the cry of gulls above the cliffs, and the simple pleasure of standing at the edge of the land and looking westward into open ocean.

Our narrative is of shipwreck and trading routes.

✨Three bodies of water converging in one place!
✨ 28 miles to the Scilly Isles and 3147 miles to New York!
✨ Turbulence, Rock reefs and tragedy!

To share that experience with visitors is a privilege. And if they happen to take home a fridge magnet as well, then so much the better.
Job done!

30/05/2026

Kernow Tours is small, home-grown private touring business covering the WHILE of Cornwall.
Run by passionate Cornish local tour guides, the experiences on offer weave a magical combination of iconic Cornish landmarks, majestic and expansive beaches and idyllic fishing villages and harbours.
But that's not the whole story...

We are driven by wanting to share with visitors some of the harder to access and 'off the beaten path' locations that make Cornwall so unique.
Neolithic stone circles and underground burial chambers, medieval churches that contain ancient wooden carvings within, engine houses signifying tin mines underneath - and parts of the 'hidden Cornwall' that even many locals never get to see...

Put simply, we deliver the BEST Private Tours in Cornwall.
Ours are completely unique 'historic and cultural' experiences - vehicle based but with plenty of opportunity to get out and immerse yourselves in the sghts and sounds of the 'real' Cornwall. You'll even have the opportunity to walk little stretches of the Cornish coastal path if you wish!

Whichever of our guides is with you for the day, you will have a wonderful experience...
Choose from eight, uniquely curated Private Tours from the 'menu' OR contact us directly to begin the conversation about planning a bespoke touring experience (1 or multi-day) of Cornwall for you and your loved ones.

On the day of your private tour, we'll have a super comfortable vehicle waiting outside your accommodation ready to take you on a journey of discovery. There is so much history to impart and Cornwall's culture and customs will intertwine with tales of piracy, invasions, shipwrecks, battles and witchcraft!
Ancient hillforts, Cornish scientific endeavour and stories of heartbreaking disasters will all mingle to give you a meaningful insight into the identity of the Cornish people and Cornwall's place in the world. Packed with historical context, you’ll enjoy a lively, engaging and fun experience-with so much to see and take in. However, we also understand that you're on holiday, so the day will feel relaxed and unhurried.

So what are you waiting for already?
get in touch to start the conversation!

30/05/2026

One of the pleasures of guiding tours around Cornwall is that no two days are ever quite the same. The landscapes may be familiar, but nature always finds a way to provide something unexpected.

Whether exploring the rugged north coast, the sheltered creeks of the south, or the quiet lanes of the Cornish countryside, wildlife is often part of the experience. Along the way we regularly encounter seabirds riding the coastal winds, rabbits darting through hedgerows, seals stretched out on distant rocks, and choughs potentially (if we're very lucky) circling high above the tin mining cliffs of Kernow.

Recently, however, it was a group of rather distinctive cows that stole the show. We found ourselves getting remarkably close to a herd of Belted Galloways, affectionately known as “Oreo cows” because of their striking black coats and broad white belts. With their shaggy appearance and calm temperament, they are impossible to miss and always seem to attract attention from visitors.

Standing just a few feet away, it was easy to see why they have become such favourites. Their distinctive markings make them look almost too perfectly designed to be real, and they often seem as curious about us as we are about them.

Being able to pull the vehicle up very close by in an impromptu manner is one one of the reasons we enjoy touring Cornwall so much - and why our guests love their experience with us!
While visitors may arrive expecting spectacular coastal views, historic villages, and fascinating stories, some of the most memorable encounters can be entirely unplanned. A chance meeting with a seal, a glimpse of a hunting kestrel, or an unexpected encounter with a field full of “Oreo cows” can become the highlight of the day.

In Cornwall, the wildlife is never far away, and every tour offers the possibility of discovering something new.

Get on.

30/05/2026

It was a genuine privilege recently to guide a delightful family of Chinese Americans through the heart of Cornwall. While the county’s dramatic coastline and beautiful countryside left a strong impression, it was Cornwall’s rich religious heritage that particularly captured their imagination.

Throughout their 'cultural and historic' private guided tour, they showed a keen interest in the many ancient churches that dot the Cornish landscape. From secluded parish churches tucked away in wooded valleys to medieval buildings that have watched over their communities for centuries, each church offered a window into Cornwall’s unique past.

What fascinated them most was the story of how Christianity first came to Cornwall. We explored the legacy of the Celtic saints who crossed the seas from Ireland and Wales during the early medieval period, establishing small Christian communities in what was then a remote corner of Britain. Their influence can still be seen today in place names, church dedications, ancient crosses, and holy wells scattered across Kernow.

Visits to churches such as St.Senaras in Penwith helped bring these stories to life. Standing within buildings that have been places of worship for generations, surrounded by centuries of history, prompted thoughtful conversations about faith, culture, and the enduring connections between people and place.

One of the great pleasures of private guiding is seeing Cornwall through the eyes of visitors. Sharing the county’s history with such an engaged and curious family was a rewarding experience, and their enthusiasm for Cornwall’s churches and early Christian heritage made the day especially memorable.

Thank you for your company, your thoughtful questions, and your interest in Cornwall’s remarkable story. It was a pleasure to explore this special corner of Britain with you...

30/05/2026

This week we were in a very pretty church and Gardens along the Roseland Peninsula in South Cornwall.
The present church of St Just in Roseland has medieval origins, with most of the surviving fabric dating broadly from the 13th to 15th centuries, although the site is believed to have had a Christian presence much earlier. The churchyard’s famous subtropical setting and its association with Celtic Christianity give it an even older spiritual heritage.

Our guest's eyes were drawn to this stained glass and the possible meaning behind it was discussed...

(The window is considerably later than the church and dates from the late Victorian / Edwardian period - roughly 1880–1915).

What the window depicts:

The three figures form a theological sequence centred on Christ as the Good Shepherd.

Left panel: King David

* Crowned and holding a harp.
* A sheep appears at his side.
* The inscription includes “I am the Good…” which leads into the central panel.
* David is traditionally regarded as the shepherd-king of Israel and the ancestor of Christ.

Centre panel: Christ the Good Shepherd

* Christ holds a lamb and a shepherd’s crook.
* The halo identifies Him as the central divine figure.
* The inscription reads: “Shepherd and lay down…”
* This is from John 10:11: “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

Right panel: Prophetic figure (likely Isaiah or another Old Testament prophet)

* Elderly, bearded, holding a scroll.
* A sheep appears near his feet.
* The inscription continues: ”…my life for the sheep.”
* The prophet represents the Old Testament anticipation of the Messiah.

Together the three panels create a continuous biblical narrative:

1. David the shepherd king.
2. Christ the fulfilment of the shepherd ideal.
3. The prophetic witness foretelling His sacrificial role.

The theme is not merely that Christ guides people.

The emphasis is on sacrifice.

In John 10 Jesus distinguishes Himself from hired shepherds who flee danger. The Good Shepherd remains with the flock and ultimately gives His life for them.
The sheep represent believers; the lamb in Christ’s arms symbolises both care and redemption.

Always a story...

30/05/2026

Delivering private (historic and cultural) tours across Cornwall means working with whatever weather the day brings. Some days arrive with cloud, wind, or rain sweeping in from the Atlantic; others offer clear skies and long views across the coast and countryside. Either way, there is always much to see and learn about...

On this occasion, the conditions could hardly have been better. A light breeze tempered the warmth of the day, while the sunshine brought out the colours of the landscape. The scent of the sea mixed with the warmth of hedgerows and fields, giving the journey a relaxed and comfortable pace.

Whether travelling north to the dramatic coastline, east through quieter rural districts, south towards sheltered coves and fishing villages, or west into the historic heart of Kernow, each part of Cornwall has its own character. The pleasure of a private tour lies in having the time to appreciate those differences without hurry.

Ace.

Kernow Tours

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