Cornwall Discovery
Cornwall Discovery
5
Movie & TV ToursSightseeing ToursPrivate ToursWine Tours & Tastings
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Pendoggett, Cornwall, England
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Cornwall Discovery
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
131 reviews
Excellent
130
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
UkTruthfairy
Cheltenham, UK30 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
Barry was an exceptional guide for our day. The Doc Martin & North Cornwall experience was excellent and Barry’s insider knowledge and local background made it extra special and brought it all to life. We covered so many special places and we would thoroughly recommend Barry to make any trip to the area truly memorable.
Written October 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pat
Eugene, OR223 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Knowledgeable and fun guide, Barry, presents a new surprise each of our 9 days in Cornwall and Devon: wild ponies and red deer, landscapes of farms, hills, and seas found at the ends of so-narrow roads, cafe’ and pub food that only locals would find (including Pasties and white bait), details and storytelling all along. He also made recommendations and reservations, even built a small step for me to access his vehicle more easily. We would recommend for any Cornwall visit, from a day trip off a cruise, to a garden tour, to walking, or lengthy sightseeing.
Written May 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melanie M
1 contribution
Jun 2022
My brother and I spent a full day with Barry this week and we highly recommend his private tour of Cornwall! I communicated with him about what we wanted to see when I booked the tour, and he designed it around our interests while making several excellent recommendations of his own favorite places. Barry avoided the typical tourist tourist traps, and drove us on the back roads where we saw numerous 18-19th century tin and copper mines, grand views of cliffs and ocean; we even ran into a group of grazing wild ponies. He eagerly shared an extensive knowledge of the geography and history of the area, Bronze Age sites, fishing, village life, mining, smuggling, and so much more. We were amazed at how he expertly made hairpin turns on narrow roads with high hedgerows on both sides! Barry was friendly and eager to meet our needs and answer our questions. We recommend him without reservation!
Written June 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shelley R
11 contributions
Nov 2021
I wish I could give Barry a million stars. I traveled to Cornwall with my mom and boyfriend and we booked Barry, giving him very little direction in terms of what we wanted to see (aside from Port Isaac, of course). He arranged a spectacular three days for us. He was extremely knowledgeable about everything from Doc Martin and Poldark filming locations to local lore and where to get the very best pasties. He was funny, accommodating, kind and knew all of the best spots for seeing the most beautiful parts of Cornwall. We left feeling like we had experienced the best of the best. I highly recommend Barry for anyone who wants a reliable, relatable, knowledgeable guide for their time in Cornwall.
Written November 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pitt635
1 contribution
Jul 2022
Barry is an exquisite tour guide who we booked for a 2-day tour and we couldn't have had a more attentive, caring, and engaging host and guide. He manages to make people feel like we've known each other forever. Being very local, he knows great places and nooks and crannies that we would never have been able to discover as ordinary tourists. He also eloquently described the picturesque sceneries and vibrant culture of Cornwall and could talk engagingly about the history of local mines, agriculture, fishing, filming, and the national bird of Cornwall. It was lovely to see Barry interacting with the locals and it all added a special touch to our Cornish adventure. As one of our travel companions was disabled, we were happy to note that Barry always made sure that the places we visited were also accessible by mobility scooter. Among other things, Barry is an excellent driver and will save you a huge amount of stress on those super narrow, lovely village roads. Barry played a great part in making our trip the most memorable and wondrous trip we've ever had! If you need a reliable tour guide with exciting memories to offer, Barry is the best! Piret &Co from Estonia
Written July 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
choon lye
Cherrybrook, Australia31 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Our tour experience with Discovery Cornwall is nothing short of excellent.
We were blessed with the expert guided tour from Mike Perry, who took us on a private tour in his car, around the coastline from Fowey to Boscastle. Mike is an excellent driver, navigating round narrow country roads to reach the nooks & cranny of spectacular coastline to satisfy my photography hobby. You need a local like Mike who knows all the corners of Cornwall which a coach tour will not be able to achieve.
We set up base in a bed & breakfast in St Ives & Mike would pick us up at 9.15am everyday.
The first day we met, we discussed what we wanted to do in this tour & Mike would tailor make the itinerary to suit us. Just sit back & relax. The places he took us were unbelievably scenic, picturesque & don’t do justice with our photographs. You just have to visit in person to soak up the scenery, breath in the air & enjoy the quietness as these “secret” places remained out of reach from the masses.
Not only Mike is the driver, tour director & knowledgeable guide, he is also our personal photographer to take snaps for us to saviour the incredible memories. He is also a culinary expert who would take you to best places for lunch. Just let him know what you wanted to eat when he picked you up so that he could plan the trip.
During the course of the tour, we became good friends. His sense of humour, friendliness and easy going character add another dimension to this tour. We will miss him greatly!
We have been travelling in many tours, and this is by far “simply the best”. Don’t hesitate, contact them & discuss your itinerary & they will make your trip unforgettable. Money well spent.
Written May 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Courtney A
1 contribution
Aug 2024 • Couples
We had the best day touring Cornwall with Mike. He willingly drove an hour and a half to our bed and breakfast to pick us up, and was the most knowledgeable, personable, kind hearted tour guide I think I’ve ever met. He truly has a gift for making sure people have a good time and can see the beauty in his home of Cornwall. He listened to my husband and I when we said we enjoy being in areas that are less crowded and that Tintagel castle and Port Isaac were must sees for us. He also recommended some other fantastic spots for us to see and places for us to eat. He made driving in Cornwall look easy (not an easy feat) and we always felt safe when he was driving. By the end of the day, it felt like we were saying goodbye to a new friend, and if we ever find ourselves in Cornwall again, Mike will be the first call we make to book another tour.
Written September 1, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lynne J
Woodbridge, VA50 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
Deciding whether to drive yourself to tour Cornwall? Stop right now. You know those one and a half lane roads bordered by towering hedgerows you see on TV? That’s Cornwall.
Relax! Want a truly personalized tour of Cornwall? Whether you prefer to have a local expert choose highlights for you or you know you want to see where TV shows and movies were filmed, Barry Pengelly will give you an unforgettable day (or better yet several days). History paired with his knowledge and sense of humor comes alive. When our 2 days were over, we could imagine how it felt to go down into the mines to work or where to hide goods if you were a smuggler or how hard women worked in fish processing.
And the scenery! Coastlines, islands, grazing herds, historic churches, villages - even stone circles! Beauty everywhere.
Everywhere we went people know Barry. A friend in the US asked us if we could get pictures of the area where her people came from. Barry knew the quarry where they would have worked, had worked there himself, and introduced us to the man who is still the supervisor.
You will be glad you booked with Cornwall Discovery. Our only regret was not booking at least a 3rd day.
Relax! Want a truly personalized tour of Cornwall? Whether you prefer to have a local expert choose highlights for you or you know you want to see where TV shows and movies were filmed, Barry Pengelly will give you an unforgettable day (or better yet several days). History paired with his knowledge and sense of humor comes alive. When our 2 days were over, we could imagine how it felt to go down into the mines to work or where to hide goods if you were a smuggler or how hard women worked in fish processing.
And the scenery! Coastlines, islands, grazing herds, historic churches, villages - even stone circles! Beauty everywhere.
Everywhere we went people know Barry. A friend in the US asked us if we could get pictures of the area where her people came from. Barry knew the quarry where they would have worked, had worked there himself, and introduced us to the man who is still the supervisor.
You will be glad you booked with Cornwall Discovery. Our only regret was not booking at least a 3rd day.
Written September 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lfletch
101 contributions
Jun 2022
A group of friends and I recently went on a multiple day tour with Barry. First (and most important), he is an excellent driver in an area with very narrow roads. Often two cars meet on a lane only wide enough for one vehicle, and one must back up around tight curves until there is space to allow the other to pass. Barry is a master at it! There were also some areas that were congested, but Barry always knew a shortcut to circumvent the slow down.
Enough of the important, but boring part! Second, Barry grew up in the area and seems to know everyone and everywhere that is interesting to know! I think we visited every quaint cove and hamlet.
The scenery is stunning. He customized the trip, and included many bonus stops. Highly recommend Barry and visiting the breathtaking areas of Cornwall.
Enough of the important, but boring part! Second, Barry grew up in the area and seems to know everyone and everywhere that is interesting to know! I think we visited every quaint cove and hamlet.
The scenery is stunning. He customized the trip, and included many bonus stops. Highly recommend Barry and visiting the breathtaking areas of Cornwall.
Written July 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelSmith
NY4,524 contributions
Apr 2022
We can highly recommend Barry for day tours in Cornwall.
He provides both the very comfortable transport and the local history. We did two tours, in the Port Isaac area and then in the St. Ives/Pennance area. He lives near to Port Isaac and has the details and connections with the Doc Martin productions and the history of the tin mines, Poldark, etc.
If you can, leave the driving and narration to Barry rather than struggle with rental cars and narrow, hazardous roads.
He provides both the very comfortable transport and the local history. We did two tours, in the Port Isaac area and then in the St. Ives/Pennance area. He lives near to Port Isaac and has the details and connections with the Doc Martin productions and the history of the tin mines, Poldark, etc.
If you can, leave the driving and narration to Barry rather than struggle with rental cars and narrow, hazardous roads.
Written May 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
we would like the guide to suggest an itinerary as we are not familiar with the area. we will be staying in Newquay
Written June 14, 2018
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