Cornwall Discovery
Cornwall Discovery
5
Movie & TV Tours • Sightseeing Tours • Private Tours • Wine Tours & Tastings
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Cornwall Discovery
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
110 reviews
Excellent
109
Very good
1
Average
0
Poor
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Terrible
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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.
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.
UkTruthfairy
Cheltenham, UK23 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.
Lynne J
Woodbridge, VA49 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.
Shelley R
1 contribution
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.
lfletch
94 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.
Beth F
Dallas, TX4 contributions
Sep 2022
On our recent trip to Cornwall, coming from the US and having watched various programs showing the narrow roads in the area, no one in our group wanted to attempt driving in Cornwall, but there we so many sites we wanted to see! I researched private tours and found Cornwall Discovery and saw that it had many very positive reviews. I booked a tour, and could not have been more pleased with that decision. Our 2 days with Barry were absolutely delightful! He was so accommodating, picked us up and dropped us off at our hotel, customized our tours based on our preferences, made lunch reservations for us and so much more! Barry is a Cornwall local and knows the people, the area and sites that would be of interest to visitors. He was involved with transporting cast and crew for some popular shows that were filmed in the area, so he was familiar with many filming sites and had lots of great stories. By the end of our 2 days of touring with Barry, we all felt like we were saying goodbye to a good friend.
If you are thinking of visiting the Cornwall area, you could not do better than Cornwall Discovery!
If you are thinking of visiting the Cornwall area, you could not do better than Cornwall Discovery!
Written September 25, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
TravelSmith
NY4,384 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.
DowntownNYCTravelers
New York City, NY40 contributions
May 2022
Barry is a wonderful person and terrific guide. We were based in St. Ives and spent two terrific, special days touring with Barry. He immediately put us at ease, and by the end of the time we felt like we were saying goodbye to a friend. Barry has great stories and super connections to the TV and movie industries that thrive in Cornwall. With deep historical knowledge and attention to detail, he rocks. Book as early as you can—Barry’s time fills up quickly.
Written May 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
JeannieandMel
Pittsburgh, PA22 contributions
Sep 2021
My husband and I took a long-anticipated trip to England and spent most of our time in London, but I can't imagine our trip without the most fantastic time we had in Cornwall with an extraordinary tour guide, Barry. Barry was so informative, and showed us places we never even expected to see. Our destination was Port Isaac because we're big fans of Doc Martin show, but seeing the other shipping villages, and tasting pasties, and going to Truro Cathedral, and seeing the wild horses and sheep in the Moors was beyond exciting. I can't even begin to describe what fun it was and how we learned and saw so much history.
I definitely recommend to travelers within and outside of UK that you go on a Cornwall Discovery tour with Barry for a distinct and memorable experience. Outstanding! Thanks, Barry.
I definitely recommend to travelers within and outside of UK that you go on a Cornwall Discovery tour with Barry for a distinct and memorable experience. Outstanding! Thanks, Barry.
Written October 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Janet K
1 contribution
we would like the guide to suggest an itinerary as we are not familiar with the area. we will be staying in Newquay
