Why here?
St Anthony-in-Meneage is one of the most attractive waterside hamlets on the Cornish coast. Enchanting location on the Helford River, comfortable cottages and unique boating and sailing facilities all combine to make this one of the very best holiday destinations in Cornwall for those in need of quiet recharge of batteries, a hassle-free boat-centred break or a secure environment in which children may enjoy freedom afloat or ashore in safety. St. Anthony is a wonderfully undiscovered location, as far removed from the bustle of town or city as is possible to find in Cornwall.
The Jenkin family has been catering for holidaymakers for over 100 years at St. Anthony-in-Meneage and our experience and knowledge of the area is unrivalled. We are now seeing the fourth generation of some regular family visitors introducing their own children to the beach and creek. St. Anthony becomes part of a family’s DNA. The creek is idyllic for young ones, with safe swimming and boating at high water, and mud-free shrimping, crabbing and rock-pooling when the tide is out.
We have a wide range of sailing and rowing dinghies for hire, as well as motor boats and kayaks. For those bringing their own boats to Cornwall we offer easy launching with a tractor on site, moorings throughout Gillan Creek and at Helford Point, and large dinghy and trailer parks, as well as our own professional craftsmen for any running repairs.
This area of Cornwall is possibly unique in the whole of England in offering so great a variety of landscape in so small an area. Flat wild moorland of Goonhilly Downs, the gentle wooded creeks of the Helford River, hidden farming valleys, quiet fishing villages, wild towering cliffs and sandy beaches.
The heart of the Lizard peninsular lies in the flat rugged plateau of Goonhilly Downs which is an SSSI and has its own unique flora. The Downs are surrounded by gentle farmland often in hidden stream filled valleys.
To the north the Helford River almost separates the Lizard from the rest of Cornwall, cutting east-west towards Looe Bar and Porthleven. The Helford and the Fal are drowned river valleys, or rias, and offer wonderful boating and sheltered sailing. The gentle wooded creeks and inlets of the Helford River open onto Falmouth Bay. Further south the cliffs become wilder and more rugged passing a series of fishing villages, Porthallow, Coverack and Cadgwith before reaching The Lizard itself, is the most southerly point of the UK.
The emblem of Cornwall, the chough, is to be found nesting on the cliffs around the Lizard, and basking sharks are a common sight from the cliffs as they migrate in the spring and autumn. The sharp-eyed can also see pods of dolphins, occasionally to be found right inside the river.
East of the Lizard finds Kynance Cove which must provide the most stunning of all beach and cliff scenery, followed by Mullion and Gunwalloe. Beaches include Coverack Kennack, Kynance, Polurrian and Poldhu as well as Looe Bar running from Gunwalloe to Porthleven.
The old Market town of Helston is the main gateway to the Lizard though Falmouth, Penzance, St. Ives and Truro are all within easy reach.
The South West Coast Path is at its most dramatic here. From Porthallow you can follow the path up to Nare Point and continue around the head of Gillan Creek to link up with the path leading on to Helford Village where a ferry takes you to Helford Passage and the path on towards Durgan, Maenporth and finally Falmouth. The National Trust owns many miles of the coastline in the area, in addition to beautiful Glendurgan Gardens. Other well-known gardens by the Helford are Trebah, Bosahan and Carwinion.
The Helford River offers endless opportunities on the water. Explore evocatively named creeks such as Frenchman’s, Polwheveral and Port Navas and small sheltered coves and beaches like Grove, Bosahan, Cow and Grebe. Closer to St. Anthony lie Flushing and Gillan and Lestowder, all within easy reach by rowing boat or kayak. Revive at Port Navas Yacht Club, The Shipwrights Arms and the Ferry Boat Inn. Falmouth Bay itself is a mecca for yachtsmen and St. Anthony provides easy access.