St Michael’s Mount: A Visit to Cornwall’s Most Iconic Sight

This travel guide covers my visit to St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall’s most iconic sight located in the town of Marazion just outside Penzance.

A visit to St Michael’s Mount

Having spent a day in the lovely seaside town of St Ives, I took the train back to Penzance to visit the next sight on my Cornwall trip — St Michael’s Mount.

St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island with a hilltop castle, located just off the coast of Marazion, a small town about three miles east of Penzance.

During low tide, St Michael’s Mount is connected to the Cornish mainland via a causeway, allowing you to walk to the island, though at high tide this path floods completely and becomes impassable.

A visit to St Michael’s Mount therefore requires a bit of planning, as you must go during low tide if you want to walk to the tidal island, or otherwise ensure you can take a boat from Marazion during high tide, a process I will detail further down in this article.

The official website of St Michael’s Mount has a useful page showing the tide times, so you can check whether the causeway is accessible or if you need to take a boat to reach the island.

Note that during the summer season, you can only visit St Michael’s Mount with an entry ticket, while in spring and autumn, only the castle and gardens require an entry ticket, as during those months you can access the harbour and village on the tidal island free of charge.

It’s also worth noting that the gardens are usually only open in spring and summer, while they remain closed in autumn and winter.

During the winter season, the castle and gardens on St Michael’s Mount are both closed, and boats to the island don’t operate, but you can still walk across the causeway during low tide to visit the harbour and village free of charge.

For a full overview of the exact dates when the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount, along with its castle and gardens, can be visited, check the official website, where you can also book your tickets.

Getting from Penzance to Marazion

If you want to travel from Penzance to Marazion to visit St Michael’s Mount, you can either walk along a scenic footpath by the bay or take a bus.

The footpath (part of the South West Coast Path) starts just outside Penzance station and runs parallel to the railway line and seashore, taking about an hour to walk the entire length to the beach in Marazion and the St Michael’s Mount causeway.

By public transport, you can take bus line U4, 2, or 15 from Penzance railway station to Marazion, with Marazion Square being the closest stop to the St Michael’s Mount causeway.

The trip by bus takes about 12 to 15 minutes, and you can find more details on the Transport for Cornwall website, which has a handy journey planner.

I decided to walk from Penzance, as it seemed like the sun was about to break through the dark clouds, just as it had done earlier in the day in St Ives.

Below, I’ll describe the lovely walk from Penzance to Marazion, along with the sights you can explore on the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount, including a tour of the castle.

Walking along the coastal path to Marazion

The coastal path from Penzance to Marazion is beloved by locals and holidaymakers alike, and you will encounter many others enjoying a stroll or engaging in more strenuous exercise like running.

Right from the start of the walk, you will enjoy pretty views across the bay and the rocky seashore, which soon gives way to Longrock Beach.

As the views towards Marazion are unobstructed, you can already see the silhouette of St Michael’s Mount in the distance, drawing closer with each step.

Near a pedestrian overpass across the railway line, I somehow ended up having a long chat with a man staying at a nearby holiday park who was walking his dog.

Such situations – whether it’s a friendly chat with a stranger or nearly every passerby greeting you as you walk by – are the small things I really appreciate about travelling in England, as outside the big cities, you can still encounter old-fashioned courtesies and genuinely friendly locals in abundance.

Marshlands

Just before reaching the outskirts of Marazion, the railway line veers inland, and the coastal path becomes wedged between the main road and the beach.

On the opposite side of the road lies Marazion Marsh, a nature reserve and a beloved local birdwatching spot.

For the final stretch to Marazion and St Michael’s Mount, I decided to walk along the beach rather than the coastal path.

Marazion Beach

Marazion Beach is a lovely stretch of sand, divided by the causeway to St Michael’s Mount.

The western part of the beach, towards Penzance, has the finest sand, while the section east of the causeway, beneath Marazion and facing Mount’s Bay, is much rockier.

By far the best aspect of Marazion Beach is, of course, the fantastic view of St Michael’s Mount, though the beach also attracts its fair share of surfers.

The causeway to St Michael’s Mount

From Marazion and its beach, you can walk directly across the stone causeway to St Michael’s Mount, a wonderfully picturesque way to approach this tidal island.

As it was late in the afternoon and the tide was coming in soon, I already knew this wasn’t the right moment to walk across the causeway to St Michael’s Mount, so I would have to return the next day to actually visit the island and its castle.

A walk through Marazion

For now, instead of walking across to St Michael’s Mount, I decided to visit the small town of Marazion.

Although Marazion is a neat and tidy little town, it has few points of interest beyond St Michael’s Mount.

That said, there are a few cafés, restaurants, a bakery, and a pub where you can grab a drink or a bite to eat before or after your visit to the Mount.

Fish & Chips

As I was getting hungry after the walk and what had been a long day of sightseeing, I stopped at The Tudor Chippy to grab some fish and chips.

I decided to eat the fish and chips – which tasted delicious – on one of the giant boulders on the beach, with the fantastic backdrop of St Michael’s Mount.

Walking back to Penzance

Once I had finished my meal, I walked back to the causeway, which had already flooded in that short time, highlighting just how quickly the tide can come in here on the Cornish coast.

In this part of Cornwall, the sea level can vary by up to around 5 metres (16.5 ft) between low and high tide.

Although I briefly considered taking the bus back to Penzance, I decided to walk instead as the sun had finally broken through, dispersing the dark clouds.

Indeed, with the sun shining brightly, the views over Marazion Beach, the sea, and St Michael’s Mount were even more beautiful than earlier in the day.

It’s always fascinating to see how a bit of sunshine can really make the difference and transform a rather gloomy-looking landscape into something vibrant and full of colour.

This is especially true for coastal landscapes in countries like the United Kingdom, where a bit of sunshine can transform the seaside into a scene that wouldn’t look out of place in the Mediterranean.

As the weather was suddenly so warm and pleasant, I stopped about a third of the way into the walk at the Surf Club Restaurant & Bar, where I enjoyed a pint of Doom Bar from Cornwall’s Sharp’s Brewery while sitting outside on a picnic table overlooking the sea.

It was a wonderful way to end my day – if only the next day would bring similarly great weather during my visit to St Michael’s Mount, I would certainly be a happy camper.

Boat to St Michael’s Mount

The following day, it was finally time to visit St Michael’s Mount properly.

Of course, the English summer weather proved highly changeable once again, with the morning in Cornwall starting off cloudy, although some rays of sunshine were breaking through the cloud cover.

Once I arrived back from Penzance in Marazion, the weather was truly everything at once, with beautiful blue skies opening up over Cornwall, the sun shining brightly, yet rain falling at the same time, creating a stunning rainbow over the town.

It was in this weather that I finally took a boat from Marazion to St Michael’s Mount.

You only need to buy a boat ticket (£3.20 one-way for adults, £1.60 for under-16s, free for under-1s) during high tide if the causeway is closed, as the boats don’t run at low tide and you can simply walk to St Michael’s Mount instead.

It’s highly advisable to book your boat ticket to St Michael’s Mount online in advance for the day you plan to visit St Michael’s Mount, although for the return journey to the mainland, you can easily buy tickets at one of the shops on the island as well.

Do note that during the long summer season (from mid-April to mid-September), boat tickets are only available when you also book a ticket to visit the castle, gardens, or for Afternoon Tea on St Michael’s Mount.

In spring (late March to mid-April) and autumn (mid-September to the end of October), you can book a boat ticket to St Michael’s Mount without having to also book a ticket to visit the castle or gardens.

During the winter season (November to late March), the boats to St Michael’s Mount do not operate, and the only way to reach the island is by walking across the causeway during low tide.

The departure point in Marazion for boats to St Michael’s Mount depends on the tide level, with three possible locations used for ferrying tourists across: Chapel Rock (a large rock on the beach with steps), Gwelva (a concrete jetty), and Top Tieb (the small town harbour).

Although the ferry crossing from Marazion to St Michael’s Mount takes just 5 minutes, it is recommended to arrive at the boat landing 30 minutes before your timed ticket for the castle and/or gardens.

Your boat ticket is valid on any of the boats operating to the Mount, with small motorboats typically used, each holding about 10 to a dozen passengers.

The harbour and village of St Michael’s Mount

Just after 10.30 in the morning, the boat dropped us off at the small harbour of St Michael’s Mount, where I began exploring the island.

The tidal island of St Michael’s Mount is thought to have been inhabited since prehistoric times.

In classical antiquity, the Phoenicians are believed to have sent their ships here to acquire Cornish tin for trade.

Over the centuries that followed, the island’s population had its highs and lows.

In the early 19th century, St Michael’s Mount was home to over 300 people living in 53 village houses, with many working as fishermen, sailors, or traders, while others were employed as teachers, policemen, shopkeepers, or publicans running one of the many lively pubs.

Nowadays, tourism is clearly the island’s main source of income, with around 30 people still living here.

As you walk around the harbour, keep an eye out for the bronze casts of the feet of Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth, and King Charles imprinted in the cobblestones, marking the spots where they once stepped ashore.

One of the village houses features an old painting of a map of St Michael’s Mount and the surrounding Cornish coast on its side wall, adding another interesting sight to see.

With its striking whitewashed facade, Steward’s House, built in the 1700s to serve as both a residence and an office for the Mount Steward, is the grandest building in the village.

The Steward’s House is home to the Sheila Hichens Collection, which includes artwork by Newlyn School artists depicting life in west Cornwall before the mid-twentieth century, and can be visited for free.

The castle at St Michael’s Mount

At the top of St Michael’s Mount, 60 metres (197 feet) above sea level, stands an impressive castle, the island’s main sight.

After the Norman invasion and conquest of England in 1066, St Michael’s Mount passed into the hands of the Benedictine abbey of Mont St Michel in Normandy, another famous European tidal island with a similar appearance.

In 1135, the Normans began constructing a church and priory atop St Michael’s Mount, which was later expanded into a full-fledged medieval castle.

The fortified island witnessed several skirmishes and even outright sieges, including during the War of the Roses, the Prayer Book Rebellion of 1549 against King Edward VI in Cornwall and neighbouring Devon, and the English Civil War.

In 1659, St Michael’s Mount was acquired by John St Aubyn, a colonel in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War.

To this day, the Mount remains in the hands of the St Aubyn family, who are now called the Lords St Levan after Sir John St Aubyn was granted a hereditary peerage title in 1887, becoming the 1st Baron St Levan.

In 1954, the 3rd Baron St Levan handed over most of St Michael’s Mount to the National Trust, though the family retained a 999-year lease to inhabit the castle, residing in a newly built wing.

Together with the National Trust, the St Aubyn family manages the historic rooms of the castle, which are open to visitors.

Climbing up to the castle

It takes some physical effort to climb the many stone steps up to the top of St Michael’s Mount in order to visit the castle.

There is actually a short narrow-gauge funicular railway on St Michael’s Mount that runs from the quay to the castle, mostly through an underground tunnel carved into the rock.

This old funicular, which dates back to the year 1900, is however not used for passengers but only to transport goods up and down the Mount.

As you climb up the Mount, you start to get glimpses through the treetops of the wonderful views over the coast that will await you once you reach the top.

Before entering the castle, be sure to visit the ramparts atop St Michael’s Mount, where you can admire not only some old cannons but also some sublime views over the Cornish coastline.

Inside the castle

If you have an entrance ticket, you can freely walk through the castle premises of St Michael’s Mount that have been opened to the public.

Throughout the rooms, several castle employees are posted, and you can freely approach them if you’d like to learn interesting historical information about what you’re seeing.

A couple of beautiful historic rooms inside the castle have been opened to the public, including the Garrison Room, which features a couple of old weapons mounted on the walls, as well as the stunning library.

Another highlight is the Chevy Chase room, which was originally the refectory of the priory and is still occasionally used as a dining room by the St Aubyn family.

The intricate plaster frieze running the entire length of the room depicts hunting scenes from the Ballad of Chevy Chase, a famous English folk song that tells the story of a large hunting party in the Cheviot Hills, a range of rolling hills straddling the Anglo-Scottish border.

The name of the Chevy Chase room is derived from this hunting ballad, not from the American actor and comedian of the same name.

In other rooms, you can also admire paintings and old photographs of members of the St Aubyn family.

Views from the top

After passing through a number of rooms, you will eventually arrive at the North Terrace of the castle.

From this terrace, you can enjoy the most magnificent views over the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount, as well as the Cornish coast around Marazion and Mount’s Bay.

You can also walk around parts of the castle’s battlements, from where the views across St Michael’s Mount are equally sublime.

By now, the sun had fully broken through, and the clouds had dispersed, giving way to a beautiful blue sky.

On gorgeous summer days like this, the Cornish coast really is as beautiful as the Mediterranean – it’s just a pity that the weather is often so changeable and unpredictable, so you can never truly count on it when you visit Cornwall!

St Michael’s Church

The beating heart of St Michael’s Mount is not its castle, but the church.

Tales dating back to as far as 495 AD speak of Cornish seamen having apparitions of St Michael, who guided them away from dangers in choppy seas.

As Archangel Michael is the patron saint of sailors and fishermen, and one of the three patron saints of Cornwall, it’s not surprising that his appearances on the island inspired a strong following among devout Cornishmen.

The tidal island was therefore named after St Michael, and chapels, churches, a priory, and other monastic buildings were constructed to accommodate the steady stream of visiting pilgrims and monks.

The present-day church on top of St Michael’s Mount, which is an integral part of the castle, dates back to the late 14th century and was built on the foundations of an earlier 12th-century church.

Officially called the Church of St Michael & All Angels, it is a magnificent stone church with intricate details.

A bronze figure depicts St Michael defeating the Devil with his sword, while extending his other hand in a gesture of mercy.

Behind the altar underneath the magnificent stained glass windows, you’ll find three 15th-century alabaster panels, with the central one depicting the severed head of St John the Baptist being received in Heaven by the Holy Trinity and various saints.

Down again

After visiting the church, I explored a couple of other rooms and corridors I hadn’t seen on my way into the castle.

These included the drawing room with its pastel-blue walls, the magnificent staircase adorned with numerous paintings and wooden furnishings, as well as long hallways lined with old pictures and drawings of St Michael’s Mount.

Once outside the castle, I headed downhill once more towards the village.

Boat back to the mainland

Sadly, I didn’t have time to explore the gardens of St Michael’s Mount, as I needed to return to the mainland to continue my trip.

I walked straight back to the harbour to catch a boat back to Marazion, and by pure chance, the return journey was on the exact same boat I had arrived on.

Once in Marazion, I spent a little longer on the beach, enjoying the sunshine and admiring the stunning views of the Mount and the coastline stretching all the way to Penzance.

The warm weather and gentle waves crashing ashore made the sea a perfect spot for surfers, of which there were plenty this afternoon.

Conclusion

St Michael’s Mount is one of Cornwall’s most iconic sights, and this tidal island with its hilltop castle certainly lives up to its reputation as a stunning place to visit.

Whether you walk across the causeway at low tide or take a boat at high tide, arriving at St Michael’s Mount evokes a sense of adventure.

On the island, you can explore the small harbour, village and gardens but the real highlight is of course the castle.

The medieval castle has a couple of beautiful historic rooms to explore, although nothing beats the Church of St Michael, the living heart of St Michael’s Mount.

St Michael’s Mount was named after the archangel St Michael, patron saint of Cornwall and its local fishermen, whose apparitions on the tidal island turned it into a place of pilgrimage.

Another highlight of a visit to St Michael’s Mount is the fabulous view from the top over the Cornish coastline, which on a sunny day looks as appealing as the shores of the Mediterranean.

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