Rosamunde Pilcher Itinerary
Day One
Your tour begins in the far South West Cornwall with a visit to Marazion, with a prominent position on the shores of Mount’s Bay; this ancient market town was formed as early as the twelfth century. The town, which catered for pilgrims throughout the Middle Ages, and has a long historic relationship with St Michael’s Mount and the Castle. Pilgrims accessed the island by way of a causeway which is revealed at low tide.
Take a guided tour of this fairy taleCastle, a former Benedictine Priory and its maritime terraced gardens with sub-tropical species. (Shell Seekers and Coming Home).
Depart the Mount and travel to Penzance (Snow Storm in Spring, Reflections, Summer on the Sea, The Empty House and Looking to the Horizon). Penzance is a colourful mixture of influences, reflected in its diversearchitecture. Take a stroll along the elegant promenade and take in the views of Victorian, Georgian and Regency hotels, a mock Egyptian house and domed Market Hall.
Day Two
Continue your tour along the coast towards Lamorna - situated at the end of a beautiful wooded valley, famous for its artistic connections with the Newlyn School of Artists, this tranquil setting has a small charming cove with stunning views (Shell Seekers). Travel onwards and visit Penberth village and cove then call in to the Minack Theatre set dramatically in the cliffs, this Roman style open air amphitheatre clings to the granite cliffs above Porthcurno beach and is the venue for a wide variety of productions including comedies and musicals. Few experiences can equal the atmosphere of an evening performance with the sea and moon as a backdrop. Your journey will then take you to Porthgwarra a small hamlet with a small sandy beach within a cove and can be reached via the slipway or a tunnel carved through the granite rock. Travel on to Land’s End a place of stunning scenery and fabled views where magnificent cliffs overlook the powerful surging Atlantic and then to Cape Cornwall. Close to the Cape there are the remains of an old chapel, St Helen's Oratory. The site has been used since the Roman times, and here was found an ancient chi-rho cross this was sadly lost. (all filming locations for Looking to the Horizon, Voices in the Summer, Summer on the Sea, The Shell Seekers)
Complete your day with a visit to Trengwainton Gardens a National Trust property, which boasts an intimate woodland garden with a rich collection of rhododendrons, magnolias, camellias and walled gardens with species not seen elsewhere on mainland Britain (Summer on the Sea).
Day Three
On your way to St Ivescall in to Newlyn, home to one of the largest fishing fleets in the UK, with over 40 acres of harbour, the industry is one of the most important in the county. Stanhope Forbes founded the School of Art in Newlyn and important artists continued to be based there into the 1920s. (Summer on the Sea)
Travel to Zennor The figure of the "Mermaid of Zennor" with a comb and glass" in her hand, is carved on a bench-end in the small chapel on the right hand side of the church, and is thought to be five or six hundred years old. The legend tells how the mermaid came up from the sea to listen to the beautiful singing of a chorister named MatthewTrewella. Succeeding in luring him down the sea shore and enticing him into the sea, he was never seen again. ‘Snow in April’ was filmed in Zennor and included the local pub ‘The Tinners Arms’. The village is on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall and lies only a few miles from St Ives. It is bounded on one side by high, wild and rocky cliffs and on the other by rugged, boulder-strewn, granite hills. Arrive at St Ives an historic fishing centre, the town is a warren of narrow thoroughfares, many still cobbled, and an international film location, is also the county’s premier tourist destination famous for its strong artistic flavour. (Summer on the Sea, Shell Seekers, Reflections Snow in April, Voices in the Summer)
Suggestion – Train from St Ives to St Erth and return.
RosamundePilcher lived in Lelant, (Lelant Station is directly below the gardens of RosamundePilcher’s first home), – a long village which begins at the turnoff to St Ives on the A30. The road follows part of the Hayle Estuary known as the Saltings and continues around to St Uny Church, which overlooks the Hayle river entrance. A single track railway runs regularly from St Ives to St Erth, and also follows the side of the estuary with superb views.
For the energetic enjoy a 3 mile circular coastal walk via St Ives, Carrick Du and Clodgy Point - quickly leaving behind the bustle of St Ives, with superb views across Porthmeor beach and the mighty Atlantic. The broad coastal path leads off towards Clodgy Point and past BurthallanCliffs, finally turning inland and eventually coming to a stile and the black and white posts pointing to the views across St Ives bay towards Godrevy Lighthouse.
Day Four
Make your way up the North coast to Chapel Porth just south of St Agnes Head, perhaps one of the most photographed of Cornwall’s engine houses, Wheal Coates, high up on the cliff overlooks the narrow inlet which opens to a long beach accessible at low tide. (Nancherrow). Continue northwards to Crantock and Newquay a premier tourist destination made famous for its International Suring Competitions and glorious golden long sandy beaches; walk out to TowanHead where parts of Nancherrow were filmed. Travel further north to Padstow and Prideaux Place an Elizabethan Manor within extensive grounds, which include a deer park, Prideaux Place has been the home of the Prideaux family for approximately 400 years. Enjoy a guided tour of this international filming location where many German Rosamunde Pilcher films are based. (End of Summer, Coming Home). Stop off at Padstow Harbour enclosed within the estuary of the Camel - the only river of any size that comes out on Cornwall's northern seaboard - the town was for a long time the principal fishing port on this coast, and it still shelters a small working fleet. (Summer on the Sea).
As you make your way towards Bodmin call into Pencarrow at Washaway, the Georgian home of the Molesworth-St Aubyn's and definitely a lived-in house, not a museum! You will see all the things the family loves best, including their photos, hats on the classical statues and the grandchildren's toys left around - just like home. (The Weekend & The Red Dress) and the Bodmin & Wenford Railway (Nancharrow). Drive on to Torpoint and take a guided tour of Mount Edgcombe House the setting for Miles Cameron. MountEdgcumbe has been famous since the 18th Century for its landscape and gardens. Individual trees and plantations are placed to enhance a magnificent setting above Plymouth Sound and the River Tamar.
Day Five
Travel through Plymoutha City of contrasts, Plymouthis a vibrant and nautical metropolisand onwards to The Bedford Hotel, Tavistock for your overnight stay an excellent base from which to explore the wild beauty of Dartmoor Each of the bedrooms has a unique charm and character of its own.
Explore Tavistock This old stannary town was once the world’s major copper producing area. There is a charming country atmosphere in the town with its pannier market and many old fashioned specialist shops (Eine Besondere Liebe). KellyCollege, Tavistock was a filming location for MilesCameron. Visit BucklandAbbey, Yelverton associated with Elizabethan seafarers Drake and Grenville and tour the house and gardens. The Abby is a 700 year old building with a fine 16th century great hall. Continue your journey over Dartmoor (Eine Besondere Liebe) via Princetown to Widecombe in the Moor, known as the Cathedral of the Moors; this was the setting for Magie der Liebe.
Drive on to the historic Mill Town of Buckfastleigh, on the southern edge of Dartmoor. In 1018 a Benedictine Abbey was founded at nearby Buckfast and endorsed by King Canute in the same year; the Abbey became a Cistercian monastery and remained so until 1539.Onward to Totnes seated in a grassy riverside valley,a charming bustling village complete with a regular market then drive to the historic marina town of Dartmouth set in a picture book location with steep wooded hillsides and the cobbled Bayard’s Cove. Two impressive castles have maintained a guard at the mouth of the River Dart – Dartmouth Castle and Kingswear Castle on the opposite bank of the river.
En route picture the scenes and explore the landscapes that inspired Rosamunde’s books and films, as all the above are locations where a number were set, including Jenny’s Dream, Thurlestone, Das Ende Eines Sommers plusotherRosamunde Pilcher Stories(Frankfurter Filmproduktions)
Day Six
Carry on your journey to the very old and historic town of Brixham where in the middle ages it was the largest fishing port in the South West – Berry Head in particular a location for Domen im Tal der Blumen, Lala plus other Pilcher stories filmed by Frankfurter Filmproduktion.
Your next stop is the bustling university city Exeter, full of character and ancient history the capital city of Devon is situated on the River Exe. The city is also home to a beautiful Cathedral, which dates back to Norman times. Location for Lala, Magie der Liebeand many other Pilcher stories.
Take the route heading towards the dramatic Jurassic Coast where sections of this coast and countryside have already been nominated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest or Heritage Sites and the wealth of wildlife here is widely recognised. Visit Sidmouth whichnestles beneath majestic red cliffs and the green hills of the glorious Sid Valley. Here you will find beautiful gardens, leisurely walks with lots of Regency history, fine hotels and superb clean beaches. (Magie der Liebe)
Continue on to Ottery St Mary surrounded by beautiful farming country, Ottery is one of the South West’s oldest towns, dating back over 1000 years. Anglo Saxons designed the town with its streets fanning out from a central hub. Its magnificent church is modelled on Exeter Cathedral. At the time of the great English Civil War, Ottery St. Mary became the headquarters of the King's troop in the South West. Cromwell thus met with little response when he tried to raise men and money for his army. Ottery St Mary was the location for two TV productions based on Magie der Liebe and Rosen im Sturm.
Complete your Pilcher tour with a visit to HonitonThis historic Lace town is set in the heart of the beautiful Devon countryside and grew up as a coaching stop on the busy London to Exeter route and by the mid 19th Century there were some 24 coaching inns. Take a stroll through the Honiton street market which is held every Tuesday and Saturday throughout the year. Seek bargains among the variety of stalls with their backdrop of shops, including many offering antiques and antiquarian books. A filming location for Rosen im Sturm.
