I made a visit to Cornwall recently, and one of the places that I stopped off at was St. Michael's Mount. This small island mount, with a castle on top, lies a few hundred meters off the main land on the coast near Penzance in Cornwall. The mount is associated with Christianity's St. Michael. Apparently, someone saw the saint on the mount top. A monastery and church was built on the spot, and these have slowly converted into a castle/fortress. The castle is lived in, and visitors can visit the mount and the buildings.
When the tide is out, visitors can walk across the causeway to the rocky island. If the tide is in, a boat operates between St. Michael's Mount and Marazion, the village on the main land, opposite the mount. When I visited, the tide was in but receding, and a boat-vehicle took me and several other visitors across for a tour. I was able to walk back as the tide was out after the tour finished.
The stone path to St. Michael's Mount
A steep walk leads from the harbour on St. Michael's Mount to the castle on top. I discovered some snowdrops, blooming in early January, on the side of the mountain. In summer, the gardens are open for guests, and I imagine that they look beautiful. The guide told us about the legend of the giant on the mountain when we walked up, and he pointed out a heart-shaped stone that was apparently the giant's heart.
Snowdrops in bloom
We were then led to the top of the hill below the castle (near some old cannons) to admire the views. Stunning views can be seen from the top of the mount. We watched the causeway being repaired, and we could see the village of Marazion below. Many years ago, this area was wealthy and mined for its precious metals.
Marazion village from St. Michael's Mount
After seeing the various decorated and detailed rooms and items in the castle, we trekked back across the beach. I caught some nice views of the mount from below.
St. Michael's Mount
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