How to spend a perfect New Year’s Break in Mevagissey
Mevagissey is Cornwall at its most Cornish. This cute fishing village in the south of the Duchy, is centred around its pretty twin harbours, which have inspired many a watercolour painting. Add in quaint cobbled streets, cottages in a range of ice-cream hues and a plethora of indie shops, pubs and restaurants and you have an unbeatable year-round destination.
And it’s one sleepy Cornish village that comes alive in winter. The locals love New Year’s Eve! The whole village is lit up, there’s fancy dress and all sorts of festive fun and live music going on in the watering holes and eateries that surround the harbour. Whether you want to send 2022 off with a bang, celebrate with a quiet meal, or usher in the New Year with a bracing coastal walk, here’s how to spend a perfect New Year’s break in Mevagissey.
View this post on Instagram
What to do in and around Mevagissey
Before all the festivities kick off, why not explore everything Mevagissey has to offer? Wander the narrow streets and browse the many art galleries and independent craft shops that adorn them.
View this post on Instagram
We love Hurley Books, a flourishing indie bookshop founded by bibliophiles Liz and Steve Hurley. Woolly Monkey is a love letter to yarns, woollens and woodcraft. Renowned artist David Weston uses wonderfully rich, complementary colours, light and shade in his watercolours on display at his gallery.
View this post on Instagram
Head down to the working harbour, where you can see fishing boats deliver their catch. Treat yourself to a warming hot chocolate or pasty or, for a more substantial lunch, try the Wheelhouse fish restaurant, which presides over the west wharf. The property was once a net loft, but now it’s a lovely space to try the local seafood. Order Fowey river mussels, St Austell scallops or local crab, and enjoy the views over the harbour.
View this post on Instagram
After lunch, railway enthusiasts will love the Mevagissey Model Railway – a Cornish gem that harks back to times now forgotten. Take your time and really look at the care, skill and humour behind the scenes the owners have laid out. Cute, quirky and a real breath of fresh sea air.
For walkers, the South West Coast Path cuts through the village, linking to Charlestown and beyond to the north, and Gorran Haven to the south.
If you’re planning a longer New Year’s break at your Cornish holiday cottage, you’ll be spoilt for choice with things to do in the surrounding area.
View this post on Instagram
It’s Cornwall, so there are beaches galore. Try Polstreath – a quiet, attractive cove accessed by 200 steep steps. The pretty fisherman’s village of Gorran Haven also boasts a golden sandy beach. It’s dog friendly, but your furry friend must be on a lead.
View this post on Instagram
The Eden Project is just half an hour’s drive away and is an epic day out for all ages. Explore the rainforest and Mediterranean biomes and learn about the interdependencies between humans and plants in the Super Natural exhibition, on until February 2023.
View this post on Instagram
For a taste of Cornwall’s mining heritage, Wheal Martyn is 25 minutes’ drive. The china clay museum unlocks the secret of St Austell’s past and the part it plays in our future. There are also woodland trails, activities for the kids and a vibrant cafe.
New Year’s Eve in Mevagissey
There’s loads of restaurants and takeaways to choose from before you head out on the town.
View this post on Instagram
Central Café does a roaring trade in delicious fish and chips to eat in or take away. Head to the 15th-century Fountain Inn for oodles of rum-soaked smuggler-style ambience – and a menu packed with home-cooked pub classics.
View this post on Instagram
Fancy something quiet? The Sharksfin is the place to go for a lovely festive set menu, or choose from burgers, tacos and modern Italian fare.
Ring in the New Year in style down on Mevagissey harbour! Join in with the locals and don your most outrageous fancy dress outfit. At midnight, congregate outside with the crowd to wish everyone a Happy New Year.
New Year’s Day in Mevagissey
Whether you’ve woken fresh and breezy after a quiet night in or with a fuzzy head after a raucous night out, the best way to start the New Year is with a bracing New Year’s Day walk.
For a coastal amble, head to nearby Portholland Beach, where you get two beaches for the price of one. This large sandy stretch joins the tiny hamlets of East and West Portholland. It’s dog friendly all year round and an excellent space to blow away the cobwebs of the night before.
View this post on Instagram
Work up an appetite, then treat yourself to lunch at the Kings Arms, a fabulous little foodie jewel back in Mevagissey. This proper pub offers excellent wine and plenty of atmosphere with its olde worlde interior. It also has a bakery, deli and wine merchants.
View this post on Instagram
If you fancy a magical New Year’s Day walk somewhere ancient and ethereal, we’d recommend the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Heligan includes 300 tangled acres of forest, jungly footpaths and mystical formal gardens. It’s ideal for families with small children because the longest walk is a mere two-mile loop. Descend down from the main house, cross the Lost Valley then return via the Horsemoor Hide.
View this post on Instagram
For a real leg-stretcher, take on the five-mile loop from Heligan to Mevagissey. Stop in at the Ship Inn (fresh fish is almost always on the menu). Then head north along the coast path and back inland to the gardens.
View this post on Instagram
Whether you come in the summer or winter months, Mevagissey always has something to offer. Inspired? Explore our Mevagissey holiday cottages.