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DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
CORN-27
COST
£2095
DAYS
6
TOUR CODE
CORN-27
COST
£2095
The shores of Cornwall have long captivated artists as a key source of inspiration. Our tour provides a dedicated insight into the art of Cornwall, exploring wonderful collections and the breathtaking landscape in which they reside.
Overview
The dramatic maritime panoramas of Cornwall, with their distinct clarity of light, captivate the eye so intensely that it is no wonder artists have gravitated towards this region for many years. Our tour provides a dedicated insight into this shimmering facet of British art history, with a key focus on the production of art in the Cornish fishing towns of Newlyn and St Ives.
The Newlyn School was a leading group of painters led by Stanhope Forbes. Participating in the principle of painting en plein air, they found subject matter amongst the local fishermen and their families. In the 20th century, St Ives became a focus for leading avant-garde artists such as Ben Nicholson, Naum Gabo and Barbara Hepworth, as well as Patrick Heron, Roger Hilton and Peter Lanyon.
We will follow in the footsteps of the artists inspired by the Cornish land and seascapes from the 1800s to the present day. In Truro, a predominantly Georgian town, we will visit John Loughborough Pearson’s neo-Gothic cathedral and the Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery, refurbished in 2025 and home to a collection of Cornish paintings by artists from both the Newlyn School and the Lamorna Group.
Perched above the River Fal, leading to the sea, the neoclassical columned house at Trelissick offers spectacular maritime views amidst beautifully landscaped gardens and woodland. We will continue by boat to Falmouth Art Gallery, described as having “one of the leading art collections of Cornwall and the South West”, including works by Henry Scott Tuke.
Another highlight will be Tate St Ives, which reopened in 2017 following a £20 million transformation by Jamie Fobert Architects. The gallery hosts a rich collection of modern art in a dramatic seafront setting, including marine paintings by local artists Alfred Wallis and Peter Lanyon. A short walk away is Trewyn Studio, Barbara Hepworth’s home and studio from 1949 to 1975. The rooms feel as though she has only just left them and the small, tranquil garden provides the perfect setting for her sculptures.
We will also enjoy a visit to the fantastic Bernard Leach Pottery to learn about the studio’s past and present, their community initiatives, and of course, enjoy an abundance of pottery creations.
Our tour also includes visits to Newlyn Art Gallery; the Penlee House Gallery and Museum in Penzance, where key works by Newlyn School artists reside; and the church at St Hilary with its series of unique paintings created by artists such as Dod and Ernest Procter and Roger Fry. A further highlight will be an afternoon spent at the romantically named and justly famous Lost Gardens of Heligan, experiencing its flourishing diversity of flora.
Tour Director
Sarah Burles
Sarah Burles is an art historian, expert lecturer and tour guide. Having led many tours to Cornwall, she looks forward to inviting further ACE travellers on this bespoke exploration of the rich artistic legacy of the region.
This tour will be led by Sarah Burles, MA, an art historian who studied at the University of Cambridge and UCL before going on to work in a number of museums and galleries, including the Accademia Italiana in London and the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. Sarah is an experienced tour leader and lecturer, accredited with the Arts Society. She has worked on the St Ives artists and their links to Kettle’s Yard, and has taught a short course on ‘The Art of Cornwall’.
– ACE customer on the 2025 Cornwall Calling tour led by Sarah Burles
Our Accommodation
New for 2027, our tour will be based at the delightful Falmouth Hotel, a comfortable establishment overlooking Castle Beach and the expansive Falmouth bay. Constructed in 1863 as the town's first purpose-built hotel, echoes of its past have been preserved through interior features and the maintenance of its original Victorian and French Renaissance façade.
Itinerary
Day 1
Five nights at the Falmouth Hotel. Tour assembles at 1800 at the hotel for Welcome and introduction to the tour.
Day 2
Morning lecture: The Newlyn School followed by excursion to Truro for visits to the neo-Gothic cathedral (designed by John Loughborough Pearson) and Cornwall Museum & Art Gallery (the region's largest museum of Cornish history, art, culture and newly refurbished in 2025). Afternoon: Lost Gardens of Heligan (giant Himalayan rhododendrons, bamboos, ferns, palms).
Day 3
Morning lecture: The Forbes School of Art & Lamorna followed by visit to Trelissick Gardens (unparalleled maritime views). Return by ferry (weather permitting) to Falmouth for afternoon visit to Falmouth Art Gallery (one of the leading art collections in Cornwall). Free evening.
Day 4
Excursion to Newlyn (Cornwall’s largest fishing port) for visit to Newlyn Art Gallery. Afternoon: Penzance for visit to Penlee House Gallery and Museum followed by St Hilary’s Church (decorated by members of the Lamorna Group). Evening lecture: St Ives & Modernism.
Day 5
Whole day excursion to St Ives for Bernard Leach Pottery (subject to confirmation), Tate St Ives (including works by Patrick Heron, Alfred Wallis and Naum Gabo), Barbara Hepworth Museum and Porthmeor Studios (one of the oldest working artists’ studios in the country – subject to confirmation).
Day 6
Tour disperses after breakfast at the hotel.
Frequently Asked Questions
To read our full list of frequently asked questions please visit our general FAQs here.
What is the maximum group size of this tour?
What is the deposit cost for this tour?
What tour staff will be on this tour?
Am I fit enough to travel on this tour?
Fitness Requirements
The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.
Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.
It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.
We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.
A good level of fitness and mobility is required for this tour, and participants should be prepared for a moderate amount of walking and standing during visits (for up to an hour at a time). Please note that some terrain can be steep, especially at the Lost Gardens of Heligan and in Newlyn and St Ives where it is cobbled and occasionally slippery underfoot. In Truro, there are wide conduits in the streets near the cathedral. This tour includes a boat trip from Trelissick to Falmouth, and if the tide is low then accessing the boat from the quay can involve a walk over approximately 25 stone steps with limited handrails. Care must be taken getting on and off the boat. For ACE’s minimum fitness requirements, please see our Booking Terms & Conditions.
As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:
- Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
- Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
- Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
- Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
- Carry or otherwise move your own luggage
Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.
UK Government Travel Advice
For additional travel information from the UK government please consult the following pages.
Cost Details
Cornwall Calling: The Artists of Newlyn and St Ives
April 5 - 10, 2027
Included: accommodation based on sharing an executive sea view twin or double bedded room, five breakfasts, four dinners with wine, water & coffee, excursions & admissions, gratuities & all taxes.
Not Included: travel insurance, standard sea view double room for single use supplement £395, executive sea view double room for single use supplement £445
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