A book-ish day in Virginia Woolf's Cornwall

A Virginia Woolf pilgrimage around St Ives, where she spent her childhood summers and found the inspiration for To the Lighthouse. Her childhood home, a wander round town, local bookshops, a pasty, and a walk out to Godrevy, plus what we know about her trips back to Cornwall as an adult.

If you’re new here, hi! I’m Rachel. I swapped London for the Cornish coast, work remotely and spend most of my free time reading and exploring Cornwall. Subscribe for more slow, bookish days by the sea.

📍 Itinerary:
Parking: Trenwith Car Park, St Ives
Talland House (view from outside, it’s a private home)
A wander around St Ives town
Vegan pasty from St Ives Bakery
Coffee at Sky’s Diner
Bookshops: St Ives Bookseller and Seven Wives & Co
Godrevy for the lighthouse
Mutton Cove, a short walk up the coast path, for the seals

📚 Books mentioned:
To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:41 Morning chat and getting ready
02:25 Driving from Newquay to St Ives
02:39 Parking in St Ives
03:53 Finding Talland House, Virginia Woolf's childhood home
04:20 Overlooking St Ives Bay towards Godrevy lighthouse
05:21 Exploring St Ives town and bookshops
05:56 Pasty time and rating
06:10 Tate St Ives
06:30 Coffee stop
06:40 More of St Ives town
07:07 Off to the lighthouse
08:12 M&S food hall detour
08:34 Godrevy lighthouse, the inspiration for To the Lighthouse
10:39 Seal watching at Mutton Cove
11:05 Heading home and a snack break
12:03 Virginia Woolf's ties to Cornwall in adulthood

#virginiawoolf #Godrevylighthouse #literarytravelUK #bookishdayout #Cornwallvlog #slowlivingCornwall