Cornwall-SouthWest

This guide is based around my holidaying in Praa Sands, which is about 87 miles east of Penzance. (Note Praa is pronounced "pray").
Praa Sands has a superb long sandy beach with good bathing and surfing. There is plenty of parking and the beach shop & cafe has a good selection of local ice cream and serves food most of the day as well as selling beach accessories. There is a pub right on the beach as well.

In a recent CAMRA publication, someone was complaining that, although the beer was very good, the choice was usually very limited with either Sharp's Doom Bar or St Austell's Tribute. I can see what he was saying, (though he forgot the excellent Skinner's Betty Stogs), but us city types have to remember that for over half the year (out of the holiday season), beer sales are probably very low and therefore couldn't maintain any other breweries. In fact these three breweries probably only survive as well as they do due to good market penetration outside of Cornwall. Personally, I can drink these Cornish ales all the time and not get tired of them.

Incidentally, in my experience, the St Austell tied pubs are less interesting from a food point of view and the quality of food I've had in their pubs generally reminds me of what pub food used to be like 20 years ago, which is not good. Their beer is excellent, though.

2012 Note: I have stopped holidaying in Cornwall for now, due to the long distances involved. I miss the place greatly though!

Pub Details	Photographs (click to enlarge)
Angarrack - The Angarrack Inn TR27 5JB, Tel: 01736 752 380 St Austells tied pub. Very disappointing. In 2008 this pub served a very good selection of interesting home-cooked food. The pub was full of interesting bric-a-brac and it had a friendly cosy feel. In 2009 this had all changed - all the knick-knacks had gone; the food was below average and the pub felt empty. NOTE: Closed Mondays & Tuesdays at Lunchtime. Beer: St Austell's Tribute - excellent Food: Ordinary 1970s pub grub at 2009 prices. not recommended. Visited: July 14 2009
Ashton - The Lion And Lamb TR13 9RW Tel: 01736 763 227; website Attractive pub on the main road usually bedecked with flowers. Beer: 3 - 5 ales, varying (see website), but always excellent Food: Limited choice of standard pub food, snacks rather than full meals. Good quality, though. Visited: July 16 2008
Balnoon - The Balnoon Inn TR26 3JB, Tel: 01736 797 572 This pub is very geared towards food; it is only open in the evenings and Sunday Lunchtime. The Sunday carvery is to die for - we reckon it is the best we've ever had (and we've had a few!). Accommodation also at reasonable prices. Beer: Sharp's Doom Bar - excellent Food: Sunday Carvery - fantastic; suggest booking in advance. (£9.50) Visited: July 12 2009
Barripper - The Old Shire Inn TR14 0RT, Tel: 01209 712 691 Looks upmarket from the outside, but is a friendly, though large pub with quite an emphasis on food. Carvery on Sundays. Large conservatory where you can eat. Beer: Sharp's Doom Bar - very good Food: Very tasty food and quite a good choice. Good prices, too. Tempting sweets! Visited: July 16 2009
Breage - The Queen's Arms TR13 9PD, Tel: 01326 573 485; website Unspoilt comfortable corner pub hidden away from the main road, run by a TVR car enthusiast. Beer: Skinner's Betty Stogs - excellent Food: Limited choice but very tasty food. Visited: July 17 2007
Canon's Town - The Lamb And Flag TR27 6LU, Tel: 01736 753 289 Popular pub on the main road. Beer: Skinner's Betty Stogs - excellent Food: Limited choice and quite expensive. Very tasty though. Visited: July 15 2008
Carnhell Green - The Pendarves Inn TR14 0NB, Tel: 01209 832 116 Old village pub on the junction. Comfortable and friendly and serving excellent food and ale. Beer: Sharp's Pendarves Ale; Morland's Old Speckled Hen - excellent Food: Excellent home-cooked food. Beware - the large portions are huge! Prices very reasonable (2 meals cost us £13). Visited: July 15 2009
Connor Downs - The Turnpike Inn TR27 5DT, Tel: 01736 752 377 Comfortable locals pub. Beer: St Austell's beers - very good Food: Rather small unexciting choice. Average quality. Visited: July 16 2007
Cripplesease - The Engine Inn TR27 5JB, Tel: 01736 752 380; website Old stone pub on the B3311, cosy and friendly. A very interesting menu of home-cooked food using local produce. Beer: Sharp's Doom Bar; Skinner's Betty Stogs - excellent Food: Good choice. Very tasty. We'll be back! Visited: July 13 2009
Frogpool - The Cornish Arms TR4 8RP, Tel: 01872 863 445; website Friendly comfortable traditional locals pub serving good home-cooked food Beer: not noted - but very good Food: Very tasty unpretentious home-cooked food. Sunday lunches are very popular. Visited: July 17 2008
Godolphin Cross - The Godolphin Arms TR13 9QY, Tel: 01736 762 879 Cosy and friendly pub on the cross-roads in the village. When visited in July 2009, the owners were considering selling up. Beer: not noted - but very good Food: Not a big choice on Saturday lunchtime, but there was flexibility with the menu. We had ham ploughmans which was excellent Visited: July 11 2009
Lelant - The Watermill TR27 6LQ, Tel: 01736 757 912 Attractive pub just outside St Ives with a working waterwheel. Excellent choice of good food and beer. Beer: Sharp's Own Ale; Skinner's Betty Stogs - excellent Food: Good choice of excellent quality food with interesting specials board. Excellent. Visited: July 17 2009
Mawgan - The Ship Inn TR12 6AD, Tel: 01326 221 240; website Hidden pub in the village, popular with locals and you can see why! Beer: Sharp's Doom Bar; Skinner's Betty Stogs & Heligan Honey - excellent Food: Good home-cooked food - good choice. Very tasty. Sunday Lunch speciality Visited: July 18 2009
Perranarworthal - The Norway Inn TR3 7NU, Tel: 01872 864 241; website Large pub on the main A39 road concentrating on food. Beer: St Austell's tied house. Food: Expensive and with a leaning towards fish dishes. Visited: July 18 2008
Praa Sands - The Sandbar (formerly The Welloe Rock Inn) TR20 9TQ, Tel: 01736 763 516; website Handy pub right on the beach with great views. Beer: St Austell Tribute - excellent Food: Not tried. Limited choice, though. Visited: July 11 2009
Rosudgeon - The Coach And Horses TR20 9AW; Tel: 01736 762 470 On the main road - rather hard, bare and minimalistic inside. Beer: Sharp's Doom Bar; Skinner's Betty Stogs very good Food: Limited choice and rather expensive for what you get. Not impressed. And the vegetables were almost raw. Below average Visited: July 20 2008