Guided Sightseeing Tours of Cornwall

Welcome to Cornwall Discovery Tours

Owned and run by local tour guide, Barry Pengelly, Cornwall Discovery Tours offer guided sightseeing tours in this beautiful and historic county. His luxury trips allow you to appreciate the wonderful attractions, activities and things to do in the Duchy.

A Bit About Barry

Barry was born and has lived in Cornwall all his life and is very passionate about sharing what it has to offer. He started his career working at Delabole slate quarry and left to go travelling. After returning to his native land he has been busy–working on film locations, fishing boats, getting married–and now has four daughters! His local knowledge of all things Cornish provides a unique experience for guests visiting the area.

Your Personal Guide To Cornwall

Let him guide you through Cornwall, Devon and beyond–from dramatic Cornish coastline through to narrow lanes and hidden villages. Incorporating film and TV locations, the finest of Cornish wine, beer and locally sourced food; all with Barry as your driver and guide, tailor-made for you. Doc Martin tours are increasingly popular, along with the always enjoyable Poldark sightseeing tour.

We enjoy meeting guests from all over the world. American visitors in particular may recognise Cornwall Discovery from being recommended in Rick Steves’ “England” guide book.

We also offer transfers to and from all major airports and cruise ship terminals.

ENQUIRE ABOUT & BOOK YOUR TOUR TODAY

Bonny B

15 June 2023

Pasties, Pirates and Personality Four of us went on Barry's tour: THE FAR WEST – WEST CORNWALL GUIDED TOUR. He picked us up on time at the port of Invergordon, and had us back at the port with plenty of time to spare.Barry was a fantastic guide. He told stories, gave us history, and showed us not just the main sights, but took us down back roads where larger tour buses cannot go.He is charming and well spoken, patient and happy to share his love of the country.I enjoyed hearing about the economics in the tin and copper mining communities of long ago, and how the more "colorful" activities of smuggling and piracy were facts of life, and contributed to the livelihoods of so many. The description he gives in the tour guide is very accurate in terms of where we went and what we saw, but doesn't come near to portraying how enjoyable the day was.

31mgo

12 June 2023

Book this trip! Barry could not have been any better! We enjoyed our day with him so very much and he was a wealth of information on the area. We discovered Barry from Rick Steve's review and he did not disappoint! Do not hesitate to book a day with Barry, a wonderful man and wonderful experience for my family including two small children.

Karen O

7 June 2023

Port Isaac & beyond Barry picked us (4) up from our hotel and drove us through the beautiful Cornish countryside to our requested locations and suggested a few other beautiful stops along the way. Great local knowledge of the area and the roads made it a fantastic day out. Highly recommended.

Tom362

5 June 2023

Unsurpassed Knowledge of Cornwall Barry Pengelly has a knowledge of all things Cornwall that is incredible in both its breadth and depth. We spent two wonderful days with him covering not only Poldark and Doc Martin sites but also an in depth view of the history of Cornish Tin and Copper mining and arsenic production. Barry covered everything we asked him to and more. He is also great company. Nothing was too much trouble. Highly recommended.

pat

16 May 2023

Fabulous Cornwall private guide Knowledgeable and fun guide, Barry, presents a new surprise each of our 9 days in Cornwall and Devon: wild ponies and red deer, landscapes of farms, hills, and seas found at the ends of so-narrow roads, cafe’ and pub food that only locals would find (including Pasties and white bait), details and storytelling all along. He also made recommendations and reservations, even built a small step for me to access his vehicle more easily. We would recommend for any Cornwall visit, from a day trip off a cruise, to a garden tour, to walking, or lengthy sightseeing.

dave B

6 May 2023

Penzance backroads We had a delightful time with Barry, showing us around all the sites we wanted to see in Cornwall. We were able to visit the Doc Martin and Poldark film sites, sharing wonderful stories, a definite priority for us! Also traveled fabulous narrow backroads with his expert driving, to see fishing villages, old farm houses, and even saw a thatched roof cottage. He drove us to sites where rock formations and granite bridges were thousands of years old. Barry kindly made lunch reservations so we didn't have to wait. Thank you Barry!

bookworm538

28 April 2023

Backroads of Cornwall Barry’s family has lived in Cornwall for generations, so he knows every backroad and has a wealth of information about all things Cornish. We were based in Penzance where Barry picked us up at our B&B to do the Far West tour one day and the Doc Martin North Cornwall tour on the second day. We saw everything I wanted to see and dozens of other sites that were a complete surprise.He arranged excellent lunches both days: pasties just like his mom would make at the Geevor Tin Mine cafe and the Mote Bar in Port Isaac. The beauty of the countryside speaks for itself, but Barry knew the best photo op sites. We felt he wasted no time on touristy places but instead focused on a true Cornish experience. We appreciated his knowledge of local flora and fauna. When the Cornish liquid sunshine became too intense for outside pursuits, he suggested an excellent alternative to tour the Victorian country home Lanhydrock. Our favorite memory of Cornwall will be Barry’s skill at maneuvering the hairpin blind curves of the hedgerow-lined backroads where we literally could brush the foliage on each side of the car. What a thrill! We highly recommend Barry as a guide.

DowntownNYCTravelers

8 November 2022

Second Trip — Amazing Again For our second booking this year with Cornwall Experience, we traveled North of Cornwall on a multi-day excursion. Barry was, again, terrific. He’s a great guy to spend time with—warm, friendly, funny, and super accommodating. We will definitely travel with Barry on our next trip to England. Highest recommendation.

Yankee fan

4 October 2022

Cornwall Discovery will give you the real Cornish experience After spending several days with Barry, we understood why he gets rave reviews. Barry is Cornwall! He will introduce you to countless aspects of Cornish life -fishing, tin mining, lifeboat rescue, mushroom gathering, dovecotes, Roman and pre-historic history, local restaurants. Throughout, he will be focusing on what you are interested in and what you would like to know. He is so personable and knowledgeable, your only regret is that he is your guide and not one of your neighbors back home!

Devra A

26 September 2022

Our Cornwall Experience Five Stars! Barry made our trip to Cornwall so very special! His knowledge of the area and the history really brought the old mining ruins and fishing sites to life. He was most engaging and our interactions delightful. I highly recommend Barry and Cornwall Discovery, as your guide while in Cornwall.

A LIFE IN CORNWALL

Our latest blog post

Top Tips for Storm Watching in Cornwall

October is here are we have already had some mighty winds ripping at our shores. This time of year can be brilliant for storm watching, after all Cornwall is surrounded on three sides with...