Corners of Cornwall

An amazing experience.

Super guide and driver, lovely people and all the charms of Cornwall. Can’t wait to visit again.

From the moment we set off on the Corners of Cornwall tour with Back-Roads Touring, it was clear that this was not your average group travel experience. Intimate, insightful, and immaculately curated, the journey offered an enchanting blend of local charm, historical depth, and luxurious comfort, all navigated with the ease and warmth of a small group adventure.

The soul of this journey was undoubtedly our tour guide and also our driver – true ambassadors of Cornwall, whose passion for the region was matched only by their storytelling prowess. With a depth of local knowledge that could only come from years of lived experience, we were treated to rich historical context, little-known legends, and heartwarming anecdotes that brought each stop to life. Whether we were walking the cobbled streets of St Ives, exploring the windswept cliffs of Lands End, or admiring the maritime charm of Falmouth, our guide offered a lens into Cornwall that no guidebook could rival. Their ability to weave together history, culture, and contemporary local life made every location feel deeply personal and utterly captivating.

What truly set this tour apart was its access to places and experiences that larger tours simply cannot offer. We wandered through hidden fishing villages untouched by mass tourism, visited community-run locales and artisan producers, and shared stories with locals who opened their doors and hearts to us. One standout moment was a private tour and tasting at a boutique Cornish Tea Estate, nestled deep in the countryside – an exclusive and delightfully surprising treat where we learned the art of tea - something that will be forever treasured.

The accommodation throughout the tour was nothing short of exquisite. Far from chain hotels or generic lodgings, each handpicked boutique stay reflected the character and heritage of its setting. From grand coastal manors with sweeping views of the Atlantic to cosy countryside inns rich in tradition, every overnight stop felt indulgent, restful, and unique. The rooms were spacious and stylish, the beds supremely comfortable, and the breakfasts – a hearty mix of locally sourced ingredients and traditional English favourites – were consistently superb.

It’s worth noting that the smaller group size (capped at 18) created a relaxed and friendly dynamic that never felt rushed or crowded. There was always time to linger, explore, and soak in each place – something that truly defined the tour’s ‘back roads’ ethos.

The Corners of Cornwall tour by Back-Roads Touring is more than a holiday – it’s a deep dive into the soul of one of England’s most picturesque regions. Blending luxurious touches with authentic, off-the-beaten-path experiences and guided by a tour leader who exemplified knowledge, passion, and professionalism, it’s a journey that leaves you feeling enriched, inspired, and deeply connected to Cornwall.

Highly recommended for those seeking a sophisticated and soulful escape.

Russell was an excellent guide-lots in insider knowledge since he was a local. Tour was not rushed , enough time to explore the areas we stopped at. Truly is a backroads experience. Food was good. Most hotels were great.
Cons: Lack of info to assist in travelling from the airport to the hotel. I would request more specific infomation. IE take this train etc. This would make a more full service company. People traveling overseas for the first time would have difficulty arranging and finding suitable (SAFE) transport. This con was agreed upon by many on my trip.

Hotel - Merchant Manor- disappointing at best . 20 minutes to get scrambled eggs when I was the only one in restaurant. But more important was the slippery (waiting for an accident to happen) pool area. WOW-this was scary!!! Also- they had 3 jacuzzis- not one was working.
Would suggest there better hotels.

Loved the Carlyon Hotel - pool are lovely and not slippery!

Harry, guide and Vince, driver were both great. Nothing was a trouble to Harry who made the trip with his enthusiasm. Vince was a great smooth driver. I have had a bad experience before with back roads but can highly recommend this tour.

Wonderful tour of a lovely region in England. Knowledgable tour guide and excellent coach driver. Loved our accommodations, especially at Bovey Castle. St Michael’s Mount and Port Isaac were just two of the memorable places we toured. We would recommend this tour to anyone loving Poldark and Doc Martin.

The tour showed many charming towns of Cornwall esp. St Ives. St Michaels Mount and the tea plantation were standouts.

At times I thought the tour was too fast paced esp.with one night stays 3 days in a row. Maybe my age -72 yrs -wss a factor. I also thought clearer instructionsons on the bus before we alighted to see the attractions should have been announced e.g. where to go and how not to get lost! Again perhaps it was just me and my husband.

The group were very obedient and punctual and there was no drama.

This was a very enjoyable tour. Our tour guide Harry was great, so sweet and approachable and very knowledgeable. Vince our driver was very skilful and obliging , as well.. We drove through narrow lanes in the countryside and visited beautiful towns and villages. There were a few little surprises thrown in, as well.
Our hotels were superb and we had a great group of fellow travellers. This all made for a great trip.
Highly recommend.

Great tour guide. Interesting itinerary.

I absolutely loved my tour of Cornwall and Devon, each day was fabulous in that beautiful part of England .The guide ,bus driver and hotels were all great.
I would highly recommend this tour ,thank you

The tour achieved all advertised features and a few more. Tour Guide Tony and coach driver Toni were thoroughly professional and ensured our satisfaction at every opportunity, going beyond their job. Hotels, meals and experiences were all top class and enjoyed and appreciated by our small group of 15 senoirs.

Very pleased with our Blue Roads tour of Cornwall and Devon. We had an excellent host (Alan) and and exceptional driver (Robert). Our only suggestion would heve been to give more time at St. Michael's Mount and St. Ives by eliminating travel to Land's End. This would have allowed the group to get back to our hotel around 3:30 - 4 pm in order to have some time to explore Fallmouth before our group dinner.

Well organised we were a lucky group we had a fun tour leader with a wealth of knowledge and a competent Driver who was helpful and willing
We visited varied places and explored different styles , from the moors to the seaside towns and churches
We learnt about growing tea in Cornwall and enjoyed tea tasting and delicious afternoon clotted cream with jam on scones we finally had a farewell dinner filled with good food good humour a bit sad that we came to the end

The Back Road Tour was fantastic, it took us to places we wouldn’t have gone to and the scenery was amazing. I found the bus a little uncomfortable and that is my only negative feedback. The Tour guide and Toni the driver were both excellent.

The tour guide and driver were very good - the information we received was sufficient and any questions, he usually found the answers. Top marks for the driver.
We were able to get a good general overview of Cornwall, sufficient to be able to consider if we wanted to return. Enjoyed the little side trips that punctuated it. Maybe a bit more time to see a couple of our destinations would be good, but causes more problems obviously
The accommodation was generally good, with the one at Salisbury not quite so, but perfectly adequate.
We had a very nice group of people and the tour guide and driver were part of that.

Brilliant...excellent Tour Guide... Allen, superb driver, hotels were comfortable and varied, loved the variety of stops...Tea plantation,Quakers House, Lands End, free time to explore....etc....loved it all and no hesitation to recommend Back Roads

Back Roads focuses on many hedgerow lined routes which are seemingly meant for only one modern vehicle. Lots of little towns with sites ranging from the Fovant badges to the church where Martin and Louisa of Doc Martin were married.

Great food, down time, and sites from so many public TV shows we have loved over the years.

Excellent tour guide, some good hotels and interesting and varied excursions made for a wonderfully memorable trip.

Brilliant way to experience the delights, history & culture of Cornwall in a week. The bus was very comfortable, and ideal for the group size. The tour guide and driver were first class, and continually endeavoured to cater to the group’s desires.

Cornwall is a marvellous part of the UK and I very much enjoyed the tour, especially places the average tourist wouldn’t get to see such as the Quaker Meeting House and the tea plantation. The hotels were excellent with a few better than others. The Two Bridges Hotel was the most charming although probably not the most luxurious. When some of my baggage became wet from very heavy rain it was efficiently taken care of by the hotel staff and the clothes were dry the next morning The guide and driver made sure the luggage compartment was impervious to rain. The guide knew Cornwall very well and gave us lots of information although sometimes I had trouble understanding him. The driver did an admirable job on difficult roads and I felt very safe with him at the wheel.

We loved the Corners of Cornwall Tour as an introduction to the back roads of Cornwall, and some of the popular and iconic destinations as well.
The tour didn't try to show us everything, as that is just not possible in such a short period of time, but we did experience some unique and memorable locations.
At times we found full days travelling tiring and enjoyed the two night stays at some of the hotels and the rest day.
We couldn't have wished for a better or more thoughtful guide than Harrison 'Harry' Potter, and the accomplished and skilful drive Ash.

both the guide and the driver were very good. The roads were very narrow but Ash navigated the roads with skill. Harry was very knowledgeable and interesting.

I travelled with Alan and Rob on Corners of Cornwall and had a great time.Alan is full of information about the history of the place and Rob is the best driver and very safe too.Im not really into history that much but came for the countryside and little towns and wasn’t disappointed.im now on the Best of Britain tour with Tony and Steve and so far enjoying it just as much.I travelled a few years ago to Sicily and Malta with Backroads.

Incredible sites especially saint micheal mount.

Loved the small tour and the guide, we had loads of information and laughs

I chose this tour as it was a part of England I hadn’t been to.
The tour was absolutely fantastic with a great tour leader & driver taking us to all the wonderful destinations as advertised & also to a few unexpected treasures.
Although your tour is quite expensive I have no regrets participating & had a magic week visiting & staying magic places.

This tour was very well done. Just a small group which meant we became familiar with everyone. The tour guide Russell and driver Dimitri were both professional, knowledgeable and friendly, making us feel very comfortable and well looked after.

Excellent- our guide and driver showing us places we would not have seen in a larger bus - they literally would not have fitted down the narrow roads. Hotels we stayed at all excellent as was food

Absolutely fabulous trip around Cornwall. Will recommend to all who will listen. Tour Guide Jenny, trainee tour guide Harry and both drivers Ashlee and Rachal were all kind, caring and wonderful people.

Interesting your with an excellent guide

A most wonderful tour from the moment of leaving to the last day, visiting a wide range of interesting places from seaside villages to cathedrals, with a ferry ride thrown in. Our guide, Russell, was exceptional. As history buffs, we enjoyed his great insights and explanations. We also enjoyed time out to do our own exploring. Would strongly recommend it.

Was a very good tour, recommend them to all my friends and family

A great tour to the corners of Cornwall, covering many locations.
Quality accommodation, great tour leader.

Tour leader &trainee plus the bus drivers were amazing , very helpful 10 out of 10

Great mix of like wise travellers. You see so much more on the little back roads, compared to expressways.

Brilliant

Wonderful tour with a small number of people. Tour guide and driver go out of the way to provide extra support and visitation to other places along the way. Bad weather needs to be considered and alternative activities should be offered. Great food and hotel accomodation .

We found the tour offered everything it promised and some more. The driver, Stephen, and guide, Tony, ensured we were welcome, fully informed and freely offered helpful suggestions at all times. They both went over and above to ensure all passengers had the very best experience. We would certainly recommend the tour to others - the accommodation was excellent; the meals provided great variety and catered for all dietary needs without a fuss; the town's and places we visited were just great with special historical and scenic significance; generally, it was an extremely enjoyable experience, met all our expectations and we would definitely consider future tours.

Both TourGuide, Russell Chapman and Driver, Dmitry, were fantastic.
The places we visited were interesting and varied. With spectacular scenery.
The hotels were great.
My only criticism was not with Back Roads but some people on the tour. They were not physically able to cope with the amount of walking and the contours we encountered. This had an impact on the whole group. Also they struggled with some of the hotels. The guide was exceptionally good trying to allow everyone to enjoy their time on tour.

The Corners of Cornwall Tour was fantastic. We saw and experienced a lot of experiences a lot of holiday makers wouldn't experience. The Tour Guide Paul and the Driver Ash, went out of there way too hello us. It is a wonderful Tour and experience.

Very well organised & great to get off the beaten track. Both the tour guide & van driver were excellent in their respective roles

Tour Guide was pretty ineffectual. Indecicive and some of the group bossed him around. Made him change things. He tried to please everyone and ended up pleasing noone.

We had a fabulous time on this tour. Tour guide Paul and driver Ash were excellent! They were so helpful and friendly. The hotels were all very nice 4 star facilities and all supplied meals were very good. Would recommend this tour to anyone looking to have a taste of Cornwall. We had a very friendly group of 17 people along with Paul & Ash it was a great group of people to tour with.

Excellent Guide Paul who made the places we visited so interesting. He was fun and included everyone. He cared.. The places were all so different. The hotels were top class and very comfortable. Some very historic. The food standard top class.
Our driver Ash was excellent. He navigated the little back roads very skilfully..

Corners of Cromwell was a wonderful tour with an excellent leader, Tony, and driver, Ken, and a very congenial group of fellow travelers. This part of England is often overlooked by by US tourists. I had a wonderful time there and recommend this Back Roads/Blue Roads Tour to anyone considering traveling in the UK. One word of caution: Beware of ill-advice provided by Back Roads receptionists regarding transportation from Heathrow airport to the hotel. Instead take the Heathrow Express (train) to Paddington Station, then go by taxi or Uber to the hotel. Avoid the underground (tube) which involves way too many stairs (no lift).

Excellent leader and driver. Both were very helpful and very easy to relate to. Their knowledge was amazing and were only to find out for us.

Back Roads Touriing did not disappoint.
A very comfortable Mercedes coach with a great reliable driver that took us to the Corners of Cornwall along lots of gorgeous country roads and off the beaten track. Our tour guide Tony was very friendly and thoroughly informed about history fauna and flora of each place we visited. The accommodation was good. My favourite was The Two Bridges Hotel in Dartmoor National Park. The few dimmers included were very good. I think a few more should have been included for the price we paid for the tour instead of having to go and find a meal after a long day. We were a small group which was another plus.

There were some good points on the tour eg Salisbury Cathedral , Mount St Michaels. Both Wells Cathedral & Buckfest Abbey were closed on days we visited. The guide was knowledgeable if you knew what to ask, but not forthcoming with info. Would have liked more specialist guides to give us information & history of the areas visited, Most hotels were out of main centres and you were limited to buying dinner at that hotel. Hotels were of good standard The back roads meant hours of driving and unable to see scenery due to high hedges. Often left for several hours for lunch with no info or anything to do but walk.

This tour was excellent. The tour guide and driver were top class and the places we visited and back roads we travelled on were so picturesque. Our guide Jenny was so informative and so enthusiastic about her special part of England

A lovely group of 10 people had a wonderful 8 day holiday in Cornwell. Great hotel accommodation & meals. From Dartmoor to Port Issac, from St Ives to Lands End, we enjoyed some beautiful visits. I especially liked the tea plantation tour, with tea leave picking, tea variety tasting & a clotted cream & scones tea party in the grounds.

Corners of Cornwall was a fabulous tour. We received excellent service from our Tour Guide and Driver. We visited really interesting locations, a number of which I had not anticipated.

Very good Tour leader Alan Frost, very competent and careful driver, Renata. Lovely hotel accomodation. Very interesting places we visited inc Rick Steins fish restruant. We had pre- booked a time but tour was running late. So Alan rang ahead to alter our booked time. Very grateful that’s there were alot of toilet stops.

I am not young 85 and found all the walking difficult and tiring. Don’t think on other tours I’ve been on that there have been such lengthy walks to get to our destination. I feel I needed to be warned that there was a lot of walking to do. Overall very enjoyable tour. Thank you Alan Lorraine Farnsworth

A good tour, accommodation was excellent, very skilled and pleasant driver. Tour guide was okay but could have been more efficient with information and people skills.

Guide Tony Crompton & our driver Ash were friendly, helpful & very knowledgeable
The flexibility of the small group made the tour more interesting

The bus was good but a bit small, as are the seats, especially for the hours we are seated.

Great tour guide Russell and driver Matt was very good

Tour leader Tony Crompton and bus driver Ian were excellent. Nothing was too much trouble. Both open to suggestions and very knowledgeable.
Some suggestions:
local tour guide from St Isaacs would enhance the experience.
Include lunch at Rick Steins.
Less time at Lyme Regis and more time in Salisbury.
Many thanks Margaret Whelan

This tour was wonderful- a real insight into a unique and beautiful part of the world. Smaller group size gave us access to more remote places, and the professional of both the driver and the tour guide was outstanding.

Wonderful experience, great scenery, beautiful hotels and good food. Guide could have been more interesting when pointing out places and explaining the history but overall did a fine job. Driver did a wonderful job of navigating the narrow back roads which is what we picked this tour for.

Wonderful tour guide who had a vast knowledge of all the places we visited. The history of the area was given too.. Lots of varied and different experiences. Had time to relax during the trip. Great photo opportunities were given. Excellent tour.

Backroad Tours are an excellent way of seeing a lot in a short space of time. Having only 18 guests makes it more manageable. our tour guide Alan had lots of local knowledge and our driver Renata was a very smooth careful driver. We especially enjoyed our stay at Bovey Castle, Salisbury Cathedral and it's history was Jaw dropping to name but a few!

Fantastic package. Great itinerary, guide, driver and hotels. Amazing trip. Thanks

This tour (the 4th we have done with Back Roads) was more scenery oriented than the others

Interesting itinerary. Great variety of hotels. Wonderful tour leader and driver.

Very comprehensive, excellant guide and very careful driver , some hotels left a wee bit to be desired

Pete and Renata awesome despite what people may say
Disappointed no time shopping in Falmouth

We liked being on a small bus and got to know our travel companions well. All the stops on route were interesting despite the continued rainy days. Land's End could be skipped, not much there to occupy an hour. The first hotel at Bovey Castle was a real treat and the trip highlight. Fun to be in such an exclusive and historical place , a once in a lifetime experience. All the other hotels went down from there. We would suggest you pick hotels closer to town centres where we can walk to local amenities. The last hotel in Salisbury was under construction, no nice area to gather in, bar poorly stocjked and a disappointing way to end the trip. Our driver Allan was very patient with us who were not great walkers and I appreciate his help. We wanted to hear more history context from him . He did keep us informed of the schedule well and facts about daily life in the area. It would have helped a lot to be pre warned when there are exceptionally deep and steep stairs involved so we could have avoided some stressful places for old knees and hips to manage. The tea plantation day was unique and a really interesting and pleasant experience. It was a highlight for us. The small plates meal at Merchants Mounjt was poorly done, high cost and low value...an alternative needs to be provided if you continue to take your gusts to this hotel...it is also a very long walk to any other alternatives. Although Cadogan Bay hotel was nicely set, once again, it was not close to alternatives or amenities and the wait for taxis was very long. Most who stay there have come by car it seemed. I also thin k you should make it clear in your brochure advertising that the real arrival time back in London will be between 2 and 3. We book our flights ahead of time trusting your information is accurate. This caused a mad dash to Heathrow and a very near miss. Overall we would certainly consider Back Roads again in the future.

I can thoroughly recommend the Corners of Cornwall, we even had lunch at Rick Stein’s restaurant. The hotels were fabulous, and Tony and Tan from Back Road tours made sure we all had a great tour.

We have taken many small group tours and this one was just about the worst we have ever had

Spent 7-9 hours every day on the. Bus.

On several days we did not stop for lunch or when we did it was at truck stops.

Given very little time (45 min) to explore the towns we stopped at. Stopped at multiples Cathedrals where we spent more time then any of the towns we passed through. May as well have called this a Cathedral tour of Cornwall.

One hotel had no food service to speak and was too far out of town to walk to any place to eat. Another hotel was under construction and had minimum food service.

Our tour guide while a nice guy and well intentioned seemed very unenthusiastic and oblivious to the groups need. We spent hours on the bus without breaks of any kind. He skipped lunch stops without telling us and never asked group if comfort breaks were needed.

All he ever really spoke about was the mines that were closed. Perhaps the tour should be renamed to “ The closed mines of Cornwall”.

Never gave or took the time to allow the tour group to introduce themselves. This has been pretty standard on all the other tours we’ve been on.

Just overall a very big disappointment. We were so looking forward to this tour and it was a very big letdown.

This was our first Backroads tour, and we will be signing up for more. Our tour guide was a local with a lot of knowledge of the places we visited and provided a personal touch along the way. He fine-tuned the tour to suit the interests and needs of the group which only added to our experience. We highly recommend this tour.

Enjoyable and comfortable, good pace and a variety of things to see. Good accommodation and fining.

Beautiful coastal and inland scenery. Loved all the activities chosen and viewing the villages for a ramble or meal.

Each day was filled with adventurous sites to see. Our tour guide had an excellent knowledge of the area and our driver navigated the narrow roads with ease.

Enjoyable, interesting, fun, good food and company. Loved it all.

Beautiful scenery. Great guide and very attentive bus driver. We were lucky enough to strike fine weather and it was fantastic to see these sea side villages at their very best with the locals out enjoying the sun.

I am pleased that I chose this tour - it was well organised, the choice of locations to visit in Cornwall suited me very well, the quality of the hotels was excellent, the tour guide was excellent - very friendly, he had a superb knowledge of the region, its history and the places of interest and he had excellent interpersonal skills with the group. I liked the small number of the group. I would also like to acknowledge the skill of the driver who did a great job. My only criticism is that I would like to have seen more of the coastline of Cornwall, which is spectacular and rugged, perhaps including more of the beaches or even a designated walk for an hour or so along one of the many walking tracks along the coast of Cornwall. The sea is the real point of interest for many visiting Cornwall and its coastline needs to be the star of the tour.

Already submitted at end of tour

We thoroughly enjoyed our corners of Cornwall holiday. We travelled through beautiful countryside on windy little back roads , giving us a completely different experience.
Our driver was skilled & patient. Our tour leader was very knowledgeable and personable

This tour was absolutely perfect. The scenery and the weather was just magnificent 👌
The tour guide, Russell and the driver Karl were so much fun and Russell was very helpful , friendly and knowledgeable

Great tour guide and driver but accomodation in a few places disappointing

Brilliant tour, great locations, wonderful guide and driver. 100% recommend

The Corners of Cornwall tour lived up to all of our expectations. Great guide and driver. Knowledge of areas visited was brilliant and left my wife and happy to recommend the tour to others and also consider other tours offered by Backroads.

A really wonderful tour in spite of the weather that did not always want to co-operate. The new Mercedes Benz bus, route and guides were all wonderful! Stayed at different, interesting hotels along the way. So glad that we added this trip to our other trip in France! Going to England, does feel like going home, perhaps it because there is no language barrier.

Our guide had a great deal of knowledge of the history and context of the places visited. His presentation was interesting, at times humorous and always entertaining. The group comprised like minded people who combined well to contribute to an overall positive approach. Early spring provided some challeging wet and windy conditions for visits to places like St Michael's Mount and to a tin mine. Watch out for attack seagulls ready to ****** your Cornish pasty!

This tour provides an in depth experience of Devon and Cornwall. Our tour guide, Russell Chapman, actually lives there and gave us detailed information of all places we visited. Previously a school teacher, he had a friendly disposition with good leadership skills. I caught an infection towards the end of the trip and he helped me whenever he could. He even checked on my welfare post trip. Accommodation was in small & large hotels.

Excellent

Designed for a small group - this 'Back Roads Tour' travelled through not only Cornwall, but Somerset, Devon & Dorset. We followed a carefully planned itinerary visiting historic locations, famous Cathedrals & traditional villages. These included the Minack Theatre, Port Isaac (home of the Doc Martin TV Series), Dartmoor National Park & Lands' End. During the 8 days the hotel accommodation was fine & the included meals were excellent throughout the tour. Our Tour guide was very knowledgeable about the places we visited and our Driver very skilled in negotiating the narrow country roads.

Everything was great. Most enjoyable.

Excellent guide & driver. Interesting , comprehensive itinerary. Accommodation at a couple of hotels not at the same standard as the rest of our stops. Friendly hotel staff at all places

Enjoyed all of the out of the way places the tour visited! Dartmoor National park was fabulous…loved all the little nooks and crannies of the bays and inlets of Cornwall with their contrasts of dramatic and serene harbours….! The visit to the tea plantation and tasting of Tregothnan estate was interesting! I’m not so interested in all the cathedrals and abbeys but appreciate the history and grandeur of them. Overall a well balanced tour.

We saw a great range of towns, had diverse experiences at each, travelled in safety with an excellent driver and had a first class guide

This small group tour was a great value. We could relax and not worry about the details of transportation, our bags, or booking hotels. The included breakfasts and dinners were excellent.

It met all my expectations in respect of that part of England, the tour guide Russell was sensational - he lives in Cornwall so is familiar with the area and was able to share his local knowledge and expertise.

A fantastic tour. I think everyone on the tour had a great time.

Some venues could have been missed as they were not very interesting. Lands End was a waste of time. Dartmoor National Park was very good and the hotel was great.

Have given this feedback a number of times already.

accommodations were generally quite good

It was led by a very informative, friendly , interactive and enthusiastic guide and a very experienced driver.
The activities and locations visited were perfect. .Accommodations and meals were of a high standard.
We were so lucky with the weather - not in anybody’s control, just lucky!

Tour leader Chris was very thoughtful and took the bus via Breage where we stopped for a little while and looked at a church, as I had ancestors from this area. The church was beautiful.

Our tour leader was excellent, a native of Cornwall and passionate about the area.
The size (15) seemed appropriate for a tour of this length, not so small that we got tired of each other but not too large to manage.
The pace was perfect, as was the activity.
The hotels were a nice mix of rustic and cosmopolitan. We especially liked the one at St. Austell, but did not like the one at Salisbury, where there was a mix up of the rooms.
The breakfasts were good; dinners acceptable.

Very cool trip and guide!

This is a great way to see most of Cornwall. It was a bit quick in some places, but overall, it was a great tour.

Well planned with the right pace . The Carlyon Hotel at St. Austell was just fabulous.

Because of the size of the group and the quality of the accommodation.

Great locations and good accommodation.

I enjoyed the small group of people and the size of the vehicle. I felt comfortable and included even though I was a single traveler.

As stated we would have expected to have air conditioning in our accommodation.

Safe and competent driver. Time to stop and wonder and wander.

The Tea experience went far too long, basically leave it off the agenda.

I did enjoy the trip. Cann not remember what I paid for it now, and was done through a travel agent.

Some places visited were unimpressive. Some lunch breaks seemed way too long with minimal things to do

Accommodation in a majority of locations provided a cross section of rooms that were below expected standard. Some of the actual hotels had good facilities however Back-Roads participants were treated with less priority to other customers.

A good trip but too much time in the bus. Some hotels were great but the final hotel at Salisbury was disappointing. The last meal as a group lacked a sense of occasion. The best meal was at the hotel at Dartmoor.

It was very rushed with long days travelling.
We didn’t spend as much time as we’d hoped in each place.

Good itinerary and lovely villages visited.

The tour and guide were excellent…..very enjoyable.

See above - very comprehensive tour of Cornwall.

As detailed above..not enough time at some daytime stops

Well organised - accommodation was to a high standard

Get rid of Wellington Hitel

Interesting itinerary highlighting the scenic places of Cornwall. Tour guide and coach driver friendly.

we wanted backroads and we got backroads. very happy

because i did - good coverage , very scenic, good weather,
informative,

Even before the tour began the service I encountered was always helpful and friendly. That level of service once we began the tour.
Chris, our tour guide was fantastic. Nothing was too much trouble and he seemed to come up with a new surprise for us each day.
Our driver kept us laughing and in good spirits every day.

Please see comments above.

Places visited were extensive and represented excellent value for money

MET & EXCEDED EXPECTATION.

Met my expectations with the various stops

Nice Mercedes vehicle, great guide and driver. Interesting stops. Overall an excellent tour.

The two resort hotels in Cornwall were very good.

A suggestion - the last hotel in Salisbury is not up to BackRoads standards. It should be replaced by a better hotel more equipped to deal with the tour. Breakfast was late and sparse, no lifts and the employees had to take the bags up and down many stairs. Staff seemed a little overwhelmed by all the details.

Good value for the money. Accommodations were very good to excellent. Included food excellent. Transportation and guides excellent.

Great itinerary, guide and driver.

Not anywhere near as good as the one to the Channel Islands and France.

All accommodations were above par, with the exception of our Salisbury stay. Guide and driver extremely knowledgeable and even went to see chalk horses In Wiltshire (which were not on the agenda). Overall a great experience

The itinerary covered many scenic and interesting places. Bus was very comfortable . Hotels and food were excellent except for one that was disappointing. The driver was excellent and interacted well with the group. The tour guide was lovely but had no real knowledge of what we were doing and I found this really disappointing.

We are a very fit couple and found the pace of the tour and the access to some of the “highlights” a bit hectic and at times uncomfortable.

Read opening comment, not much more to say.

Did not deliver on leisurely tour as driver was awful speeding through tiny roads and towns while chatting incessantly to tour leader. Very disappointing change for two nights of hotel from St Austell to the very unappealing Truro with no access to features such as the Eden Project

Large group in a small bus all coughing hence infection spread!,

The tour provides decent value for the cost.

The tour was good if we had a good guide. The views was wonderful. But needed to know more about it.

Good itinerary. Lovely locations. Last days too long in the bus, could have added another stop. Bus driver was brilliant but guide should have had better knowledge of the location.

Would have given 5 stars but Salisbury hotel not up to usual Back Roads standard. Dinner choices not very interesting, glass of white wine ordered was warm, dining room no atmosphere. Room very dark and old fittings. They are renovating so maybe this will improve. All other accommodation was great and choices of tows visited were good

Tourer guide excellent with histroy information ,would have like more on the geography of the area .
Plus detailed suggestions on lunch stops.

Central and comfortable accommodation. Beautiful scenery and seaside towns.

I tried seeing Cornwall on my own many years ago, using public transport. This did not work well and I wanted to see more with less time on the train. This trip filled in many blanks in my knowledge of Cornwall.

Someb hotels were poor,in fact the last Accomodation at Saulsbury would have to be the worst hotel I have ever stayed in. It certainly was not a standard that I am used to

Hotels need to be improved

A well organised and well led tour.

Getting back into London early afternoon on the last day was not ideal.
In reality, the tour is only six and a half days, not eight days as advertised.
Travelling from St Austell to Salisbury in one day is ridiculous.
A morning stop in Polperro and an overnight stop closer to Cornwall would’ve made much better sense., with a visit to Salisbury on the final day.
Based on the price of the tour, the value for money is poor.

Tee accomodation was disappointing for the two of the two night stays. Hotels too far from the the towns and, unfortunately, not up to their 4 star rating in terms of the rooms provided. In the case of The Carolyn Bay hotel the bathroom heated towel rail did not work unless the hot tap was run constantly in the basin, the cold water tap in the bath did not work and had to be fixed by the maintenance team and my wife wanted to use the nail bar in the spa. We arrived Wednesday to depart Friday and on trying to book an appointment when we arrived Wednesday was told no appointments available until Friday. It appeared they were putting non hotel guests ahead of hotel guests. Also the kids in the rooms above and on our level were playing chasey in the corridors and jumping on beds in the bedroom above ours. Complaints to reception yielded the expected answer that noting could be done until 12am. Fortunately we were able to join our other tour party members and attend a local hotel for dinner on both nights given the prohibitive price for meals in the hotel.
Two bridges was excellent and staff very welcoming with excellent food.

I thought it might have been a tad high for some of the hotels we stayed in.

Good but not great value.

Our tour was a small group of around 10 which is easy to get to know everyone and each person is helpful and caring.
Our driver was young and I felt unsafe due to his fast driving on those narrow wet roads with passengers on board.
One passenger spoke to the guide who spoke to the driver.
We on board are all someone’s mother, father, grandmother, grandfather etc. which I think he should be made aware of this factor.

This tour was excellent value for money and was well guided so that most information was disseminated while on the bus, making more time available in the places stopped at.

Extremely well organised by guide and driver

Location of some of hotels too far away from alternative reasonable food choices

Accommodation in Falmouth (2 nights) was dreadful, the room smelled (mould?), the food was poor and the staff unhelpful. Accommodation (1 night) in Salisbury only ok and food below par. So three night of poor and soso accommodation not what we expected from backroads. Also there was some (a lot) of friction between our guide and the last minute bus driver, there were faults on both sides but it was obvious and unpleasant. The itinerary could be tweaked a bit - mush less time in Port Issacs (only need 45 mins) and more time spent along the coastline, eg we had only an hour in St Ives, which was a highlight for many people. Would have liked more time to explore Dartmouth. Should include a visit to at least one of the gardens in the area (they are famous).
Bedford Inn and Carlyon Bay were very good, the standard you would expect. Lunch at Rick Steins also great. The bus was comfortable.
Also you need to advise clients that they will need to pay to store their luggage at the hotel in London (it is not cheap).
Would not recommend this trip to friends, and would look very closely at any future trips, but there is much better value for money out there now.

It definitely felt that "corners had been cut".

A bit of a fluff-up at our starter hotel, but it was worked out, no major issues.

There was so much to see , we had a wonderful time.
The coach was really comfortable and the driver was very good , nothing was to much trouble.

Good trip, good choice of accommodation and features.

Small group tour was an imperative choice because we got to places larger groups could not. What an experience!

Loved the "Back Roads". I have been on many, many, tours and highway driving gets very boring. Loved the scenery through the countryside!

Highly recommended tour.I enjoyed this tour a lot.

Well organized, got what was expected. Good recovery when Chris got sick.

Good value all around! Very personal tour with top facilities and equipment

Tour was well planned and very entertaining

Great tour. Very relaxed.

Loved st Michael’s Mount, st Ives, Port Isaac and lunch in Padstow, and staying at the Two Bridges Hotel.

Good value for the money.

Loved the stops, which we had more time in most of the towns. Taxi service was not so great, especially on a Sunday. At some stops, which we were closer to town but totally understand the hotel issues.

We saw and did some wonderful things

The tour guide was great. Too many days spent at beach resorts and one day with n0thing to do at all. He found us something to do but the pickings were pretty slim! Great for a family in search of a beach holiday though!

Accommodation satisfaction levels varied greatly. Bovey Castle 5 star. Hawk Church 3 star and Signature hotel (starting point) 2 star.

Every stop was well introduced and we got to see a variety of features of the towns and villages and landscapes. I especially loved the stop at Two Bridges Inn on Dartmouth.

Fabulous locations, great accommodation and excellent meals.

Tour leader especially knowledge of bus driver food and accomodation excellent I loved driving on the back roads and seeing the real U K

The places visited were of great interest but I would have liked more time in each town. The solo traveller charge was too high as only one seat on the bus was used and meals for just one person. Extra charge for accommodation was understandable, but nothing else.

Loved everything. Tours exceeded expectations

Great trip and well paced

Cannot fault the itinerary and accommodation. Everyone was very pleasant and the service experienced everywhere was excellent. The beautiful scenery spoke for itself,

Fantastic scenery along coast lines and inland places

Worth the money spent on the trip.

We were very well looked after. Great driver, tour director, beautiful food and accommodation

Cornwall is fascinating with unique physical features.

Food and services first class.

We really enjoyed the trip but were disappointed at how villages like St Ives were so touristy and over run with aggressive seagulls that totally spoilt the experience
Returning via Dorset, I thought somewhere in Devon would have been better

Tour itself was very good, maybe less time in Salisbury.

Well organized and we saw what we wanted to see

Great tour, great tour leader and driver. They were very knowledgeable and nothing was too much trouble. The small bus was perfect for driving down Cornwall's tiny narrow lanes. We got to see places not normally done by the larger buses.

Even though the weather was not the best the sights were still spectacular

Emilie and Robert were fantastic to travel with. Emilie was well organized, informative and very professional. Robert's driving was very precise considering the narrow roads and I had every confidence in his driving skills. The tour covered a lot ofarea and true to form, we travelled on mainly back roads through villages and down country lanes.

Comprehensive tour of this area and it's many points of interest with great accommodations and meals.

Good value for money with a group that was not too big enabling us to feel as one group thereby enhancing the level of cooperation.

Definitely off the beaten path. Guide had and could relate extensive local knowledge of Cornwall. Both he and driver were excellent, especially with accommodating older travellers.

The guide and the driver was excellent and they knew their job and history of the area

The knowledge, professionalism and friendliness of your drivers and particularly of your tour guide Edward, were exceptional. The tour itself was equally exceptional. We particularly enjoyed the small tour party size and believe this policy sets Backroads apart from other tours.

Cornwall was a beautiful travel destination. A very strong point was stopping at locations many groups don't go to, such as an ancient circle of stones on a farm. The small fishing villages and the garden we toured were gorgeous.