A day out in Manaccan and The Helford

Written by JV · Updated on 13 November 2026

The main reason for our visit to the ancient village of Manaccan and The Helford was to have lunch at the New Inn in Manaccan. We had heard great things about the food there, and as my sister was down in Cornwall for a few days, we decided to make a day of it by having lunch and then exploring the Helford afterwards.

Lunch at the New Inn

I have reviewed our delicious lunch here, but here are some photos of the New Inn and the food we ate.

The New Inn dates back to the 16th Century.

Starters:

Cornish fish chowder
Local fish & smoked bacon.

Scallops in the Shell
Cornish scallops, garlic butter & lemon.

Cauliflower and cheddar soup
Local cauliflower, creamy broth.

Light and fluffy garlic bread.

Mains:

Steak and ale pie with mixed seasonal greens and carrot and swede mash. (Days later I’m still thinking about this – so tasty)

The Smash Burger
Two Cornish beef patties, mature cheddar, smoked bacon, burger sauce, lettuce. 

The food, service and location were all excellent, and I can highly recommend a visit. Next time we will leave room for a dessert. You can read my review here.

St Manaccus and St Dunstan church

After rolling out of the New Inn, we took the short walk up to the Grade I listed church of St Manaccus and St Dunstan. You can learn more here.

The church dates from the 12th century, and the south doorway is Norman. One of its best known features is a fig tree, at least 200 years old, which grows out of the south wall.

After a stroll around the grounds, we headed back to the New Inn car park and drove the short distance to the Helford.

Parking at Helford

We parked in the main car park, and as it is now November, the car park is free until 31 March 2027.

The Holy Mackerel cafe is right next to the car park, but as we have only ever visited this area out of season, we have never had the chance to sample its delights.

Over the bridge

We headed on past the Holy Mackerel cafe towards the bridge at the end of the lane. The autumn colours and sunshine at this time of year are an absolute delight.

We crossed the small bridge that spans the estuary and continued on our way along the estuary towards the Shipwrights Arms. Beyond it, a public footpath takes you all the way to the ferry point.

The ferry point

The Helford ferry is a passenger ferry that links the village of Helford with Helford Passage on the other side of the river. It is said to have operated for over 300 years, and it runs daily from Easter to October, so it is worth checking before you go if you are visiting in winter.

A couple of quick facts for you:

Roger Taylor, the drummer of Queen, has a property on the Helford.

Helford itself was included by Condé Nast Traveler in 2020 in a list of the 20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland.

Heading back

After enjoying the view for a short while, we headed back because it was really starting to get cold. We retraced our steps to the car park, feeling like we had worked off the delicious food we had eaten at the New Inn.

Another great day out in Cornwall. I feel very lucky to have access to such amazing places, and I think this time of year is my favourite, especially on a sunny autumn day like this one. It was absolutely perfect.

You can read about all of my days out here.

The Helford guides