The essentials

Go: Night Riviera Sleeper (gwr.com) trains run daily (except Sat) from London Paddington to Penzance; tickets from £114.40pp return, plus £90pp for a double cabin berth.

A room for the night: Pedn Olva (pednolva.co.uk) is a lively hotel, bar and restaurant close to St Ives harbour. Perched above the rocks overlooking the Atlantic, rooms are light and homely with grand views.

Grab a local bite: After you’ve spent the afternoon at St Michael’s Mount, hit the Godolphin Arms ( pictured; godolphinarms.co.uk), where you can enjoy a warming plate of local crab mac ‘n’ cheese as well as great views of the castle.

A Cornish tipple: The Admiral Benbow Inn in Penzance (01736 363448) may look unassuming on the outside, but inside it’s a maze of maritime memorabilia and suits of armour. Check out the dining room at the back, which has a wall made from part of a Portuguese man-of-war ship, not to mention the Cornish guest beer on tap.