TRAVEL FROM FEOCK TO PHILLEIGH
Travel on the King Harry Ferry
CONVIENENT TRAVEL ROUTE
Where Does The King Harry Ferry Go To?
The King Harry Ferry is a chain ferry that connects Feock, located between Truro and Falmouth, to Philleigh on the Roseland Peninsula. The ferry crosses the River Fal, offering scenic waterside views while bypassing busy roads.
The ferry provides a convenient link between Falmouth, Feock, and Truro with St Mawes and the Roseland Peninsula, significantly reducing travel time. Each year, locals, tourists, and businesses using the King Harry Ferry save over 5 million car miles, making it a vital and eco-friendly transportation option.
How Long Does the King Harry Ferry Take?
The journey across the King Harry Passage only takes around 10 minutes. Once you’ve driven onto the ferry and it’s set off, you are welcome to get out of your car and enjoy the tranquil journey from the viewing deck, where you can look out over the Fal.
If you’re staying with us at The Valley, getting to the ferry landing is also a quick trip, only taking around 10 minutes in the car.
The handy ferry crossing here means that, if you fancy a day trip to the Roseland Peninsula, you don’t have to travel through Truro, Tresillian and Tregony before making your way down – just go straight across!
When Does the King Harry Ferry Run?
The ferry runs seven days a week all year round, with boardings every 20 minutes.
- Departing from the Feock side: from 7am until 10pm every 20 minutes (9am to 10pm on Sundays and public holidays)
- Departing from the Philleigh side: from 7:10am until 10:10pm every 20 minutes (9:10am to 10:10pm on Sundays and public holidays)
History of the King Harry Ferry
The ferry has become a Cornish institution and is one of the 5 remaining chain ferries in England. It’s thought that there has been a ferry passage connecting these two spots for centuries.
The ferry as we know it today came to be in 1888 when the King Harry Steam Ferry Company was formed and acquired the lease and charter to run a steam-driven ferry bridge across the King Harry Passage. Before this, barges and rowing ferries would have been used.
The current ferry is the 7th to run this service since 1888.
Why is it Called the King Harry Ferry?
Originally known as Cybellys (the Cornish name for crossing or ferry boat), over time the stretch of water here came to be known as the King Harry Passage, which lends its name to the ferry itself. There are a few ideas as to why it took on this moniker.
Some think that the name comes from King Henry VIII, who visited the area with Anne Boleyn. Another potential origin refers to an earlier Henry, King Henry VI, as there was once a chapel on the Philleigh side dedicated to the last Lancastrian king.
PLAN YOUR TRIP
Visiting the Roseland Peninsula
The Roseland Peninsula is a particularly stunning part of the county and is certainly worth visiting if you’re staying at our holiday cottages in Cornwall. There’s to do and see in the area:
St Mawes Castle: One of Henry VIII’s coastal fortresses with intricate carvings and landscaped gardens.
St Just in Roseland Church: A tranquil creekside church set amidst semi-tropical gardens with beautiful walks around the area.
St Anthony’s Head: The southernmost headland of the peninsula, bursting with history and sweeping, panoramic views.
Beaches: The peninsula is home to some of the best-loved beaches in Cornwall, including Towan, Porthcurnick, Carne and Pendower.
Picturesque Villages: There are many quaint, quintessentially Cornish villages in the area worth visiting such as St Mawes, Portloe, Gorran Haven and many more.
And if you happen to be heading across the ferry in the other direction, check out our Falmouth guide!