St Michael’s Mount

A St Michael’s Mount visit is not to be forgotten. Walk over the causeway at low tide, or cross by boat. Explore the sub-tropical gardens and medieval pathways of the tiny harbour and village. Climb up to the castle (look out for the Giant’s heart!) for the most amazing views of Mounts Bay and immerse yourself in the tales of this legendary family home.

During the 6th century, before a castle was built, according to legend, the island St. Michael’s Mount sits upon was once home to an 18-foot giant named Cormoran, who lived in a cave with his ill-gotten treasures obtained by terrorizing local towns and villages. That is, until a young farmer’s son named Jack took on this gigantic menace, who had an appetite for cattle and children, and killed him by trapping him in a concealed pit, bringing down his axe upon his head. When he returned home, the elders in the village gave him a hero’s welcome, and henceforth, called him “Jack the Giant Killer”.

The mount has featured in a number of films, including the 1979 film Dracula, where it was prominently featured as the exterior of Castle Dracula. It appeared in the 1983 James Bond film Never Say Never Again, as two guided missiles armed with nuclear warheads fly over the English countryside and out to sea, passing directly over St Michael’s Mount. In the 2003 film Johnny English it was used as the exterior of the character Pascal Sauvage’s French chateau and in 2012, it was a filming location for the fantasy adventure movie Mariah Mundi and the Midas Box.

“Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michaels Mount” is the title of an experimental electronic track by musician Aphex Twin, who grew up in Cornwall and in Michael Moorcock’s series of Fantasy novels about Prince Corum, a fictionalised version of St Michael’s Mount appears as Moidel’s Mount.

It was one of the locations used on BBC One “Balloon” Idents which were used on the channel from 4 October 1997 to 29 March 2002.