Tour One

WHERE CORNWALL COMES TO AN END IN WILD BEAUTY AND ANTIQUITY

Scalloped with golden sandy bays, two rugged, but different, coast lines meet at Lands End.

On one side the Atlantic rolls and pounds upon sweeping surf beaches, on the other picturesque fishing villages and harbours are still much as they were when smugglers brought in brandy and other contraband from France and the Channel Islands.


On the other, calmer Channel waters wash into pretty fishing ports.
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An essentially Celtic land of tiny villages and epic myths, forced to abandon its two most prosperous industries, mining and smuggling, it has quickly developed into a year-round quality tourist destination.

Penzance, Mounts Bay and St Michaels Mount

An ancient market town serving the Landsend peninsular. Good restaurants, good pubs and interesting architecture - an eclectic mixture of the very old, the just 'old', and the quaint and interesting. See the Egyptian house in Chapel Street.



Penzance to Mousehole

We leave the town along the seafront road, passing the harbour and following the signpost to Newlyn. Cross the bridge at Newlyn and turn left, skirting Newlyn Harbour (a working harbour which is home to a modern, seagoing fishing fleet) and follow the signpost to Mousehole, continuing on the coast road and into Mousehole.

Mousehole

A very small, very old fishing village clinging to steep cliffs and clustering around a small harbour which can only be described as - well, like a mouse hole! Ask about the Legend of the Mousehole cat!



Mousehole to Lands End

In the village we turn right by the Ship Inn, following the signpost to Paul, where the church still bears the scars of a Spanish raid which took place circa 1588.
Going through Paul we turn left by the church to follow the signpost to St Buryan. We follow the road to St Buryan keeping to the coast road and heading for Porthcurno.

En route we pass the Merry Maidens - a stoneage stone circle from 3000 years ago.



Through Treen - there is a lovely walk down to Logans Rock - and on to Porthcurnow (home of the National Marine Telegraphy museum) and the Minack Theatre.

The Minack theatre is a 'must' - it's a spectaclular open air theatre set in a natural amphitheatre in the cliffside, and looking out past Logans Rock towards The Lizard - well worth a visit to either 'just look around' or attend a performance. The programmes change weekly and are spring, summer and autumn only.


We continue to Lands End.

Lands End

Spectacular craggy cliffs almost surround us and stretch back on either side. The wild Atlantic crashes against the cliffs below us ... with the Longships Lighthouse visible on a clear day in the distance.



Lands End to Chûn Castle calling at Botallack

We follow the road through Sennen and head on for St Just. At the next major junction we turn left on to the B3306, following the signpost to St Just. Pass Lands End airport on the left and at the T-junction we turn left on to the A3071 and continue into St Just where the A3071 joins the B3306. We leave the town on the B3306, following the signposts to St Ives.

We make a brief visit to Botallack - famous for the Crown Mine and the remains of a large C19 mining complex and Botallack Farmhouse, which was Ross and Demelza Poldark's home in the Poldark film/tv series



After about 3m we go through Morvah and almost immediately turn right, following the signpost to Penzance. After 1m we turn right to Chûn Castle and Chûn Quoit - Iron Age fort and remains of ancient chieftain burial site (stones on top of stones)

Mên-an-tol, more famous ancient stones, can be reached by the lane opposite the one leading to Chûn Castle. With Lanyon Quoit just up the road ... probably the best-known Cornish quoit



Chûn Castle to Zennor

We return to the Penzance road, turn right, follow the B3306 and the signposts to St Ives. After about 4m we turn left to Zennor. There is a good public house (inn) at Zennor - called The Tinners Arms ... and good pub lunches.

Zennor to St Ives

We return to the B3306 and turn left, following the road to St Ives. Entering St Ives, we first head for the harbour. The streets are narrow - very narrow in places! - and this ancient fishing town retains all the character of yesteryear but manages to combine it with a successful, modern holiday industry. We drive past the St Ives Tate Gallery (an offshoot of the famous London Tate gallery) and the Barbara Hepworth Museum up and around and back into the town - stopping for coffee/tea/whatever if so desired. Take care with the seagulls if eating a Cornish pasty - they have been know to snatch them out of your hand (Alfred Hitchcock would be proud of them!)



St Ives to Hayle

We leave St Ives heading for Hayle, en route calling at Lelant ... bithplace of Rosamunde Pilcher ... and Lelant Church which has sweeping views over the entrance the Hayle estuary, the harbour, the town, Hayle Towans, Godrevy lighthouse and the ocean. The original Church was first built about 1500 years ago, probably by Irish or Welsh Christian missionaries - either settling and converting the unruly Cornish OR setting up a pilgrimage Church on route for Santiago de Compostella in Galicia, Spain - lots of history and a lovely spot!.

Hayle to Godolphin House

We leave Hayle on the Helston Road, turning right for Townshend about 5 m out. In the village of Townshend we turn left on to the road signposted (again) to Helston. After just under 1m Godolphin House is on the right. Godolphin House was originally occupied by the Godolphin family - Lord Godolphin was a powerful political figure in C18 English politics and amongst other things the Goldolphin bloodstock of horses was started by him - famous amongst horsy folk.

Godolphin House to Goldsithney

Return by the same route to Townshend and turn left on to the B3280. Follow the road to Goldsithney.

Goldsithney to St Michael's Mount


Leave the village on the B3280, and on meeting the A394 turn right following the signpost to Penzance, and after ¼m enter Marazion for St Michael's Mount, which is now on our left. As we enter the top of the village there are good views of St Michael's Mount (the one near the top of this page was taken there). St Michael's Mount is well worth a visit - walk over the causeway at low tide or take the boat if the tide is in. And, of course, St Michael's Mount was the spot to which the Phoenicians came from the eastern mediterranean to trade wine for tin 2500 years ago - and they've recently made a DNA connection between this spot and the Lebanon (true!)

St Michael's Mount to Penzance

Continue along the seafront following the signposts to Penzance.

AND HOME!