Lands End, Penwith, Penzance,
Cornwall
Lands End, situated approximately nine miles
west of Penzance and only 3-4 Miles from Roselands Caravan
and Camping Park, and is the most westerly point of the
English mainland and the closest to the North American continent.
Looking out to sea from here allows the mind to appreciate
the scale of the Atlantic Ocean, seeming to stretch beyond
the horizon for ever. The granite cliffs over to the right
looking towards Cape Cornwall and the Town of St Just which
make up the coastline of West Cornwall, are seen at their
best here where the combination of the power of the sea
and the strength of the cliffs reduce man to a mere spectator
of nature. On a clear day, the Isles of Scilly can be seen
lying just on that horizon - a group of small, yet very
beautiful, islands of which five are inhabited while the
remainder of nearly 100 are given over to sea birds! Closer
to shore is the Longships Lighthouse, just over a mile out
to sea, while in the distance, about six miles to the south-west,
can be seen the Wolf Rock lighthouse.
Meeting at Lands End are the Northern and Southern sections
of the Cornish Coastal Footpath, the centrepiece of the
longest continuous footpath in Britain covering the coast
from Poole Harbour and Dorset to Somerset and the Bristol
Channel - over 500 miles in all! Some of the most dramatic
and spectacular sections of this walking challenge are to
be found near to Lands End. While the path is a safe and
enjoyable walkway, care must always be taken as some sections
are close to the cliff-edge and this is no place for the
foolhardy!
At Land's End itself there is a tourist complex which features
the history and heritage of Cornwall and Lands End, with
particular emphasis on ships and the sea, and the hazards
which they have always faced. The centrepiece of this is
an Multi-Sensory Audio-Visual extravaganza entitled "The
Last Labyrinth" which reaches from the legends of King
Arthur and the Lost Land of Lyonesse to the bravery of the
Air-Sea rescue helicopter service - truly, an experience
never to be forgotten. For those who wish to 'get away from
it all', the Lands End complex can soon be left behind as
the moors and the cliffs are ever present close around.
A short walk over the cliffs northwards brings the visitor
to Sennen Cove , a wide sandy beach backed by sand dunes,
where the strong Atlantic breakers make it very popular
for surfing.
Two miles to the north of Lands End is Lands End Airport
from which the SkyBus Air Service operates providing frequent
flights to the Isles of Scilly as well as to other parts
of England. The Airport is also available to private light
aircraft.
Access to Lands End is direct by road from Penzance, or
by the coast road from St Ives. Car parking is readily available
on the Land's End complex. For those not wishing to visit
the featured parts of the complex (for which a charge is
made), reduced cost car parking is available. Pedestrian
access through the Land's End complex to the Coast Path
is freely available at all times. Bus services run from
Penzance daily (except winter Sundays) while, in the summer,
there is also an open-top bus service along the coast road
to St Ives
