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St Ives 
Beautiful, Bustling and these days Cosmopolitan St Ives provides an excellent staging post for walkers preparing to head off into the wilds on route to Lands End. For those walking the coast path west, this is pretty much the last time you will have much choice over your food and beds during the next 4 days. On the other hand for those arriving after 6 days of walking from Padstow, St Ives is perfect for that end of walk celebration, a welcoming host with its first rate food, relaxed atmosphere and stunning panoramas on the doorstep.
If you can, consider arriving by train as you enter St Ives on a stunning branch line that rides high along the cliff edge to the town. St Ives was named after an Irish Princess and Missionary, St Ia and has a past rooted in the humble pilchard – this was the most important pilchard port in the whole of UK in its day. Whilst fish are still landed here, these days it’s become famous as a haven for artists and lovers of art. You can visit the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden and follow a trail of her work through town. The Tate Gallery of course has its own outlet here, an amazing space overlooking a spectacular rolling Atlantic beach. For those heading further west on the coast path the paintings here from the St Ives School are inspired by the very scenery you are about to enter. Even if you don’t visit  the exhibition its worth stopping at the stunning rooftop restaurant and cafe. Throughout the town more galleries than you can hope to visit are hidden down little narrow lanes with names like Teetotal Street, Salubrious Place and Mount Zion. Much is made of the unique colour and light at St Ives which has drawn artists here for decades and the towns bustling streets, outdoor cafes and golden beaches do give it a strong Mediterranean feel. If you are resting between walks then many just head to the harbour area to watch the comings and goings from one of the cafe’s or take a gentle wander down Smeatons Pier with its huge embedded anchor and tiny Chapel to St Leonard used since medieval times as a place to pray for a safe return from the ocean.
If you need a bit of space from the local art or want to enjoy a great sunset wander east onto the Island the little rocky headland that sits above the town, its a stunning spot with commanding views across the bay to the sands of Hayle and "Virginia Woolf's" lighthouse at Godrevy. The Town Museum is well worth a visit covering a wide range of Cornish Culture and History or for those looking for a bit more adventure take a morning surfing lesson under the nose of the Tate Gallery battling the rollers at Porthmeor Beach or just hire a body board and go !
St Ives provides a full range of accommodation with plenty of B&B’s as well as more upmarket hotels set back from the town and has a seemingly endless supply of excellent places to eat and drink. There is plenty here to warrant a two night stay before or after walking. For those who want to make the most of the culture come in September to be around during the 2 week St Ives Festival of Arts and Music or join in the annual hurling match through the towns streets in the April St Ives Festival .....but book your accommodation early.
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Zennor
Reaching Zennor at the end of your walk you will find a wild, remote but fascinating settlement with a history going back over 4000 years. The name comes from Saint Senara , a Breton Saint whose original chapel was said to be on the land now occupied by the church.
Its most famous resident DH Lawrence talked of the village "nestling under high shaggy moor hills and a big sweep of lovely seas lovelier even than the Mediterranean" His summary being "It is the best place I have been in – I think". He wrote Women in Love here, named a short story after the village pub the Tinners Arms but we suspect was not quite so fond of the village after being ordered to leave during the First World War. Local police grew suspicious of Frieda his German wife and local tales and gossip alleging Frieda was signalling to passing U Boats from their cottage was the finish of the couple in Zennor.
Today don’t miss the unique Wayside Museum at Zennor which got its name after its first proprietor “Colonel" Freddie Hirst" started displaying the artefacts by the side of the road. Said to be the oldest privately owned museum in the UK the former mill house now houses over 5000 items of Cornish life and culture in its 15 rooms. From tiny boots belonging to child miners of the last century through to Neolithic flints and arrow heads found on the hills above Zennor this is a real treasure trove to get lost in. There are still items out on the wayside, the huge iron waterwheel and the Plague Stone a stone bowl which was filled with vinegar to disinfect money from outsiders during the cholera outbreaks of the 19C.
The 12C Church of St Senara at Zennor is also worth visiting – it can be a sobering spot with its memorials to John Davey claimed on this coast to be the last Cornish Speaker, to those lost at sea and those lost in the mines. Wander round the graveyard to get an idea of how many unlucky sailors ended up under the ground here far away from their homes. However it is the carved bench of a mermaid with her comb and glass that is the most famous item in the church representing The Legend of the Zennor Mermaid, a true siren of the sea. She sat in this spot to listen to Matthew Trewella a local lad and chorister singing on the Sabbath. So besotted was she with his singing that she enticed him down to the depths of Pendour Cove nearby, where though never seen again he can still be heard singing in the deep with his love.
For those wanting an evening walk you can head up rocky Zennor Hill behind the village for great views of the coastline and to seek the ancient stones at Zennor Quoit. If that’s too industrious just outside the village look for Giants Rock the seat of the legendary giant of Carn Galva, the striking peak along the coast from the village. Would be witches need to climb the rock nine times at midnight to gain their magical powers.
Accommodation is not prolific here though the old Chapel has now become a very successful backpacker’s lodge. Most walkers will end up at The Tinners Arms either to sleep or certainly to eat. This is a long tradition for travellers along the  coast to Zennor , it was built in 1271 and not that much has changed. In later years it was the meeting place of local smugglers, or Zennor Gentlemen as they were called who landed their cargo in the cove below Church town where the mermaid was supposed to have lived.
If it looks familiar to horror fans it could be that it was the location for Dr Bloods Coffin a 1960’s film which saw mad scientist Kieron Moore dissecting unfortunate locals in a nearby tin mine! There is no TV or Fruit Machine here and no signal for your mobile phone but there is a warm fire in the colder months and a terrace overlooking the Atlantic for those warm summer nights.... either way its a great place to end the day in.
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Pendeen
On the back of the copper and tin mines Pendeen grew to support the growing mining community until the end of the 19C. Pendeen may not be your picture postcard Cornish Village but this is a real community, its isolated location and common mining past has developed a strong sense of identity here in a village with its own community centre hosting many active clubs and groups as well as its own marching band. For the tired walker the village meets your needs with 2 pubs, a shop as well as fish and chips and some excellent short evening wanders from the village.
One big advantage of stopping overnight at Pendeen is that you can easily visit the fascinating Geevor Mine which is based here. This was Cornwall’s last working mine which finally closed in 1990. You can wander freely through the workings of the last surviving tin mine in Cornwall which finally closed in 1990 and take an hourly underground tour guided by a former miner down one of the narrow adits ‘ (a horizontal passage running into the rock). Known as ‘Wheal Mexico’ this is one of the passages worked around 200 years ago. Only after seeing this can you start to fully appreciate what dangers and discomfort the West Coast Tinners faced out here. The mine offices now house a museum telling the story of Geevor, and explaining the method of mining and the processes of crushing and washing the ore to recover the tin. Elsewhere on site are displays of original mining machinery and a fascinating museum. Refreshments are also available in a tea room with the most stunning Atlantic views and anyone who does visit this site will be all the better placed for understanding the many mining remains that you will come across on your next days walk to Lands End. 
The area has two remarkable "Fogou’s" or underground Iron age burial chambers, both of particular interest as the entrances are open to those with the nerve and a torch. The largest is in the grounds of Pendeen House (ask at the farm to visit) and has a main passage 56 feet long with several chambers off it. Its a mysterious and unique place said to have been possibly used for winter solstice rituals but don’t follow a tall woman in white inside if she appears at the entrance, if you do its said you will see her change into a terrifying and deadly form once inside her lair.
The church here is based on Iona Cathedral and was built in some grandeur to keep unemployed miners busy. A nice evening amble would be back down to the pleasant beach at Portheras Cove. The Alacrity was wrecked here in 1963 and sharp metal is still found on the beach today so don’t go barefoot, if its low tide you will still be able to see parts of the wreck on the jagged rocks.
For rest and refreshments, the North Inn in Pendeen was a favourite haunt of tin miners until the local mine closed in 1990 and now has a warm welcome for wearsome walkers. It was voted CAMRA (Campaign For Real Ale) Cornwall Pub of the Year for 2003.
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St Just
This is the last town in England and the only one where the mayor’s chain of office is made from Tin! Perhaps no huge surprise as this was the main centre for mining in West Cornwall. A granite town with terraces of granite cottages offering the best choice of facilities since St Ives, this most westerly of towns has bakers, cafe’s, shops and several pubs around a bustling ‘triangular’ square. The former mining town now supports a growing colony of artist’s, potters and sculptors drawn to it by the stunning surrounding area and there are several studios displaying some excellent local work. Good food is on offer with a tea rooms, Coffee House Book Shop and a restaurant and the town is well provided for with several pubs which are all worth a quick visit to see the artefacts and pictures displayed on the walls.
The Parish Church is worth looking in on, its highlights being a 5th C Selus Stone and medieval wall paintings of St George tackling the dragon.
Close to the church the Plen-an-Gwarry is a unique medieval amphitheatre said to be the oldest surviving theatre in Britain. as it still puts on plays during the towns festivals. Oldest theatre or not its worth noting that the amphitheatre is over 100 years older than Shakespear's Globe and still becomes the centrepiece of the town on Lafroda day in July at the end of a week of entertainments and spectacular community based street parades.
For an evening wander from St Just you are spoilt for choice, down towards the coast you have the fascinating Kenidjack and Cot valleys and between the two it’s an easy walk down to Cape Cornwall where you can be one of the last in the country to see the day’s sun set. Inland the Tregeseal Stone Circle is close to town and still used by pagans today for ceremonies. High above this is the Haunted Hooting Cairn, a stunning spot with fabulous views in all directions but perhaps one to avoid at dusk given the tales of devils on horseback, sprites, wee people and dancing lights at midnight
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 Sennen Cove & Whitesand Bay
With St Just claiming the most westerly town title, Sennen Cove is without doubt mainland Britain’s most westerly village. More like a bay than a cove as such, Sennen is sheltered by the headland of Pedn-men-du and tucked away in the southern corner of Whitesand Bay where the golden sands run for over a mile back towards Cape Cornwall. A popular tourist destination for both swimmers and sun seekers but most of all a legendry Mecca for the surfing community which has been coming here since the 1960’s for the Atlantics fine waves and rollers. This has led to Sennen’s reputation as a laid back and friendly spot with good facilities for a place which is barely a few dozen houses deep. A fine beach restaurant, a popular pub with another eating option and a handful of cafes and souvenir shops provide the refreshments here. There is also the inevitable surf shop as well as a surf school and hire for those that want to venture into the waters. The Roundhouse and Capstain Gallery have been restored, no longer do they winch boats up the beach , this is now done by an electric rather than man powered winch. Instead the buildings now house paintings, ceramics, photography and sculpture from local artists. A 6 storey curio shop keeps browsers busy, add to this the RNLI Lifeboat and you have pretty much covered everything.
Its the blue flag beach that is the draw, its western location giving amazing end of day sunsets and the spectacular surf and space along the sands mean there is plenty to enjoy if you stay here wandering along the foreshore or behind into the Grassy hills and sand which roll down to meet the perfect sands. An area of outstanding natural beauty legend says that King Arthur and seven Cornish chiefs fought and beat marauding Danes here. At the large rock known as Table Men they held a great feast to mark their victory and the kings will only return to meet here once again when the end of the world is upon us. You may not see King Arthur during your stay here then but look out to sea for a good chance of porpoise and dolphins.....as the locals put it, ”at Sennen Bay the Dolphins Play”.
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Porthcurno and Treen
Porthcurno may be familiar to many upon arriving here as its one of the most photographed beaches in Cornwall. Its golden sands and dramatic cliffs are good reasons for this in a bay that always seems to be a beautiful shade of turquoise or jade green stretching out majestically below the ridge of cliffs that lead to the Logan's Rock headland.
Of course the most famous location here is high up in the cliffs and reached on the coast path just before you drop into the valley. The Minack Theatre is like no other in the UK, impossibly hacked out of the headland rocks its design is similar to the classical Greek and Roman amphitheatres but with its own Celtic twist. It was a labour of love for one Rowena Cade who bought the headland for the mighty sum of £100 in 1920. It took over 10 years of labour to get the basic theatre ready for its first performance in 1932......aptly the Tempest and in those early days lit by car headlights. Today there is a season long run of dramas in this fantastic location and if you can catch a play then do so as there is nowhere else quite like it for atmosphere particularly on a stormy night when the seas pick up their pounding. If you can’t make a performance the visitor centre, museum and cliff top cafe are still well worth visiting along with an astonishing display of sub tropical plants that resides here.
Dropping down to Porthcurno proper its stunning sands and popular beach cafe ensure it’s a well used spot without being overrun. The cafe is a great place to take in some energy boosting caffeine as it specialises in Lavazza Espresso coffee. For those who want something less powerful freshly squeezed orange juice and Lemon Drizzle Cake are other local favourites that can be consumed on the patio overlooking the beach. There is also a beach shop and a general stores, a restaurant in the warmer months and the Cable Station Inn for beer and food and if the walk from lands end hasn’t finished you off you can even hire out their tennis courts by the hour here at the pub.
Also housed at Porthcurno is The Museum of Submarine Telegraph positioned in a World War 2 communications bunker in granite galleries built by local tin miners as a precaution during the war. Porthcurno was the point that connected the UK with the rest of the world in the days before the internet. More than 20 cables lay beneath the sands on the beach. You may be surprised to know that cable laying still goes on, the longest undersea cable in 1996 was laid from here to Japan via Egypt and India ! In Summer, watch out below the cliffs of Treen at the end of Porthcurno beach as this is where basking sharks are often spotted.
Treen is found a short distance along the coast and more inland than Porthcurno it also has a number of B&B options and also the Logan Rock Inn for those stopping for lunch or needing an evening meal. With a superb collection of old photographs and written records of the antics of Lieutenant Goldsmith on display, this is a classic Cornish ale house with its low ceilings, log fires and stream of local trinkets and artefacts including a bizarre cricket collection in the Snug. The Pub won the tenants of the year award in 2007 from St Austell Brewery and serves food all day to hungry walkers in the beer garden during the summer months. Overlooking the tranquil Penberth Valley Treen is around 1km inland from the Logan Rock above Pedn Vounder beach ....which is the most popular naturist beach in the area.
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Lamorna
Lamorna is not a common overnight stop being pretty close to Mousehole and the start of the Mounts Bay Walk to Penzance. However when there is pressure on accommodation further along the trail there are some good B&B choices here. A robust granite harbour wall sits inside the very clear and blue waters of Lamorna Bay, waters with such clear visibility that divers flock here from Penzance. Sandwiched between two lumpy granite headlands the village is at the end of a beautiful lush wooded valley complete with its own bubbling stream.
Above the harbour one scar of human activity glares out in the shape of open granite quarry diggings, stone from here was taken all over the west country and even as far as London to build the Thames Embankment.
For those with time consider a short inland diversion from Lamorna to visit the Merry Maidens about ½ mile inland. This is probably Cornwall’s most famous stone circle. Nineteen stones, all said to be the petrified remains of maidens who were turned to stone for the crime of dancing on the Sabbath, The Pipers a pair of 14’ standing stones close by were the musicians who led the dance and who suffered the same fate. Close by, the Tregiffian Barrow or Fogou is a stunning megalithic chambered tomb very much in the style of those found on the Scilly’s and is around 5000 years old. All three can be visited easily as they are close together Use the OS mapping to locate them and guide you up the wooded Lamorna Valley.
The Rocky little cove still has a few fishing boats and a small cafe and the area is another magnet for painters, potters, craftsmen and writers. During the last century it was very popular with the nearby Newlyn School artist’s community. The village pub is a popular one and the subject of a novel about a murder in Cornwall by Martha Grimes, which takes the pubs name The Lamorna Wink. The Wink as the sign outside the pub shows, refers to a time when a “Lamorna wink” would hopefully provide you with some illicit free trade brandy from the landlord. A popular pub and a good stop off en route to Penzance.
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Penzance
Arriving in Penzance from the South West Coast Path, walkers will find a bustling but relaxed atmosphere prevails with a mix of independent shops, galleries, restaurants and cafes. Alleys and narrow passages lead to the busy working harbour and the ancient buildings refer the visitor back constantly to previous centuries.
Named “Pen Sans” in the Cornish language, meaning Holy Headland, Penzance is sheltered within Mounts Bay, its microclimate giving lush subtropical gardens a chance to grow many exotic flowers and palm trees which cannot survive outside anywhere else in the UK. The headland on the western side of the harbour was the site of a chapel established by early Christians well over 1000 years ago, after the Vikings and Saxons had moved on, and before the Old Town was razed by the Spanish and then Turkish pirates in the sixteenth century.
One of the oldest standing buildings in the town is the Penzance Turks Head Pub, dating from the 13th century with an underground tunnel leading from the harbour where smugglers secretly transported their bounty, before celebrating in the inn and a couple of doors away from the unusal inn, The Admiral Benbow, a famous 17thcentury character. Inside the building, converted from an old cottage with a smuggler on the roof, the walls are decorated with authentic figureheads and cannon, salvaged by divers from the many wrecks around the notorious Cornish coast. Close by, the flamboyant Egyptian House in Chapel Street dating from 1835, is one of the most ornate examples of architecture built at that time. It was originally owned by a geologist, whose collection is now in the Oxford University Museum, and stands out among the stately Victorian and Edwardian villas built over the following century along the promenade for successful merchants who settled in the balmy temperature and extraordinary light, made accessible by the Great Western Railway.
The Art Deco Jubilee bathing pool is still a fabulous example of the glamorous lido and art galleries pay homage to the once prolific Newlyn School (especially the Penlee House Gallery Museum) , as well as exhibiting high quality modern art. Live music is easy to find amongst a diverse range of restaurants, including the Michelin starred Abbey Hotel owned by the 60’s model Jean Shrimpton.
From the harbour, including the berth for the Scillonian, the ferry to the Isles of Scilly, (a heliport to the Scillies is on the outskirts of town) looking east, the iconic image of St Michaels Mount rises out of the sea on the next leg of the Cornish Coastal Path. The shoreside village at the end of the cobbled causeway leading out to the island, is Marazion which provides another of our overnight locations.
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