In the UK, walking holidays have become hugely popular, and there are a number of walks emanating from Lands End covering various degrees of difficulty. If you don’t have the time or the inclination to cover the entire twenty four mile walk to St Ives, the four miles to the cape can be covered in a short time and is not too hard going – it will give you a bite sized taste of the picturesque coastal scenery Cornwall is famous for.
Leaving Land’s End
Within minutes of leaving the carnival style atmosphere of Land’s End, you will follow a well trodden path heading around the peninsula. Walking in England is a wonderful way to delve into the history of the country, and as you stand on 200 ft cliffs and gaze out to sea, it is not hard to imagine the ancient medieval castles and amphitheaters this area was once home to.
As you follow the path around, you catch your first glimpse of Sennen Cove. Whitesands Beach within the cove is one of Cornwall’s prettiest stretches of sand, and is a popular swimming and surfing spot. Walking in England can take you through some incredible ancient monuments, and on your way down to the cove you will pass the ruins of the 4th century Maen Castle, crumbling on the cliffs.
The village of Sennen itself has a traditional Cornish feel, and you may want to stop off for a cream tea or some light refreshment! After rejoining the coastal path, you will follow the cliffs along on your way to Cape Cornwall. A slight deviation will take you to Ballowall Barrow, an ancient chamber tomb dating back around 5500 years. At nearly 3m high and over 20m in diameter it is an astounding sight.
Cape Cornwall
Cape Cornwall holds the distinction of being the only cape in the UK. Walking holidays are a fantastic way of exploring our geography up close and this location where the two seas of the English Channel and St George’s Channel meet is truly unique. Until fairly recent times, Cape Cornwall was thought to have been the most westerly point of England, however it was discovered that Land’s End just beat it by a whisker.
As you near the Cape, you will sight the unmistakable landmark of its disused chimney stack atop the summit. The stack is a relic from the old tin mining days when the mine shafts extended hundreds of metres out to sea. The entire area shows evidence of the abandoned mining industry, and as often happens on English walking breaks you may stumble across some unexpected reminders of times gone by.
You can reach the summit by two paths, and when you’ve made the short trek the views out to sea and across to St Helens Oratory are stunning. Priest’s Cove hugging the coast below, is a typically Cornish picture postcard scene. It is dotted with fisherman’s huts and brightly coloured boats decorating the slipway. Even though the beach is quite rocky, it has a small bathing pool which is popular in the summer months.
If you want to make the most of your English walking breaks to Cornwall, (and you have enough energy!) you can make the return journey back to Land’s End on foot. But if you’ve had enough for one day, then you can wander over to St Just and jump on a bus – and daydream your way back to your hotel, planning your next UK walking holidays!
By: Tony ManiscalcoAbout the Author:
Tony Maniscalco is the Sales and Marketing for Ramblers Countrywide Holidays. Part of Ramblers Worldwide Holidays, who have been operating since 1946, they are dedicated to providing the very finest
English walking breaks at the best value prices.
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