Discovering the attractions of Cornwall

By Petra Reinken Apr 13, 2010, 14:46 GMT

Penzance, Britain - Land's End is the most westerly point of the English mainland and the westernmost point of the island of Great Britain. It is a wild and windswept place which the Romans referred to as 'Bolerium', the seat of storms, while the old Cornish name is 'Penn-an-Wlas,' end of the land.

Despite its isolation, the whole of western Cornwall can be toured by means of bus and train, with Penzance the perfect base for day trips, as there are a host of attractions within easy reach of the town sheltered by Mount's Bay.

One of the major points of interest is Land's End itself, with its stunning coastal walk. A theme park has also been developed.

A thick blanket of heather, grass, bog and shrubs creates a soft carpet on land, while far below waves crash against the base of the cliffs. Sennen Cove lies just 1.5 kilometres north-east of Land's End and can be reached after walking for around 30 minutes on the path, which veers off to the right of the theme park.

The beach at Sennen Cove is well known for its good surfing conditions and affords a greater degree of protection from winds and swell than Gwenvor at the other end of the bay. There is also a beach cafe as well as a regular bus service back to Penzance.

On a fine summer's day, the area can look idyllic. But the many photographs of shipwrecks over the decades hanging in the Alexandra Inn in Penzance are an indication of the destructive power of the sea in this exposed part of England.

Between Penzance and Mousehole there is a memorial to those who lost their lives in the Penlee lifeboat disaster, which occurred on December 19, 1981 off the coast of Cornwall.

The Penlee lifeboat went to the aid of the stricken coaster Union Star, which was driven close to the rocky sea cliff in heavy seas. Both vessels were eventually lost with all hands, leaving 16 dead.

Visitors not afraid of travelling in choppy conditions can take a ferry from Penzance to the Scilly Isles and the largest island of St Mary's, where the residents encourage a particularly relaxed atmosphere.

St Ives is another place within a 30-minute bus ride of Penzance, although at peak times in summer the locals in this pretty seaside town are heavily outnumbered by tourists. Despite the crowds, St Ives is still well worth a visit, with its many art galleries and shops. There are also three beaches in close proximity to the town centre.

One of Cornwall's most famous gardens can be reached by foot from Penzance. Trengwainton Garden lies to the north of the town near Heamoor and is cradled just inland of Mount's Bay.

Trengwainton is home to magnificent walled gardens growing species not seen anywhere else on mainland Britain, including hybrids created from plant-hunting expeditions to Assam and Burma.

Another attraction within a bus ride of Penzance is the open-air Minack Theatre, which was the inspiration and life's work of Rowena Cade and is situated above a gully with a rocky granite outcrop jutting into the sea.

Off the Mount's Bay coast is St Michael's Mount, a tidal island connected to the town of Marazion by a man-made granite causeway, passable only at mid to low tide.

The island's castle is home to many relics, chiefly armour and antique furniture, while the warm Gulf Stream allows a wide variety of exotic plants to be grown in the south-facing gardens. Visitor access is controlled by the National Trust.