A picture they say is worth a thousand words.Within a few yards you will see more rugged beauty than a hundred photo’s can show. This is NCI Gwennap Head.
For information about Gwennap Head (grid ref SW365217); the most southerly headland on the south coast of the Penwith and, of course, the location of NCI Gwennap Head Click here
Our local beaches offer up a rich variety of experiences. Porthcurno and Marazion are spacious, sheltered and easily accessible, making them popular with families. On the other hand, Nanjizal is remote and difficult to access, involving steep and rocky paths, whilst atmospheric fishing coves like Cape Cornwall and Porthgwarra are riddled with caves, rock pools and tidal pools. As well as the above-mentioned specific local beaches, click here for guides to 40 local West Cornwall beaches.
Lifeboats
Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station, just one mile NE of Land’s End, is our nearest lifeboat station and we conduct regular training exercises with the Sennen lifeboats.
Click here for their website
Penlee Lifeboat Station is located in Newlyn Harbour and is descended from the very first lifeboat station in Cornwall.
Click here for their website
Wildlife
Choughs have been recorded as part of Cornish history since at least the 13th century and, with their glossy black plumage, curved crimson-red bill and red legs, they are unmistakeable. They appear on the Cornish coat-of-arms, and legend also connects them with the soul of King Arthur. Moreover, Cornwall was the last stronghold of the chough in southern England (it had been in decline since the 18th century), but they’d disappeared altogether, by the mid-20th century. Then, in 2001, wild choughs were sighted at Lizard Point. They found the short insect-rich grass they needed and so they stayed…. and they have been breeding here successfully, ever since. The area between Gwennap Head, Lands End & Sennen has a small (but – hopefully – growing) resident population of Choughs and year-round sightings are not uncommon. Operation Chough is a conservation project established at Paradise Park Wildlife Sanctuary in Hayle in Cornwall in 1987, with the aim of ensuring the the choughs return is both permanent and sustainable Click here for more information about Operation Chough and the Paradise Park sanctuary
LEARN, SEE, RESPECT, REPORT……. Cornwall’s coastal and marine wildlife, so essential to our economy, is under pressure…it needs our help and respect! The Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code promotes best practice to make all encounters great for people, great for marine life and great for Cornwall! If you’re lucky enough to have a ‘Close Encounter’ with our local wildlife Click here for best practice details
The Cornwall Wildlife Trust has all the latest new and advice on our wildlife – marine, land or air. Click here to see what’s going on
Basking sharks can grow up to 11m long and feed on plankton (tiny plants and animals that drift around in the sea). They’re usually seen around Cornwall’s coast in the spring and summer when they’re feeding close to the surface. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, or just want to know more about them, the Basking Shark Project is the place to go. Click here to report a sighting or get more information
Things To Do
The Minack Theatre is an open-air theatre carved into the granite cliffs at Porthcurno, a few miles from Land’s End. It is constructed above a gully where a rocky granite outcrop juts into the sea, providing a backdrop which can distract both audience and players, alike. During a performance, basking sharks and schools of dolphins might been seen circling in the bay and many seabirds are sure to add their ‘comments’ to the dialogue whilst searching for a fish supper in the waters below.
Of course, even in Cornwall, it occasionally rains! However, for a show to actually be cancelled, the elements have to be truly appalling (and, whatever the weather, umbrellas are strictly verboten). Evenings can be cool (even in mid-summer) but matinée performances can need sunhats and proper sunscreen. We recommend plenty of layers which can be put on or taken off, as needed plus, of course, a picnic to enjoy before the performance. Click here for the Minack Theatre, including box office, access, historical information, photo gallery and 360 degree viewer. Alternatively, Click here For the Minack Theatre stage live-stream webcam.
Cornwall has always been at the leading edge of communications, the first transatlantic radio signal was sent from here and the first satellite broadcast was received at Goonhilly. So, it might not be too surprising to learn that, today, most of the world’s communications pass through Cornwall…. which makes our small county, one of the most connected places in the world! Porthcurno was the point at which many submarine telegraph cables – transatlantic and to other locations – came ashore. Today, the PK Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications is housed in the former telegraph facility and has displays showing the history of submarine cable-laying ships and telegraphy, and a varied collection of still-working telegraphy equipment. Follow this link for the museum including How to Get There, access, guides, activities and forthcoming events……and if that has wetted your appetite and you want to learn more about the hidden world of global communications running silently under your feet in West Cornwall, this documentary provides a fascinating account of how the system works and is put together. In November 2014 Edward Snowden leaked documents that pointed to Cornwall as the intercept point for GCHQ’s Tempora program, this documentary also delves into the murky world of espionage and how it actually works!
Tourists have been visiting Lands End, the most Westerly point of mainland England, for over 300 years and, today, it is still recognised as one of Cornwall’s great places to visit. This wikipedia page will give you a background about the history and geography of Land End whilst the Visitors Centre (Click here) serves as a hub for all your activities, whether it’s discovering cliff-top trails, basking in the area’s natural splendour, visiting family attractions or even indulging in a bit of West Country Shopping
Lastly, for up-to-the-minute local news, events and attraction Click here