Land’s End is a strange place if you think about it. It is neither as exotic a destination as Cape Horn or Cape Good Hope nor is it the most westerly point in Europe. Situated where it is, it does try though to capture the romance and mystery of something on the edge of human existence.
It is simply the most westerly point in England and sits like a finger pointing towards the Atlantic…
Western England
It is, however, well worth a visit as it is the furthest you can drive west in Cornwall. The land of tall hedgerows, rolling hills, countless farms and tractors? And not much else… There is only one road leading there. So take your time and be prepared for some traffic.
There are little lanes heading off left and right, and the English countryside is lovely and green with quite a few bays and seaside towns along the way. Dark forests encroach onto the road, heather fills the hillsides and stone walls and hedgerows lead you along. We were lucky with the dreary grey skies opening up to some welcome sunshine as we followed the two-lane road.
End of the road
The road ends at a visitor centre perched about one hundred feet above the waves near the edge of the steep cliffs. There’s a bit of history there and a couple of walking paths that follow the cliff edge.
No beaches here – that’s a bit further east near Penzance along the south coast. Penzance might well be the inspiration for a local pirate craft-maker in an old building along the walkway. Follow the winding path for as long as you like. Or as far as you dare risk being blown off the edge by the strong wind…
Cornish Pasty
All this sight-seeing does build up an appetite, so join the queue at the visitor centre for the best Cornish Pasty in the west of England. Take a seat on a rock overlooking the waves far below and contemplate just how wide and mighty the Atlantic is. Worth a detour for that alone…
