Route Section Number 8:
Penzance to St Ives
The far corner of the southwest peninsula is perfect for a meandering coastal roadtrip. West of Penzance and St Ives there are no towns or dual carriageways – just a fascinating selection of remote villages, rocky shores and wild moorland.
It’s a perfect demonstration of why we recommend taking smaller coastal roads. Most visitors speed across the middle of Penwith on the largely anonymous A30. It leads straight to the expensive car park at Land’s End alongside crowded fast food outlets and souvenir shops. If they drive back the same way they probably won’t see anything memorable all day.
Instead we recommend SW660 drivers explore the coastal roads. You’ll discover some of Britain’s most beautiful and rugged coastal views and drive entirely within an area of outstanding natural beauty. Those A30 speedsters miss some extraordinary sights, including an open-air theatre carved into a cliff and mine workings so special they have been UNESCO World Heritage status.
Your Route
- The A30 from Penzance to Lands End bypasses almost every sight in west Cornwall. Instead we suggest sticking close to the coast. Leave Newlyn on Cliff Road for fantastic views across Mounts Bay, before winding down into Mousehole. Then take Raginnis Hill along the cliff out of town, with breathtaking views of St Clement’s Isle. This narrow high-hedged lane leads through Castallack down to Lamorna Cove. If you head north to the B3315 you’ll pass the mysterious Merry Maidens Stone Circle.
- The B3315 leads to the famous Land’s End attraction. Along the way, dead-end lanes lead off to a sequence of little coves that could actually be more interesting. Porthcurno and The Minack Theatre are must-see sights.
- Turn onto the north coast with a detour down to Sennen Cove, then follow the B3306 along the coast into St Ives. Between lichen-covered stone walls, this is a dramatic twisting road across windswept scenery. Explore lanes off towards the sea, especially at Cape Cornwall, Botallack and Geevor.
- Tin Mines outside St Just
Mining in Cornwall
The Devon and Cornwall Mining World Heritage Site includes old workings spread across large areas of both counties. Follow the whole SW660 to see most of the best ones.
The most spectacular mine works are here though, clinging to rugged cliffs in the far west of Cornwall. At the National Trust shoreline of Botallack and Levant you’ll spot engine houses that served as prominent locations in TV’s Poldark series and at Geevor visitors can don hard hats to explore a tin mine where tunnels extend a mile under the sea.
During your trip
Route Highlights
Mousehole
The first thing to note about this picturesque fishing village is how to pronounce it: locals say ‘mowsul’ – never ‘mouse hole’. The narrow streets do make you think of a mousehole though.
The Penwith Landscape
Cornwall’s far west has a distinctive landscape, more like Dartmoor than the rest of the county’s green farmland. It’s due to its granite rocks and remote windswept geography.
Porthcurno/Minack
On a sunny day Porthcurno beach seems Mediterranean, its white sand sheltered by high cliffs facing a turquoise sea.
Land’s End
In some ways all the roads of the South West seem to lead towards this one jagged headland sticking into the Atlantic.
St Ives
This old fishing town has become West Cornwall’s star attraction thanks to its selection of sandy beaches, quaint harbourside pubs and restaurants, and a famous artsy heritage.
Ancient Sites
- Men-an-Tol, Nr Penzance
Featured Accommodation
Staying in the area
Featured Venues
Local Food & Drink
Pedn Olva
Old Success Inn
LOCAL EXPERIENCES
Have some fun
Experience Cornwall Tours
Discovering historic Penzance
Exploring Pendeen and it’s mines
