Lizard Guide

2013 

Everythingyou 

need to know 

aboutthe Lizard 

Peninsula 

1

WEATHER 

Average Temperature Graph for The Lizard 

Temperature (˚c) 

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 

Key - Average High Temp Average Low Temp 

Average hours ofsunshine each month 

Jan....................60 

Feb ...................85 

Mar.................131 

Apr .................190 

CORNISH LANGUAGE 

May ................220 

Jun..................217 

Jul...................204 

Aug.................194 

Sep.................158 

Oct .................111 

Nov ...................73 

Dec...................55 

When you visit any country it’s always good to learn afew words of 

the language, and while Cornwall isn’t strictly acountry (although 

many Cornish think it is) it does have its own language. So if you do 

bump into aCornish speaker impress them by dropping in some of 

the words below into the conversation. 

ENGLISH CORNISH 

Hello 

Goodbye 

Please 

Thankyou 

Cornish 

Holiday 

Happy 

Sad 

Man 

Woman 

Dydh da (‘dith da’) 

Duw genes (‘do gen-ess’ hard gasinget) 

Mar pleg (as written) 

Meur ras (Pronounced as in the French ‘fleur’) 

Kernewek (as written) 

De’gol (‘dih-gol’ hard gasinget’) 

Lowen (‘low-en’ ‘low’ as in the English) 

Trist (‘tree-st’) 

Den (as in the dog breed Great ’Dane’) 

Benyn (‘ben-in’) 

BUS SERVICES 

Bus Services around Helston and The 

Lizard are mainly operated by First Group 

Buses 34/37 Redruth –Helston/Helston –The Lizard 

Every hour Monday toSaturday except public holidays 

Runs via Mullion 

Service 35 Helston –Falmouth 

Via Gweek, Constantine and Mawnan Smith 

Seven aday 

Reduced service public on bank holidays 

Service 36 Helston –Coverack (Via Mawgan and St Keverne) 

Monday toSaturday except public holidays 

Runs every two hours 

Service 38 Helston town service 

One an hour 

For more details go the First Group website at www.firstgroup.com 

TAXIS 

Lizard Taxis .............................................................. 07813 913980 

Meneage Taxis ......................................................... 01326 560530 

Telstar .................................................................... 0800 999 2477 

Darrens Taxis ........................................................... 07879 770445 

CASH MACHINES 

Breage Post Office and Stores 

Higher Road, Breage TR13 9PJ 

Gweek Post Office 

Gweek Village, TR12 6TU 

Helston Post Office and Londis Store 

28-30 Coineagehall Street, Helston 

Mawgan Post Office (in store) 

Higher Lane, Mawgan TR12 6AN 

Mullion Post Office 

Nansmelyon Road, Mullion TR12 7DQ 

Porthleven Post Office and Premier Stores: 

Chapel View,Fore Street, Porthleven TR13 9HQ 

Praa Sands Post Office and Shop 

Pengersick Lane, Praa Sands, Penzance TR20 9SQ 

Ruan Minor Post Office and Spar Store 

Ruan Minor,TR12 7JL 

St Keverne Post Office 

The Square TR12 6NA 

RISKINGTHEIR LIVESTOSAVEYOURS 

The Lizard Post Office 

The Lizard Village TR12 7NQ 

There are also cash points at both Tesco and Sainsbury supermarkets 

in Helston as well as anumber of banks in Helston town centre itself. 

Discovery Quay,Falmouth 01326 313388 nmmc.co.uk 

2 www.visitlizardcornwall.co.uk

26 

events 4-10 

walks 12 

gardens 16-17 

beaches 18-20 

food 22-26 

arts 28-29 

sports 30-31 

wildlife 32-33 

landscape 34 

Welcome to the 2013 edition of 

the Lizard and Meneage Guide, 

bringing you the best of what this 

special area has to offer. 

The Lizard is aland apart; an almost-island 

surrounded to east, west and south by the 

sea. Visitors leave Helston and go “on” to 

the Lizard –not to and certainly not through; 

it’s not on the road to anywhere, so atrip 

here is aspecial effort. And it’s worth it. 

When you come on to the Lizard you’re 

entering alandscape defined by its 

rocks and its minerals, the largest lump 

of serpentine rock south of Uist and a 

bewildering complexity of geology and the 

countryside that has risen from these rocks, 

altered by centuries of farming has given 

rise to an amazing assemblage of plants 

and wildlife that cannot be seen elsewhere. 

To the west you’ll find towering cliffs and 

awild, windswept landscape where trees 

are bent to the wind and Atlantic storms 

crash against the rocky shore. Look closer 

however and you’ll find amongst the cattle 

grazed cliffs adisplay offlora that is unique. 

Here, amongst carpets of spring squill and 

tufts of sea pinks, you can find plants that 

grow nowhere else in Britain, which have 

been bringing botanists to their knees in 

delight for hundreds of years. 

To the south lies Lizard Point, amust-see 

for travellers tothe extremes of this country 

and the first place in Cornwall to welcome 

back the Cornish chough after an absence 

of many decades. Alongside the towers of 

the most southerly lighthouse you might 

hear their distinctive call –one that is 

increasingly being heard around the county’s 

coast. 

To the east coast, from here to the mouth 

of the Helford River,lie sheltered coves and 

wooded valleys, an escape from the wind 

and alusher,different world where rivers 

tumble down to the sea and small coastal 

villages. From here tiny fishing fleets supply 

local shops and restaurants with the finest 

of fresh fish, crabs and lobsters. 

In summer,Cornish heath, the Lizard’s 

very own variety of heather,lights the wild 

heathland of Goonhilly Downs across the 

middle of the Lizard with ablaze of colour, 

this landscape marked bythe giant dishes 

of the Satellite Earth Station and the tall 

towers ofthe wind turbines bringing a 

modern detail to an ancient landscape rich 

in wildlife. 

Special thanks must go to contributors 

Sandy Pulfrey atHen House B&B in 

Manaccan, Jayne and Philip Hayes at the 

Atlantic B&B on The Lizard and Alistair 

Cameron of the National Trust, for their input 

into this guide. 

-The Lizard Guide Team 

3

events 

There is plenty to see and do in and 

around the thriving communities of The 

Lizard Peninsula. Whether it’s lifeboat 

days, carnivals, fetes, garden shows, food 

festivals, tours ornature trails, the Lizard 

has it all. 

With so much to see there is sure to be 

something for everyone. On the following 

five pages we have put together amonth 

on month guide to what’s happening on 

the Lizard. Even in the colder months 

there are still things to see and do 

and, whatever the weather,enjoy the 

breathtaking scenery. 

APRIL2013 

Easter Monday Table Top 

and Craft Fair 

1st April 

Lambeage Hall, Coverack 

Starting at 10am, there will be avariety of 

stalls selling general bric-a-brac and crafts 

produced in the local area. 

Family bush craft days 

2nd -5th April 

Poltesco, The Lizard 01326 291174 

Learn how to light afire without matches, 

make rope from plants and build ashelter 

in the woods. An event for families and 

accompanied children at Poltesco. 10am-2pm. 

£3 per child, accompanying adults go free. 

Oliver! 

9th April onwards 

Epworth Hall, Helston 01326 568936 

Helston Theatre Company’s production of 

the popular Lionel Bart musical featuring 

orphan boy Oliver,who falls into the clutches 

of Fagin’s gang of pickpockets and befriends 

the kind-hearted Nancy. Running daily until 

14th April with performances at 7.30pm and 

additional matinees on the 13th and 14th at 

2pm. Tickets from Heathercraft in Coinagehall 

Street, Helston or from the number above. 

Memory walk to Helman Tor 

13th April 

Gunwen Chapel, Lowertown 

www.cornishstories.com/ 

forthcoming-events 

Ashort walk between 2pm and 5pm will allow 

people to explore the area around Helman 

Tor. An officer from the Cornwall Wildlife 

Trust will share his knowledge of local plant 

and wildlife. Back at Gunwen Chapel locals 

will reminisce over tea and cake. Material 

collected during the afternoon will be brought 

together in ashort community film. 

Porthleven Food 

and Music Festival 

20th April 

Porthleven Harbour Head 

www.porthlevenfoodfestival.com 

Aday celebrating the best of Cornish food, 

accompanied by asoundtrack of local 

music. This year’s theme is ‘Sourced from 

the Sea’, celebrating the role the sea plays 

in Porthleven’s heritage and present day. 

The port’s fishermen will be bringing in their 

usual fresh catch of lobster and crab, with 

which chefs will create dishes in front of an 

audience. Ayoung festival is included, with 

additional small stage near the Salt Cellar for 

acoustic performances. 

MAY2013 

Barefoot walk 

11th May 

01326 554715 

Try the new craze of barefoot walking,amust 

have sensory experience. Leave your shoes 

at home and find out why walking barefoot is 

good for you. Meet at Penrose Hill car park. 

11am. £2 per person. 

Coverack Art Club 

Spring Exhibition 

18th May 

Lambeage Hall, Coverack 01326 281448 

The biggest day ofthe year, Helston Flora Day, 

come and see what the fuss is about - May 8th 

Open between 10am and 6pm, the exhibition 

will show off the work ofthe art club from the 

previous few months. The exhibition runs until 

2nd June. 

Helston Flora Day 

8th May 

Helston town centre 

www.helstonfloraday.org.uk 

Aday of music and colour,with dancing 

through the streets and apageant. The day 

starts at 7am outside the town’s Guildhall, 

with the first of four dances led by Helston 

Town Band. The Hal-an-Tow pageant begins 

on St John’s Bridge at 8.30am and is then 

performed at various locations in the town, 

telling the story ofStGeorge slaying the 

dragon, St Michael killing the devil and 

St Piran arriving on amillstone. Children 

dressed in white dance from Wendron Street 

at 9.40am, the main Furry Dance leaves the 

Guildhall at noon and the evening dance 

wraps up the festivities, leaving once again 

from the Guildhall at 5pm. 

Disney’s Beauty 

and the Beast 

28th May onwards 

Epworth Hall, Helston 01326 568936 

Aproduction by youth theatre company ACT1 

of the famous Disney story ofthe beautiful 

Belle who becomes trapped in castle by a 

brooding beast. Running daily until 1st June 

with performances at 7.30pm. Tickets from 

Heathercraft in Coinagehall Street, Helston or 

from the number above. 


events 

Gunwalloe Beach Day 

31st May 

Gunwalloe Church Cove 01326 554715 

Join us for aday on the beach as we celebrate 

the wonderful marine wildlife atGunwalloe. 

Come and discover the secrets of the sea 

and get creative with beach art atGunwalloe 

Church Cove. 

JUNE 2013 

Helston Celebrates... 

Coronation Tea Party 

2nd June 

Meneage Street, Helston 01326 568936 

Atea party in the street to mark the 

anniversary ofthe Queen’s coronation, inspired 

by last year’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations. 

Children’s Tea and 

Sports Afternoon 

11th June 

Mawgan Recreation Hall 

Part of Mawgan Feast Week, this is an 

afternoon of children’s sports, with running to 

sack races, followed by atea in the hall. The 

afternoon runs from approximately 3.15pm 

until 6pm (TBC). 

Mawgan Feast Saturday 

15th June 

Mawgan Recreation Ground 

An afternoon for the whole family,with acar 

boot sale, games, fancy dress competition, 

vintage cars and stalls, plus tea and cakes in the 

hall. The official opening is usually at 1.30pm 

and the day wraps up around 4pm (TBC). 

Mullion Harbour Day 

22nd June 

Mullion Harbour 

Fun filled family day including harbour games, 

greasy pole, craft stalls, free kayak tasters, hog 

roast, singers and abar. Races throughout the 

day. Free event 

West Cornwall Motor Show 

30th June 

Wendron Cricket and Football Club 

westcornwallmotorshow.com 

Visitors can expect to see classic and vintage 

cars, motorcycles, car dealerships, trade 

stands and craft stalls along with awide 

variety of entertainment and displays suitable 

for the whole family. Refreshments will 

provided on-site by local businesses. The club 

can be found just off the A39 between Helston 

and Falmouth. 

Visit thepacket.co.uk to find 

out what the weather is going 

to be like before setting off 

to your event of choice. 

Mullion School 

Summer Medley 

30th June 

Mullion SecondarySchool, Meaver Road, 

Mullion 

Aday of activities and performances from 

students at the school, with stalls. 

JULY2013 

Gunwalloe -Time Travellers 

21st July 

Gunwalloe Church Cove 01326 554715 

Experience the artefacts of areal archaeological 

dig dig and let experts guide you through the 

fascinating history ofWinniananton. Get hands 

on cleaning the finds, make and decorate your 

own clay pot by hand and test your knowledge 

of history. 11am -5pm. 

Aday of spectacular flying displays 

for RNAS Culdrose Air Day -July 24th 

RNAS Culdrose Air Day 

24th July 

RNAS Culdrose, Helston 

www.royalnavy.mod.uk/The-Fleet/Air- 

Stations/RNAS-Culdrose/Air-Day-2013 

One of the main attractions is the dazzling 

afternoon flying display, in which aeroplanes 

zoom overhead and helicopters give 

breathtaking displays of daring. 

Visitors can also meeting the aircrew who 

fly around the world taking part inmilitary 

operations, before having agothemselves at 

piloting ahelicopter in aflight simulator. 

Mermaid and Pirate 

Beach Party 

25th July 

Coverack Beach 01326 281448 

Athemed fundraising event for Coverack 

Primary School, organised by the parent, 

teacher and friends association on the beach. 

There will be fancy dress and activities for 

children during the afternoon. 

Local Foods and 

Crafts Fair 

25th July 

St Peter’s Hall, Coverack 01326 281448 

Acelebration of the range of foods and crafts 

produced in the local area. 

Held between noon and 4pm, the event will 

be supporting Coverack Primary School. 


5 

7

events 

Lizard Lifeboat Annual Fete 

28th July 

Lizard Village Green 

Between noon and 4pm 

www.thelizardlifeboat.org.uk/events 

Spend a few hours learning about the 

essential lifesaving work of the Lizard Lifeboat 

and help support its fundraising efforts. There 

will be a variety of stalls, activities and games. 

AUGUST2013 

Coverack RNLI Lifeboat Day 

3rdAugust 

Coverack Harbour 01326 281448 

One of the main fundraising events for 

Coverack RNLI, supporting the lifesaving work 

of the lifeboats in the area. There will be a 

variety of stalls and activities from noon, 

with a demonstration in the water (subject to 

weather and emergencies). See posters in the 

village for full details. 

St Keverne Gardeners’ 

Society Summer Show 

3rdAugust 

St Keverne Methodist Church hall 

www.stkevernechurch.org.uk 

A display of flowers and vegetables 

produced by gardeners in the village and the 

Fantastic day of fundraising for Porthleven Lifeboat Day - August 18th 

surrounding area. The top three entries in 

each class will get certificates, while the best 

will win the growers trophies. 

Coverack Open Gardens 

4th August 

Coverack Village 01326 281448 

Beautiful gardens that are private for the rest 

of the year are opened up for one day only, 

between noon and 5pm. Entry costs £3, which 

Try a pint of one of the many 

local speciality ales. The 

most popular with the locals 

is called “Spingo”. Not for 

the faint hearted! 

goes as a donation to Cornwall Hospice Care; 

children enter for free. Tickets and map from 

the bus stop green, covering all open gardens. 

Cream teas will be served in St Peters Hall. 

Grade Ruan Minor 

Vintage Rally 

4th August 

Trevedden Farm, Ruan Minor 

01326 290664 

Featuring a range of vintage cars and tractors, 

as well as other entertainments, all gathered 

together in one venue from 11am. 

Batty about Bats 

7th August 

01326 554715 

Spend asummer’s evening with the rangersin 

the woodswatching the bats emerge at dusk to 

feed. Help us to investigate the species we see 

with the use of abat detector. 8pm -10pm. 

Sandcastle and Sculpture 

Competition 

8th August 


Indulge your creative side by making a 

sandcastle fit for a king or a sculpture 

made from materials found from the 

beach. Entertainment for the whole family. 

Registration is from 1pm; beach shoes are 

advisable. 


Lizard Lifeboat Station 

Lifeboat Day 

11th August 

The boathouse, Kilcobben Cove 

Find out about the lifesaving work of the 

Lizard RNLI and take a tour of the lifeboat 

Rose, while raising money to keep the 

lifeboat running. 

Coverack Regatta 

18th August 

Coverack Harbour 

01326 281448 

A celebration of the sea and the activities 

that are associated with it, from swimming to 

sailing. There will also be stalls and games 

throughout the afternoon. 

Porthleven Lifeboat Day 

18th August 

Harbour Head, Porthleven 

The main fundraising event for Porthleven 

RNLI, this is a day of activities starting at 

around 10.30am. 

There will be displays, stalls, music and 

demonstrations, including from one of the 

area’s lifeboats (subject to weather and 

emergencies). 

Rock Pool Safari 

20th August 


Explore what is hiding in the rock pools under 

the direction of Peter Wood. Take along 

buckets and spaces and wear non-slip beach 

shoes – fun for all the family from 1pm. 

Tide Challenge 

22nd August 


Spend the afternoon building a structure out 

of sand, rocks and other materials found on 

the beach, then wait for the tide to come in. 

The team standing on the last remaining 

structure battling the water will be crowned 

the winners. 

Coverack Summer Fete 

26th August 

Lambeage Hall and The Battery, 

Coverack 01326 281448 

Stalls, games and family activities will take 

place in this celebration of summer from 2pm. 

The streets of Helston will be lined with people trying to 

catch a glimpse of this year’s carnival - September 7th 

Tallys an Tir – Traditions and 

Stories of the Land 

31st August 

Kestle Barton, Manaccan 

www.cornishstories.com 

The culmination of a year-long project that 

looks at the history of farming and the land in 

the area, including stories, photographs and 

video footage. Funded by the Heritage Lottery 

Fund and FEAST Cornwall, it has been working 

with people in the community and primary 

schools within five areas around Cornwall. 

Continues into 1st September. 

SEPTEMBER 2013 

Chyvarloe Farm open day 

1st September 

07979 196569 

Join the farm for its 3rd annual open day. 

Meet the animals, visit the market, walk the 

trails and have a go at ploughing. barbecue 

and refreshments. 12pm - 5pm. Free event. 

Helston Harvest Fair 

Pet and Dog Shows 

7th September 

Epworth Hall, Helston 

01326 568936 

Furry friends will be on display at the annual 

pet show at 10am followed by the dog show 

at 1pm. 

Helston Carnival 

7th September 

Helston town centre 

01326 568936 

All manner of costumes will be on display as 

Helston community groups and individuals 

parade through the town at 5.30pm. 

Heroes of hand plane 

7th September 

Poldhu 01326 558424 

Join us at Poldhu forthe local legends of hand 

planing challenge, the newcraze in body surfing. 

Prizes forvarious categories on offer.£2toenter. 

Helston Harvest Fair 

Horticultural Show 

8th September 

Old Cattle Market, Helston 

01326 568936 

The best fruit and vegetables, flowers, crafts 

and photography will be on display from 

1pm, with the top three exhibits in each class 

receiving a certificate and the best taking 

home a trophy. At Coronation Park next 

door there will be community stalls and the 

Camborne Pond Hoppersclub sailing model 

boats in the lake. 

9

events 

OCTOBER2013 

Whistle Down The Wind 

30th October onwards 

Epworth Hall, Helston 

01326 568936 

Helston Methodist Church Drama Group’s 

production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber 

musical featuring well known songs such as 

AKiss is aTerrible Thing to Waste, No Matter 

What and the title track. 

Running daily until 2nd November with 

performances at 7.30pm and an additional 

matinees on the 2nd November at 2.30pm. 

Tickets from Heathercraft in Coinagehall 

Street, Helston or from the number above. 

NOVEMBER 2013 

Bonfire night at Chyvarloe 

Farm 

5th November 

Chyvarloe Farm 07979 196569 

Asmall family friendly bonfore with 

fireworks, BBQ, jacket potatoes and children’s 

entertainment. Advanced booking only,£10 

family ticket. 

Christmas Lights Switch On 

29th November 

Coinagehall Street, Helston 

See the award-winning Helston Christmas 

lights switched on in all their glory. The 

countdown takes place at 7.30pm during an 

evening of music and stalls, and is followed by 

abreathtaking fireworks display. 

Coverack RNLI Christmas 

Fayre 

30th November 

St Peter’s Hall, Coverack. 

01326 281448 

Festive stalls and games raising money 

towards the work ofthe RNLI in this area. 

JANUARY 2014 

Pantomime (title TBC) 

21st January onwards 

Epworth Hall 01326 568936 

Helston Theatre Company’s annual pantomime 

–the exact story tobeconfirmed. Daily 

performances until 25th January, at 7.30pm. 

Tickets from Heathercraft in Coinagehall 

Street, Helston or by calling the above number. 

There are alarge number of community 

groups on and around the Lizard with a 

passion for singing and performing. Here 

are just afew. 

•The Cadgwith Singers started many years 

ago in the pub at Cadgwith with Buller and 

Hartley. Every Friday night they gather to 

sing anything and everything but always in 

the same unrehearsed and unique style. 

These days they are to be found singing in 

clubs, pubs, theatres and rugby matches 

all over Cornwall. Further afield there have 

been tours tovarious south west counties, 

London, Ireland, France and the Czech 

Republic. 

•Established in 1896, St Keverne Band is the 

most southerly band in the UK. It consists 

of three bands –junior,youth and senior. 

All the instruments, music and tuition are 

provided for players free of charge. 

It is aself-funding organisation raising money 

by performing concerts and organising events. 

The main fundraising event of the year is the 

See the award-winning Helston Christmas 

Lights switch-on - November 29th 

Apassion for 

performing 

annual Ox roast which has been taking place 

on the first Wednesday inAugust for over 50 

years. 

This year (2013) the Ox roast will be on August 

7from noon until dark. The day will include 

live music, stalls, games, refreshments, spit 

roasted ox and atorchlight procession around 

the village to conclude. 

The bands perform atmany local events 

during the summer including Coverack Carnival 

and Constantine Band Sunday. St Keverne 

band has performed in some very impressive 

venues in the past including The Royal Albert 

Hall and Buckingham Palace for The Queens 

Golden Jubilee. They have also been National 

Champions on the contest stage. 

•Gweek Players draw members from awide 

area. They usually perform two plays each 

year in April and November. This year’s 

November production is The Wind in the 

Willows by Alan Bennett. The show takes 

place from Wednesday, 14th November to 

Friday, 16th November at 7.30 pm. Box Office 

0845 0948874. Tickets £8 and £6 (u16) 


walks 

The Lizard is world renowned for its spectacular scenery and unique 

wildlife. What better way toexplore this fascinating terrain than by 

foot. 

Get your walking boots on and get close-up with nature. See at first 

Penrose Estate 

hand the area’s unique geology and what else it has to offer. 

To get you started we’ve selected just three of our favourites walks 

divided into easy,medium and hard. But don’t stop there, there are so 

many other areas you can get out to and explore. 

easy medium hard 

This walk takes in the beautiful views of Loe 

Pool and the Penrose Estate, and ends in the 

picturesque harbour of Porthleven. 

Around five miles in length, this walk through 

National Trust parkland can be enjoyed by all 

the family and is not too strenuous. 

Why not begin the walk in the morning and 

enjoy lunch when you reach your destination, 

at one of Porthleven’s many cafes and 

restaurants, before catching the bus back to 

your starting point? 

Begin at the far end of the Penrose Amenity 

Area car park opposite Coronation Lake in 

Helston (SW 656272), where there is plenty 

of free parking. 

Continue walking away from the town and 

cross the small footbridge over to the treelined 

path on the right hand side. 

Follow the path along the side of the river, 

passing the bird watching hut from where you 

can view arange of wildfowl, with widgeon, 

teal, mallard, shoveler, pochard, tufted duck 

and coot appearing in greatest numbers. 

Reaching the Victorian Helston Lodge, with 

its quaint boathouse, go through agate and 

follow the drive to where it forks. Take the left 

fork, where is afine view ofthe grand Penrose 

House, which remains aprivate dwelling. 

The terrain steepens slightly as you begin 

to move away from the pool, the largest 

freshwater lake inCornwall. 

Continue past the old stable block. The old 

carriageway that you are following leads 

through Bar Walk Plantation to Bar Lodge 

above Loe Bar. 

Do not be tempted to swim from the sandy 

shore or the long stretch of beach –the 

ground shelves steeply close to shore and 

there are dangerous tidal currents. 

Follow the cliff path until you see Porthleven 

below you and head down the hill into the 

village. 

Lizard Point 

With moderate terrain, this walk will let you 

explore the most southerly tip of Great Britain 

and follows afive mile route. 

Start inthe car park ofthe beautifully 

Kynance Cove (SW689132), which has 

colourfully named features such as Lady’s 

Bathing Pool and Devil’s Letter Box. 

Leaving the car park, join the cliff path 

signposted to Lizard Point and follow this 

above the beach, continuing along the path to 

Polpeor Cove. This is the home of adisused 

Victorian lifeboat station, from where rescuers 

saved the lives of 167 people when the liner 

SS Suevic sunk in 1907. 

Cross the road and continue on the coast 

path, turning left at the signpost for Lizard 

Lighthouse and following the path around the 

boundary wall. 

Keep this wall on your right before rejoining 

the coast path. Look out for Lion’s Den, an 

unfenced 40ft hole in the cliff, created by the 

collapse of acave. 

Pass above Housel Bay, below the hotel, 

and onto the headland path with the Lizard 

Wireless Station on your left. Housed in 

two wooden huts, this is actually the oldest 

surviving,purpose-built wireless station in 

the world, used by Marconi for pioneering 

experiments. 

After heading round Bass Point Old Signal 

Station leave the coast path and take the 

track ahead through the gate for Churchtown 

Farm. 

Passing through farm building,turn left onto 

the road and then left again at the next 

junction, passing the school on your right. 

In Lizard village go straight across the road, 

signposted ‘coastal footpath’, and straight 

across the next road signposted ‘Kynance 

Cove’. 

Bearing right onto the signposted track, the 

footpath takes you along the top of abank 

from where you should bear right again at the 

footpath junction, into athicket. 

The path heads slightly uphill and is welldefined 

across fields, ending with astile at 

the bend of aroad. 

Walking straight ahead, in the direction 

signposted to the car park, turn right back 

onto the footpath running parallel with the 

road. 

This will join the track at the edge of the 

Kynance Cove car park, bring you back to your 

starting point. 

Cadgwith 

This walk takes in some stunning views of the 

coast but be aware that the path does stray 

close to the cliff edge at times and there are 

some fairly strenuous climbs. 

Arriving at the car park onthe outskirts of 

Cadgwith (SW721146) walk down to the 

sea following the path between the thatched 

cottages, taking in the pretty church of St 

Mary’s made of corrugated iron. 

At the bottom of the path turn right and walk 

along the village road until it bears tothe 

right. Carry straight on onto the coast path 

and continue up the hill bearing left past the 

Cliffside homes until you get to the top. 

There you will find acourtyard of cottages 

owned by the National Trust. Go across the 

courtyard and make for the right hand corner 

and back onto the coast path. 

Carry on along the coast path with 

magnificent cliff side views and very close to 

the edge at times past the crater of Hugga 

Drigee, probably formed by acrater collapse 

and better known as the Devil’s Frying Pan 

until you get to Church Cove. 

Here turn right off the coast path and up 

towards Landewednack Church, the most 

southerly parish in the country, along the lane 

past delightful thatched cottages. 

Once at the church turn right over astile and 

agate in the hedge heading towards Grade 

Chuch and either turn right along the lane or 

walk through Grade Church. Continue on this 

path until you get to alane with Grade Church 

in front of you. 

Go into the grounds and follow the path to the 

far right hand corner come out the other side 

and follow the road back to the car park. 


Top: Roland, Lindsey, staff and helpers get together with Mr Cool 

Magic and Mr Smiley tolaunch this year’s charity. 

Bottom: Seven year olds Marissa and Libby get the smiley 

faces ready for people to write on. 

Takeaway doesits bit 

When the chips are down there is one 

takeaway inPorthleven that is doing 

its bit for charity fundraising. 

Roland’s Happy Plaice fish and chip shop, 

in Shute Lane, is hard to miss after owners 

Roland and Lindsey Lowery painted the outside 

of their business as part ofits fundraising 

efforts for Cancer Research UK. 

They raised £2,500 and, spurred on by their 

success, have this year turned their attention 

to boosting the funds of Little Harbour 

children’s hospice. 

Based at St Austell, it is one of three sites 

run byChildren’s Hospice South West and the 

only children’s hospice in Cornwall. 

Roland and Lindsey are encouraging 

customers towrite messages on pieces of 

card in the shape of round smiley faces –the 

charity’s logo –inreturn for a£2donation. 

These messages can then be hung from the 

ceiling of the shop for the rest of the year,in 

the hope that by December whole ceiling will 

be covered. 

The shop is also selling bears and badges on 

behalf of the charity. 

Business owner Roland was joined by the 

charity’s giant pink mascot Mr Smiley for the 

launch, as well as Mr Cool Magic, aka Paul 

Snowball, who performed magic tricks and has 

promised to hold some shows at the hospice 

in the coming months. 

Of course, fundraising aside, the business is 

popular both in the port and with customers 

further afield for its menu, featuring the firm 

favourite cod and chips as well as other 

options. 

At the start ofthe year the business received 

aspot hygiene inspection from Cornwall 

Council and passed with flying colours, 

received the top rating of afull five stars. 


local life in your 

More journalists in 

the area than any other 

local newspaper 

Reaching 9 out of 10 

local residents 

every week. 

Visit us online at thePacket.co.uk

gardens 

Above: Glendurgan Garden Below: Godolphin House &Estate 

Top: Trebah Garden 

Bottom: Bonython Estate Gardens 


Garden lovers rejoice: the Lizard 

Peninsula is home to some of 

Cornwall’s best kept secrets when it 

comes to green and pleasant land. 

From secluded gardens full of romance 

to sub-tropical landscapes filled with 

exotic flora, the peninsular and immediate 

surrounding area represents alittle slice of 

paradise for green-fingered visitors. 

Here we round up six of the best... 

BOSAHAN GARDEN 

Close to the Helford River,Bosahan servesup 

horticultural bliss with abreathtaking 

view tothe estuary and sea. 

Bosahan, near Manaccan, has its own 

microclimate, enabling afusion of tender 

plants from both hemispheres to flourish in 

the moist shelter. 

Radiant rows of rhododendrons and 

azaleas are mixed with the likes of 

magnolias and southern hemisphere tree 

and shrub species. 

The exotic palm groves and mature 

Maidenhair trees have made alush canopy 

under which to explore the ‘sub-tropical’ 

environment. Bosahan is blessed with a 

meandering stream trickling through the 

centre, creating awonderful garden for 

walkers tofollow atrail along the fern-edged 

banks and palm-fringed pond. 

•Open March 18 to July 26. Monday to 

Friday, 10.30am to 4.30pm. Closed 

weekends and Bank Holidays. 

•Adults £5, children aged six to 16 £2.50, 

children under five free. Disabled visitors 

£2.50, senior citizens £3.50. Groups by 

appointment –call 01326 231351. 

BONYTHON ESTATEGARDENS 

Discover aunique blend of tropical and 

traditional horticulture planted in these 

stunning estate gardens including aclassic 

pottager garden, that lie at the gateway to 

the Lizard Peninsula. 

Entering the driveway your sights and 

senses will immediately be hijacked by the 

beautiful hydrangeas, but it’s the estate’s 

South African owners, who took over in 

1999, that have made Bonython, near Cury 

Cross Lanes, the intriguing horticultural 

hotspot it is today, through amodern and 

exotic horticultural twist. Explore the South 

Check out National Garden 

Scheme open days at 

www.ngs.org.uk 

Denotes National Trust property 

African roots beneath the scorching display 

of ornamental grasses, cannas and proteas 

that bring one of the three lakes into afroth 

of colour throughout August and September. 

The herbaceous borders ofthe walled 

garden are lined with alliums, catmint and 

carefully selected varieties that enhance 

the blue, purple, yellow and white colour 

themes. Even the herb garden has been 

sprinkled with “picking flowers” to infuse it 

with vibrant pink and burgundy hues. 

The array ofspecies is enough to whet 

any garden-lovers appetite, especially when 

it’s served up with ajaw-dropping view that 

stretches over the orchard of Cornish apple 

trees towards the swan-scattered Lake Joy. 

Wander back through the woodland walk, 

or ameander through the tree fern and 

rhododendron dell. 

•Open March 1toSeptember 30. Mon -Fri 

10.00am -4.30pm excluding bank holidays 

•Adults £6.00 Children(u16) £2 

Family(2+2) £14 

01326 240550 www.bonythonmanor.co.uk 

TREBAH GARDEN 

No garden lover can visit the south west 

of Cornwall without avisit to Trebah –a 

uniquely beautiful, wooded, 25-acre subtropical 

ravine garden that descends to its 

own beach on the beautiful Helford River. 

It is the wild and magical result of 160 

years ofinspired and dedicated creation. 

Mediterranean and southern hemisphere 

plants intermingle with Trebah’s groves of 

huge Australian tree ferns and palms. A 

giant plantation of gunnera and clumps of 

huge bamboos give this garden aunique 

and exotic wildness matched by no other 

garden in the British Isles. 

The garden near Mawnan Smith has been 

rated as one of the best 80 gardens in the 

world. 

In early spring,Trebah comes alive 

with acolourful array of100-year-old 

rhododendrons, magnolias and camellias; 

in summer,the giant gunnera is amust see 

for young and old. In autumn, Hydrangea 

Valley casts clouds of china blue and soft 

white across Mallard Pond and in winter, 

spectacular champion trees dominate the 

landscape and plants from the southern 

hemisphere can be seen flowering. 

•Open all year,seven days aweek, 10am to 

17.30pm. 

•Adults £8.50, senior citizens £7.50, 

children aged five to 15 £2.50, children 

under five free. 

01326 252200 

www.trebahgarden.co.uk 

GLENDURGAN GARDEN 

Also near Mawnan Smith, one of the most 

exciting features of Glendurgan is its cherry 

laurel maze dating back to 1833. 

This thriving sub-tropical valley garden 

runs down to the Helford River at the fishing 

village of Durgan and boasts beautiful 

blooms in every season thanks to its 

sheltered ravine position. 

Visitors can explore under lush canopies 

and wind through the exotic gardens to 

meet the water’s edge. 

Discover giant rhubarb plants in the 

jungle-like lower valley and spiky arid plants 

basking in the sunny upper slopes, wander 

through the garden down to the beautiful 

hamlet of Durgan on the Helford River and 

find gigantic tulip trees and ponds teeming 

with wildlife. Assistance dogs only. 

•Open until November 31 2013. Tuesday 

to Sunday, 10.30am to 5.30pm (last 

admission 5pm). 

01326 252020 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ 

glendurgan-garden 

CARWINION GARDEN 

Fourteen acres of wild Victorian gardens 

nestled in the Helford Valley, Carwinion 

is home to one of the most spectacular 

national collections of bamboo in the 

country, with 140-plus varieties. 

The Rogers family collaborated with the 

Fox family of Glendurgan to bring in rare 

plants, including the Dicksonia Antartica 

and Cryptomaria Japonica that are growing 

here today. 

Carwinion is awild and untamed spring 

garden, prolific with wild flowers such 

as primroses and blue bells as well as 

camellias, hydrangeas and ferns, while in 

the summer visitors can explore the banks 

of the ponds, streams and enormous groves 

of gunnera. 

There are tree ferns native of Australia 

and New Zealand, with concentrate fern 

and hellebore garden sprouting from an old 

quarry. Veer over to the west side and you’ll 

discover the beautifully manicured Japanese 

Garden and you might even find the ‘secret’ 

garden to unwind in. Dog friendly. 

•Open all year. 10.00am -5.30pm 

•Adults £5.00, children and disabled free 

01326 250258 

www.carwinion.co.uk 

GODOLPHIN HOUSE AND ESTATE 

Abeautiful and romantic historic house and 

garden, where time has stood still. 

The garden is largely unchanged since the 

16th century, with archaeologically rich 

estate walks. 

Godolphin Estate is situated between 

Helston, at the gateway tothe Lizard 

Peninsula, and Penzance. 

With over 700 years ofCornish history, the 

privately-owned Tudor and Stuart mansion, 

complete with its Elizabethan stables, 

is surrounded by its formal gardens and 

spectacular bluebell woods. 

Dogs welcome in the garden on short 

leads. 

•Gardens open every day,10am to 5pm. 

Adult £5.50, children £2.75, family £14, 

family one adult, £8.25 –garden only 

01736 763194 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/godolphin 

17

eaches 

Watch the sunset from 

Pollurian Bay (pictured) 

Above: Sunset over Polurrian Bay 

Below: Cadgwith Cove 

They may not be as well 

known as the beaches on 

the north coast but their 

very remoteness means 

that the beaches on The 

Lizard don’t get the tourist 

hordes and there are some 

real hidden gems away 

from the tourist trail. From 

tiny tree lined coves to 

world class surf spots, we 

have selected just afew of 

our favourites on The Lizard 

for you to visit. 

CADGWITH 

Cadgwith is actually two small 

beaches separated by asmall 

narrow headland known as the 

Todden. The southwestern most 

beach is the ‘pleasure’ beach 

and is also known as Little Cove. 

The slightly larger northeastern 

beach is the working beach and 

is normally full of at least ten 

or so fishing boats and other 

assorted small craft. Both 

beaches are quite rocky but are 

quite sheltered and are safe for 

families. Behind the beaches 

many ofthe old cottages have 

thatched roofs and are quite 

picturesque. 


Best for: Family Day Out Kennack Sands/Coverack 

Surfing Poldhu 

Quiet day for two Gillian 

History Church Cove, Gunwalloe 

Nearby walks Kynance Cove 

CHURCH COVE LIZARD 

Ashort walk from the Lizard 

Village after St Wynwallow 

Church. Alovely stroll down into 

Church Cove, past lovely postcard 

cottages and its small stream. 

Above right is aprivate road to 

the new RNLI Lifeboat Station. 

(walking permitted). 

The cove is very small and 

nested between the cliffs and 

there is access to the cliff walk. 

The crabbing boats are still pulled 

up the beach by wire rope and 

winch. 

COVERACK 

Relax on the golden sand and 

swim in the azure sea or learn to 

wind surf or kayak with the local 

school based in the harbour 

Greatly restricted beach area at 

high tide. 

POLDHU COVE 

Poldhu Cove is alarge popular 

sandy cove with dunes and is well 

known surfing spot. 

Poldhu Cove is around seven 

miles from Helston. Head for 

Cury village by heading along 

the A3083 to Lizard. After three 

miles turn right onto aminor road 

to Cury. Drive through the village 

and follow the road to Poldhu 

Cove. There is apopular surf 

school where the whole family 

can get lessons on how to enjoy 

the waves. 

Next door the family run Poldhu 

Beach Cafe sells light lunches, 

ice creams and drinks, as well as 

the usual beaching paraphernalia. 

Dogs are banned from Easter Day 

to October 1(7am to 7pm) 

GILLAN 

Gillan Harbour lies about half 

mile south of the Helford River 

on the southern bank of asmall 

creek opposite St Anthony in 

Meneage. The beach is amixture 

of sand and shingle and there is 

asmall area of grass suitable for 

picnics. Gillan Harbour beach is 

rarely crowded. 

There are good walks west 

Kynance Cove 

along the river bank towards 

Manaccan or northwest to 

Helford Village. About half amile 

east of Gillan lies the rocky Menaver 

Beach with walks available 

east to Lestowder Cliff leading to 

Nare Point. 

GUNWALLOE CHURCH COVE 

The name of the quiet peaceful 

church at the edge of the 

sand derives from the Breton 

missionary saint “St Winwaloe” 

and is an unusual beach in that 

there is achurch set below the 

low cliffs of Castle Mound at its 

northern end. 

What is even more unusual, is 

that the bell tower is detached 

from the main body of the small 

church standing about three 

metres away cut into the cliffside. 

Quite popular due to its 

proximity to Helston, fine NT car 

park and its good sandy beach. 

Overlooked by agolf course on its 

eastern edge. 

Key: Family Friendly 

Car Park 

Surf 

Lifeguard 

Quiet 

National Trust 

National Trust 

car park 

KENNACK SANDS 

Kennack Sands, just outside 

the village of Kuggar (TR12 

7LZ) on the Lizard Peninsula, is 

well known amongst the surfing 

fraternity. This beach has abig 

tidal range due to its shallow 

angle. 

As is usual for beaches on the 

Lizard Peninsula, Kennack Sands 

also has its own shipwreck story. 

In 1914 the 100 ton Normand 

of Nantes. The french ship ran 

aground here. The remains of 

this and other vessels can be 

seen from Kennack Sands on 

especially low tides. The beach 

here is comprised of two beaches 

which are split in the middle by 

Carn Kennack (a small hill) and 

ashore side rock feature called 

Caerverracks. 

The more easterly beach is 

designated as anature reserve, 

it can be reached via the footpath 

that runs along the back of the 

beach and over Carn Kennack. 

KYNANCE COVE 

Popular since Victorian times 

the unexpected views are still a 

powerful draw today. Located less 

than two miles from The Lizard 

and once remote and difficult to 

get to, The National Trust built a 

new toll road to alarge car park 

on the downs above the cove 

The beach’s defining features 

are the serpentine rock 

formations with adistinctive 

pinnacle to the north of the 

beach. All in all Kynance is one 

of the prettiest coves in Cornwall 

and as aresult one of the most 

painted and photographed. 

POLURRIAN COVE 

Polurrian Cove lies just seaward 

of the village of Mullion. It is 

asouthwest-facing beach with 

golden sand and patches of fine 

shingle. 

19

eaches 

PORTHLEVEN 

Porthleven beach is next to the 

harbour and near Porthleven 

village centre. Porthleven Beach 

is separated from the harbour by 

the granite pier which lies in front 

of the Porthleven institute and 

clock tower. 

When the tide is out it is 

possible to walk in an easterly 

direction along Porthleven beach 

for three miles, past Loe Bar and 

Penrose Estate. Alternatively,you 

can walk along the coast path the 

coast path out of the village with 

the Porthleven beach below you. 

Greatly restricted beach area at 

high tide 

ST ANTHONY 

Quiet and secluded, St Anthony 

is the perfect place if you want to 

escape the hustle and bustle. 

Aminiscule village afew miles 

from Manaccan, it comprises little 

more than asmall church and 

acouple of houses –the world 

goes by at aslower pace here. 

Actually acreek, the beach is 

the perfect place to go hunting in 

rockpools for seaweed, limpets 

and sea anemones. 

On Good Friday each year 

locals take tothe sand for the 

traditional practice of “trigging” 

–the hand harvesting of cockles 

using rakes and buckets, which 

is only allowed on this one day of 

the year. 

POLPEOR 

Polpeor Beach is atiny beach 

situated just to the right of Lizard 

Point near to the Old Lizard 

Lifeboat Station. 

The sand is dark grey and 

coarse and it is not advisable 

to go swimming there although 

walks in area offer spectacular 

views. Dog friendly. Nolifeguard 

cover. 

PORTHALLOW 

Apebbly beach directly in front of 

the once thriving fishing village of 

Porthallow near St Keverne. 

Once abusy fishing village with 

athriving pilchard fleet there 

are only afew working boats left 

here. 

There’s nolifeguard cover but 

dogs are allowed all year round. 

The car park ispractically on 

the beach while there is the Five 

Pilchards pub, acafé and other 

facilities nearby. 

GUNWALLOE DOLLAR COVE 

The cove is named after the silver 

dollars that have occasionally 

been found from the wreck of a 

17th century ship. 

The rock formations here 

are of special interest with the 

contorted strata of the cliffs 

representing 1,000s of years of 

tectonic movement. 

Gunwallloe Fishing Cove 

Taking the dog? 

Everyone knows about 

the wonderful unspoilt 

beaches of The Lizard but 

did you know that your 

dog is welcome YEAR 

ROUND at the following 

beaches. 

1. Polgwidden 

2. Gillan Harbour 

3. Porthallow 

4. Porthoustock 

5. Coverack 

6. Kennack Sands (East) 

7. Cadgwith (East) 

8. Polpeor Cove 

9. Pentreath 

10. Mullion Cove 

11. Gunwalloe Fishing Cove 

12. Loe Bar 

13. Porthleven (East Beach 

-from Blue Buoys steps to 

Loe Bar) 

Dogs are allowed on the 

following beaches up until Easter 

and then again on 1st October. 

1. Kennack Sands 

(West -near carpark) 

2. Cadgwith Cove (South) 

3. Housel Bay, The Lizard 

4. Kynance Cove 

5. Polurrian Cove 

6. Poldhu 

7. Gunwalloe Church Cove 

8. Porthleven West (from the 

slipway to Blue Buoys steps) 

9. Portreath 

Guide dogs are exempted from dog bans 


More than 

ingredients 

in ajar 

Flourishing in the green and 

uncontaminated land of southern 

Cornwall, expertly hand made from 

AtoZ at Roskilly’s Farm, Inlight organic 

skincare is much more than just 

ingredients in ajar. 

Completely plant-based and totally organic, 

with nothing synthetic, no alcohol, not 

even water, Inlight is formulated and hand 

produced by an Italian medical doctor and 

herbalist who transplanted his whole family 

on the Lizard peninsula 15 years ago struck 

by its beauty. 

Everything smells so heavenly when you 

walk in the spotless lab (once the farm fudge 

workshop). 

No sophisticated machinery, just lovingly 

tended demi-johns full of colourful herbs 

and flowers gently steeping in the Cornish 

sunshine. 

Come and find out all about steeping 

rosemary and marigold in luscious oils used 

to make these skincare products really good 

enough to eat and have a“taste” of afreshly 

produced there and then batch. 

Come and see us at Roskilly’s Farm inSt 

Keverne or visit www.inlight-online.co.uk 

21

food 

The Cornish are justifiably proud of their 

home grown and raised produce and this 

is just as true on The Lizard peninsula as 

it is in the rest of the county. 

From cosy ‘gastro pubs” to top class 

restaurants you are spoiled for choice 

when you enjoy atrip to The Lizard. Don’t 

forget the fantastic fish and chip shops, 

the home-made ice cream at Roskilly’s, 

the monthly farmers markets and even a 

food festival. 

Seadrift, Porthleven 

Seadrift offers diner-style decor with a 

gourmet food selection. 

It serves high quality food, with plenty of fresh 

fish, in a relaxed, seaside atmosphere. 

Being a work fishing port the menu 

understandably includes plenty of seafood 

specials such as grilled tiger prawns with 

garlic butter, fillet of sea bass with creamed 

confit cabbage and wild mushrooms, and 

sauteed squid, chorizo and rocket. 

For those looking for something less fishy, 

however, there are plenty of other options like 

pan-roasted duck breast with sweet potato 

mash and onion gravy, warm salad of chorizo, 

fig and parmesan, and oven-baked ratatouille 

with grilled goats cheese bake. 

· Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am - 10pm. 

Closed Sunday and Monday. 

01326 558733 

www.seadriftporthleven.co.uk 

Ship Inn, Mawgan 

Something of a closely-guarded secret by 

locals, this pub-come-restaurant is slowly 

building a strong reputation by worth of mouth 

recommendations. 

Offering more unusual fare such as pheasant 

suet pastry pudding, twice-baked cheese 

soufflé with roasted pine kernels and smoked 

haddock with bubble and squeak, the chef 

uses in-season ingredients leading to an everchanging 

menu. 

Not the easiest to find, it’s worth the hunt. 

Pass through the village as if heading out 

towards St Martin and at the pink thatched 

Famous for its superb local 

produce, the New Yard Restaurant 

at Trelowarren, Morgan. 

cottage fork right, down a hill – if you reach 

the church you’ve gone too far. 

· Open Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm - 11pm 

(food served until 9pm). 

Closed Sunday and Monday. 

01326 221240 

www.shipinnmawgan.co.uk 

New Yard Restaurant, 

Trelowarren, Mawgan 

Just about everything is made on site using 

seasonal Cornish ingredients – even the 

game is caught on the estate in which it is 

based – making it a popular attraction for 

locals and tourists alike. 

Hidden at the heart of the picturesque 

Trelowarren Estate, the restaurant has been 

described as a “romantics’ hideaway” by 

customers. 

Menu choices include Trelowarren honey 

and chestnut soup, poached skate wing with 

tomato and red peppers, and pan-roasted 

chicken breast with split pea, smoked 

pancetta and café crème. 

· Open April to May, Tuesday - Friday 10am 

- 2pm, 7pm - 9pm, Saturday 8.30am - 10am, 

noon - 2pm, 7pm - 9pm, Sunday noon - 2pm; 

June to September all day; October to March, 

Wednesday to Saturday, 10.30am - 2pm, 

7pm - 9pm, Sunday 10.30am - 2pm. 

01326 221595 

www.newyardrestaurant.co.uk 

A warm welcome awaits at Seadrift Porthleven 

Giuseppes, Helston 

An authentic Italian restaurant in Wendron 

Street that is building an increasing 

reputation for itself in the area. 

Serving all the usual pastas and pizzas, 

together with some more specialist dishes, 

owner and chef Giuseppe has brought the 

taste of his native Italy to Cornwall. 

· Open Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm - 9pm, 

additionally Friday and Saturday 10am 

- 2pm. Closed Sunday and Monday. 

01326 569300 

Glenbervie Bar, Mullion Cove Hotel 

Newly refurbished in April 2012, the 

Glenbervie is an Art Deco inspired bar offering 

less formal dining than the hotel’s Atlantic 

View Restaurant. 

Offering delights such as twice-cooked crispy 

duck accompanied by wok fried noodles with 

a dark soya and honey dressing, and hot oak 

smoked mackerel and horseradish bruchetta, 

the menu is prepared with produce sourced 

from the chef’s favourite local fishermen, 

farmers and growers. 

· Open from 11am onwards. 

01326 240328 

www.mullion-cove.co.uk 

The Top House Inn, The Lizard 

This can boast to being mainland Britain’s 

most southerly inn and many would argue it is 

worth the trek. 

Offering a deliberately eclectic menu to cater 

for a wide variety of choices, the majority of 

dishes are homemade, including handmade 

burgers and fishcakes, curries and pies. 

Portions are hearty and fresh local fish is a 

speciality. Wherever possible staff will let you 

know the boat name and number and for local 

line caught fish staff you can even get the 

fisherman’s name. 

Dine in the bar or restaurant areas, or if the 

weather is fine take advantage of the patio 

garden for dining alfresco. 

· Open daily Easter to October, food from 

11.30am; November onwards 11.30am 

- 2pm, 5.30pm - 9pm. 

01326 290974 

www.thetophouselizard.co.uk 


SaintlyCheeses 

Treveador Farm Dairy 

was born out of two 

outbuildings attached 

to Treveador Farmhouse 

where Alastair Rogers & 

Bernadette Newman live. 

Situated on farmland that 

runs down to the banks of the 

Helford River and the famous 

Frenchman’s Creek, Alastair 

&Bernadette converted the 

buildings into adairy just over a 

year ago. 

The milk used for their 

cheeses, Blue Horizon and 

Helford White, is provided 

by the Holstein Friesian cow 

herd established by Alastair’s 

The Cornish pasty: an 

emblem for Cornwall 

and possibly the county’s 

most popular –and 

tastiest –export. 

A‘proper’ Cornish pasty 

consists of shortcrust pastry 

filled with just four ingredients: 

chunks of beef steak, 

potatoes, turnip (or swede, to 

anyone outside of The 

Duchy) and onions. 

What makes it 

different to apie 

is its unique 

shape -a 

kind of semi 

circle, with 

distinctive 

crimping 

along the 

rounded 

edge. 

The 

crimped 

edge is akey 

element of a 

pasty, giving it its 

identity and also 

apractical purpose 

when it became 

popular with Cornish 

miners during the 17th 

and 18th centuries. 

The benefits were that it 

formed afull meal that could 

be carried easily and eaten 

without cutlery. The thick 

edge of crimped pastry gave 

something for aminer to hold 

onto, ensuring his dirty fingers 

father in the 1950’s which was 

then passed on to Alastair in 

the 1970’s and is now run by 

Alastair’s eldest son, Jonathan. 

It was inthe year 2000 that 

Alastair first considered cheese 

making,but not until 2006 

when he met Bernadette that 

they began to establish the 

idea. Production began in a 

small way with the help of their 

local outlets and friends who 

kindly became their guinea pigs! 

Thanks to their encouragement 

and demand production has 

grown and is now established 

throughout Cornwall and into 

Devon. 

Cornish pasty-a 

symbol of Cornwall 

(possibly including traces of 

arsenic) did not touch the food 

or his mouth. 

Often aminer’s initials were 

added to the top in pastry, to 

distinguish it from another. This 

practice was started because 

some miners used to eat part 

of their pasty for breakfast and 

leave the remainder for lunch. 

The story goes that any 

excess pastry was left for 

the ‘knockers’ -spirits 

in the mines who 

might otherwise 

lead miners into 

danger unless 

they were 

treated. 

It is 

sometimes 

believed that 

the pasties 

contained 

two different 

fillings, 

with around 

two thirds 

containing the 

standard meat, 

potato and turnip and 

the remaining third filled 

with something sweet, such as 

chopped apples or mincemeat, 

akind of ‘dessert’ at the end. 

However,this is generally 

accepted as just astory, with 

little evidence to back it up. 

Well known pasty makers 

include Ann’s Famous Pasties 

at The Lizard. 

Afamilyaffair 

Roskilly’s isasmall, 

working Cornish Organic 

Farm,perched on the 

beautiful southern tip of 

Cornwall. 

Joe &Rachel Roskilly 

inherited the farm from Joe’s 

fairy godmother in 1950. The 

business has developed over 

60 years and started with the 

sale of their delicious clotted 

cream, followed by the cottages 

which were developed during 

the sixties. 

Joe started building ponds 

during the seventies then in 

the late eighties, when all of 

the kids were grown up they 

started making ice cream. 

This was followed by the new 

milking parlour and the viewing 

gallery in1992. The Croust 

House restaurant opened in 

1993, and the fudge making 

began the following year. Atthe 

same time they started putting 

Rachel’s jams, chutneys and 

mustards into jars and selling 

them. They finally got all the 

production bits under one roof 

in 2006. 

They added bottled milk in 

2009 which meant that they 

It’s packed with omega 3’s 

and vitamin C, and at one 

time was sopopular that 

it was over-picked to the 

point of dying out and being 

forgotten. 

Now it’s known to only afew 

coastal foragers and experimental 

chefs. Rock Samphire grows 

achieved along held ambition 

to only use their own milk 

and cream to make all the ice 

cream (no brought in cream or 

skimmed milk powder). 

Their creamery now uses 

about 450,000 litres of milk 

from the farm. In abid to 

produce all the energy used 

by the farm onthe farm they 

have installed 100kw of solar 

panels. 

It’s completely free to come 

and visit us at the farm down 

on the Lizard... 

Go for astroll around the 

meadows and enjoy the 

tranquillity by the ponds, or 

take one of their trails to guide 

you and learn alittle about 

what they do. And of course, 

sample some of their delicious 

ice cream! 

The farm issuitable for 

buggies and wheelchairs. 

The Roskilly’s ice cream 

parlour cabinet is always 

full of their refreshing frozen 

yogurts, succulent sorbets and 

indulgent ice creams. They 

make all the sticky, chewy, 

cakey,crunchy, nutty and saucy 

bits in the ice cream too. Visit 

the website at roskillys.co.uk 

Natures miracle 

high up on the rocks above the 

tide line in Cornwall and is an 

unusual, extremely healthy and 

versatile vegetable. 

Youneed to cook Rock Samphire. 

If you eat it raw, it’s pretty 

horrible! Simmered for 8mins 

it’s delicious. It’s not salty and 

it’s not just for fish.” 

23

food 

Monthlyfarmersmarket 

Mullion Farmers Market isheld on 

the third Saturday ofevery month, 

except January, running from 

9.30am to 1pm. 

It is held in Mullion Comprehensive School 

(Meavor Road, Mullion, Nr. Helston TR12 

7EB), on the outskirts of the village as you 

head out towards the main Helston to Lizard 

Road. 

There is plenty of parking available in the 

school car park. 

The market gives local people and visitors 

the chance to buy fresh local produce 

directly from small local producers, farmers, 

fishmongers and bakers. At the market you 

will find staples such as bread, vegetables, 

meat, fish, cheese and eggs, through pasties, 

pies, cakes and quiches, chutneys and jams, 

to treats like chocolate and delicious curry. 

Many producers have won awards at both 

county and national level for their products. 

For example, the award winning butcher 

sells not just meat, but their own bacon, 

sausages and pies. The award winning baker 

sells a wonderful range from tasty wholemeal 

to the more exotic honey and lavender 

loaves and roasted vegetable foccacia. 

Everyone involved in the market is committed 

to producing the best tasting and quality 

food they can, using the best ingredients, 

the best standards of animal welfare, the 

greatest levels of sustainability and the least 

environmental impact. 

Most of the producers are based within 

a few miles of Mullion, and sell their own 

goods - so can answer any questions about 

the produce in person. While the market is 

primarily a food market, other goods such as 

plants, cut flowers, locally brewed ales and 

some local crafts are often available. 

The market also has a pleasant café area, 

where you can eat anything you have bought 

on the market. The café serves origin coffee, 

tea, cold drinks and homemade cakes. 

So, for provisions for your holiday, to pick 

up a lovely picnic on your way to the beach, or 

just something different and delicious to take 

home, visit Mullion Farmers’ Market to find 

the best that Cornwall has to offer 

To find out more about the market, including 

information on all the producers, visit 

www.mullionfarmersmarket.co.uk. You can 

also find them on Facebook, or phone Barry or 

Kate on 01326 241216. 

Littlevillage BIGfestival 

The little fishing village of Porthleven is 

home to abig festival! Started only five 

years ago to help the port’s economy 

and support local food producers, this 

family event is held in April each year 

(April 20 for 2013) and attracts between 

8,000 and 15,000 people. 

Renowned Cornish chefs lead the 

entertainment with superb cooking demos, 

then there are 80 local food stalls with 

enough variety to make your mouth water all 

day. There’s also a fish barbecue on the quay, 

a hog roast and two separate beer tents so 

no-one goes hungry or thirsty! 

Add to the mix three separate music 

stages, all-day buskers, craft stalls, a parallel 

young person’s festival with workshops and 

an art-trail ,and an evening dance, all set 

around this historic harbour, and all entirely 

free. Patron and TV Chef Antony Worrall 

Thompson returns every year to enjoy this 

great day out, and happily promotes the food 

wealth that this part of South West Cornwall 

is rightly famous for. 

Celebrate 

local food 

produce 

The Lizard is not only adesignated 

area of outstanding natural beauty, 

abounding in natural flora and 

fauna but it is also known for its 

outstanding number of local food 

producers. 

From Helston, known as the ‘Gateway 

to the Lizard’, to the end of the Lizard 

peninsula, there are more than 40 

food producers, many of whom sell 

their produce in local shops, to local 

restaurants and also attend local food 

markets. 

‘There has been a huge increase in 

the last five years with greater numbers 

of producers attending markets and 

supplying local shops to help meet the 

increasing demand from people wanting 

to buy local food,’ says Joanne Schofield, 

Market Controller for Helston Farmers’ 

Market. ‘In comparison to the overrated 

‘fresh food’ such as meat, bread, 

eggs, veg and fruit in supermarkets, 

local food is better quality, easier to 

trace, competitively priced and provides 

a more social shopping experience than 

supermarkets can provide. Many people 

want to know what they are buying and 

eating. Those who shop locally begin to 

appreciate what fresh food should taste 

like.’ 

Related websites:- 

•www.visitlizard.co.uk 

•www.wcfm.org.uk 

•www.westcornwallfood.org.uk 

Or visit your nearest local markets on the 

Lizard:- 

Constantine Market: second Saturday of 

every month. 9am to 12pm. Constantine 

Church Hall, Constantine. 07803 933588 

Helston Farmers Market: Monthly every 

first Saturday 9.30am to 1.30pm. 

The Old Cattle Market, Coronation 

Park, Porthleven Road, Helston TR13 

OSF. 01326 231146. facebook/ 

helstonfarmers’ market 

Helston Country Market: Every Friday 

7.45am to 12.30pm. The Guildhall, 

Helston TR13 8SG. 01209 861475 

Mullion Farmers’ Market: Monthly every 

3rd Saturday 9.30am to 1.30pm. Mullion 

School, Meavor Street Mullion TR12 7EB. 

01326 241216 

Ruan Minor: 1st Thursday of every month. 

Ruan Minor Village Hall, Ruan Minor 


food 

Foragingand 

feastingon 

the Lizard 

Justin Whitehouse; National Trust Head Ranger looks at 

what food can be gathered and eaten on The Lizard. 

As apassionate environmentalist 

working for one of the leading 

conservation organisations in Europe, 

my interest in foraging for wild food 

may seem contradictory. 

From aconservation point of view, so long 

as the countryside isn’t being pillaged of 

plants, animals and fungi for commercial 

gain, then Ican’t really see the problem in 

collecting nature’s bounty for personal use. If 

it brings people closer to nature, making them 

appreciate what unspoilt and well managed 

countryside can offer, then foraging can 

only help our conservation goals. Wild food 

is also free, healthy, tasty and enormously 

satisfying to collect. 

Springtime brings awonderful bounty 

of edible wild plants to the hedgerows, 

woodlands and cliffs around the Lizard. 

Succulent young herbs, shoots, flowers and 

leaves abound, with some of the commonest 

and unwelcome ‘weeds’ being the most 

sought after. Nettles, Alexanders, chickweed 

and fat hen, when collected young and fresh, 

are some of the most delicious greens 

growing along our verges and more than 

likely in your back garden, and certainly taste 

better than their supermarket equivalents. 

Other plants, such as Three Cornered Leek, 

is an extremely common white bluebell like 

flower and adelicious substitute for chives, 

leeks and onion dominating verges during 

early spring,are very invasive and unwelcome 

weeds. From aconservation point of view, 

take asmuch as you like! 

Awalk through many Lizard woods in spring 

can often bring the heady and unmistakable 

smell of Wild garlic or Ransomes. Lightly 

steamed, ransomes make adelicious 

substitute for garlicky spinach. 

The coast and cliffs bring awhole new 

bounty of produce. Aside from shellfish 

foraged from the shore at low tide (try 

mussels or winkles steamed over ransomes), 

most seaweed is edible and extremely 

healthy. Along the rocky cliffs, look out for 

sea beet (the precursor of all domesticated 

beets and in my opinion the tastiest) and rock 

samphire with aflavour curiously reminiscent 

of Bombay mix. 

Late summer and autumn offers the 

best time for fruit, nuts and of course 

fungi. Whilst everyone has no doubt picked 

brambles from the hedgerows, many other 

hedgerow fruits are edible and tasty. Sloes, 

hawberries, rosehips and crab apples all 

produce delicious preserves and beverages 

(try some Sloe gin!), whilst hazlenuts (pesto), 

sweet chestnuts (roasted on acampfire) and 

even beechnuts (a delicious and morish beer 

snack) are easy to recognise and plentiful. 

Wild mushrooms understandably fill people 

with dread. Whilst there are many species 

of delicious wild mushroom growing in the 

woods and pasture, amis-identification could 

easily land you in hospital or worse! 

With all foraging,make sure you refer to 

agood guide book or book onto acourse or 

guided walk. It’s not just mushrooms which 

might land you in intensive care. Some of the 

most benign looking plants, with an uncanny 

similarity to some of most delicious and 

common edible plants, are deadly poisonous. 

It’s amazing how similar Cow Parsley and 

Alexanders resemble Hemlock and Hemlock 

Water Dropwort and how Sorrel can be adead 

ringer for Lords and Ladies! 

Please also be aware that it is illegal to 

uproot plants from the wild and only take 

enough for your personal use. 

Happy foraging,but please be careful! 

Youcan join the National Trust on some 

foraging guided walks. In Spring there are a 

number of walks planned from Predannack 

Wollas and in October fungi walks are planned 

for Tremayne woods. Last year’s walks we 

munched on wild water mint, water cress, 

pennywort, rock samphire and various other 

tasty,and not so tasty,herbs, leaves and 

flowers. Occasional stops were rewarded with 

other morsels prepared earlier such as Water 

Cress Omelette, Ransom pesto, seaweeds 

and awee dram of bramble whiskey! 


Souvenir success 

forlocal company 

A new 

Cornish business 

set up create arange of 

handmade “piskies,” each 

with their own unique 

personality,has been 

celebrating ayear of 

souvenir success recently. 

Cornish Pisky Pals started 

trading in April 2012 and all 

their handmade gifts and 

souvenirs are lovingly crafted in 

the coastal village and fishing 

port ofCoverack, on the Lizard 

Peninsula. 

Company founder Caroline 

Beadle said: “We have now 

developed arange of very 

Cornish gifts and souvenirs that 

are ‘as Cornish as can be’ or 

‘Mar gernewek dell yllir’ if you 

would prefer it in Cornish. 

“Our main characters Perran, 

Izzy, Sam, Katie and Yasmin, 

whose initials spell out the word 

PISKY, have arange of interests 

from Perran our proper Cornish 

pisky liking pasties and saffron 

buns, to Yasmin who goes fishing 

in Coverack Harbour! 

“We have kept everything 

as Cornish as can be and we 

now have our own pisky design 

printed on bags from The Cornish 

Jute Bag Company atPortreath, 

mugs with our pisky design from 

Chown China of Hayle and our 

home produced notebooks and 

magnets and photo cards.” 

The Cornish pisky has been 

part ofthe county’s folklore 

for generations -itisnot as 

common as its better known 

English relatives such as elves, 

fairies and sprites, but aCornish 

Pisky isdifferent -ItisCornish 

and proud of it! 

To give the piskies achance 

to run free in the Cornish 

countryside, Caroline and her 

sister run regular “Pisky Trails”. 

For more on Cornish Pisky Pals 

visit www.cornishpisky.co.uk or 

email info@cornishpisky.co.uk 

27

arts 

Communityart 

The Stable Yard Gallery issituated 

within the courtyard of the beautiful 

Trelowarren Estate. It is also home to 

the Lizard Art Co-Operative where the 15 

exhibiting members will be contributing 

to three new and exciting exhibitions 

during 2013. The season will close with 

atwo week open Value Art Fair which 

will support alocal charity. 

All the members live and work on the 

Lizard, and their exhibitions reflect their joy 

and inspiration from where they live. Each 

artist’s space will differ to the next – abstract, 

traditional, watercolour, oil, print, photography. 

No matter what your taste in art, or medium. 

A good range of artist’s greetings cards 

and limited edition prints also give very 

good value. The season starts with the first 

exhibition opening on Friday, March 29 and 

the gallery will then be open daily from 11am 

– 4pm until its closure on Friday, November 1. 

As the gallery stewards are the members 

themselves, they hope that visitors will find it 

is easy to just chat, or to discuss the various 

techniques needed to produce a painting in 

the differing mediums. As this is something 

that the gallery is wanting to expand, “Meet 

the Artist” events have been established 

to take place the first Sunday of each new 

exhibition, when visitors can come and not 

only watch the artists at work but roll up their 

sleeves and have a try themselves. 

Also watch out for the group as they will be 

out and about through the summer months 

at popular venues on the Lizard, painting 

on location. More details and a calendar of 

events will be available at the Gallery and 

on their website www.lizardart.com or follow 

them on facebook 

The Trelowarren Courtyard is a lovely place 

to spend time, not just to visit LizardArt, 

but it is the starting point of four miles of 

the wonderful woodland walks through the 

Trelowarren Estate. The New Yard Restaurant 

will start visitors off with delicious coffee and 

cake and then feed them in style for lunch 

or dinner when they return tired and hungry. 

If that wasn’t enough wander through the 

splendid Cornwall Crafts Gallery and garden 

before heading home. 

Top: The drive to Trelowarren 

Below: Olive trees at The Stable 

Yard Gallery 


Hubofcreative energy 

With its stunning coastline views and 

rural settings the Lizard Peninusla is 

ahub of creative energy and artistic 

endeavours. 

The Lizard Art Co-Operative is a group of 15 

artists based at the Stable Yard Gallery, set 

within the courtyard of the Trelowarren Estate 

near Mawgan. 

They will be contributing to three exhibitions 

during 2013, with the season starting on 

March 29 and then running until November 1, 

closing with a two-week open Value Art Fair in 

support of a local charity. 

During this time the gallery is open daily 

between 11am and 4pm. 

Coverack Art Club celebrated its 40th 

anniversary last year,and continues to 

bring together artists from all over The 

Lizard and beyond. 

Weekly meetings are on Mondays from 

10.30am onwards at Lambeage Hall, from 

September through to mid-May. 

In the warmer months members meet for 

outings to gardens and beauty spots for some 

plein air painting. 

Coverack Art Club prides itself on being a 

friendly and informal group that welcomes 

complete beginners aswell as accomplished 

artists. 

For those who have always wanted to paint 

All the members live and work on the 

Lizard and each space will differ to the next 

– abstract, traditional, watercolour, oil, print, 

photography. 

As the gallery stewards are the members 

themselves, the aim is for visitors to feel 

able to chat to them or discuss the various 

techniques. 

As this is something that the gallery wants 

to expand, ‘Meet the Artist’ events take place 

the first Sunday of each new exhibition, when 

visitors can go and not only watch the artists 

at work but roll up their sleeves and have a 

try themselves. 

For more information on Lizard Art Co- 

Operative visit www.lizardart.co.uk 

Celebrating40years 

Lizard Art Members 2013 

but haven’t been sure how to get started, the 

club offers the perfect introduction to ahobby 

that can become very addictive. 

Agood introduction to the club is the Meet 

the Artists day onSaturday, May 18, which is 

the first day ofthe spring exhibition. 

Many ofthe artists with work onshow will be 

at Lambeage Hall from 11am to 3pm to meet 

visitors and discuss their work. The hall is a 

short walk from the Paris Hotel, and there will 

be signs directing visitors tothe venue. 

Membership of the club costs £30 ayear, 

and anyone interested in joining can do so at 

the exhibition, or contact club chairman Dee 

May on01326 572119. 

29

sports 

Muster your spirit for adventure and 

experience the rugged landscape 

of the Lizard from the cliffs and the 

sea. With Lizard Adventure you can 

scale sea cliffs, explore the coastline 

by paddle power,and scramble and 

swim around swell-lashed territory 

where wildlife abounds. 

Kayaking, coasteering and climbing 

expeditions are tailored to families, groups 

and individuals; and if you prefer to keep your 

feet on terra firma try a bush-craft course or 

guided walk. 

Whatever sort of Lizard Adventure you 

choose to embark on, prepare to witness the 

scenery of the Lizard from a new perspective 

and encounter all sorts of wildlife from sea 

birds to seals. Look out for kittiwakes on 

Mullion Island, catch fish from your kayak 

and learn all about the local area from your 

expert guides. The team at Lizard Adventure 

are passionate about the environment they 

are lucky enough to call their office, and are 

partnered with the National Trust to best 

preserve and celebrate the natural landscape 

in which they operate their trips. 

COASTEERING 

Take the plunge and explore where the land 

meets the sea: ride whirlpools, explore sea 

caves, scramble up cliff faces and leap 

from rocky ledges. Lizard Adventure has 

pioneered the most southerly coasteering 

trips in Britain and its trips will take you deep 

into the creases of this wild peninsula while 

bringing you face-to-face with marine life. 

For individuals, groups and families with an 

adventurous streak, there’s no better way to 

get under the salty skin of the Lizard. 

KAYAKING 

Once you’ve launched your sturdy sit-on-top 

kayak from Mullion Cove or Porthoustock, 

you’ll hear very little but the ‘plip-plip’ of your 

paddle breaking the surface of the ocean 

as you float seaward. See the coastline 

inside-out and keep your eyes peeled for 

seals and birdlife as you manoeuvre through 

narrow gulleys, enter sea caves and paddle to 

uninhabited islands. No previous experience 

is necessary and your expert guides will teach 

you basic techniques or work on developing 

your kayaking skills according to your ability. 

CLIMBING 

Get to grips (literally) with the stunning 

sea cliffs of the Lizard Peninsula and climb 

towering rock stacks where the sea licks 

your heels. Opt for a full-day, half-day or 

two-day introduction to climbing, and work on 

abseiling, bouldering and confidence building, 

before climbing adrenalin-inducing routes. 

All guides are SPA assessed, and no prior 

climbing experience is needed. 

BUSH CRAFT 

Even if you prefer less of a heart-racing 

adventure, surviving in the wild isn’t for 

softies. And that’s exactly what bush craft 

courses are all about. Encouraging families 

and friends to make the most of the natural 

environment, you can learn to forage for 

foods, light a fire without matches, skin and 

cook rabbits, and build a den. 

GUIDED WALKS 

Don’t want to don a wetsuit or get your feet 

wet? Being home to such varied and beautiful 

terrain, the Lizard offers activities for all types 

of adventure seekers. Weekly guided walks 

introduce you to the history and wildlife of the 

Lizard while you listen to tales about pirates, 

fishermen and soap stone traders. 

With over 20 years of experience, the guides 

at Lizard Adventure are geared to fulfil your 

quest for adventure. So what are you waiting 

for? Prepare to see the Lizard from a different 

angle. For more information please go to 

www.lizardadventure.co.uk or call 07845 

204040. 


Ridingthe waves 

Surfing is awaiting game, waiting for 

the right tide, for the right waves, and 

even just waiting for your buddies 

to turn up, but for those down on a 

holiday break the key is just jumping 

in and getting on with it. 

There are few thrills as exciting as rushing 

along carried by awild Atlantic wave, and 

Cornwall certainly has areputation as the 

surf capital of England. The golden sands 

of Newquay that face into the brunt of the 

open ocean swells are the jewels in the 

crown for visiting surfers and the storms 

that pound the craggy north Cornish coast 

year round make itthe mecca for wave 

riders. But what do you do if you find 

yourself on the Lizard Peninsula and in the 

mood for alittle dip. 

Well while it may not have the size and 

quality of other parts of Cornwall, this can 

be ablessing as beginners can find plenty 

of space to learn inpeace. 

Poldhu is asandy cove near Mullion which 

gives an average quality wave when small, 

while at Gunwalloe you will find Church 

Cove, an average quality beach break that 

can have aheavy shore dump. 

Kynance Cove is owned by the National 

Trust and if you arrive at low tide there 

can be agood wave. It is very popular with 

families and locals alike and is well worth a 

trip to take inthe breathtaking scenery. 

If you are unlucky enough, or lucky ifyou 

enjoy the blustery drama, to arrive when 

agale is blowing in from the SW,all is not 

lost, Kennack Sands is an excellent south 

coast surf spot which needs plenty of swell 

to wrap around the Lizard peninsula before 

it switches on. 

There are also some secret spots tucked 

away,but these are best left to the experts. 

So now you know where to go, what do 

you do when you get there. First up, safety. 

The sea is acruel, changeable mistress, 

and regardless of how strong aswimmer 

you are, always take care and listen to 

lifeguards. 

If you are acomplete novice, think about 

finding asurf school. They are experts and 

you will come on leaps and bounds after a 

few little tips. They also offer the complete 

package of board, wetsuit and lessons, 

leaving you to focus on wobbling to your 

feet. Why not try the guys at Dan Joel surf 

school, based at Poldhu. With years of 

surfing experience, the team offer safe, 

relaxed and friendly surf tuition for adults 

and children alike. 

31

wildlife 

Goonhilly nature reserve 

has awealth of interesting 

flora and fauna. 

TheLizard: Home of the chough 

After along decline because of habitat 

loss and persecution, the last chough 

disappeared from Cornwall (and 

England) in 1973. They had last 

successfully bred in 1947. 

In 2001, there was asmall influx of wild 

choughs to southern England and three 

birds stayed on The Lizard in Cornwall. Since 

2002, the now famous pioneering pair has 

nested every year at Southerly Point raising 

atotal of 32 young so far. Many survive and 

some have raised their own young. 

Choughs are vulnerable to disturbance 

and egg collectors. RSPB staff and 

volunteers protect nests night and day, and 

closely monitor the expanding population. 

Historically, the southwest of the UK, 

especially Cornwall, was astronghold 

for choughs. Their return isamilestone 

in terms of UK range recovery for this 

captivating crow. 

The Cornwall Chough Project ensures 

the future for the birds by working with 

landowners torestore grassland and 

heathland habitats along the coastal fringe. 

Grazing by suitable stock provides achoughfriendly 

mosaic of open, short grasslands 

where they can forage for invertebrates. 

Choughs are quite confiding birds. If 

you see choughs on your walk, do not 

deliberately approach them, just stand or 

sit quietly and they may even come closer 

giving you the best chance to enjoy these 

captivating crows. 

If you have adog or dogs with you, please 

remember that wildlife, including choughs 

are vulnerable to disturbance and your 

dog could even surprise and kill achough, 

especially ajuvenile chough. Please keep 

your dog on alead where there are choughs 

around. If you are taking photographs, 

please don’t try to approach too closely and 

disturb them, the coastal footpath is abusy 

place and they should be allowed to feed 

undisturbed wherever possible. 

The Lizard chough watchpoint at the 

most southerly point on The Lizard will be 

open from March 29 to early June 11am 

-4pm weather permitting. That’s the best 

place to see them. Send in their sightings 

to cornishchoughs@rspb.org.uk or to go the 

blog at www.cornishchoughs.org and follow 

the link. 


Where can Iwatch wild 

choughs in Cornwall? 

July and August is afantastic time of 

year to see choughs in Cornwall as 

there are several family groups roaming 

the cliffs of the Lizard peninsulas. 

Here are some top tips of where to go 

chough spotting. 

·Awalk between Southerly Point at the 

tip of the Lizard peninsula to Kynance 

Cove is agood start. If you don’t feel 

like walking, you can always drive to 

Kynance along the toll road (parking 

fee at the car park for non National 

Trust members). 

·Ifyou want alonger walk and to make 

aday of it why not go all the way to 

Mullion, keep to the coastal fringe 

and listen out for the choughs as you 

walk past Soap Cove, Vellan Head and 

Predannack cliffs. If you then walk up 

into Mullion village you can get abus 

back to Lizard village. 

·There are lots of short circular walks 

that you can make, leaving from 

Lizard village, that take you past good 

chough watching spots. 

Returnofthe redsquirrel 

Have you seen any red squirrels on 

the Lizard? No? In fact, the last 

sighting of ared squirrel anywhere 

in Cornwall was nearly 30 years 

ago. Sadly,although they are one of 

the most loved and iconic of British 

mammals, the long-term survival of 

our native squirrel remains under 

severe threat. 

Yetthere is hope, and that is where 

the Lizard comes in. Due to its special 

peninsula geography, this area has been 

selected as akey site for an exciting 

new approach which hopes to enable red 

squirrels to thrive in the area once again. 

Led by the Cornwall Red Squirrel Project 

(CRSP), which commenced activities in 

2009, the aim is to release captive-bred 

red squirrels back onto The Lizard. If 

successful, this ground-breaking project 

will mark the first mainland re-introduction 

scheme in England. But in order to work, 

the team first needs to address the 

problems that led to the decline of red 

squirrels in the first place. 

The biggest threat to our native red 

squirrels are the invasive American grey 

squirrels and the devastating squirrel 

pox virus they spread (the grey carriers 

are immune). Helpfully, grey squirrels are 

already the subject of significant control 

operations on the Lizard, because of the 

damage they cause to woodland, eating 

bark and ultimately killing the trees they 

attack. The CRSP is busy joining up the 

existing efforts, and getting other land 

owners onthe peninsula to fill in the gaps, 

to rid the peninsula of invasive greys once 

and for all. 

Once grey-free, the native reds can at 

long last be released back into the Lizard. 

They will be protected from future invasions 

by a“buffer zone” across the narrow top 

of the peninsula, which greys will not be 

allowed to cross. If you would like tohelp 

to bring back the bushy red-tails, you can 

become amember of the Cornwall Red 

Squirrel Project by visiting their website at 

www.cornwallredsquirrels.co.uk. 

33

landscape 

The rocks beneath your feet on The Lizard 

tell of agreat cataclysm, when great 

forces built mountains here 350-270 

million years ago, when the collision 

of Gondwanaland with North America 

made giant folds in the crust. In the 

south of the peninsula this brought 

twisted fractured rocks from deep 

beneath the earth’s surface. 

Feel the weight of a pebble of the reddish 

“snakeskin” serpentine at Kennack Sands 

to get a feeling of how unusual these rocks 

are, as heavy rocks rarely reach the surface. 

See these and other serpentines in the Lizard 

Village where craftsmen polish this rock into 

handsome ornaments. 

The mild oceanic climate, unusual 

geology and patterns of different land use 

created the distinctive landscape of the 

Lizard Peninsula. Maritime cliffs, coastal 

grasslands and heathland support a unique 

collection of plants, insects and animals. 

Over 250 species of national or international 

importance can be found amongst the heath, 

rocks and grasslands of the Lizard and 

provide a mecca for botanists and wildlife 

lovers from all over the world. 

But you don’t need to be an expert to enjoy 

the cliffs in springtime when the colours of 

pink thrift, yellow vetch and the blue spring 

squill carpet the ground. Or later in the 

summer, when heathland species of every 

conceivable shade of pink and purple contrast 

vividly with the yellow of blossoming gorse. 

Cornish Heath is the predominant species 

here, it grows only on the Lizard in Britain and 

can best be seen at Goonhilly, Kynance and 

Predannack. 

But it doesn’t look after itself, to conserve 

this unique habitat, animals need to graze 

back the coarser species of grass and 

gorse to allow the finer plants to thrive, or 

occasional managed winter heathland burns 

help orchids appear in following years. 

Farmers and conservation organisations like 

the National Trust, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and 

Natural England use traditional breeds of 

sheep, cattle and ponies to graze the cliffs 

keeping encroaching scrub at bay. 

TheLizards 

spectacular 

rare wildflowers 

with Rachel Holder -National Trust Ranger 

Ifirst arrived on the Lizard 15 years ago, 

as avolunteer student helping out with 

asurvey ofrare plants for the National 

Trust. Ihave worked locally ever since, 

and as abotanist Ifeel incredibly lucky 

to be involved with the monitoring and 

protection of the Lizard’s rare plants. 

Although perhaps not as showy as the 

carpets of thrift and bluebell, there are 

a whole host of rare wildflowers growing 

in these few square miles of Cornwall, 

meaning the Lizard can lay claim to the 

title of the best place to find rare plants 

in the UK. 

Botanists have been flocking to 

the Lizard to find and record many 

of the rare and unusual species with 

equally unusual names such as fringed 

rupturewort, hairy greenweed, longheaded 

clover and the better known 

Cornish Heath. 

Many, such as the tiny grass-like fern 

land quillwort, are Mediterranean plants 

that find our mild (if sometimes foggy) 

climate to their liking, whereas others, 

like the pretty little white flowered 

spring sandwort, are arctic plants at the 

southern limit of their distribution. 

Although a few, like wild asparagus, 

do make themselves obvious, many are 

inconspicuous, meaning if you want to 

hunt out the famous Lizard rarities you 

do need patience and a good eye for 

detail! The Lizard’s list of celebrity plants 

includes three rare annual clovers, the 

diminutive dwarf rush which stands just 

1cm tall, prostrate broom, wild chives, 

parasitic thyme broomrape and pillwort, 

an aquatic fern. 


Published by Newsquest Media (Southern) Ltd – a Gannett company – from its offices at Falmouth Business Park, Bickland Water Road, Falmouth (01326 213333), 

and printed at Fleet House, Hampshire Road, Weymouth, Dorset DT4 9XD (01305 830881).

Lizard Guide

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