Cornwall Coast: Lands End & St Ives - tour description
Most visitors to West Cornwall see little except Lands End itself which is regrettable as the whole of the granite coastline on either side of Land’s End, between Mousehole and St Ives, offers magnificent landscapes and seascapes, including perhaps the finest coastal scenery in England. In spring the cliff-top path is bordered with masses of wild flowers, notably the cushions of pink sea-thrift.

Almost every mile provides some new contrast or point of interest: the remains of former tin mines perched on the sea cliffs around Botallack; the open-air theatre overlooking the beach at Porthcurno; ancient dolmens (stone-age burial chambers), stone circles, standing stones, iron age hill forts and other prehistoric remains; and and of course the unceasing swell of Atlantic waves breaking on offshore reefs or crashing at the foot of the cliffs.

Tucked away near the western extremity of England at Cape Cornwall is the little town of St Just-in-Penwith, formerly a centre of the tin-mining industry, now a picturesque backwater with a real old- fashioned Cornish pub, dark wood panelling and all.

The narrow, winding streets and picturesque fishing harbour of St Ives have long attracted painters and sculptors such as Augustus John and Barbara Hepworth; and the town now has its own permanent branch of London’s world famous Tate Gallery.
The famous open-air theatre on the cliffs at Porthcurno has performances from Monday to Friday evenings from late May until September.

A second night at Zennor allows time for a rest, or to walk to the fascinating iron age village of Chysauster. The celebrated monastic island of St Michael’s Mount, reached by a tidal causeway from Marazion, is accessible in a day from either Mousehole or St Ives; accommodation can also be booked in Marazion.

NEW!  Bodmin Moor extension (2 nights). Stop off on your way back from St Ives for 2 nights in comfortable farm-house accommodation with private bathroom at Darite on the edge of the beautiful granite upland of Bodmin Moor!  Pick-up and drop-off at Liskeard main line rail station, or discounted price if you arrive in your own car. An amazing landscape contrast after the Lands End coastline! Maps and route notes included, also transfer on Day 2 to the remote village of Altarnun (setting of part of Daphne du Maurier’s novel Jamaica Inn) from where you can walk back across the moor to Darite. Click here for Bodmin Moor page.

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What previous customers have told us about our Lands End Tour
We had a wonderful time. We loved Cornwall, the coastal path and the walking. We were not really ready to end when we reached St.Ives... The map and directions made us feel quite comfortable about being on our own...we saw kestrels and a couple of seals... the flowers were glorious... [The accommodations]...were great. Each was different from the other and all the proprietors were interesting and very hospitable. While the rooms were often small, each location had its own charm...The Discerning Traveller met our needs perfectly.
Ms D.Maccario & Ms E.Fein.

'...map and route descriptions were very exactly worked out! (the best that we have ever known).' Mr and Mrs Honifogl. 'We like the ancient things: stone-circles, menhirs, quoits...'
Mrs Roermund and Mrs Driemen.

'All accommodations were very nice; each had a speciality: the lovely house in [Mousehole], the comfort [at Porthcurno]...the calmness in the guest house at St Ives. We liked to be everywhere.'
Mr and Mrs Bergmann.

'Don't change a thing!'
Ms A. Jongedijk and black labrador Ari.

'We had a great walk, the weather co-operated, your directions, notes suggestions etc. were great.' Mr R West.

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Cornwall Coast: Land's End & St Ives - tour details 2014
A Discerning Traveller self-led hiking holiday
Duration. 5 nights or 7 nights. Tour code: W5 or W7. Dates. April to mid-October. In winter the accommodation is still available, but weather conditions on the coastal path can be stormy!
Grade. 5 night tour: moderate to demanding; 7 night tour: moderate. The 5 night tour is intended for those who wish to concentrate on completing the coastal path walk between Mousehole and St Ives, and is MORE strenuous and demanding than the 7-night tour, which allows more time to explore the numerous fine prehistoric sites away from the coast, or to take the coastal walk at a more leisurely pace. The coastal walk (5-day tour) involves distances of up to 18km/11 miles/7 hours per day over rough terrain on narrow paths with many short steep ascents and descents. However days can readily be shortened by using buses or taxis so don't worry if you have less than a week to spare!
Train stations. Start of tour Penzance; end of tour St Ives or Penzance.
Train service. Direct from London Paddington to Penzance (5.5 hrs; to return from St Ives change trains at St Erth or Penzance). There is also an overnight sleeper train service (not Saturday nights) between London Paddington and Penzance with a choice between a comfortable seat and a berth (bed) in a two-berth cabin between London Paddington and Penzance. The sleeper berths must be pre-booked.
Overnight stops. 5-night tour: Night 1 Mousehole; 2 Porthcurno; 3 St Just; 4 Zennor; 5 St Ives; 7-night tour: Night 1 Mousehole; 2 Porthcurno; 3 and 4 St Just; 5 Zennor; 6 and 7 St Ives.
Accommodation. Specially selected small guest houses or 'B&Bs'. One or two nights may be at a small hotel. En suite or private facilities can be guaranteed throughout the tour on payment of a supplement.
Meals included. Breakfast each morning; other meals can be obtained locally without pre-booking.
Dogs. It may be possible to bring a well-behaved dog on this tour. Please enquire.
Extra nights. These can be included at any point on the tour at the time of booking the holiday. We charge cost price plus a commission. On the 7-night tour we already include second nights at St Just and St Ives. This allows time at St Just for extra walks, to explore the fascinating little town and (for those interested in industrial archaeology) to visit the remains of tin-mining industry on the coastal cliffs at Geevor. An extra day at St Ives, which offers a choice of galleries, cafes and beaches, also provides an opportunity for a visit to St Michael's Mount as well as for more hikes. An extra day at Zennor allows time to walk over the moors to the fascinating iron-age village of Chysauster (in the care of English Heritage); on the way you also pass the quoits (Neolithic tombs) of Zennor and Mulfra. Porthcurno has a fine beach, as well as the Minack clifftop theatre. Less fit walkers find a rest day at Porthcurno beneficial in order to regain their strength for the demanding walk round Lands End to St Just! A night can also be booked at Marazion in order to visit St Michael's Mount (reached by boat or via a tidal causeway, castle closed Saturdays), which is also easily accessible in a day from Mousehole or St Ives or other points on the tour.
Factsheet. Our factsheets are more detailed information sheets, one for each tour, which should be obtained from The Discerning Traveller before booking. The Factsheet code for our Land's End tour is FSW. See Enquiry form.
Reading. Daphne du Maurier's Cornwall is available in paperback while her famous short story The Birds is set on the north coast at a location somewhat resembling Zennor. Journey to the Stones by Ian Cooke is an inspiring text on the archaeological monuments of the Lands End peninsula, several of which we visit. A delightful book for young children is The Mousehole Cat by Antonia Barber; our tour starts by Mousehole's claw-like harbour wall.

Cornwall Coast: Lands End & St Ives - tour prices 2014

• W5 (5 nights tour, ES or private facilities most nights): £480. SRS*: £85. STS**: £110.
• W5E (5 nights tour, ES or private facilities every night): £530. SRS*: £100. STS**: £125.
• W7 (7 nights tour, ES or private facilities most nights): £570. SRS*: £105. STS**: £130.
• W7E (7 nights tour, ES or private facilities every night): £630. SRS*: £130. STS**: £155.
• Extra nights £45 per person per night. At Zennor or St Ives £55.
• SRS* = single room supplement (applicable when 3 or 5 persons book together).
• STS** = single traveller supplement (applicable when booking is for one person only)
• Prices quoted are per person on basis of two people in double or twin-bedded rooms. Included in the price are bed and breakfast each night, with baggage transfers, maps and route directions. ‘ES’ (en suite) facilities means that there is a private bathroom with shower or tub and toilet within the main door of your room. ‘Private facilities’ means that the private bathroom may be outside the main door of your room. When the booking is made for a party of 3 or 5 customers, a single room supplement is payable. When the booking is made for a single traveller, a single traveller supplement is payable. Normally there is a maximum of one single room per booking.
• Note 1. Maximum of 1 single room per booking.
• Note 2: Extra night prices may be higher for single rooms.
• Note 3: This tour is available for single travellers paying the single supplement rate.
  

We offer other coastal walking tours on the Jurassic Coast of Devon and Dorset (a Unesco World Heritage Site) and in Pembrokeshire.

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