The landscape of West Penwith is varied and unspoilt, ranging from vertiginous granite cliffs, rolling farmland, heather, bracken and gorse covered moors, and sheltered woodland valleys, like Lamorna and St. Loy, Dotted around the coast are picturesque fishing villages like Mousehole and Penberth, and larger towns such as Penzance, Newlyn, Hayle and St. Ives. Whole days can be spent exploring each of the many ancient sites, gardens, museums and other attractions in the area.

Porthcurno Porthcurno usually takes visitors by surprise.It is one of the most beautiful bays in Europe. On one side of the valley is the Minack clifftop open air theatre, from which the view is breathtaking, and on the other is the Telegraph Museum and wartime tunnels, showing the history of submarine telegraphy from Napoleonic times to WWII. To the East is the Logan Rock, and the ancient fortress of Treryn Dinas.

Penzance Penzance is a 'real' working town providing shopping and other commerce for the local villages. In the centre, Market Jew Street, Chapel Street and Causewayhead are particularly worth visiting, and down the side streets and alleyways there are historical gems, including perfectly preserved Regency squares and terraces, and parks, galleries and museums.

St. Michael's Mount Web Link St. Michael's Mount was once a 12thC priory associated with Mont St. Michel in Brittany. The path from the harbour is part of the pilgrim's route to Compostella Now owned by the National Trust, and the home of the St. Aubyn family, it is open to visitors for most of the year. Access by ferry, or by causeway when the tide is out

St. Ives Picturesque St. Ives was once a fishing town, and became popular with artists from the early 20thC. Now a lively tourist town, it still retains its bohemian character, and is notable for its narrow, twisting shopping lanes, for the Tate St. Ives gallery, and for the Barbara Hepworth museum and garden. The harbour area and nearby beaches are popular in the summer.

Mousehole Mousehole (pronounced Mouzzle) is a picturesque fishing village with a harbour, interesting alleyways, and several shops, pubs and restaurants. Famous for the children's book 'The Mousehole Cat', it is also popular for its Christmas lights..

Newlyn Newlyn is one of the most important fishing ports in the UK. Famous for artists as well as for its fishing fleet, it has several pubs and sea food restaurants, and is easily accessible from nearby Penzance. Places to visit include the Newlyn Gallery , the Pilchard Works, and the fishing harbour, where an annual fish festival takes place.

Penberth Penberth Cove is a tiny active fishing village along the South West Coast path, in a beautiful valley with nearby woodland and clifftop walks. Notable is its victorian wooden capstan, maintained by the National Trust.

St. Loy and Lamorna Lamorna and St. Loy are both very pretty parallel woodland valleys on the South East coast. Lamorna is famous for its artists, like 'Lamorna' Birch, Dame Laura Knight, Augustus John, Alfred Munnings and Charles Napier. Today, there are still painters, potters, craftsmen and writers living in the area. St. Loy is notable for its woodland walk, with bluebells in the spring, and leads down to a beach cobbled with enormous boulders. Lamorna, the warmest valley in the UK, is most easily accessible by a road leading down to the harbour, and has shops and a pub.

Isles of Scilly The Scillies are a group of small islands about 25 miles off the South West coast, and are accessible by sea ferry, aircraft or helicopter. Having an exceptionally mild climate, these sparsely populated islands are poular for their wildlife, their beautiful coasts and beaches, and for the historical Tresco Abbey Garden.

Scenic flights: Airways Westward (01736) 788771 Skybus/sea ferry: 0845 710 5555 Web Link Helicopter (from Penzance )(01736) 363871 web link

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