Home | Accommodation | Business | Attractions | Maps | News | Tides | Dates | The Arts | Links

The two villages of Botallack and Pendeen, with Trewellard between lie outside of St. Just on the coast road to St.Ives. They are essentially old mining areas and most of the interest is behind on the coastal cliffs where the mines were established and where many relics of the industry still remain. The most famous of these is probably the Crown Mine at Botallack, which is perched on the cliff face and which has been the subject of many photographs.

There is car parking at the lighthouse which is reached by a lane at the end of Pendeen village. Turn left at the cross roads. Straight ahead continues to Zennor and right goes to Newbridge. From the lighthouse there are two great walks.

The first takes you northwards along the coastal path to Portherras Cove where there is a sandy beach much used by the local community. At high tide the beach is almost completely covered and in the winter, storms move most of the sand, revealing smooth and rounded boulders of all sizes. The sand, amazingly, almost always returns by the summer. This can be a good place for a swim, but even on a rough day, just to sit and watch the great Atlantic rollers pounding the beach is just magical.

The second walk goes in the opposite direction, along the cliffs, towards Botallack and the mining relics of the tin industry. This is one of the best places in Cornwall to look at the remains of what was once a great industry and, if you have time, a visit to one or both the Levant and Geevor mines is well worthwhile. Both are open to the public.

Tourist Information Centre

Click for more information

Return to Top | Return to Map