Perched on a rocky reef, 1.25 miles out to sea from Land's End, this famous lighthouse is a marvel of maritime engineering. Built to warn ships away from this infamously dangerous stretch of coastline, the first structure was built in 1795 but was swamped by waves, and subsequently replaced in 1873 at the considerable cost of £43,870. Since then it’s somehow withstood even the worst of the Atlantic storms, and has been unmanned since 1988.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
12.36 MILES
Looming up in the middle of Mount's Bay and connected to the mainland at Marazion via a cobbled causeway, this abbey-crowned island is an unforgettable…
27.5 MILES
Tresco's key attraction – and one of Scilly's must-see gems – is this subtropical estate, laid out in 1834 on the site of a 12th-century Benedictine…
15.52 MILES
After an 18-month, multimillion-pound refit, St Ives' most illustrious gallery reopened its doors, complete with a monumental exhibition space that's been…
24.02 MILES
A mile north of Lizard Point, this National Trust–owned inlet is an absolute showstopper, studded with craggy offshore islands rising out of searingly…
17.86 MILES
This wonderful medieval house and garden was the family seat of the Godolphin family who, during the 17th and 18th centuries, were one of Cornwall's great…
27.8 MILES
Two miles from St Agnes is one of Cornwall's most beautiful coves, Chapel Porth, a wild, rocky beach framed by steep, gorse-covered cliffs, owned by the…
28.49 MILES
Bryher is fringed by fabulous beaches, but Rushy Bay is the largest – and many would say the loveliest. South-facing and sheltered by the hummock of Watch…
19.04 MILES
These wonderful side-by-side beaches join up at low tide to form one epic stretch of golden, flat sand. At the eastern end is the small, National Trust…
Nearby West Cornwall attractions
1. Roundhouse and Capstan Gallery
1.95 MILES
Browse local paintings and artworks in this peculiar little gallery just off the harbour, housed in a circular building that would once have held a ships'…
2.44 MILES
It's a bit of a walk from Land's End, but this remote, rocky cove is an old favourite if you fancy a bit of seclusion away from the crowds (or most of…
2.92 MILES
The northern end of Sennen's sands is the prettiest, a 150m curve of soft yellow sand. It's joined with the main beach at low tide, but it's a bit more…
3.79 MILES
This idyllic cove ticks pretty much all the boxes you can think of: sand, slipway, translucent blue water and tall cliffs – not to mention that all…
4.29 MILES
A beach for the active: this attractive rocky cove is backed by high cliffs and sits in a remote spot along the coast path in the far west of Penwith,…
6. Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
4.4 MILES
This fascinating museum charts the unlikely tale of Porthcurno's role in transatlantic telecommunications. In 1870 an underwater cable was laid here,…
7. Minack Theatre Visitor Centre
4.44 MILES
Above Minack Theatre, the visitor centre recounts the theatre's history. It's closed when there's a matinee.
4.48 MILES
Jutting out from the cliffs near St Just is Cornwall's only cape, a craggy outcrop of land topped by an abandoned mine stack. Below the cape is the rocky…