Cape Cornwall

West Cornwall


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 beach of Priest's Cove, while nearby are the ruins of St Helen's Oratory, supposedly one of the first Christian chapels built in West Cornwall.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby West Cornwall attractions

1. Botallack

1.28 MILES

Clinging to the cliffs near Levant, this dramatic complex of mine-workings is one of the most atmospheric sights from Cornwall's industrial past. The main…

2. Levant Mine & Beam Engine

2.02 MILES

At this clifftop site, one of the world's only working beam engines is still in thunderous action. Built in 1840, these great engines were the powerhouses…

3. Geevor Tin Mine

2.3 MILES

Just north of St Just near Pendeen, this historic mine closed in 1990 and now provides a powerful insight into the dark, dingy and dangerous conditions in…

4. Gwenver Beach

2.73 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…

5. Roundhouse and Capstan Gallery

3.39 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'…

6. Portheras Cove

3.42 MILES

Half a mile north of Pendeen lies Portheras Cove, a lovely slash of sheltered sand that can only be reached via a 20-minute walk along the cliff path. The…

7. Chûn Quoit

3.48 MILES

A well-preserved dolmen that probably marks the site of a burial tomb, and is likely to be associated with the original settlement that later developed…

8. Chûn Castle

3.64 MILES

Little now remains of this Iron Age hillfort, but in its day, this man-made stronghold would have been one of the best fortified redoubts in Penwith. As…