A Pocket Guide to West Cornwall

It’s often said that the further west you travel, the wilder Cornwall becomes. Tucked away in the extreme southwest of mainland Britain, the Penwith peninsula feels like the very edge of the world. Flanked by the Atlantic on all sides – and often bearing the full brunt of its rages – the landscape here is as rugged as it comes and it’s all the more beautiful for it.

The coastline is simply awe-inspiring, where ancient moorland and gorse-topped cliffs are punctuated by tiny fishing villages, historic monuments, and towering engine houses that take you back to a bygone era. The villages and towns are replete with independent boutiques, bistros, galleries, and hidden gems at every turn. A land where the myths and legends are as impenetrable as the fog that rolls in from the sea. Welcome to the Wild West - here are a few of our favourite haunts in the area:

VISIT

LEACH POTTERY

Over the last few hundred years, there are few potteries that have been quite as influential as The Leach Pottery. Widely regarded as the birthplace of British studio pottery, its founder Bernard Leach represented a new breed of artist-potter in the 20th century, and it has since forged the shape of Studio Pottery in the UK and beyond. The Leach Pottery was reopened to the public as a museum, shop and studio in 2008. They are an ambassador for pottery, a champion for the handmade, and an open door for communities to access creativity through their incredible programme of courses and workshops - there’s also an amazing selection of work by more than 70 potters for sale, many of them Cornish.

ST MICHAEL’S MOUNT

St Michael’s Mount is a magical little tidal island crowned by a medieval castle, itself built on the site of an 8th-century monastery. After a steep climb to the top, you’ll be rewarded with outstanding views and beautiful island gardens. The Mount’s historic stone walls harbour a multitude of plants, from tiny succulents to giant agaves. Inside the castle, you can wander century-old corridors and unravel the history of the St Aubyn family, who have lived on St Michael’s Mount since the 17th century.

ST SENARA’S CHURCH

Penwith is home to scores of beautiful, ancient Christian churches, often built on earlier pagan sites. St Senara’s Church in Zennor is one of the most renowned and it is believed that there would have been a small Celtic church on this site since as early as 6th century AD. The church gave rise to one of the most well-known legends of Cornish folklore – the Mermaid of Zennor, who fell in love and subsequently eloped with the local churchwarden’s son. A 15th century carved chair, which may have inspired the tale, can still be seen in the church today.

MOUSEHOLE

Few places are as quintessentially ‘Cornish’ as the tiny fishing village of Mousehole, that’s ‘Mowzul’ to locals. Poet Dylan Thomas famously found it to be “the loveliest village in England”, and that sums it up quite neatly. A day watching the boats come and go is always an absolute delight. Spend the afternoon with a well-thumbed copy of iconic children’s tale, The Mousehole Cat, and a slice of the local speciality, stargazy pie.

EAT

GURNARD’S HEAD

The Gurnard’s Head is an old coaching inn near Zennor seen from afar – painted in a bold shade of mustard - and is a wonderful place to ‘hole up’ in all seasons. Service is relaxed and friendly, aimed to help you enjoy a slower pace of life. The food is in tune with the lay of the land and local suppliers, with menus always taking lead from the seasons and serving simple, vibrant plates that change daily. It’s seven bedrooms are equally as charming and characterful as the building. Our tip, treat yourself to their famous Sunday Sleepover and unwind with their Sunday lunch (which is to die for) and maybe an afternoon walk. Then supper, a good night's sleep and one of their unbeatable breakfasts on Monday morning.

45 QUEEN STREET

An old industrial warehouse in the heart of Penzance that has been creatively reimagined. All under one old ramshackle roof, 45 Queen Street offers a restaurant serving plates filled with seasonal veg and fish (caught by spear, small day boats or as bycatch), a bar/bar kitchen with beautiful cocktails made using their famous Tinkture Gin and an array of homemade syrups and then there’s the deli, which has a few treats to buy and serves up a host of tasty breakfast goods, coffees, snacks and treats to eat in or takeaway. Wonderfully informal, it’s one of our favourite spots to pop in and sink into the comfortable surrounds.

ARGOE

A place where the fish literally comes off the boats and into the kitchen. Part-owned by a local fishmonger and named after an old fishing boat from Newlyn, Argoe occupies an unpretentious wooden structure right on the water’s edge by the commercial harbour, just a stone’s throw from the fish market. The owner, Richard Adams, conceived the Forgotten Fish project (“Nose to tail fish supplier, offering unused, unknown and underrated cuts”) and in Argoe he has the opportunity to put his fish on the table, all cooked in a menu under the care of Ben Coombs, who offers seafood dishes designed for sharing, where freshness and simplicity are key. To complement, there’s natural and biodynamic wine from Lovetts, a brilliant wine bar just a stroll away

JELBERTS

Pick up an ice cream from Jelberts in Newlyn – don’t be fooled by the low-key shopfront or the fact that they only do one flavour. Made with fresh Cornish clotted cream, many say it’s the best you’ll ever experience. But, in the name of balance, Moomaid of Zennor is pretty delicious too.

CAFE DOG & RABBIT

A new favourite lunch spot for us, Cafe Dog & Rabbit unexpectedly tucked away all the way down in St Just. We stumbled across this humble little café last month and we were blown away by the wholesome menu and the warm and friendly service. A great place to hunker down for an afternoon after a wild cliff walk, and made even more welcoming by the decor, which makes you feel as if you’re in a home-from-home.

DO

GALLERY TRAIL

Penwith is Cornwall’s arts capital, from the Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth to the former Newlyn School of artists. As well as the abundance of brilliant independent galleries that pepper the cobbled streets of St Ives, Penzance has recently gained significant recognition within the Cornish art scene. The Exchange on Princes Street is the little sister to the nearby Newlyn Art Gallery; an internationally renowned institution that has been bringing world-class art to Southwest England for over 120 years. Then there’s the sanctuary that is Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens . Lying in a sheltered valley not far from Penzance, it harmoniously combines subtropical planting with unique modern art installations by acclaimed artists such as James Turrell and Richard Long.

SEE A FILM AT THE NEWLYN FILMHOUSE

Movie buffs will no doubt love The Newlyn Filmhouse. Set in the converted JH Turner & Co fish merchants building, this indie cinema screens everything from the latest mainstream films to art-house pictures. Everywhere you look there are traces of the building’s past and the onsite restaurant & bar are both worth a visit, with eccentric decor, an eclectic menu, and a good selection of drinks.

SPOT OF SHOPPING ALONG CHAPEL STREET

Chapel Street runs down to the harbour and indeed the town has by far the best classic Georgian architecture in Cornwall. With a smattering of some of the best independent and quirky shops we know, for beautifully curated selections of homewares head to No. 56 or &Living, if you’re after something vintage there’s Happy Dais Vintage and a couple of other antique shops nearby, and if you’re looking for something more niche there’s The Mackerel Makery, a tiny shop of paper products and other arty goods or The Planted House, a small plant shop brimming with beautiful pots, plants and the such.

THE MINACK THEATRE

Lovingly carved into a hunk of cliff, The Minack Theatre offers magical performances against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean. Its dramatic setting and stunning views of Porthcurno Bay are well worth experiencing, however, excitement at The Minack comes from its open-air performances. There’s something quite special about watching a cast of actors perform their art as the sun sets behind them and the stage lights up in technicolour.

Main image: Liam Alford