My second day of a 3 day trip to the Lizard. Today would be a tough walk with multiple ascents and descents and the weather would play a part as the walk began in grey, cold, windy and wet conditions.
This part of the Lizard is not covered well by public transport, so it was a case of driving to the Lizard village to park then ride my moped to Coverack where I would begin my walk.
One of the great attractions of the Lizard is its geology and the unique appearance of ophilites and other rarely seen rocks such as Serpentine. Ophiolites are thought to be part of the earths oceanic crust and upper mantle. At Coverack the ancient Moho is visible and was originally sited some 5 to 8km below the oceans and forming the boundary between the Earth’s Crust and the Mantle. I did not search out the ancient Moho, as I suspected I would have to get along along the beach somehow. As the tide was in, this would have not been possible. I continue around Dolor Point and onto Chynhalls Point with its Iron Age Fort.
The Path gradually climbs the Chynhalls Cliffs which lead out to Black Head. Here is an enclosed lookout point, now converted into a small information centre with views all along the coast. Unfortunately, the views are not so good this time of the morning with mist, rain and squalls limiting the views. I do however, get some respite here from the elements before continuing my journey. After another 2 to 3 miles I come to Kennack Sands and it is here that Serpentine is seen in pebbles, cobbles and boulders of various sizes on the beach. This metamorphic rock has beautiful colouring with reds and greens showing up when the rock is polished or wetted. I carry a few samples home with me to lacquer and preserve the striking colours.
I press on passing through the small fishing village of Cadgwith and a little distance on I pass a large collapsed sea cave with its sea-arch still visible – this is the popularly named Devil’s Frying Pan. At Kilcobben Cove I pass above the recently (2011) resited Lifeboat station with its impressive funicular lift down the steep cliff face to the station itself. I pass the Bass Point with its large look-out station and begin to walk westwards.
In the near distance I can see a large white building housing the Lloyds Signal Station where incoming vessels were given orders through semaphore about their movements. About 100m further on I pass the restored Lizard Wireless Station, now owned by the National Trust and where Marconi did a lot of his pioneering work on wireless telegraphy in the wooden shack.
I head towards and around the Lizard Lighthouse and thence to the Lizard itself, with a visitors shop and car park. I pass a number of visitors who seem to have appeared along with the sun. Although strictly speaking this is not the actual Lizard Point, it seems to be the popular choice. The actual Lizard Point is about 400m west of the popular choice. I head around the Lizard and begin walking north. When I reach Caerthillian Cove I head in land along a public footpath into Lizard village and the end of my walk. It has taken 5 hrs.
Distance today = 13 miles
Total distance = 571.5 miles
Walking the Coast of Great Britain 