Walk - The Lizard to Coverack

Moderate to strenuous

A walk through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty awaits as you set off from the most southerly point of Great Britain. There are a few relatively short steep ascents and descents as you leave Lizard Point, followed by some more strenuous climbs, until you pass Cadgwith and begin the approach to Coverack, which is a lot easier.

You will see some extraordinary geology along this stretch as the Path crosses serpentine, granite and schist. Serpentine is a dark green rock veined with red and white which is easily carved and can be polished to a really beautiful sheen. It was very popular in the 19th century when it was used for shop fronts and fireplaces.

Some of the stiles along this stretch have been built of serpentine: beautiful but slippery when wet. Kennack Sands, once famous for shipwrecks, is a National Nature Reserve with beautiful cliffs of layered rock, with veins of talc, and lovely displays of wildflowers. A steep climb up to join the seabirds around Beagles Point marks the beginning of a stretch with particularly far-reaching views of the Coast Path ahead.

The nearest mainline station is Truro, from where you can catch buses to Lizard village and coverack by changing at Helston. The T2 bus service runs 4 times a day between Helston and Coverack. There are also buses available from Ruan Minor, near Cadgwith, to Lizard, Helston and Coverack. For timetable information, zoom in on the interactive map and click on the train station and bus stop symbols, visit Traveline or phone 0871 200 22 33.

Lizard Point (Postcode for Sat Navs: TR12 7NU), Church Cove, above Devil’s Frying Pan, Cadgwith, above Kennack Sands and Coverack.

Lizard Point, above Kennack Sands and Coverack.

Cadgwith and Coverack have a small selection of shops, pubs and cafes. There are also refreshments available at Housel Bay and Dolor Point on the edge of Coverack.