West Cornwall – Towns & Villages from St Ives Bay to Land’s End and the Lizard

West Cornwall is the far end of England – the granite peninsula of Penwith running out to Land’s End, the serpentine cliffs of the Lizard, and between them the great curve of Mount’s Bay, guarded by St Michael’s Mount. Surrounded on three sides by the sea, it has some of Cornwall’s finest beaches, its mildest climate, a remarkable heritage of tin and copper mining, and the artists’ light that drew painters to St Ives, Newlyn and Lamorna.

On the north coast, St Ives Bay sweeps from St Ives past Hayle and the dunes of Gwithian to the lighthouse at Godrevy. On the south coast, Penzance and Marazion face each other across Mount’s Bay, with the fishing port of Newlyn, the harbour village of Mousehole, Lamorna and Porthcurno on the way to Land’s End and Sennen Cove, and St Just and Pendeen in the mining country of the far west.

East of Mount’s Bay, Praa Sands and Porthleven lead to the market town of Helston and the Lizard peninsula – Gunwalloe, Mullion, Lizard Point and Kynance Cove, Coverack, St Keverne and the wooded creeks of the Helford River. Inland, Camborne, Redruth and Gwennap were once the heart of the world’s copper and tin mining, with Portreath their harbour on the north coast.

We are rebuilding the West Cornwall town guides one by one during the winter of 2026 – the newest is Marazion & St Michael’s Mount.