AFTER nine weeks of lockdown, the rules have been relaxed a little – so my partner Terry and I took advantage for our first trip outside our village, and headed to The Lizard.
It’s only 30 minutes from home, and a firm favourite since we moved to Cornwall, so we thought this would be a good reintroduction to the brave new world beyond self-isolation.
The day was glorious and the roads clear so we made good time, with the traffic building up as we approached our destination (well, two cars ahead of us).
‘Kynance Cove or Lizard Point?’ said Terry as we approached the junction. The first two cars turned right to Kynance so ‘Straight on’ was my choice, with social distancing in mind.
We drove through a deserted Lizard Village and headed along the narrow road to the National Trust car park. It’s an extremely narrow and windy road so those with large vehicles might like to think twice about tackling it, but for walkers there’s parking in the village and then a special path to the coast so no problem with the traffic.
Normally you’d pay standard NT fees for parking, unless you’re a member when it’s free. In lockdown, there was no fee, the car park was hardly busy (there were eight other vehicles there) and, joy of joys, one of the toilets was open. The lighthouse, which has its own visitor centre, was closed, as was the youth hostel, but the coastal views are the key selling point of this area so we quickly headed down the track to the most southerly point in Britain.
Normally we’d support the Southernmost Cafe, which has stunning views over Polpeor Cove and the old lifeboat station. On this visit, with the cafe and shops closed, we’d brought our own sandwiches and drinks so were able to enjoy the outlook while soaking up the sunshine.
The weather had obliged with sunshine and calm conditions, and we enjoyed the best views we’ve ever seen here – with blue sky, crystal clear waters, and wonderful wildlife. We didn’t see the iconic choughs today (although we have seen them from the cafe) but did spot a fulmar patrolling the cliffs, shags, rock pipits, grey seals and rabbits. And the path itself was fascinating, with rocks of serpentine polished by the feet of countless walkers and shining red and green in the sunlight.
Best of all was that there were very few people about, so we had the path to ourselves as we headed west along the South West Coast Path, taking us along the cliffs until we had a view of Asparagus Island and Kynance Cove. Through the binoculars we could see that the beach over there was heaving, so we were glad to have made the right decision at the junction.
It was a spectacular day out and recommended for the glorious views, walks and wildlife.
The Lizard is hugely popular and when restrictions are lifted it will be very busy. This area isn’t really suitable for disabled visitors, although there is a single-track road that goes down to the cafe which may be an option. Otherwise access to the coast is via paths and steps so be prepared for a bit of a hike.
It’s also worth noting that GPS and wifi are pretty well non-existent here so if you intend to do some geocaching or otherwise use the internet you’ll have to plan in advance.
But if you want a place to get away from it all, this is a must. Even in high summer you’ll be able to find your own picnic patch, especially if you’re prepared to walk a little way, and it really is a glorious place to commune with nature.
NB: in lockdown, the amenities were mostly closed. I’ve marked them for what’s there when everything is up and running.
