Cornwall AONB Walk
Housel Bay & Bass Point from the Lizard

Walk Route Description

  
Click thumbnails for larger images.

The Lizard Peninsula is England's most southerly point and not surprisingly it receives many visitors at peak times. A dramatic coastline with a tragic maritime history going back centuries, there is much of interest in this short walk and it should not be dismissed as being too easy!

Park in Lizard village (grid ref SW702117) and from the phone box in the village centre go to the left of the Top House pub taking the road which eventually becomes Penmenner Road. Across fields to your left can be seen the Lizard lighthouse and this is a convenient landmark for most of this walk. This road leads to a rough track (signed as a footpath) that descends to the sea. On reaching the coastal path turn left to pass behind the old lifeboat station that has been superseded by a new station seen later in the walk. You will then reach the café and buildings on the southernmost extremity of England.

Stay with the coastal path past the lighthouse. Shortly afterwards a short diversion to the right leads to the collapsed cave known as the Lion's Den. Return to the main path and descend steps to cross a footbridge at Housel Bay. This is a splendid location and one of the highlights of the walk. Further steps on the opposite side take you back to the cliff top. Turn right past the Housel Bay Hotel. After passing the Lloyds Signal station, now a National Trust property, you stay on the South West Coastal Path to arrive at Bass Point with its coastguard point.

Shortly after the cottages adjacent to the coastguard point the coastal path bears right and continues past the new lifeboat station to descend to Church Cove. Turn left up the road past thatched cottages to pass St Wynwallow Church - the most southerly place of worship in Britain. Stay on this road, which takes you back to Lizard village.

 
Go to full list of Cornwall AONB Walks

 
Maps      

It is recommended you take a map. The preferred scale is 1:25k.

Printer Friendly Page

For an easy to print version of this walk description and outline map Click Here

OS Map showing start

Ordnance Survey Map showing starting point of walk - Click Here

Recommended Reading

South West Coast Path Map Booklet - Minehead to St Ives

Map of the northern section of the 630 mile (1014km) South West Coast Path National Trail. Covers the trail from Minehead to St Ives along the north Devon and Cornish coastline. This convenient and compact booklet of Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 maps shows the route, providing all of the mapping you need to walk the trail in either direction.
More information

Recommended Cottage Holidays

Over 7,000 personally inspected holiday cottages. In fact, we think we've got the finest selection in some of the UK and Ireland's most beautiful places.