Peaceful and picturesque cove
Three miles south of Newlyn
Web: www.lamornacove.com
Web: www.visitcornwall.com/things-to-do/beaches/lamorna-cove-beach
St Buryan, Lamorna and Paul Parish Council
A delightful approach down the deeply wooded Lamorna Valley after leaving the B3315 from Newlyn leads to the famous Lamorna Cove and the glittering sea of Mount's Bay. Nature has taken back this centre of Victorian industry where quarrying for high quality granite began in 1849. A timber jetty was first used to load the granite onto ships but this was replaced with a stone pier in 1854. Heavy seas often delayed loading the stone and threatened moored vessels. This raised the price of Lamorna granite and sea transport was abandoned in favour of difficult but regular transport overland to Penzance. The quarries ceased production in 1911. Some of the granite was used in the Houses of Parliament and the Wolf Rock Lighthouse. Today all is peace and beauty in Lamorna. In the early 1900's, the areas exquisite landscape attracted painters of distinction, such as Harold and Laura Knight, Lamorna Birch, Dod and Ernest Proctor and Sir Alfred Munnings. It also became popular with other artists from the Newlyn Society of Artists.
Just under a mile west of Lamorna Cove, the coast path leads above the Tater Du lighthouse. In spring the cliffs are a mass of golden daffodils and primroses, and by early summer a riot of colourful wild flowers delights the eye. Amidst such beauty however, there is a reminder of the sea's merciless power at Boscawen Point just west of Tater Du. It was here in December 1981, that a local lifeboat, the Solomon Browne, was lost with its eight-man crew after the lifeboatmen had made heroic attempts at saving those aboard the wrecked coaster Union Star.
The fishing boats have now long gone and it is a haven for diving and angling and as the south west coast path passes through, ideal for walkers.
A Pay and Display car park is conveniently positioned next to the sea along with a cafe. In high season there is a motorboat and kayak to hire and use in the clear blue sea which is also safe for bathing.
On the hill just above the cove is the famous Merry Maidens stone circle and a pair of standing stones known as The Pipers.
The actor Robert Newton (1905–1956) was educated in Lamorna and his ashes were scattered in the sea off Lamorna by his son, Nicholas Newton.
Just west of here along the cliffs is Minack Cottage where Derek Tangye (1912-1996) and his wife Jeannie Tangye (1919-1986) lived in a flower farm and wrote the series of books 'The Minack Chronicles'.
Samuel John "Lamorna" Birch, RA, RWS (1869–1955) was an English artist in oils and watercolours who lived in Lamorna from 1892.
John Le Carré (1931-2020) the spy author who lived at Tregiffian Cottage near Lamorna for sixty years.
Chygurno Gardens Lamorna Pottery Mousehole Penberth Cove Porthcurno St. Buryan
The Coastal Footpath