IT'S THE HALF-DAY TOUR DE CORNWALL
I am very privileged to live in the far west of Cornwall with some amazing roads and places to visit, perfect for motorcycling. I've only been riding for five years. I took my CBT aged 65, bought a Honda Shadow 125 and rode the 1000-mile round trip to the Isle of Man for the TT. That was a bit of a slog, but I haven't looked back since, and probably enjoy the riding more than if I had started at 16.
Anyway, this is a circular route of about 70 miles, which could be dispatched in an afternoon, or a whole day if taking it more leisurely. Penzance has the mildest climate in the country, a large promenade and a good-sized harbour, and we leave it on the A394 bordering Mounts Bay and Eastern Green beach to Marazion, one of the oldest towns in Britain. It's probably best known for St Michael’s Mount, home of the St Aubyn family since about 1650. Turn right off this road for the fishing village of Porthleven with its historic harbour, construction of which was started in Napoleonic times. Then on the A394, heading towards the market town of Helston, home to the floral dance and gateway to the Lizard Peninsula, the most southerly point of the country. Look out for Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station, the largest of its kind in the world and which received the first televised broadcast of the moon landings.
Heading northwest from Helston, I pick up the B3302 to Hayle, turning left in the town centre and passing the Lelant Saltings, a haven for wading birds and a magnet for birdwatchers. Then turning right on to the A3074 for the port of St Ives, popular with generations of artists, sculptors and (these days, at the nearby sandy beaches) surfers.
The B3306 has been voted one of the top 10 roads in the country, which is a good enough reason to ride it. It's also featured on the opening credits of Henry Cole and local boy Sam Lovegrove’s Shed & Buried, crossing an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and taking in amazing views on the way.
A former quarry here was used in the building of St Ives and Falmouth. Continue west to Pendeen and one of the last tin mines to be worked, now a working museum. Shortly afterwards I turn right towards Levant and another former mine where the 1840 beam steam engine is still in running order, maintained by a group of volunteers and the National Trust. An accident in November 1919 cost the lives of 31 miners here when the ‘man engine’ failed. If you fancy a walk, park up and follow the coast path for ¾ mile to the famous Botallack Mine, perched precariously on the cliff edge with mine workings extending far out under the sea. Poldark was filmed around here, you won't be surprised to learn.
Open Air
From here I carry on into St Just, once the mining centre of the Land's End peninsula, featuring a 15th century church and the listed Plain-an-Gwarry, an open air theatre used for miracle plays in medieval times and now base for the popular Lafrowda Festival, a celebration of music and arts, held each July.
From the town centre follow signs for Cape Cornwall, about 1½ miles further west and well worth the diversion, for this is the only geographical cape in England and provides magnificent views. On your right is a large house originally built by a Mr Oates on his return from mining in South Africa. Back in St Just, I head for Land's End on the B3306 and A30, but turning right at Sennen and heading down to Sennen Cove, a small fishing village with harbour, RNLI station and a fabulous sandy beach, which again is popular with surfers, not to mention dolphins and basking sharks.
Back on the A30 it's only about a mile to Land's End with its views to Longships Lighthouse about 1¼ miles offshore and on to the Isles of Scilly on the horizon, some 28 miles away. This is also the departure point for generations of John o' Groats hopefuls. Heading east now, I turn right on to the B3315, passing Porthcurno, home to the Minack Open Air Theatre created from the cliff face by Rowena Cade in the 1960s. Also worth a stop is the Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, once the centre of world telecommunications. International telephone cables still come ashore here under the beach.
Passing Lamorna, I head down into the quintessential Cornish fishing village of Mousehole with its small fleet of fishing and pleasure boats at rest in the harbour, and narrow streets of granite cottages. Dolly Pentreath, one of the last people to speak the Cornish language as her native tongue, lived here. Then carry on along the coast road, passing the former Penlee RNLI station where the Solomon Browne lifeboat with a crew of eight was lost in a horrendous storm on December 19, 1981, trying to save the crew of the Union Star off Tater Dhu. The new lifeboat is now stationed at my next port of call, Newlyn, one of the busiest fishing ports in the country and home to all sorts and sizes of fishing boats. From here, just follow your nose along the seafront and you'll end up back in Penzance, the end of this short tour de Cornwall.