Gwennap Head

Gwennap Head stands on the south coast of the Penwith peninsula in Cornwall, a rugged granite headland about four miles south of Land’s End. The South West Coast Path winds along its cliffs, which rise sharply above the Atlantic. Nearby Porthgwarra is the nearest village, less than a mile to the north-west. The headland forms part of the Penwith Heritage Coast and the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Its cliffs include the famous Chair Ladder crag, popular with climbers of all abilities. The older Cornish name Tol-Pedn-Penwith means ‘the holed headland of Penwith’, referring to a vertical blowhole leading to a sea cave. The headland has long been important for shipping and wildlife. A Coastwatch station operates from the former coastguard building, continuing a tradition of lookouts that dates back centuries. Rare seabirds such as choughs, great shearwaters and ocean sunfish can be seen at certain times of year. In March 1905 the barque Kyber broke up at Porth Loe after striking the rocks, and twenty-three crew are buried in St Levan churchyard. Navigation cones on the headland warn ships away from the dangerous Runnel Stone, first marked in 1821. Visitors walk the cliff paths to enjoy views of passing marine birds and the restless sea. The maritime heath is bright with heather, gorse and wildflowers in spring and summer. The granite cliffs drop steeply to the water, where seals and basking sharks are sometimes spotted. The Coastwatch station offers a sheltered spot to watch shipping and scan for rare visitors like tropicbirds. From the headland the coast stretches east and west, revealing the wild beauty of the Penwith peninsula.