Land's End

Land’s End stands on the Penwith peninsula in western Cornwall, where the English Channel meets the Celtic Sea. The actual headland, Peal Point, is modest, but the tourist complex at Carn Kez lies 180 metres south. Dr Syntax’s Head marks the westernmost promontory, named after a comic character from 1809. Nearby Dr Johnson’s Head recalls Samuel Johnson’s 1775 essay on Cornish independence. The cliffs are made of coarse and fine-grained granite, dating back 270 million years. The site draws visitors because it is the most westerly point of mainland England. The distance from Land’s End to John o’ Groats is 1,349 kilometres by road, often used for charity walks. Tourists have come for over three centuries, including poet John Taylor in 1649 and groups travelling by horse-drawn carriage in 1878. The First and Last Inn once cared for horses while guests explored the cliffs. The hotel at Carn Kez grew from a small house damaged during the Second World War. Visitors find a granite headland with steep cliffs and rocky islets offshore. The Longships Lighthouse stands on one of these islets. The theme park includes playgrounds and recorded music, with a hotel at its centre. Twice a week in August, fireworks light the sky with music by Christopher Bond and narration by Miriam Margolyes. The surrounding area is an Important Plant Area, home to rare plants.