Lizard Point

Starting point  and OS Grid reference: Lizard village (SW 703126). Large car park (honesty box)		Ordnance Survey Map OS Explorer 103 - The Lizard – Falmouth and Helston. Buy this map from List of OS Maps Commission from map sales is used to fund the website, so keeping it free to use.
Distance: 6.2 miles
Traffic light rating:   (For explanation see My Walks page)
For advice on .gpx files see         My Walks page	Click the PDF logo above to give a printable version of this walk without the photos.

To view route as a dynamic Ordnance Survey map click here.

Introduction: This easy walk from Lizard (the village) takes in the old, very picturesque village Cadgwith with its thatched cottages and Lizard Point, the most southerly point on the British mainland. There are also various other interesting things to see.

Lizard village itself is rather spoiled by its homage to tourism but it is a very useful start point partly because there is a large amount of parking (voluntary charge for charity) but mainly because in relation to the walk it is like the hub of a wheel with many footpaths as the spokes. This means that the walk is easily lengthened or shortened according to circumstances, although depending on which “spoke” you pick, you may miss some of the points of interest. The route described includes all the following:

• The Devils Frying Pan
• Church Cove
• Lizard Lifeboat Station
• Bass Point
• Bumble Rock
• Lizard Point  Lighthouse
• Polpeor Cove and the old lifeboat station.

In late spring/early summer, the cliff tops are a mass of wild flowers including the intriguingly name Hottentot Fig, a South African invader, which blankets the cliffs at Lizard Point. There is also the possibility of seeing a variety of sea and marine life.

The open grassland to the NW of Lizard Point has been awarded Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the great variety of rare and wild flowers, best seen between spring and mid summer.

As stated, the walk starts from Lizard village. To get there, take the A3083 from Helston to Lizard.

There are toilets and various choices for refreshment in both Lizard and Cadgwith.

Start: In the main car park area in Lizard (SW 703126) with your back to the toilets, turn right and go straight across the sets of cross roads and walk along Beacon Terrace, which becomes Cross Common. Pass the school, curving left past the postbox, signposted Helston 10 miles. Ignore the right turn signposted to the Lifeboat Station and Church Cove and a second also to the Lifeboat Station

As you get to the edge of the village, on a left hand bend (SW 708129), go straight ahead over the stile following the public footpath fingerpost to Cadgwith and follow the right hand boundary of the first field to the stile in the corner.

Cross the stile and follow the left hand boundary of the next two fields.

At the end of this second field, go over another stile then turn left on a concrete track for a few yards to the farmhouse.

Walk right, in front of the farmhouse at Trethvas Farm (SW 710136), following the fingerpost for Cadgwith and Ruan Minor but watch out as you get to the gate because, you climb some steps set into the wall on the left. The footpath actually follows the top of the walled banking between the fields, a quite unusual arrangement.

As you reach the end of the footpath on the banking, the path bears off to the right at about 45° to some trees. Join a road beyond the trees and turn right.

Stay on the road for about a quarter of a mile and where it bends sharply left, turn right where there is a finger post for St Anthony (SW 716141). Only follow this track for about 50 yards, then turn left through a gate and follow the left hand boundary of the field. Go through a gate at the end of the field, turning right as indicated by the yellow footpath arrow on the gatepost. The footpath actually crosses this field diagonally but by following the boundary, damage to any crops (including grass for silage) is avoided.

You arrive through a gateway, at a junction of tracks – to the right is a track to a property called “White Feather”, which you ignore. Go straight ahead from the gateway along a broad bridleway marked with a red arrow.

You arrive at a National Trust black on silver sign for Inglewidden and Devils Frying Pan to the right plus a fingerpost for the Coast Path. Ignore this for now and continue straight ahead to visit Cadgwith (I can recommend the Cadgwith Cove Inn which had an “Open all day” sign when I visited). Cadgwith can be quite a bustling place with opportunities to buy fresh fish.

Return to the National Trust sign mentioned above and head for the Coast Path.  As you reach the coast, below you is the Devil’s Frying Pan (SW 721142), the remnants of a collapsed cave open to the sea. 

Now simply follow the Coast Path.

At SW 714130 you pass a large diamond shaped coastal marker, known as the Balk Beacon, a daytime navigational aid to help boats to avoid the Vrogue Rock south east of Bass Point. Not far after this, arrive at the National Trust property Church Cove, an attractive cluster of houses at the top of a slipway.

Further on arrive at the Lifeboat Station at Kilcobben Cove, with its lift down to the boathouse - which is usually open for viewing. The footpath passes to the right of the lift/radio station at the top of the cliffs.

Next is Bass Point with its coastguard station.

After passing the old Lloyds Signal Station, come to the old Lizard Wireless Station, which is open by the National Trust volunteers, periodically through the summer.

Pass to the coastal side of the lighthouse and get to the over touristy Lizard Point. Here, it is worth a brief descent to the cove where the old lifeboat station is situated.

The continuation of the Coast Path is in front of the cafe on the left at the top of the concrete slope.

The next National Trust area is Pistil Meadow, then Old Lizard Head.

Shortly after the sign for Old Lizard Head, come to a public footpath marker for Lizard Village (SW 695120), by the remnants of a post with steps which fishermen used to climb to spot fish shoals. Take this path back to Lizard, unless you want to walk further when there are other footpath “spokes” to choose from.

The path comes out at the parking area.

If you need to buy any hiking equipment/clothing before your trip see the Hiking Store

All information on this site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.