Lanyon Quoit - Neolithic tomb dating back to 3500 BC (but reconstructed in 1815)

Names of the productions that have played at the theatre carved into the seats

View over Porthcurno Beach from the theatre

Land's End

September 22 in England ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

We made the strategic decision to go to Land's End today based on the forecast, and it paid off. What a spectacular day to go to the end of the world!

We started our day looking for some of the ancient stones that Cornwall is famous for. They aren't easy to find because they are mostly in the middle of farmland, and Google maps doesn't really cope. Adrian spotted Lanyon Quoit (or tomb) after we'd given up. We parked up in the narrow lane, scrambled over a stye and across a small field and got the best photo we could. It originally dated from the early Neolithic period (3500-2500 BCE) and consisted a large capstone on 4 upright support stones. However, in 1815 it collapsed in a storm and some stones were fractured, so that when it was re-erected in 1824 (at right angles to its original position) the capstone was placed on only 3 uprights which were shortened and squared off. At least we can tick ancient stones off the list.

We continued on to Land's End, and because we made an early start, we were about 45 minutes ahead of the crowds. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, and the wind was fair (for Cornwall). The area has been developed a lot since Adrian had been there (it's been privately owned since 1066, apparently, and recent owners bought it for £7m and have turned it into an "attraction"). The view is stunning, especially on such a clear day, so it is still worth the trip.

Next stop was the Minack Theatre, an unbelievable open-air theatre built on the side of the cliff by one very impressive woman, Rowena Cade, and her gardeners in the 1930s. She kept it alive throughout her life until she died in the 1980s. You can still see plays there. The names of all the plays put on there are carved into the stone seats, what a special place!

We continued on to Penzance for a lunch stop - more pasties, this time from Warrens, apparently the oldest pasty makers in Cornwall, no less. Delicious!

And so to the end of our time in Cornwall. There's so much to see. It feels like we barely scratched the surface.Read more