The Lamorna valley and cove, once an isolated, strange and beautiful place, has today become a tourist attraction; the main reason being that it became an 'enclave' for artists and artisans
of the Post Impressionist period. To my mind, the best time to capture the atmosphere of this lovely valley, is to visit out of season, away from the summer crowds, when the the little lane
is empty of traffic.
There is a bus service from Penzance, but check your timetable as there are usually different times for summer/winter.
The Cove. Lamorna has a rocky little
cove with a small quay which is still used for occasional fishing, but it is not well protected and boats have to be dragged up the steep slipway for safety.
Granite blocks used to be quarried here and taken to Penzance for shipment to Plymouth and London. It was of a high quality and used in many buildings and wharves, but because of the hazardous seas, getting ships in and out of the cove became uneconomical and the industry ceased. The hillsides around the cove remain strewn with the remnants of this trade and the quarries are now derelict and silent.
The Valley is wooded all the way with a stream running to the sea and cottages dotted about. There is an hotel, an inn called
The Wink, an old mill, craft shop and tea rooms.
Artists. The most famous, of
course is 'Lamorna' Birch (real names, Samuel John) who lived here from the end of the 19th century until his death. Some of his paintings can be seen at the Penlee House Art Gallery in
Penzance and in the Truro Museum.
Others who lived or visited here and became famous in their own right include: Dame Laura Knight, Augustus John, Alfred Munnings and Charles Napier, but there were many more, who were also associated with the Newlyn School.
Today, there are still painters, potters, craftsmen and writers living in the area.
Walking. The cliffs in both directions from the cove are quite rugged to start with, but make for great walking.
To the left, you can walk out to the point at Carn-du and then continue as far as Mousehole and back; approximately 6 miles.
To the right and my personal favourite from here, is the walk to Porthcurno; about twice the distance there and back and harder going underfoot, but incredibly beautiful. You pass the Tater Dhu lighthouse, St.Loy's Cove (strewn with rounded boulders), Penberth Cove (National Trust) and the Logan Rock on the way. A must for all fit walkers. Refreshments are available at Porthcurno.
Another highly recommended walk and not so strenuous, is up the Lamorna valley along the lane. As mentioned before though, this is much more pleasant when taken out of season.
