Pendeen Lighthouse to Levant Mine

The glorious stretch of coast path in Cornwall's Penwith Peninsula (or the Land's End Peninsula) is not only an area of outstanding natural beauty, but is also of great interest because of its important tin and copper mining history and legacy.

The small village of Pendeen has three excellent pubs, an indication of this once being a thriving mining community, serving the mines in the St. Just District. There is an excellent 4-mile circular walk from the village to the Pendeen Watch Lighthouse, and then along the coast path to the famous Levant Mine, which closed in 1930, eleven years after the tragic man-engine disaster (MEI Blog 20th October 2019).

Pendeen Lighthouse, also known as Pendeen Watch is an active aid to navigation, and was commissioned in 1900. This whole stretch of coastline, with its jagged rocks lying just below the surface of the water, has caused many a problem to passing vessels, one notorious area being that around Gurnard's Head, a headland a few miles further towards St Ives.

The walk along the coastal path from the lighthouse to Levant Mine is only 1.6 miles but allow around 45 minutes as there are a few ups and downs along the way, but nothing severe, the elevation gain being only around 280 ft.

Approaching the St. Just Mining District

Ruins of the Geevor and Levant mines

Looking back to distant Pendeen Lighthouse

The Levant Mine

From Levant, you can walk back to Pendeen along the road, but I would suggest that if time permits you continue along the coastal path for just under a mile to the iconic ruins of the Botallack Mine and the region of Cornwall's submarine mines (MEI Blog 20 October 2014). There is probably a no better historical mining walk anywhere in the world.

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@barrywills