Oliver Land, the Minack Chronicles
Nature Reserve, is accessed from the Cornwall coastal footpath.
For a map of the area click here.
Take the A30 through Cornwall to Penzance then follow the signs for Newlyn. Go through Newlyn and up the steep hill out of the village and along the B3315 through Sheffield. The road to Lamorna Cove is on the left about 3 miles from Newlyn. The road follows the valley down until you reach a car park on the harbour wall. (There are toilets along the path to the left of the car park).
Walk past the café and shop on the right side of the harbour and the coastal footpath begins at the far end of the car park. Beware a rocky clamber to get onto the path, but it improves after this, although this is one of the more rocky and strenuous sections of the coastal footpath and is certainly not suitable for the infirm or faint-hearted. After about half an hour's walk a steep flight of steps will bring you to the rocky outcrop of Carn Barges.
Continue westwards along the coastal footpath and you will shortly come to a fence and kissing gate with the green sign "The Derek and Jeannie Tangye Minack Chronicles Nature Reserve - A Place for Solitude". Go through the gate and you will find an information board with a map of the Reserve and details of its features, flora and fauna.
Please remember that this is a Nature Reserve. Please keep to the paths and treat all wildlife with respect, do not pick flowers and keep dogs on a lead at all times. The Honeysuckle Meadow, with the metal gate, is where Derek's and Jeannie's ashes were scattered so please respect this by looking from outside the gate only. Thank you.
The kissing gate off the
coastal footpath is the only entrance to the Nature Reserve so you will need to
retrace your steps and return to Lamorna by the same route.
 photo by Gary Platt | A slightly longer, but easier walk from Lamorna Cove is to follow the road back up the valley, with the sea behind you, until you reach The Wink pub. Just after this take the steep lane up the hill to the left. You will come out high above the Cove, with beautiful views across Mount's Bay. At the end of the lane turn right and then left, between the two garages. The path meanders across the cliff tops (ignore one leading off to the left) and meets the coastal footpath at Carn Barges. |
NB. This footpath is privately owned so access is dependent upon the goodwill of the owner. Both the coastal footpath and the inland path can be overgrown, muddy, and slippery, at times, in any season. Adequate footwear is necessary and care must be taken.