Kynance Cove

Kynance Cove lies on the west coast of the Lizard peninsula, about 3 km north of Lizard Point. The rocks of the cove are serpentine: the cliffs, car park and path are bastite serpentine, while the islands and stacks in the cove are finely banded tremolite serpentine. The largest are The Bishop, Gull Rock, Asparagus Island and Steeple Rock. The cove was already popular in the early Victorian era, and Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and the poets Tennyson and Swinburne all visited. Today it belongs to the National Trust.

At high tide the beach almost disappears, so plan around the tides, ideally on a falling tide, and take care not to be cut off. From the National Trust car park a steep path leads to the cove in about ten minutes; for pushchairs there is a flatter route (15 to 20 minutes). The car park is often full in summer and in September. There are no lifeguards; a café and toilets lie on the way down to the beach.