Cape Cornwall
Monday March 14th, and suddenly it’s Spring. As we descend the stony path alongside the cascading brook, warm sunshine kisses our faces and the air hangs heavy with the pungent scent of wild garlic. The blooms of gorse, celandine and wild daffodils paint yellow splashes amongst the green foliage as flocks of goldfinches scatter across the clifftop, maybe just arriving for the summer. Rabbits scurry beneath hedgerows and, across the field, a pheasant squawks and races away like a sprinter with his hands in his pockets.
Majestic cliffs tower over the deep blue Atlantic, birds carry twigs towards nesting sites, the colours are impossibly sumptuous and if it is remotely possible for us to fall in love with Cornwall all over again then it’s happening right now. Just look at this, I say to Michaela. Just look at it.
Our hike today is along the coast path from the promontory known as Cape Cornwall northwards to Botallack, then turning inland to return through fields and farm tracks, past herds of cows and through sleepy hamlets, back to our start point. Every walker we pass does the typically British thing and comments on the weather, but today of all days it’s a worthy topic, so glorious is the day.
Cape Cornwall was the beating heart of the tin mining industry in bygone times and these cliffs are dotted with the characterful and unmistakably shaped ruins of the mine buildings. These sleepy hollows where now only the babbling brook and the sound of the sea break the silence, once resonated to the sounds of heavy industry as the heavy duty “stamps” pounded the ore and the winches hoisted the goods up to the surface from beneath the ground.
Tin miners of the 19th century had a pretty raw deal, working up to half a mile below the sea bed and up to a mile and a half from shore, grafting at the face of the mine before trudging back through miles of shafts and being hauled back to the open air. Even then they may have had to walk miles to their home village, after of course facing extreme heat, and danger, through every working hour. Seriously hard work in an extreme environment. Many lost their lives, many more lost their health and saw their lifespan shortened.
Know how the mining companies guarded against failure of lamps in the deep shafts? By employing a blind miner who would be able to lead colleagues safely through pitch darkness, should there be no light. Incredible. Very different times huh.
Today the engine houses stand silent and half ruined, chimney stacks survive at various heights and shaft entrances gawp wide open behind safety fencing. At one point, the uneven ground around a chimney is the only clue to the “arsenic labyrinth” which lies below, effectively a chamber for extracting that deadly poison from the very ore which the miners had handled all day.
It must have been unfathomably tough back then, but the scenery now is a thing of beauty, the iconic shadowy mine buildings silhouetted against the shining sea, making proud statements of an erstwhile industry as if knowing that the sight of the mines is as typically Cornish as you can get.
Our hike is brilliantly designed and thought out (the iwalkcornwall app is exceptionally clever) but the combination of scenery, location and weather is as perfect as it gets. This is Cornwall at its most spectacular.
“You look like you caught the sun”, says the lady at the car park when we return, “and like you had a good walk”.
Oh boy. Did we ever.
21 Comments
Monkey's Tale
Cape Cornwall is gorgeous. Funny, Canadians always talk about the weather too 🙂 Maggie
Phil & Michaela
That was one terrific walk. Absolutely loved it.
Heyjude
Fabulous colours. Been too long since I last visited this area. I don’t think we could do that walk though.
Phil & Michaela
It was beautiful, Jude – especially in Monday’s gorgeous weather
Heyjude
Yes, Monday was gorgeous, but I was in the garden pulling out weeds! 😂
WanderingCanadians
This looks like a lovely area to take a stroll along the coast, especially since the weather was gorgeous. The history of the area is pretty interesting and that’s neat that the engine house is still visible.
leightontravels
Absolutely magnificent landscape, there’s something about a ruinous stone tower overlooking the sea. The more you post about Cornwall, the more regretful I feel that we almost certainly won’t get there this time around. It seems Monday was a fine weather day across the country, as we had a similarly blue sky here in Staffordshire. I often read about other jobs and think “Glad I’ll never have to do that”. I can now add Tin Miner to that list.
Phil & Michaela
I can recommend Cornwall to absolutely anyone!
giacomoasinello
Beautiful!
Gilda Baxter
This coastline is magnificent and looks like the weather was perfect for your hike. The tin mine history of this area is also fascinating. I would love to go back to Cornwall again soon.
Phil & Michaela
Hi Gilda, yes it was lovely on Monday. Are you back in the UK now?
Toonsarah
Stunning views and the tin mine relics actually make them more so. It’s strange to consider that the remains of something so dark and difficult should today add to the beauty of the place. I never knew about the blind miners – very interesting but what a tough life for all of them, blind or sighted.
Phil & Michaela
Incredibly so
grandmisadventures
wow, what stunning views to welcome spring with!
wetanddustyroads
Beautiful … really, this must be one the most beautiful places in all of the UK.
Phil & Michaela
It is!
Born To Travel
What a spectacular coastline to be walking along. Cheers, Mark
rkrontheroad
Such a beautiful landscape, the greens and blues. Ironic, isn’t it, that those structures with such sad histories are now so picturesque. I so enjoyed this post.
Phil & Michaela
Thank you Ruth – those remains of the tin mines are an iconic Cornwall view.
Annie Berger
Thanks for shedding a light on the tin miners’ extremely difficult lives. They make the rest of us look like namby pambies. As always, great text and photos from you both.
Phil & Michaela
They had a seriously tough, as miners of all types across the globe did, really. Thanks Annie.