With great views, pure Atlantic air and a generous choice of cream tea providers and inns en route, the St Just heritage area is ideal walking country. Whether you opt for a short and easy stroll along surfaced roads or head inland for longer treks, walking is not only healthy but also stress-free and environment-friendly. Arm yourself with an OS Explorer map no.102 and/or booklets available locally, and you’ll find lots of footpaths to explore.
Many historic and ancient sites are accessible only by foot or via narrow winding lanes. Limited parking is available in a few places, but the best way to see them is to catch a bus, or park in one of the newly-upgraded free car parks in the centre of St Just and Pendeen, and travel on foot from there.

From St Just car park it’s only a short walk to stunning views at Cape Cornwall, Carn Gloose and the Kendijack and Cot valleys. From Pendeen car park you can walk along lanes to Pendeen Lighthouse and head west along the spectacular coastal path to take in three key mining sites - Geevor, Levant and Botallack. Or start in Zennor, head towards the coast and walk through farming landscapes which have barely changed since the Iron Age farmers first laid out their granite field walls.

"Nine Walks around St Just & St Ives"
Written by Robin Bates and Bill Scolding of Serpentine Design and published by the St Just Heritage Area Regeneration Project, this new 52 page booklet features nine circular routes and is packed full of information about the landscape, wildlife and industrial heritage of this special area, including more than 170 maps, archive pictures and wildlife photographs.

The routes include coastal and inland stretches and are of varied length - from 3.5 to 7 miles with identified short-cuts to appeal to walkers of different abilities. The walks can all be accessed from public transport as well as from suitable car parking areas and places for refreshment, toilet facilities and accommodation are also highlighted. As part of the regeneration project improvements to stiles, waymarks and drainage have been carried out to ensure that the routes are easy to use and in good condition.

Even if you don’t walk the routes, the book is an excellent read - along the way you’ll encounter tales of the Neolithic farmers who fashioned this ancient working landscape, the miners who toiled beneath the sea-bed and the writer DH Lawrence helping with the corn harvest; you’ll discover the value of arsenic; explore the enigmatic Ballowall Barrow; learn about whims, kibbles and buddles and come across the rare wildflower purple viper’s bugloss.

"Nine Walks around St Just & St Ives" is priced at £4.50 and is available from St Just Tourist Information Centre (01736 788669) and many other retailers throughout the area.

St Ives to Zennor approx. 6 mile walk on strenuous terrain

Zennor to Geevor tin mine via Gurnard’s Head and Pendeen Watch approx. 12 mile walk with refreshments available at Zennor (Tinner’s Arms; Backpackers and Café), Gurnard’s Head Hotel, Morvah Schoolhouse and Geevor café

Geevor tin mine to Cape Cornwall approx. 4 mile walk on moderate terrain (refreshments at Queen’s Arms, Botallack)

Cape Cornwall to Sennen Cove approx. 6 mile walk on moderate terrain

MAKING WALKING EVEN BETTER:

Whether your interest is mining history, wildlife, archaeology or purely taking in the spectacular scenery and atmosphere of the area, walking can offer the works. A new colour booklet of walks from St Just to St Ives is being developed to make walking even more interesting in this spectacularly rugged and beautiful area.

For the walks booklet, nine circular coastal and inland routes have been chosen to give a real flavour of the diverse landscapes within the area. They are of varied length (up to 10km) with identified short-cuts to appeal to walkers of different ability. It is intended that starting points can be accessed from public transport as well as from suitable car parking areas and places for refreshment, toilet facilities and accommodation will be highlighted to help boost local business.

The routes include three walks which start out from St Just; one from Botallack to the Kenidjack valley; another which takes in Levant and Geevor; and four other walks which focus on circular routes around Morvah, Pendeen, Zennor and St Ives. County Council Rangers have surveyed the selected routes and improvements to stiles, waymarks and drainage are anticipated to ensure that the routes are easy to use and in good condition. Interpretation is also being updated at appropriate sites along the routes - particularly at Levant and Botallack where there will be new indoor displays including film clips and archive photographs.

The walks booklet is being researched and written by Bill Scolding and Robin Bates, the authors of the successful “Five Walks around the Lizard” series, and should appeal to the general interest visitor and the local audience. It will be promoted and distributed widely throughout the county following its publication during late summer 2005.