Electric dreams

Could the Lizard Peninsula be Cornwall’s best kept secret? We explore the most southerly part of mainland Britain in a mode of transport as unique as the area itself...

It’s no secret that many of us have fallen under Cornwall’s spell. It’s home to dozens of beautiful and well loved holiday destinations, all with their own charm and individual appeal, but dig a little deeper, travel a little further, and there are still some corners of this captivating county that feel comparatively undiscovered. In an attempt to venture off the beaten track, we headed south, and south further still, until we eventually came to Cornwall’s Lizard Peninsula.

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and home to no less than eight Sites of Special Scientific Interest, this rugged outcrop of land is the most southerly part of mainland Britain. Uniquely rich in serpentine – a beautiful, rare stone, ‘the Lizard’ has a geology and landscape unlike anywhere else in the county. From stunning subtropical gardens and lush green creeks to white sandy beaches, lively market towns and coastal communities steeped in history, it’s also a haven for rare flora and fauna both on land and in its surrounding waters. Whilst it may be remote, the Lizard has an awful lot to offer.

With so much to explore, a good base was essential. Perched on a clifftop directly on the South West Coast Path, Polurrian on the Lizard is a beautiful, breezy hotel that has been welcoming guests for over a century…

Published March 2024 in the Spring issue of British Travel Journal and on the British Travel Journal website.