Penzance; Tuesday, 05 April, 2005

Tuesday started earlier than planned. I had booked an alarm call and breakfast from the steward for 7:30, instead my alarm call was the sound of "...03:40 First Great Western service to Penzance calling at..."

After having got back to sleep I re-awoke just before 7:15 so I decided to get up and open the blind on a grey and wet Cornish morning. 20 minutes later, and with my breakfast in front of me the clouds started to clear.

By the time we arrived (20 minutes early) into Penzance the dark-clouds had all gone and the sun was fighting its way through the remaining low cloud.

I popped by the hotel to drop off my bag before heading back to the bus station to start sightseeing.

First stop of the morning was Porthcurno bay. Today a picturesque and quiet bay on the way down to Lands End, but at one time possibly the most important place on the planet (at least to the British Empire) for here, in a little hut the telegraph cables that linked and ran an Empire came ashore.

Even today with modern satellite technology the cables still come ashore here, but all the work of Porthcurno is now done elsewhere. The original buildings, and the tunnels dug to keep the service going during W.W.II, now form the Porthcurno museum of submarine telegraphy. The museum tells the story of underground telegraphy along with the history of Porthcurno. A special exhibition also explains the role that Brunels 'Great Eastern' played in the laying of the first successful transatlantic cable.

On the cliffs above Porthcurno is the Minack theatre. Built in the late 1930's (and then rebuilt after the war because of damage caused by turning the headland into a gun emplacement) the theatre is a unique sight. The stage is on the edge of the cliff with a 200ft drop beneath! The site includes a small museum to the lady who built it, Rowena Cade.

After looking around Minack and Porthcurno, I got back on the bus and continued on to its final destination at the literal 'end of the route' - Lands End. The most Westerly part of the mainland (though not the most Southerly - that accolade lies with Lizard head the other side of Penzance.) The site is not only the end of the country but also a slightly tacky theme park. In addition to the end of the country there are also several 'attractions' to keep you occupied (and out of any sudden showers that may decide to strike!)

After spending about 4 hours at the site (and missing 2 showers!) I caught the bus back into Penzance. From there I caught another bus out to Mousehole (pronounced Mousel) where I had a wander around this pretty fishing village before catching the bus back to Penzance, dinner, and a bed that didn't rock you awake!