Land's End
Land's End is the most southwesterly point of mainland Britain, the tip of the Penwith Peninsula in Cornwall where the granite cliffs plunge into the Atlantic Ocean at the end of the long finger of land that makes Cornwall. Its significance as the furthest point from John O'Groats in Scotland has made it a destination for end-to-end walkers, cyclists and travellers of every description, and the combination of the dramatic granite cliff scenery, the views to the Isles of Scilly and the symbolic weight of standing at the edge of the mainland make Land's End a place of genuine emotional resonance for many visitors.
The granite cliffs at Land's End are among the most impressive on the Cornish coast, the massive jointed blocks of the Penwith granite eroded by Atlantic waves into a chaotic landscape of pinnacles, sea stacks and deep cliff-edge gullies. The Armed Knight and the Longships Lighthouse visible offshore provide focal points for the view seaward, and on exceptionally clear days the Scilly Isles forty-five kilometres to the southwest are visible on the horizon. The light at Land's End has a quality particular to the far west of Cornwall, the combination of sea air, granite rock and the wide sky producing a clarity and luminosity that explains the tradition of artists working in this area.
The visitor facilities at Land's End are managed commercially and include various paid attractions alongside the access to the clifftop viewpoints, which are free. The signpost measuring distances to various destinations worldwide has become one of the most photographed features, providing a focus for the end-to-end travellers who complete their journey here. The South West Coast Path connects Land's End to both the north and south Cornish coasts and provides excellent walking in both directions from the headland.