West Cornwall’s hidden gems – Nanjizal and Jelberts.
One of our favourite beaches in the far west has to be Nanjizel.
Nanjizal.
Today was our first afternoon lying in the sun this year, and what a great place to do just that.
Part of the joy of Nanjizel is that it’s not easy to get to. It’s a great walk to park up at Land’s End and follow the wonderful tall cliffs around, and you can reward yourself with a drink at the hotel there when you get back. Don’t worry, you’ll soon leave all the hordes behind when you’ve walked past the Greeb Farm animal centre.
Alternatively park at Trevescan by the Apple Tree Cafe and head across the fields following the footpath sign opposite the cafe that sends you across the drive of a couple of cottages.
The Appletree Cafe at Trevescan
Once over the first style turn back and look at the little garage on the right. It’s small, simple, but I absolutely love it.
The sweet garage at Trevescan.
Abandoned, but still lovely. Bicycle at Trevilly.
The third route is to park at Porthgwarra, also well worth a visit, to the south and walk to the beach.
I used to walk there from Tregiffian, but whatever supplements I was taking then can’t exist anymore. I guess they were called youth!
The path is well trodden and should be easy to follow. Immediately after the kissing gate take the path to the right through the alley of hawthorn.
Hawthorn, buzzing with bees in the warm sunshine.
Up close and personal.
The path down to the beach isn’t easy and isn’t one for the less mobile.
Polly in the long grass.
If you’re lucky there’ll be some friendly ponies grazing near the top of the beach.
Seaweed on granite. Nanjizal.
The walk keeps the crowds away, and today much of the time we were there we had the whole beach to ourselves. The sand levels change dramatically here, and today there wasn’t a lot. When the sand levels are low and the tide is out you’ll see the skeleton of coal ship that ran aground here in heavy seas back in 1912.
After a great packed lunch and a lie in the sun we headed back to the car and then along the south coast to Newlyn for another rather different gem of the far west.
And on the way back it was nice to see that even famous authors get down and dirty doing their own gardening. Patrick Gale was out shovelling some fine manure for his rose garden.
Arch at Trevilly.
Jelberts.
Jelberts is a tiny ice cream shop in Newlyn that has been there since the 1940s.
It serves vanilla ice cream.
And the only choice is whether to indulge fully with flake and clotted cream, or just go the aesthetic route with ice cream only.
It’s made fresh daily.
It’s only open between Easter and November.
And it’s a legend. Try it.
