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🌊 The Lizard Peninsula, Cornwall: Britain’s Wildest & Most Southerly Headland
The Lizard Peninsula is Cornwall’s most dramatic and distinctive landscape — a windswept headland stretching into the Atlantic and home to Britain’s most southerly point. From the turquoise waters of Kynance Cove to the timeless fishing village of Cadgwith, this remarkable corner of the West Country feels more like Brittany than Britain.
Martin Hesp
Apr 116 min read


The Cornish Snapper: The Granite Mystery – Story Behind the Novel | Martin Hesp
Martin Hesp reveals the real-life journalism, photography and Cornish landscapes behind The Cornish Snapper: The Granite Mystery — a modern mystery where a sharp-eyed photographer and a seasoned reporter uncover clues others miss.
Martin Hesp
Mar 227 min read


Exploring Boscastle: A Stay at the Historic Wellington Hotel
Boscastle is a place that hits deep. In this latest Hesp Out West adventure, Martin returns to the "fjord-like" indentation of the North Cornish coast to explore the wild beauty that has captivated him since boyhood.
From the dramatic blow-hole at Penally Point to the historic hallways of The Wellington Hotel, this journey blends personal nostalgia with a review of St Austell Brewery’s latest refurbishment. Discover the literary links of Thomas Hardy, the maritime history of
Martin Hesp
Jan 274 min read


5 Best Circular Pub Walks in Cornwall: Coastal Hikes & Historic Inns
Looking for the perfect Cornish day out? I’ve rounded up 5 of my favorite circular coastal walks that start and end near a great local pub. From the hidden creeks of the Helford to the rugged cliffs of Fowey, these tried-and-tested routes offer the very best of the West Country landscape.</p>
Martin Hesp
Jan 203 min read


Cornwall's Secret Seasides: Scilly's St Martins Has Some of the Best
Discovering the Best Sand in Britain: St Martin’s, Isles of Scilly Sand is a very important topic when it comes to seasides – secret or otherwise – people often ask which beaches have the best sand, partly because the stuff comes in so many forms… The answer is simple – but you’re going to have to travel 28 miles west of Land’s End to walk barefoot in it. The beaches of St Martin’s in the Isles of Scilly have amazing white sand. It is the Rolls Royce of granular geology – the
Martin Hesp
Aug 8, 20256 min read


Cornwall’s Secret Seasides: Strangles Beach, Wild Goats, Rare Butterflies, and Solitude on the North Coast
I once climbed down to this Secret Seaside and saw a fat naked man wobbling along in a single sandal." From bizarre flotsam to the rare Mediterranean ants that hold the key to a butterfly's survival, Strangles Beach is a wild, wonderful, and lonely masterpiece of the Cornish littoral.
Martin Hesp
Aug 6, 20255 min read


Cornish Walks: Lansallos
An overview of an excellent hike at Lansallos on the south Cornish coast
Martin Hesp
Jun 12, 20254 min read


Cornish Walks: the Scenic Mawnan Smith Peninsula
Discover a wonderful walk around the coastal parts of Mawnan Smith in Southern Cornwall
Martin Hesp
Jun 12, 20255 min read


Cornish Walks - Luxulyan Valley
Cornwall is famed for its beaches, but inland lies a mysterious, lush ravine steeped in history. From the breathtaking 89-foot granite arches of the Treffry Viaduct to the quiet ancient woodlands of Prideaux, the Luxulyan Valley is one of the county's best-kept walking secrets.
Martin Hesp
Apr 16, 20253 min read


Cornish Walks: Trevalga
A comprehensive guide to the tiny village of Trevalga on Cornwall's north coast
Martin Hesp
Feb 26, 202510 min read


True Tale of an Atlantic Ghost Ship
The Tale of the Marion G Douglas – Ghost Ship Mystery Strange things can happen at sea. The ocean is not man’s natural habitat – he is already halfway to another world out there on the blue horizon – and, when something untoward occurs, it can seem all the more threatening and surreal amidst the waves. This is one of the most extraordinary stories I uncovered during my time as editor-at-large of the Western Morning News, South West England’s daily morning newspaper - and I re
Martin Hesp
Feb 20, 20255 min read


Exploring Trebah Gardens: A Sub-Tropical Wonderland in Cornwall
An article describing how journalist Martin Hesp met an interviewed Tony Hibbert who founded Trebah Gardens in Cornwall
Martin Hesp
Oct 11, 20244 min read


Exploring the Lizard
We had all endured weeks of dark skies leaking copious amounts of rain - but in our case the weather, and indeed the season, seemed to change in one startling, blinding, beautiful moment. I was lying on a large, comfortable bed, about to have a snooze after a long day out in Cornwall, and suddenly the hotel room was filled with the brightest sunlight we’d seen since last summer. So bright that my wife was forced to put on her sunglasses. It was that bright, even indoors! Mull
Martin Hesp
Apr 30, 20245 min read


Cornish Walks: Godolphin Hill
<p class="">A walk around the National Trust’s Godolphin Estate in Cornwall</p>
Martin Hesp
Oct 26, 20215 min read


Cornish Walks: Lamorna & the West
<p class="">This walk takes us west of Lamorna Cove in far west Cornwall</p>
Martin Hesp
Oct 26, 20215 min read


Cornish Walks: Mousehole to Lamorna Circular Route
<p class="">A wonderful circular walk in Cornwall from the old fishing harbour at Mousehole west to the famous artists’ cove at Lamorna and back across the fields. </p>
Martin Hesp
Oct 25, 20215 min read


The Wreckers' Coast of Devon and Cornwall
<p class="">Journalist Martin Hesp writes about the Wreckers’ Coast which stretches from Hartland Point in North Devon South West in to Cornwall</p>
Martin Hesp
Jun 21, 20218 min read


10 Best Beaches in Devon and Cornwall
<p class="">A shortlist of the ten best beaches in Devon and Cornwall - with one in Somerset for good measure</p>
Martin Hesp
Jun 14, 20213 min read


Cornish Seaside Walks: Holywell
<p class="">The walk to Hollywell on the North Cornish coast is only a mile or two outside the busy resort of Newquay - but because there’s an estuary in between you will need to travel a round-about route to reach this little known corner of Cornwall</p>
Martin Hesp
May 3, 20214 min read


Cornish Walks: 6 Great Hikes for Easter and Spring
<p class="">Six Cornish hikes ideal for springtime</p>
Martin Hesp
Apr 5, 202111 min read
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