Lands end

Introduction

Times of high water

Porthleven: High water is 5 hours and 51 minutes after high water at Dover

Penzance: High water is 6 hours and 35 minutes before high water at Dover

Mousehole: High water is 5 hours and 50 minutes after high water at Dover

St. Ives: High water is 6 hours and 5 minutes before high water at Dover

Tidal streams

Mounts Bay: Tidal flows are minimal and irregular within Mounts Bay. Offshore, flows reach around 1 knot, flowing east from 5 hours after high water Dover and flowing south west from 2 hours before high water Dover.

East of Gwennap Head: Between Gwennap Head and Carn du: The east going stream begins at 2 hours after high water at Dover. The west going stream begins at 5 hours before high water at Dover.

Lands End Area: Flows in this area are complex, and more detail may be found in Reed's Nautical Almanac and Reeds Small Craft Almanac.

Gwennap Head: The east south-east going stream begins at 2 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Dover. The west north-west going stream begins at 3 hours before high water at Dover. The flow reaches a speed of 3.2 knots at springs.. A tide race forms here.

Between Gwennap Head and Lands End: The south south-east going stream begins at 2 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Dover. The north north-west going stream begins at 4 hours before high water at Dover. The flow becomes slack 5 hours after high water Dover, before again turning south, then turning north at first near Lands End from around 5 hours before high water Dover. The flow slackens again at around 2 hours before high water Dover before resuming the northerly flow. The flow can be avoided in the bays.

Inshore Lands End: The south going stream begins at 3 hours after high water at Dover. The north going stream begins at 3 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Dover. The south going stream reaches a speed of 4.2 knots at springs. The north going stream reaches a speed of 3.2 knots at springs.. Flows go slack around 2 hours before high water Dover. At around 5 hours after high water Dover, flows run offshore fed by an eddy from Sennen Cove.

Offshore between Cape Cornwall and Lands End: The north going stream begins at 2 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Dover. The south going stream begins at 5 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Dover. The north going stream reaches a speed of 3 knots at springs. The south going stream reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs.

Inshore Between Cape Cornwall and Lands End: The north going stream begins at 3 hours before high water at Dover. The south going stream begins at 30 minutes after high water at Dover.

Inshore Cape Cornwall: The north north-east going stream begins at 3 hours before high water at Dover. The south south-west going stream begins at 1 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Dover. A powerful race forms here, with more races off exposed points to the north.

Around The Wra: The east north-east going stream begins at 3 hours and 30 minutes before high water at Dover. The west south-west going stream begins at 1 hours and 30 minutes after high water at Dover. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs. A race forms on the point.

Gurnards Head: The north-east going stream begins at 2 hours after high water at Dover. The south-west going stream begins at 4 hours before high water at Dover. The flow reaches a speed of 4 knots at springs. A race forms on the head. To the east of here, the tide is weak in the bays and stronger on headlands, and turns east rather early inshore.

St. Ives Bay: The flows are weak. The flood tide flows north east across the bay. The ebb follows the shoreline.

Notes

Access/Egress

Porthleven: (SW 628 258) g Slipway in inner harbour with nearby car park.

Praa Sands: (SW 575 281) g Various beach car parks, of which the one to the west is easiest for accessing the beach with long boats.

Perran Sands: (SW 539 292) g May be possible to get vehicles close to the beach to drop boats, before leaving them in a pay and display car park 100 m back.

Marazion: (SW 513 310) g Large beachside car park. May be a long walk to the water at low tide.

Newlyn Boating Pool: (SW 467 294) g Pebble beach with easy access and several options for parking.

Newlyn Tolcarne: (SW 467 283) g A pebble beach just to the south of the harbour has a large car park.

Mousehole: (SW 469 262) g Small car park and slipway at south end of harbour.

Lamorna Cove: (SW 450 240) g Very pretty cove with slipway and car parks.

Porthgwarra: (SW 372 217) g A scenic drive down to car park and cafe at the end of he road. The carry is not long, but is very steep, down the boat ramp to the beach.

Sennen Cove: (SW 351 264) g Slipway from car park onto beach inside the small harbour. Car park can get busy - best to arrive early.

Cape Cornwall: (SW 352 317) g This put in is by no means ideal, having a long and steep carry to the sea and a potentially awkward landing in some conditions. The National Trust car park (pay and display) is large. There is a steep carry down to the sea with steps from the bottom of the car park, but some (especially those with trolleys) may prefer to follow the lane from just before the entrance at the top end of the car park for a slightly less steep (but longer) route without steps - about 400m. A long slipway leads down to Priest's Cove. At low water, there will be a further carry to the sea. At high water, waves may be breaking directly onto the slip making launching and landing awkward.

St. Ives: (SW 521 410) g St. Ives is a busy tourist destination. The best option may be Porthgwidden Beach just to the east of the headland. Car park with a tolerable carry down to the beach. Arrive early as access is restricted after 9:30. Carbis bay may be a better option.

Carbis Bay: (SW 528 389) g There is a small beach side car park here, just short of the entrance to the private hotel car park, which charges £20 a day. Fortunately the attendant is very friendly and allows paddlers to drop boats - be courteous and efficient! There is a large long stay car park up the hill near the church.

Hayle: (SW 552 380) g It may be possible to get on at a slip near the Hayle Canoe Club, with a large car park a short walk to the north. This get on is best avoided at low tide, and the paddle up to here can be slog if the tide is running out around low water.

Suggested trips

Lands End: If conditions allow, the trip around Lands End is a fantastic day out. The nearest launch points are Sennen Cove and Porthgwarra - the choice will depend on tides and wind. Towering cliffs and rock sculptures abound. Whilst there are a few places where one might land for lunch on a clam day, this section of coast has no options for egress. The trip out to Longships adds to the commitment, but is worth the visit, if only for the view back to Lands End. The state of the sea on the paddle out can depend critically on the directions of wind and tide.

Back to index