Cornwall's coastline never seems to run out of surprises, and that's one of the reasons I enjoy exploring it so much.
Having previously walked and filmed other sections of the South West Coast Path, I decided to turn my attention to another stretch of the Lizard Peninsula, beginning at Kennack Sands and eventually making my way towards Kynance Cove. Rather than attempting the entire route in one go, I've been exploring it over several mornings, taking my time to enjoy the scenery, capture photographs with my Nikon Z6II and film the coastline from above with my drone.
The idea is to bring all these outings together into one coastal adventure video for my 4hotographix YouTube channel.
And, as I've discovered, no two mornings along this coastline are quite the same.
Day 1 – Starting My Coastal Adventure at Kennack Sands
Every journey needs a starting point, and for this particular adventure, mine was Kennack Sands. It was a lovely sunny morning, and I began by filming and walking along the beach before continuing along the coastline towards Carleon Cove.
Kennack Sands Looking Towards Lizard
With the weather looking promising, I also managed to get the drone into the air to capture some aerial footage of the coastline. Now, you'd think that being surrounded by such beautiful scenery would make finding a good photograph relatively straightforward. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work like that! Despite the sunshine and the opportunity to explore the coastline from above, I couldn't really find any compositions that particularly caught my eye. That's the thing about landscape photography. Sometimes everything looks lovely, but finding that one photograph with the right composition, light and subject is another matter entirely.
Still, it was a pleasant morning to be outside, and I managed to capture footage that would contribute to the final coastal video. I finished this first outing before reaching Carleon Cove, leaving the next part of the coastline to explore another day. Not every photography outing produces a portfolio-worthy image, but that doesn't mean the morning has been wasted. Sometimes it's simply about getting outdoors, enjoying the coastline and seeing what you can discover.
Day 2 – Exploring the Fishing Village of Cadgwith
For my second outing, I headed to Cadgwith Cove, one of Cornwall's traditional fishing villages on the Lizard Peninsula. I started just outside Cadgwith and gradually made my way towards the harbour, filming as I went. One of the views I wanted to capture was from the direction of Dans Rock, looking into the harbour.
Cadgwith Harbour
Cadgwith has a very different character from the open beaches and stretches of coastal path I'd been exploring previously. Here, the harbour and its fishing boats are very much part of the landscape, and I was fortunate enough to witness something particularly interesting during my visit.
While I was filming around the harbour, I watched a fisherman preparing to launch his boat. What caught my attention was the method used to get the boat into the water. Rather than simply setting off from a mooring, the boat was pushed down the beach and out into the sea using a tractor. I managed to film the entire launch.
Launching For The Mornings Catch
It was fascinating to watch the process, particularly the practical way the tractor was used to push the boat out into the water. For someone visiting Cadgwith with cameras in hand, it was an unexpected opportunity to capture a little of the everyday activity that takes place in a working Cornish fishing village. I also spent some time taking still photographs around the harbour, making the most of the opportunity to record the scene. It's these moments that add something different to my coastal adventures. The scenery is always an important part of the journey, but occasionally it's the people and activities you encounter that make an outing particularly memorable. And watching that fishing boat launch was certainly one of those moments.
Day 3 – Cadgwith to Dinosaur Rock
For my third outing, I returned to Cadgwith to continue exploring the coastline, this time heading along the South West Coast Path towards Dinosaur Rock. Once again, the weather was on my side. It was an absolutely beautiful sunny morning, with the morning light bringing out the character of the coastline. But there was one particular location along this section that really stood out.
I'd been looking forward to seeing the Devil's Frying Pan, but I wasn't quite prepared for just how impressive it would look. When I reached it, the view genuinely took my breath away. The dramatic coastal formation looked absolutely amazing in the morning sunshine, and it was one of those moments when you simply have to stop and take everything in.
The Devils Frying Pan in the Morning Sunlight
It's difficult to appreciate the scale and character of some of Cornwall's coastal features until you're actually standing there looking at them. And with the sunlight illuminating the landscape, the Devil's Frying Pan was particularly impressive. This was easily one of the highlights of my journey so far. There are times when you're walking along the coast and suddenly come across a view that reminds you exactly why you enjoy exploring these places. For me, this was one of them. After spending time enjoying the scenery, I continued along the coast towards Dinosaur Rock.
Dinosaur Rock
This was where I decided to finish the third outing, leaving the next section towards Church Cove for another morning. And, as it turned out, that next morning would bring something completely different.
Day 4 – Dinosaur Rock to Church Cove: Above the Fog
After the beautiful sunshine of my previous outing, I returned to the Lizard Peninsula to continue from Dinosaur Rock towards Church Cove. This time, I parked just above Church Cove and walked back towards the point where I'd finished my previous adventure. However, when I arrived, the conditions were rather different. The coastline was covered in fog.
It stretched across the coastal landscape and rolled offshore, giving the whole area a completely different appearance. For landscape photography, fog can be a bit of a mixed blessing. It can obscure the very scenery you've travelled to photograph, but it can also create some wonderful atmospheric opportunities. And on this occasion, I was fortunate enough to capture something rather special.
With the coastline shrouded in fog, I decided to get the drone into the air to see what the conditions looked like from above. And what a difference that made. From the air, the fog covering the coastline and extending out over the sea looked absolutely amazing. It was one of those scenes that you simply wouldn't appreciate in quite the same way from ground level.
Panorama Above The Clouds
I spent some time capturing aerial photographs and video of the conditions, making the most of this unexpected opportunity. One of the things I love about drone photography is how it can completely change your perspective on a landscape. Something that might appear fairly ordinary, or even rather disappointing from the ground, can look extraordinary from above. And this was a perfect example. I'd arrived expecting another morning of coastal walking and photography, but the fog had provided an entirely different subject. Sometimes the best photographic opportunities are the ones you never planned for.
As the morning progressed, the fog gradually cleared, revealing the coastline beneath it. What had started as a misty morning turned into a beautifully calm and sunny one. The conditions were lovely for walking, and there was another bonus. I didn't encounter any other walkers along the way. There was something particularly enjoyable about having this stretch of coastline to myself, taking my time and enjoying the surroundings without any rush.
South West Coast Path Looking Towards Lizard
Along the route, I continued capturing aerial footage and taking still photographs with my Nikon Z6II. With the fog gone, the coastline looked completely different from how it had appeared earlier in the morning. It was quite a contrast, going from atmospheric mist to bright sunshine in the space of one outing. And that's part of what makes photographing Cornwall so interesting. The landscape might remain the same, but the conditions can transform how it looks and feels.
Eventually, I made my way towards Church Cove, near Lizard village, where this section of my coastal adventure would come to an end. Before finishing, I headed out onto a small rocky outcrop at Church Cove to enjoy the view and capture a little more of the scenery.
By this point, the fog had cleared, leaving a calm and sunny morning. It was a lovely place to finish another stage of my journey. Looking back, the aerial footage above the fog was undoubtedly the highlight of this particular outing. But the peaceful walk along the coastline was just as enjoyable in its own way. Another section completed, another collection of photographs and video footage captured, and another memorable morning exploring Cornwall.
Looking back over these four mornings, it's interesting just how different each one has been. Kennack Sands provided a lovely sunny start, even if I struggled to find any particularly strong photographic compositions. Cadgwith gave me the opportunity to capture a traditional fishing boat launch, something completely different from my usual landscape photography. The Devil's Frying Pan was a genuine highlight, looking spectacular in the morning sunshine. And the journey towards Church Cove provided that unexpected encounter with the fog, producing some of my most interesting aerial footage from this stretch of coastline. That's what I enjoy about these coastal adventures. You can plan the route, check the weather and pack all the camera equipment you think you'll need, but you never quite know what the morning will bring. And sometimes it's the unexpected moments that stay with you the longest.
The Journey Towards Kynance Cove Continues
For now, I've reached Church Cove, but my journey towards Kynance Cove is far from finished. There are still more sections of the Lizard Peninsula to explore, more photographs to capture and more footage to add to the final video. As I complete each new outing, I'll continue updating this blog with the next part of the adventure. In the meantime, if you enjoy Cornwall, coastal walking, landscape photography and drone footage, you can follow my adventures here on the blog. And if the next few outings are anything like the first four, I'm sure there'll be a few more surprises waiting along the way.
Enjoyed this photographic journey along the South West Coast Path?
Explore my Cornish coastal adventures, browse my landscape photography prints, or join me on YouTube for more photography, hiking and exploration.