Situated near Lands End, Cornwall, the Botallack mine walk takes you to old engine houses situated right on the cliff edge of a dramatic world heritage site. This is the untamed and rugged area of Cornwall, the landscape being very much unchanged over the past century. The former working mines were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.
There used to be over 100 engine houses in working order, loud noises, strong smells of coal and smoke and hundreds of workers rushing about. It is now a very peaceful place, with an almost eerie calm-like feel in the air. It’s hard to imagine the stark contrast of previous centuries.
Before heading on the Botallack mine walk you can visit the workshop to find out more about the mines history and to grab a map of various walks around the mines. A friendly staff member explained to me how the area in the past it would not have been calm or quiet at all.
In fact it would have been incredibly noisy with the blasts from the mines, the hammering of the workers, chains being dragged and thick smoke filling the air. Conditions were not good for the workers. The mines were dug 570m deep and ran out to half a mile into the sea.
The count house (the office), I have discovered was made to look quite well off and a thriving place. It was mostly for show for the investors and as the public face of the mining industry, to demonstrate that the work they were doing was beneficial.
The count house building served as the main office for the daily running of the mine and was where the workers picked up their pay.
It’s hard to believe the conditions that these miners had to endure, day and night.
Fast forward over a hundred years and it is now run by the National Trust and invites visitors to explore the history of the mines and to take it its stunning scenery. The dramatic landscape is so photogenic it’s now been a filming location for BBCโs Poldark.
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Walking around Botallack mine…
Now you can take a short 30 min or so walk around the main engine houses that have become such an integral part of the Cornish landscape. Head to the old count house before the walk and pick up a map, then you can head back there afterwards for tea and cake!
The walk is perfect if you are short for time but there is also the option of walking even further along the coastal path that’s lined with wildflowers. This area of Cornwall is certainly worth the visit for it’s wild beauty and its history. Not to mention just how photogenic the place is!
Photographers may end up spending quite some time here. The coastal path continues for miles so its fantastic for walkers and the staff in the workshop are so friendly and happy to answer any questions. So if you find yourself in Cornwall, then check out the mines and discover some of the fascinating Cornish history in the process.
How to get to Botallack mine
Car: This is by far the easiest to explore the mines and surrounding areas. Take the B3306 onto Botallack lane and follow it all the way down straight to the car park.
Bus: The Botallack mine walk is only 10 minutes from the nearest bus stop at the Queens Arms. Check out the official page for directions and other walking trails.
More posts from Cornwall (& Devon):
- Mousehole Cornwall: A Quaint Fishing Village
- Clovelly: The Prettiest Village in Devon?
- Kingsand and Cawsand: Undiscovered Cornwall
18 Comments
The Botallack mine looks like such a cool place to visit. I always love strolling through ruins and taking pictures. The coastal path views look gorgeous and I love all the pictures you got!
and the greyish skies give it that moody look ๐
I have been wanting to visit Cornwall for some time, and your picture make me want to go even more now! The Botallack Mine Walk looks like such a fun little trek and an interesting place to explore. I would love to photograph all of the old structures and the coastline. Thanks for sharing!
Cornwall is such a great place, with cute little harbour towns and nice beaches too!
Really nice post! Thanks for sharing some of the history of the mines too – it was really interesting! Though we’re happy that they are closed now and the air is cleaner!
haha yes agreed.
Love this!! The photos are beautiful and it’s somewhere I never would have thought to visit before this post. Thanks for sharing.
glad you liked it.
Oooh I love this area! We walled past several of these gorgeous mines when we hiked along the South West Coast Path a few years ago. There is something extra special about those gorgeous cliff views isn’t there? This post brings back happy walking memories.
We had one perfect, picturesque day, and one day when we froze as rain hammered at us vertically. Luckily the moment when we visited the Botallack mine was sunny and gorgeous. ๐
yes the weather is certainly unpredictable but it just makes it more photogenic i think!
Such a beautiful landscape! Who knew an old mining area could be so breathtaking. It is hard to hear that the conditions were so hard for the workers at Botallack Mine. But it is good to learn about these things and understand that it is more than just a pretty landscape! I will definitely have to visit one day. Thanks for sharing!
Agreed, its gone from one extreme to the other but the history is interesting ๐
I would have totally mistaken the structure to be an old castle ruin but to have a functioning mine, how very interesting. It will definitely make a nice addition to the itinerary when we visit Cornwall.
I’m not normally one for history but hearing a bit of detail about the mines I think it makes the walk more interesting! Hope you get a chance to see it ๐
The Botallack mine walk looks photogenic old engine houses situated right on the cliff edge of a world heritage site. Good to know that it is a filming location for BBCโs Polda
Gorgeous photos! I wish I would have visited Cornwall when I studied abroad in London. I’ll have to tack it on to my trip next time I’m in the area.
I did a double take because this looks almost identical to an engine house my husband and I discovered traveling from St Ives to St Michael’s Mount. The only difference is that one was not on the sea! Cornwall is such a beautiful place ๐
Yeh theres so much history in the Uk you can always find ruins/ old buildings somewhere or another!