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LJ Ross’ Cornwall
Explore the inspirational places behind the Summer Suspense novels – click on the numbered places on the map to get started
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Kynance Cove
Kynance Cove is the setting of The Cove, where Gabrielle Adams leaves London behind to run a tiny bookshop in a picturesque cove in rural Cornwall. It is one of Cornwall’s most photographed beaches, with white sand, turquoise water and dark green and red serpentine rock stacks that are found only on the Lizard peninsula.
- Asparagus Island – reached across the sand at low tide, with a blowhole known as the Devil’s Bellows.
- The beach – much of it is covered at high tide, so check tide times before you go.
- Getting there – the cove is owned by the National Trust and reached on foot by a steep path from the car park.
Helford
Tucked beneath wooded banks on the Helford estuary, Helford is a tiny, whitewashed village of thatched cottages reached by narrow lanes. Nearby Frenchman’s Creek is where Kate Irving arrives at her grandfather’s cottage in The Creek.
- Frenchman’s Creek – a quiet, tree-lined creek made famous by Daphne du Maurier’s novel of the same name.
- Helford River – best explored by boat, kayak or on foot along the shoreline paths.
- Glendurgan and Trebah – two subtropical gardens that run down to the river.
St Ives
In the seaside town of St Ives, golden beaches meet a maze of cobbled streets and a busy working harbour. It is the setting of The Bay, where Detective Sergeant Sophie Keane is called to a body found on the opening night of a new art gallery on the seafront.
- The Harbour and Smeaton’s Pier – the lighthouse at the end of the pier is a St Ives landmark.
- Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum – the town’s artistic heritage, which has drawn painters and sculptors for more than a century.
- The beaches – Porthminster, Porthmeor and the Harbour Beach are all within a short walk.
Tintagel
On the wild north coast of Cornwall, the ruins of Tintagel Castle cling to a dramatic headland steeped in the legends of King Arthur. In The Haven, a body is found washed up at the foot of the castle.
- Tintagel Castle – the clifftop ruins are cared for by English Heritage, and a footbridge now links the mainland and island parts of the site.
- Tintagel Haven – the beach below the castle, where Merlin’s Cave can be explored at low tide (check tide times before you go).
- St Nectan’s Glen – a wooded valley with a waterfall, a short drive along the coast.
Lizard Point
Lizard Point is the most southerly point of mainland Britain, a wild headland of cliffs and rocky coves where Atlantic swells meet the English Channel. The Lizard peninsula gives its name to The Lizard, in which Bryher Enys, owner of Cornwall’s newest restaurant, Panorama, and a volunteer with the local lifeboat crew, answers a distress call one stormy night.
- Lizard Lighthouse – the 18th-century lighthouse has guided ships past this treacherous coast for centuries.
- Polpeor Cove – the old lifeboat house sits at the foot of a steep slipway below the point.
- Coast path – the South West Coast Path runs along the clifftops with views in both directions.
