II.

Land and Resources

Much of Cornwall consists of comparatively high and hilly land, composed chiefly of granite. In the north and east, the bleak Bodmin Moor covers an area of more than 6,800 hectares (16,800 acres); on its northern edge is the peak of Brown Willy (420 m/1,377 ft). Farther south are the Hensbarrow Downs, the Wendron Moors, and the Goonhilly Downs. The Cornish countryside is not entirely forbidding, and steep, thickly wooded valleys descend from the moors and downs towards the sea. The north coast has a number of attractive bays, most with good sandy beaches, and many with interesting slate rock formations and cliff scenery of both grandeur and beauty. At Land's End, the seas pound the granite rocks. The Lizard, the southernmost point of the island of Great Britain, is some 40 km (25 mi) to the east of Land's End across Mount's Bay, in which St Michael's Mount stands. The south coast is less spectacular than the north, but is notable for the drowned estuary at Falmouth, which forms a large natural harbour.

Cornwall's eastern border with Devon runs along the course of the River Tamar for most of its distance. The other principal rivers of the county are the Camel and the Hayle, which have their estuaries on the north coast at Padstow and St Ives respectively; and the Fal, the Fowey, and the Looe, which flow into the English Channel at Falmouth, Fowey, and Looe. The canal that runs between Bude and Launceston is no longer in use but work is in progress to restore the architectural and industrial heritage of the canal between Bude and Virworthy Wharf.