What’s going for it? For the end of the year, the end of the Earth, or at least this little island. The Penwith peninsula is the proper name for the tippy toe of Cornwall’s elegant leg, curled and recoiled like a nervous swimmer dipping their tootsie in the icy Atlantic (at this time of the year, an’ all). Land’s End is for tourists. Avoid. The rest of this toe is the closest I’ve come to the oft-promised-rarely-delivered Rebecca-esque wildness of Cornwall. You won’t find Hooray Henries here, nor boaties and fairweather Cornwall-philes. With the sea on three (almost four) sides and nought to protect you from the onslaught of sou’westerlies, Penwith is for hardcore lovers of raging, foaming surf, raggedy, rugged cliffs and winds so fierce they deliver while-u-walk exfoliation. The buildings are so sturdy-looking, they could withstand the apocalypse. And, yes, for you goth romantics, it has that Rebecca shtick, thanks to bleak heathery moors, Neolithic sites, abandoned tin mines with their lonely finger chimneys pointing skywards and the like. Extreme Cornwall, in every sense.
The case against You’re first in line facing the attack of the prevailing winds; blustery is the norm. Far from most things, except gulls. Do be second-home aware, of course: this is the Guardian.
Well connected? Don’t be silly. There’s only one direction for landlubbers to go in. Driving: St Just is 20 minutes from Penzance, 30 from St Ives and an hour from Truro. Trains from Penzance to Truro (two an hour, 60-90 minutes), Plymouth (one or two an hour, two hours) and beyond.
Schools A number of “good” primaries, according to Ofsted, including Nancledra, Sennen and St Levan. Secondaries: Cape Cornwall in St Just is “good”; in Penzance, Humphry Davy is “good”, and Mounts Bay Academy “outstanding”.
Hang out at… The Gurnard’s Head, possibly the most perfect pub at the end of the universe.
Where to buy Beautiful property, much from the 18th and 19th centuries. Squat stone farmhouses, barn conversions or, in town, terraces, with small windows to keep out the elements. Georgian or Victorian villas, too. Mousehole is pricey; St Just, Pendeen, Zennor and St Buryan more affordable. Views command the highest prices. Detacheds, £250,000-£850,000. Semis, £200,000-£520,000. Terraces and cottages, £135,000-£350,000. Rentals: one-bed flat, £400-£500pcm; three-bed house, £600-£900pcm.
Bargain of the week Period, four-bed detached house in St Just, with a sizeable garden, £259,950, marshalls-estate-agents.co.uk.
From the streets
Ali Gridley “Cafe Dog and Rabbit is our favourite haunt: great coffee and food, and a really welcoming atmosphere.”
Zoe King “Apart from the rugged coastline with hidden-away coves, there are fabulous walks to see stone circles on the moors. The only case against: it’s often misty.”
• Live in St Just and the Penwith peninsula? Join the debate below.
Do you live in Hadleigh, Suffolk? Do you have a favourite haunt or pet hate? If so, please email lets.move@theguardian.com by Tuesday 23 December.
