This route starts from a McDonald's on the outskirts of Cornwall's capital city and heads straight to the coast. It will offer you some great coastal views as you make your way to the picturesque Harbour of St Ives. It can be very busy here in the summer, but a ride around the harbour is a must do and so is having an ice cream. From here you will travel along the cliff tops getting views out across the glistening Atlantic Ocean and will arrive at Lands End. I have written instructions on the route point note about motorcycle parking. The roads in this part of Cornwall can be very twisty and narrow so a little caution is required. The three harbours of Mousehole, Newlyn and Penzance are next, Mousehole is another picturesque harbour and a few moments spent here for pictures is a must. The origins of the bizarre 'Stargazey Pie' started here, look it up! Newlyn and Penzance are much more commercial but still pleasant to see. As you travel around the coast you will be seeing St Michael's Mount getting closer, my advice is to take your pictures before reaching it as there are not many places to stop unless you intend to visit it. The route passes through another small fishing village of Porthleven and then onto the most southern point on Great Britain's mainland, The Lizard. Here you can have a nice lunch or choose from the many cafes and pubs in Lizard village. The spectacular sea views and lighthouse as well as bagging the most southern point are worth it. A light was first exhibited here in 1619, the current lighthouse, consisting of two towers with cottages between them, was built in 1751 and used to have a large coal burners to emit the light and in 1812 the coal burners on each tower were replaced with oil lamps and reflectors. Goonhilly Satellite station is on The Lizard peninsular and that is next on the agenda. Goonhilly is one of the most recognised names in the Space Industry having beamed the Moon landings to millions of viewers in 1969.
When you join the A39 and you reach the Carnon Gate roundabout you can choose to remain on the A39 and head back to the start at Truro, you'll save 2 hours by doing this but my advice is to carry on as Mevagissey and Charlestown as they are both worthy of a visit. Now on to the King Harry Ferry to cross over the beautiful River Fal. The toll for a motorcycle in 2025 was £2, a link for times and fares can be seen below this review.
Crossing the River Fal via the King Harry Ferry, in it's idyllic setting is always a joy and a great way to reach the next harbour town of Mevagissey. This is another busy and bustling harbour fishing village and the jolly coloured boats always make it seem happy. The last stop on this route is at Charlestown, this is an old port where copper ore and china clay were once shipped from the chutes used for loading the old wooden boats can still be seen. The Shipwreck Museum is here and is interesting for anyone with a liking for maritime history.
From here, it is approximately 40 minutes back to the start.