Sennen Cove facts for kids
Sennen Cove (which is called Cornish: Porthsenen in the Cornish language) is a small village right by the sea. It's located in Cornwall, England, in the United Kingdom. In 2000, about 180 people lived there. The famous South West Coast Path walking trail goes right through Sennen Cove.
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Exploring Sennen Cove's Location
Sennen Cove village sits overlooking the southern part of Whitesand Bay. Even though it's called a "cove," it's not a deep, curved bay like some others. The village is on a small road that connects to the main A30 road about 3 kilometers from Land's End. This makes it the first village you reach along the north coast from Land's End.
The road goes down gently at first, then gets steeper as it leads to the village. The village itself is built just above the beach. The beach stretches further north along Whitesand Bay. Most houses are made of granite or concrete. They are often built in rows, which is common in many Cornish villages. Several important underwater internet cables come ashore here. They connect to other cables from Porthcurno.
Fun by the Sea at Sennen Cove
Sennen Cove's Lifeboat Heroes
The Sennen Cove Lifeboat Station has been helping people since 1853. It's run by amazing volunteers! They use a special all-weather lifeboat called a Tamar-class and a smaller IB1 inshore lifeboat. A team of 24 volunteers makes sure these boats are ready to go 24 hours a day, all year round.
Right next to the lifeboat station, you'll find the old Roundhouse. It's now an art gallery and souvenir shop. But long ago, it held a winch (a machine for pulling) that was used to pull boats out of the water and onto the beach.
Catching Waves: Surfing at Sennen
Sennen Cove is super popular for surfing! Both local surfers and visitors love its waves. Sennen is often a bit more protected from strong winds and big waves than Gwenver, which is at the other end of Whitesand Bay.
The waves at Sennen are usually good at most tide levels, except when the tide is extremely high. It's best when the waves come from the west and there's a light wind from the east. You can rent surf gear right at the beach, near a car park and a beach cafe.
Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog
Sennen Beach was once home to Bilbo, the first ever dog lifeguard in the UK! This big Newfoundland dog started working on the beach in 2005. He helped people understand the dangers of swimming outside the safe areas. He was part of a campaign called 'Bilbo Says'.
Sadly, Bilbo passed away in May 2015. His death was even mentioned in many national newspapers.
There are also some fun children's books about Sennen Cove. Shanti The Wandering Dog of Sennen & The Land's End tells the story of a collie dog exploring the cove. Alfie The MerCat of Sennen Cove is about a kitten whose life changes thanks to mermaids in the bay. It also teaches a subtle message about sea safety.
What Sennen Cove is Known For
The village depends a lot on tourism. It's especially popular with people who love sea surfing. The busiest time for tourists is from spring to autumn, with August being the peak month during school holidays.
You'll find places like "The Old Boathouse," a surf shop called "Chapel Idne," and a public house (a pub) here. There are also small cafes, ice cream stands, souvenir shops, and little private art galleries. Most of these are only open when tourists are visiting. The South West Coast Path walking trail goes through Sennen Cove. It's about a half-hour walk from Land's End.
A small fishing fleet of seven boats is protected by a special wall called a breakwater, which was built in 1908. Long ago, catching mullet fish was very important here. Sennen Cove was a major fishing spot in Cornwall. Even in the early 1900s, huge groups of fish, sometimes as many as 12,000, would enter the bay.
The cliffs at "Pedn men du" in the cove are also popular with people who enjoy rock climbing. It's a great spot because you can usually access it no matter what the tide is doing.
Getting Around Sennen Cove
First South West runs bus services to Sennen Cove. Bus service A1 stops at Sennen Cove on its way between Penzance and Lands End almost every hour during the day. In the summer, an open-top bus, A3, also visits the cove on its trip between St Ives and Lands End.
Music Inspired by Sennen Cove
The indie-rock band Ride named a song 'Sennen' after Sennen Cove. It's on their 1990 album Nowhere. Also, a composer and pianist from the 1920s and 30s, Billy Mayerl, wrote a piece of music called "Sennen Cove."
Art and Stories from Sennen Cove
The horizon at Sennen has inspired an artist named Tony Davie. He created a collection of 365 paintings called "Sennen: A Moment in Time."
Old Stories and Beliefs
In the past, people collected old stories and beliefs from Sennen Cove. Some stories were about fairys, including beliefs about changelings (fairy babies swapped with human babies) and fairies dancing. There was also a story about a mermaid from the Cove. Another tale tells of a supernatural creature called the Hooper. It appeared as a light in the mist off the Cove and would "hoop" (make a sound) to warn fishermen if a storm was coming.
Images for kids
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Surfers in the sea at Sennen
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A surfer coming from the sea at Sennen, Cornwall
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People enjoying Sennen Cove Beach
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The far end of Sennen Cove Beach
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Sand at Sennen Cove Beach
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Sennen Cove Beach
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Waves at Sennen Cove Beach
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A beautiful scene at Sennen Cove Beach
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A toddler at Sennen Cove Beach
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Sennen Cove Beach
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Sennen Cove in black and white
