Mullion is the largest village on the Lizard (Image: Getty)
Located on the wild and beautiful Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, the small remote seaside village of Mullion has earned a reputation as one of the UK’s most underrated seaside escapes. It was previously named third among the 20 villages voted as being the best hidden gems in the UK in HomeToGo’s 2021 UK Hidden Gem Index, and it’s a reputation it continues to live up to today.
Unlike some of Cornwall’s busier tourist hotspots, Mullion has managed to retain a peaceful, traditional, and a rare unspoiled feel. Whitewashed cottages, narrow lanes and a small working harbour give the village a timeless charm while the surrounding coastline offers some of the most stunning scenery and coastal walks in Cornwall.
Mullion Cove is known for its dramatic cliffs, turquoise water, and working harbour walls. (Image: Getty)
Mullion sits close to some of the most striking stretches of the Cornish coast, where cliffs drop sharply into turquoise Atlantic waters and hidden coves appear between rocky headlands.
The nearby Mullion Cove is one of the area’s real highlights. This small, atmospheric harbour features a sandy beach that is mostly covered at high tide, sitting beside the historic lifeboat station. Framed by steep cliffs and powerful Atlantic waves, it has a rugged, timeless feel, and it’s not uncommon to spot seals resting on the surrounding rocks.
From Mullion, stretches of the South West Coast Path offer miles of cliff-top walking routes, with views across secluded beaches, rugged headlands and open sea.
The village also offers visitors a great choice of traditional pubs, cafés and independent shops, many of which focus on locally sourced produce. Mullion is also known for its food. The Old Inn Mullion, for example, is a historic thatched pub serving seasonal food and using locally sourced ingredients. The Old Inn has offered a place for locals and visitors to come together since the 1600s.
The Mounts Bay Inn, which is known locally as “The Mounts,” is another welcoming village pub. It has a great decked sun terrace for summer sunsets, cozy log burners for winter, and hosts popular themed food nights (like burger Saturdays and curry Thursdays).
Awarded two AA Rosettes for excellence, Mullion Cove’s Atlantic View Restaurant is widely regarded as one of the best places to eat in west Cornwall. For scenic dining or drinks, Polurrian on the Lizard is a must with its cliff-top position offering sweeping sea views.
Mullion is the largest village on the Lizard and visitors often use Mullion as a base to explore the surrounding coastline. It is also home to a 13th century church, St Mellanus Church. Though substantially rebuilt around 1500, the ancient Grade 1 listed church located at the centre of the village, still has its original 13th-century octagonal font and historic remnants in the chancel and tower.
One TripAdvisor user even called the South West Coast Path, the “best coastal” walk they have “ever done” with “stunning scenery” as well as “well maintained paths and signs.”
Another visitor from Exeter wrote on TripAdvisor: “Mullion is a wonderful place on the Lizard. The village itself has two great pubs, great facilities for B&B, hotels, self-catering, caravan and camping, majestic harbour, cracking friendly local shops, curry, and a fantastic chocolate shop! The walk around the coast is fantastic, rugged cliffs and snaking paths.”
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
