Courageous & Confrontational in Cornwall (2)

Looking At Links To The Lizard 

fbb "visited" The Lizard in a blog over a month ago in a search for a mysterious and unidentified First Kernow bus stop. The blog in question is available (here) for those who may wish to re-acquaint themselves with the old bloke's words of wisdom and entertainment (??). In summary, fbb reported that First Kernow's branded route was reduced to a college journey ...

... and that the tendered "proper" route was now number 34, operated by Go Ahead in the guise of Transport for Cornwall (TfC) and helpfully listed on their web site between 35 and 36.

The route runs hourly with a Monday to Saturday schedule that is hopelessly and unhelpfully cluttered with schoolday variations.

The route appears clearly on the TfC map of their uncoordinated one network map of bus services throughout the county.

The 34 runs through from Redruth on a route that was once branded "The Helston Branch Line" and operated by Truronian.

When Roger French popped out west a while back, he nopticed that the bus stop at Redruth Station still carried the long out-of-date branding.

And so it is that from Sunday last, First Bus have re-started their Lizard Bus. It is open top, continuing the branding used when First ran the full timetable; and ...

... there is a sumptuous leaflet. The timetable is uncluttered with school journeys, very simple to understand and, surprise, surprise, buses lave Helston at the same time as TfC's 34.

The map implies that the route is identical with the 34, apart from a wiggle round the bits of Mullion previously served by First's college trip.

You would guess that the wiggle is designed to get passengers a little closer to Mullion Cove ...

... about 1 kilometre (3/4 of a mile in old money) from the bus stops on the wiggle (map, top right).

Talking of walking, although the leaflet advertises Lizard Point ...

... that is a bit of a porkie pie. No buses run to Lizard Point - the road is too thin!

The walk from the bus stop (top centre) to the cove is also about 1km with Lizard Point being a tad further just off the above aerial view bottom left.

Kuggar (Kennack Sands) ...

... is more pleasant, slightly less commercialised, but still a hefty trudge from the bus stop!

But, not just satisfied with "The Lizard" open topper, First have added some connecting routes. On offer is an L3 from Truro, the U4 (used to be service 2) from Falmouth ...

... The U4 from Penzance and the L5 from St Ives.

The hourly L3 ...

... parallels TfC's 36.

... and leaves at roughly the same time. The leaflet version is a summary but Traveline confirms that it does serve a full set of intermediate stops.

The L5 is something new. It links Helston with St Ives, but takes a circular route at the sea side end providing a link for the plethora of holiday, caravan, camping and chalet sites that surround the town.

There is no existing route that provides this link; which offers trips from Helston to the picturesque St Ives and well as connections with the Lizard open topper.

Once again, the Lizard leaflet offers an excellent map ...

... showing that, in addition to a lovely open top ride, the route provides many opportunities to plan walks along various sections of the magnificent coastal path.

Please, Mrs fbb, can we have an extra holiday in Cornwall this year? There are lots of lovely bus routes to try out; and you will enjoy them - honest!!

Tomorrow, after a brief stop in Falmouth we review what is happening in and around Newquay.

 Next Cornwall blog : Wednesday 19th May