London is one of the best cities in the world. It’s somewhere you can eat any cuisine you want, on any day of the week. Its museums and galleries hold the world’s great masterpieces, and many of them are free to visit. The city’s architecture is vast and varied, with everything from its famed Georgian terraces through to Brutalism in the form of the Barbican or Southbank Centre.
Where it lacks is nature. Sure, it is a green city with numerous parks scattered throughout. But if you want proper, sprawling nature, you have to leave.
This is exactly what I had in mind when heading out of London as far southwest as you can go. Cornwall certainly does have nature. It is renowned for its stunning sandy beaches, rugged cliffside coastal landscapes and charming coves. Its waves are legendary and draw surfers from all over the country.
The only trouble is, it’s not exactly close to England’s capital. Head to Land’s End, the most westerly point of the UK, and it’s 350 miles from my pocket of northeast London. The other issue, for many Londoners, is the lack of a car. This might seem ironic when you consider London has some of the most congested streets of anywhere, but many choose to enjoy the city’s great public transport links.
As for me, I do have a car, but it’s from the ’90s, is not Ulez-compliant and is staying safe in a garage far away from parking dings. The solution? Hire one from The Out, a rental firm with a fleet of very Cornwall-appropriate Range Rover, Defender and Discovery models.
Getting behind the wheel is a simple process. The Out delivers your chosen car to any London address – you choose the length of the loan and the delivery times, and one of its drivers will drop it to you and then pick it up once you’re finished. In between that time, you can go anywhere you choose.
My particular set of wheels, a Defender 110, is the perfect vehicle for a Cornish road trip. Developed from the Land Rover Series, the new Defender is a different beast entirely, with properly comfortable suspension, an interior you want to spend time in and a level of refinement that is genuinely impressive. It can still do some pretty hardcore off-roading, but it can also cruise at motorway speeds all day, with a good stereo, air con and all the interior tech you’d expect of a 2025 car.
It made light work of the journey down south. The first stop en route to Cornwall’s surfing mecca was Hope Cove in Devon. Just over 100 miles east of Sennen Cove, my final destination, Hope Cove is a picturesque seaside village with everything you could want from a coastal stop. It has its own sandy beach, enjoyed by surfers, picnickers and walkers; and a series of trails including Bolt Tail, the site of a former Iron Age fort with views across the coast.
On Tuesdays, the Taste of the Wild Pizza van offers woodfired pizza for you to eat on the beach, while a pop-up tiki bar serves cocktails, with 20 per cent of profits going to the local Hope Cove Lifeboat organisation. The best place to stay? Hope Cove House, a family-run boutique hotel and restaurant, with sweeping views over the coast, an impressive kitchen and exceptionally friendly service.
Onwards and the Defender absorbed the next 100 miles with ease. On the way, lunch consisted of chicken karaage and panang curry at local favourite The Taphouse in St Agnes. A surfing themed roadhouse, it had Hawaiian Kona Big Wave on tap and a laid-back atmosphere.
Head further west and you eventually hit Land’s End, the most westerly part of the UK, stretching out over its corner of Penzance. Just up the road though is Sennen Cove, home to one of Cornwall’s most spectacular beaches. A long stretch of sand curves around the green hills above, with ocean waves breaking early, making it perfect for surfers and watersports enthusiasts.
There is a feeling of freedom that is unique to spending time in the sea. Whether you surf, bodyboard or swim, looking out across the horizon at nothing but blue sea and sky is irreplaceable. It’s a long way from London. There is a meditative quality to being here, where the only thing that matters is the size of the next wave. Like riding a motorcycle or running a marathon, it offers a pure, unfiltered shot of escapism.
I consider this on the drive back to London, as the traffic increases and the sky grows darker. Sennen Beach and Hope Cove are places you long to spend time in. They are among the most beautiful parts of the UK, and for most, they can be reached by car. For those seeking nature, friendly locals and charming coastal towns, they make for a road trip you won’t easily forget.
Hire your perfect road trip car at theout.com
Words and photography by Charlie Thomas
Charlie Thomas is a UK-based writer, journalist and photographer. He has written for the Financial Times HTSI, GQ, The Times, Robb Report and The Independent
