Porth Nanven is a rocky beach on the walkers’ approach to Land's End. In the early evening, its few flat patches are occupied by camper vans, making the place a brief but consequential obstacle in their search for somewhere to spend the night.

Setting and passage through

As the path closes in with low, tough scrub, the walkers reach Porth Nanven and find no usable flat ground among the patches already taken by camper vans. They climb away from the beach, unsure whether they will find a place to camp and facing the possibility of walking on through the night.

Role in the journey

The beach lies within sight of the journey’s approaching endpoint: Longships Lighthouse is visible on the islet of Carn Bras, just off the final headland. Yet the walkers do not hurry toward Land's End. Looking back as the path turns into more scrub, they spot a flat green patch on a rocky finger extending from Carn Leskys. Porth Nanven thus marks a contrast between the apparent nearness of the destination and the immediate uncertainty of finding shelter.