The geological variations of this peninsula have resulted in complex landforms. Inland of Gunwalloe and Mullion Cove there is a soft, undulating landscape spread over Devonian rocks with farmsteads and small hamlets interspersed with streams which reach the coast at Church Cove and Poldhu Cove. There are small pockets of woodlands on farms and these become more extensive north-eastwards to the head of the Helford Estuary. The elevated south west plateau of the Lizard Peninsula is underlain with serpentine as can be seen from the outcrops at Kynance Cove. The landform to the east falls gently on the gabbro and hornblende schists toward the coast and is permeated with small streams, which have formed sheltered valleys along weaknesses in the rock.

The combination of geology, mild oceanic climate conditions and its southerly location has led to the development of a unique range of habitats with many rare species of local and national importance. There are significant areas of heathland/ plateau rough ground across Goonhilly Downs and on the west coast that are critically important from both historic and biodiversity perspectives. The Lizard National Nature Reserve stretches across nearly 2,000 hectares of the peninsula. The heathland, coastal cliff vegetation and temporary ponds are of international importance and accommodate a broad diversity of wildlife which thrives here, including especially rare and unusual plants. The wild, open nature of these expansive habitats is emphasised by the lack of tree cover with the exception of those found in the sheltered valleys and coves.

Agricultural land is mainly pasture with some horticulture within small irregular enclosures of medieval origin, bounded by Cornish hedges, together with some larger, more regular fields of more recently enclosed land as the upland rough ground has been nibbled away. Settlement is concentrated along the coast with villages such as Lizard Village, Coverack and Cadgwith which became established as fishing villages in late medieval times and in the 19th century when there was a buoyant pilchard fishing industry, nowadays, fishing tends to concentrate on crab and lobster.

These villages are very popular with summer tourists providing a welcome seasonal boost to the local economy. On the cliffs from Lowland Point to Porthallow are several large stone quarries where excavations into the cliffs have significantly transformed the landscape of the area. The disused quarries have generally revegetated forming part of the cliff landscape although the possibility of future reworking exists due to long standing minerals permissions. The Lizard has a strong sense of human history and evidence of long-term human habitation in this area dates back to the Bronze Age. The upland rough ground at the coast and at Goonhilly Downs has a large concentration of ritual monuments, cairns, barrows and standing stones. In more recent times, this section has had a strong connection with the development of modern communications. The National Trust-owned Marconi Wireless Station at Lizard Point was where Guglielmo Marconi received the first over-the-horizon radio signal, paving the way for the first transatlantic signal to be sent from Poldhu Cove on the west coast of the Lizard in 1901. In another first for communications the BT Earth Station at Goonhilly is famed for receiving the first ever trans Atlantic satellite TV images in 1962. The presence of the existing windfarm at Goonhilly is a conspicuous landmark within the oftenflat Lizard landscape. It is accompanied by a solar farm which is all but invisible as a result of the combination of the flat topography and the enclosing vegetation.

The Helford River forms a ria (drowned river valley) which resulted from the rise in sea level following the last Ice Age. The network of small creeks extends the river system for several kilometres inland. At high tide, the water reaches up to the very edges of the oak woodland whilst at low tide the exposed greyish mud completely transforms the scene as at Polwheveral and Port Navas creeks, providing a haven for wading birds and wildlife. Settlements on the northern side tend to be concentrated around Helford Passage where there is an eclectic mix of both modern and traditional property. The river and its creeks present a considerable barrier to traffic from the north and south and the only link is by passenger ferry from Helford Passage to Helford Village.

The landscape on the southern side of the river has a quite different character from the north; the south tends to be more remote due to the natural river barrier and in recent years has seen less development retaining the parkland landscape of the Trelowarren Estate and other ancient farms. This landscape is characterised by more modest traditional built forms than those to the north of the river. As a result of the sheltered aspect of this landscape it provides the perfect growing conditions and climate for the exotic collections of trees and plants found at the large gardens of Trebah, Glendurgan and Bosloe including, rhododendron, camellias, magnolias, tree ferns and palms further contributing to the special sense of place experienced when visiting the Helford landscape.

The seaward opening of the Helford River is marked by Nare Point to the south and Rosemullion Head to the north. The shallow angled cliffs of the river mouth exposed to the open sea of Falmouth Bay continue to support areas of coastal heathland whilst the steeper cliff face near Mawnan Church and higher, has a diversity of woodland species including mature ilex oaks and Monterey pines.

Although there are no large settlements within the Helford River area there are many scattered smaller ones with villages clustered around the creek heads and crossroads such as at Mawnan Smith, the landscape still retaining the traditional settlement pattern of scattered rural farming hamlets. Some, like Manaccan and St Martin, with medieval churches at their heart. At the mouth of the estuary, St Anthony Church nestles in the shelter of Dennis Head, defended by prominent earthworks in both the Iron Age and English Civil War. The village of Gweek at the head of the Helford Estuary was once an ancient tin mining port possibly used during the early Iron Age. The recent and ongoing development at the boatyard which dominates the head of the creek has the potential to change its character.

Partnerships and Neighbourhood Plans

• Porthleven Neighbourhood Plan is under examination
• Perranuthnoe Neighbourhood Plan is pre-submission
• Mawnan Neighbourhood Development Plan is Plan Proposal Submission
• Parish Plans exist for; Cury, Grade Ruan, St Keverne, Manaccan and St Anthony, Mawnan and Mawgan-in-Meneage
• The Loe Pool Forum (LPF) is an environmental partnership working to improve water quality and reduce flood risk in the River Cober catchment. Recent work with South West Water on upstream thinking within the Cober catchment have had a good influence and are improving water quality at Loe Pool.
• The Linking the Lizard Partnership has established a landscape scale and coordinated approach to landscape and habitat management between the relevant partnership agencies and extending the National Nature Reserve.
• Lizard Peninsula Heritage Trust aims to contribute to the natural, historic and man-made environments of the Lizard Peninsula, with the twin aims of seeking their protection and enhancement.

Other Designations

• The Helford Voluntary Marine Conservation Area was designated in 1987.
• This section contains the Lizard and the Fal & Helford Special Areas for Conservation and many SSSI’s including Goonhilly Downs SSSI.
• The Helford and Fal Estuaries are designated Special Area of Conservation for their shallow inlet  and bays; the designation also covers saltmarshes, intertidal mudflats and sub tidal sandbanks.
• The Manacles Marine Conservation Zone was designated in 2013 with two new MCZ’s, The Western Channel, a large offshore area south east of the Lizard Peninsula and Mounts Bay both designated in 2016.