Lying about 4 miles south-west of Penzance, Lamorna is in many ways a typical small Cornish cove, backed by a narrow valley. In addition to its compact beauty and solitude, it also has had, since the early 20th Century, a record of being associated with the arts. Many painters have drawn inspiration from working and living here, including Augustus John and Alfred Munnings. More modern writers such as John le Carré and Derek Tangye also have links with the cove. Unusually for West Cornwall, the approach to the sea is through a heavily wooded river valley.