Even the name 'Lizard Point' has the power to summon thoughts of pirates, wreckers and smugglers. It's very name looks wonderful on maps, suggesting a ragged coast steeped in history and seafaring disaster. So, it is no surprise to find both a lifeboat station and lighthouse on mainland Britain's most southerly point. Very much like Polperro, Lizard Point is a micro-world of interest and adventure. Grab and old map and let's wander down to Lizard Point...

This is a BIG landscape, one which roars with the sea and whistles with the wind. White water smashes around ragged rocks, dotted along the coast, a threat to vessels both large and small. It is little surprise that it was seen necessary, by Sir John Killigrew, a philanthropic Cornishman, to build a beacon, or lighthouse, to save lives at sea. The locals, it has been said, were less keen. Stories of wreckers abound in these parts, with many benefiting from the spoils of sunken ships. In fact, so disliked was the original lighthouse, built 1619, that it collapsed through lack of funds. The light went dark and the tower collapsed.

It wasn't until 1748 that a new lighthouse was built, an impressive two towers, with cottages built between. The beam can be seen 26 miles away, saving countless lives since the light went into operation. Nowadays, you can visit the Lighthouse Heritage Centre. There are lots of adventure puzzle things to do inside - Track ships in the local area, sound a fog horn and decipher morse code messages. Sounds fun!

On the 29th July, 1588, the Spanish Armada was first sighted Lizard Point. The Spanish Invasion was coming! 130 ships and 30'000 men! While Sir Francis Drake played with his boules, at Plymouth, the people of the Lizard must have been frantically lighting the first of the famous beacons. This trail of framing lights quickly took news of the fleet along the English and Welsh coast, to prepare for the invasion. Drake's fleet at Plymouth, slipped out under the cover of darkness, getting behind the Spanish ships. Sneakily entering a battle in which the Spanish would end up in tatters. But, many of the beams, wood work and spoils have made their way into the buildings (especially Inns) across the country.

Further down the steep slipway, from the lighthouse, is a rustic huddle of buildings, almost forgotten by the world that built them. The old Lizard Lifeboat Station, 1914, has been superceded by a state of the art, shiny, new building, just 2 miles way. No-one needs the old building, it's neither particularly attractive or historically relevant. But, it is a great adventure location. It's a melancholy, neglected place, so suited to the Crown games. Whether it be a crashing storm or still, silent foggy day, the old Lifeboat Station will be one of the most atmospheric places in-game.

Just north of Saxton, the location is known as Krippen Crag, a rocky, desolate spot, popular with the more adventurous tourists and ghost seekers. Because, you see, Krippen Crag is also haunted by the stories of wreckers and smugglers. What would happen, if you spent time among the rocks, with a lantern shining out to sea. Would the ships still come? Perhaps you would hear the dying screams of drowning sailors, lost to the sea. It's a spooky old place and perfect for a visit if you're in the area.