The magnificent drama of Cornwall's rugged wave-lashed north coastline, interspersed with sand-laden coves, is a popular retreat of an evening.

Sat on the beach or upon the cliff top, soaking up the last of the day's light and watching as the sun sets, is a fulfilling and peaceful moment.

Some of Cornwall's most magical moments are those which experience its natural beauty and the dramatic and magnificent cliff tops of Land's End could not be a more magical place to experience that moment.

Hidden away between the buzzing hive of activity of the 'legendary' Land's End attraction just around the corner and the surfers trying to catch one last wave at Sennen on the other side is the quiet and tranquil cliff top.

My wise mother once advised me to remember to stop, take stock and appreciate the view. Having grown up in west Penwith, I think she may know more than most how magical moments can be made, just by your surroundings.

The drama and romance of those stolen moments, watching as another day ends, is not only a modern day favourite. Celtic mythology associates the west with afterlife, envisioning the sun setting in a place where spirits travel on to.

Wandering away from the mile-long cliff path connecting the two popular tourist spots is a tranquil and secluded place to perch, just above the Irish Lady on the black headland, a rock named after the sole survivor of a shipwreck.

Laying down a blanket, we wrap up against the brisk breeze with layers of warming jumpers, a gentle reminder of our location as the sun's warmth refuses to linger like it promises to on the continent.

Far below us the sound of gentle sea, shimmering gently in the occasional gifts of streaming sunshine as the clouds part, laps against the mighty rocks, creating an unrelenting and relaxing backing track as the gentle waves beat on the land, sending thundering echoes around the cove.

Seagulls majestically swoop around us riding the air current with effortless ease. One gets shouted at as it glides above our heads, examining the picnic laid out before us, trying its luck at stealing an easy meal.

Two cool bags brimming with Cornish treats, from lobster to a bottle of Marlborough sauvignon blanc and Cornish strawberries and clotted cream provide the perfect accompaniment to the evening.

Hand-made by Sam Sheffield-Dunstan and her chef Bruno Helebrandt of Amelies at the Smokehouse in Porthleven, the cool bags are sent around the country to 'make moments memorable'.

When we collected our eco-friendly Gourmet Picnic (www.gourmetpicnics.co.uk) earlier that afternoon, from the restaurant decking Sam pointed out the boat which local fisherman Budgie uses to catch lobsters and the place the crab, used for our fishcakes, came from, all within sight of her business. After selling picnics in wicker baskets from Falmouth, the demand for her business from tourists keen to eat her gourmet food when they returned home, forced her to rethink.

In 2007 Gourmet Picnics was born, sending polystyrene boxes by courier around the country filled with some of the best of Cornwall's produce.

Despite also running the harbour-front restaurant, Sam says the picnics are her love, preparing them early in the morning before the peak-season rush of people descends for lunch and dinner.

Their most popular picnic has been pick-your-own, an online facility to chose a starter, main course, dessert, wine and extras to carry to any spot and enjoy.

We'd chosen a selection of fishy treats to nibble on through the evening, accompanied with salads and a sweet balsamic dressing and vegetables.

As a Cornish sea salt caramel truffle melted in our mouths, hand-made by Hayle-based Nicky Grant, the eagerly awaited sun finally peeks from behind the blanket of cloud which had been wrapped around it. The bright light warms our faces, the only skin left exposed as we sit, cosy inside a cocoon of blankets as the cool summer night draws in.

The comforting bright ball silhouettes the dramatic shapes which stand out to sea between us.

Drenched in history, each rocky outcrop which dares to jut its head out of the water comes with a tale, be it mystical, about the origin of its name or from the ships they have caught out in stormy seas.

Closest to shore is the Armed Knight, described in Gilbert's History of Cornwall:

"Of old, there was one of those rocks more notable than the rest, which tradition saith was ninety feet above the flux and reflux of the sea, with an iron spire at the top thereof, which was overturned or thrown down in a violent storm, 1647, and the rock was broken in three pieces.

"This iron spire, as the additions to Camden's 'Britannia' inform us, was thought to have been erected by the Romans, or set up as a trophy there by King Athelstan, when he first conquered the Scilly Islands."

The spectacular photogenic arch in the rock Enys Dodnan hides just around the corner out of our site, but visible to walkers along the paths to the south of Land's End.

Another rock is entitled Dr Johnson's Head, named after 18th-century author Samuel Johnson who compiled the first comprehensive English dictionary.

A guide to Mount's Bay and Land's End from 1828, printed in London Literary Gazette and Journal of the Belles Letters, says: "Visitors, after having heard the appellation, seldom fail to acknowledge that it bears some resemblance to the physiognomy of that extraordinary man."

The Longships Lighthouse is placed on top of the Carn Bras rock ahead of us. The area, ringed with rocks, is a treacherous place for ships in a storm.

The original lighthouse was built under license from Trinity House by Lieutenant Henry Smith in 1795. The present building is the second on the site, built 80 years later replacing the inadequate original tower, which was too short for its purpose.

Out to sea to the west is the Seven Stones Reef, decorated with the wrecks of the Longships in 1939 and Torrey Canyon in 1967 which were caught out by the outcrop and sunk there.

Some tales orientated around Land's End tell that the lost land of Lyonesse lies beneath the sea. Local fishermen are said to have pulled up stones from the buildings of Lyonesse in their nets and, to this day, the bells of long-submerged churches can be heard ringing beneath the waves on still nights.

Others say the domes and spires of Lyonesse can be seen in the sea when standing on the cliffs at Land's End.

In Arthurian legend, Lyonesse was the western-most kingdom of Arthur's realm, extending beyond the end of Cornwall and joining the Isles of Scilly to the rest of Britain.

As the sun hides back behind a layer of mist which has gathered on the horizon the light continues to fade and, reluctantly, we pack up the empty biodegradable pots and cutlery which are all that's left of our picnic, and wander back along the coast path, crickets merrily singing in the bright purple and yellow gorse around us, summing up our contented mood, inspired by an enjoyable evening of absorbing Cornwall's natural beauty.