What To Do
What To Do
Beaches and surfing, walking and the coast path, family and wet weather days, culture and heritage.
Beaches and surfing
Seven beaches within half an hour, each with its own character. Porthtowan and Chapel Porth are the ones you will keep going back to.
Porthtowanabout 5 minutes
A big west facing beach below steep cliffs, with a huge expanse of sand at low tide, a play park at the top end and a beach bar. Lifeguarded through the season. Large car park off Beach Road.
- family
- surf
- seasonal dog rules
Chapel Porthabout 10 minutes
A dramatic National Trust cove hemmed by cliffs, with mine ruins up the valley and a wide sandy beach at low tide that vanishes at high water. Watch the tide, it comes in quickly. Car park and toilets.
- family
- dogs off season
- famous cafe
Trevaunance Coveabout 10 minutes
The village beach for St Agnes. A small sandy cove that covers completely at high tide, with the ruins of the old mineral harbour on the western side at low water. Pub, cafe and beach huts on the slip.
- family
- dogs
- food nearby
Perranporthabout 15 minutes
Three miles of golden sand backed by dunes, joining Perran Sands at low tide, so it never feels crowded even in August. The longest lifeguard season in the area, and dogs are welcome all year.
- family
- dogs all year
- surf
Portreathabout 15 minutes
Fine sand in a working harbour village, with a sheltered tidal pool on the north side for calmer swimming. There is a serious reef break off the harbour wall, best left to those who know it.
- family
- tidal pool
- seasonal dog rules
Gwithian and Godrevyabout 25 minutes
A vast sweep of sand running out to Godrevy Point, with the lighthouse offshore and a grey seal colony you can usually spot from the headland. National Trust parking, cafes at the Gwithian end.
- family
- seals
- seasonal dog rules
Holywell Bayabout 25 minutes
Golden sand between rocky headlands with a huge dune system behind, a holy well reachable at low tide, and an Iron Age cliff castle on the headland. Dogs welcome year round.
- family
- dogs all year
- dunes
Fistral, Newquayabout 30 minutes
The best known surf beach in Europe, with a full seafront of shops, food and surf hire behind it. Go for the atmosphere and the competitions rather than for a quiet afternoon.
- surf
- dogs all year
Tris Surf Schoolabout 5 minutes
The closest surf school by some distance, a few steps from Porthtowan beach. Small group lessons for all ages, plus board and wetsuit hire. Lesson times follow the tides, so book ahead.
- lessons
- hire
- all abilities
HQ Surf School, Portreathabout 15 minutes
Lessons from complete beginner upwards at Portreath, with all kit and wetsuits provided. They also hire surf equipment and kayaks from the shop.
- lessons
- hire
- kayaks
A word on dogs and beaches. Several Cornish beaches restrict dogs during the summer months. Always check the signs at the top of the beach or ask us for advice.
Walking and the coast path
The South West Coast Path runs along the cliffs above us, and this stretch is some of the most dramatic walking in England. All of these start within fifteen minutes of the door.
Wheal Coates circularabout 10 minutes to the start
One mile, half an hour to an hour and a half depending on how long you stand and look. Short but steep and stony, past the Towanroath engine house with views over Chapel Porth and Porthtowan. Two benches at the best spots.
- 1 mile
- dogs
- the classic view
St Agnes Head circularabout 10 minutes to the start
Four miles, moderate, from Trevaunance Cove. Heathland, the Beacon, Wheal Coates and the red mineral stained cliffs, returning down the steep terraced Stippy Stappy lane into the village.
- 4 miles
- moderate
- dogs
White Rocks to St Agnes Beaconabout 12 minutes to the start
Just under three miles, around two hours. Coast path along the clifftop to Wheal Coates, then inland over the Beacon at 189 metres. Passes Second World War gun emplacements on the way.
- 2.8 miles
- dogs on leads
- big views
St Agnes Head short circularabout 12 minutes to the start
One mile, half an hour. Windswept heathland past wartime training remains and beneath the coastwatch lookout. The right length for a blow before dinner.
- 1 mile
- easy
- dogs on leads
Driftwood Spars to Chapel Porthabout 10 minutes to the start
Six miles and genuinely challenging. Inland through St Agnes, over the Beacon, down through Chapel Combe past the Charlotte United engine house, then back along the clifftop past Towanroath. A proper day.
- 6.2 miles
- challenging
- pub at the end
Coast to Coast Trailabout 15 minutes to the start
Eleven miles from the Atlantic at Portreath to Devoran on the Fal, following two former mineral tramways through the Poldice Valley. Largely off road, walkable or cyclable, and easy to do in sections.
- 11 miles
- cycling
- dogs
- do it in sections
Tehidy Country Parkabout 20 minutes
The largest woodland in west Cornwall, 250 acres with nine miles of paths, lakes and bluebells in spring. Free parking, cafe and toilets at South Drive. Several paths are level and pushchair friendly.
- free parking
- family
- dogs
- shelter from the wind
Family days and wet weather
It will rain at some point. These are the places that save the day, starting with the one just up the road.
Healeys Cornish Cyder Farmabout 12 minutes
The closest attraction to us, at Penhallow. A working cyder farm with guided tours including one suitable for all ages, a jam kitchen, farm shop and cafe. Free to walk around the site.
- family
- indoors and out
- closest to us
Lappa Valleyabout 25 minutes
Thirty five acres with three narrow gauge train rides, a boating lake with pedalos, adventure golf and woodland walks. The Engine Shed is a multi level indoor soft play with a cafe, which is the bit that matters in the rain.
- family
- indoor soft play
- dogs
- book ahead in summer
Blue Reef Aquarium, Newquayabout 30 minutes
Entirely indoors on the seafront, with a tropical river, sharks, seahorses, sea turtles and an ocean tunnel, plus daily talks and feeding times. Cafe on site.
- family
- fully indoors
Newquay Zooabout 30 minutes
A conservation zoo in Trenance Park with penguins, lemurs, meerkats, red pandas and lynx, and gardens to walk. Mostly outdoors, so pair it with the aquarium on a mixed day.
- family
- mostly outdoors
Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery, Truroabout 25 minutes
The former Royal Cornwall Museum, reopened after a major refurbishment. Minerals, natural history, Cornish history, art and costume, with a cafe. Fully accessible, and dogs are welcome on the ground floor.
- family
- fully indoors
- dogs downstairs
- accessible
Truro Cathedralabout 25 minutes
Victorian Gothic Revival in the middle of the city, with striking architecture and stained glass. No charge to go in, and easy to fold into an afternoon of shops and Lemon Quay when the weather closes in.
- free
- fully indoors
Mining and heritage
The Barn sits inside a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The engine houses on the cliffs are not decoration, they are what this coast was for, and most of it is free to walk.
Wheal Coatesabout 10 minutes
The image of Cornish mining, and rightly so. The Towanroath pumping engine house sits on the cliff above Chapel Porth with the stamps and whim engine houses above it, set in heather and gorse. Mobile signal is poor, which is rather the point.
- free
- dogs
- steep paths
- blue badge parking
St Agnes Mining Districtabout 10 minutes
The World Heritage trail through the parish takes in Wheal Coates, the harbour ruins at Trevaunance, the Beacon and the hidden mining landscape of Trevellas Coombe. There is a free audio trail you can download before you set off.
- free
- self guided
- dogs
- audio trail
St Agnes Museumabout 10 minutes
A free, volunteer run parish museum, open from spring to late autumn. Mining and maritime collections including a model of the old harbour and the Lady Agnes figurehead, alongside farming, folklore and Victorian domestic life.
- free
- family
- indoors
- assistance dogs only
Poldark countryabout 10 minutes
St Agnes Head stood in for Nampara Valley and Chapel Porth was the setting for the clifftop gallops. Both are a few minutes away and free to walk, no tour required.
- free
- dogs
- on the doorstep
Drive times are approximate and assume a quiet road. In August, allow considerably longer for anything beyond St Agnes.
Explore Penhallow Farm
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