Moderate – Strenuous
21 August 2025
The South West Coast Path from Perranporth to Portreath is a rugged and scenic stretch of Cornwall’s coastline, known for its dramatic cliffs, golden beaches, and reminders of the county’s mining heritage. The route takes in sweeping Atlantic views, high headlands, and hidden coves, while passing old engine houses that form part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. With seabirds, wildflowers, and the chance of spotting seals below the cliffs, this walk offers a striking mix of natural beauty and history.
Points of Interest: Perranporth to Porthcothan
Here’s what to look out for along the way:
Droskyn Point & Millennium Sundial
Just north of Perranporth, you’ll cross the dune-backed cliffs to Droskyn Point, where the Millennium sundial marks traditional “Cornish time” — 20 minutes behind GMT.
Cligga Head & Mineral Stripes
The rugged cliffs of Cligga Head display striking mineral stripes and copper-stained granite, a reminder of the area’s mining heritage.
Hanover Cove & Shipwreck Story
Named after the packet ship wrecked in 1763, this cove still holds the legend of treasure buried beneath the sand.
Seal Spotting at Newdowns Head
A good place to look for grey seals resting on the rocks or swimming just offshore.
St Agnes Head & Hang-Gliding Vistas
A sweeping clifftop viewpoint favoured by hang-gliders, offering exhilarating views up and down the coast.
Bawden Rocks (“Man and His Man”) & Seabird Colonies
These offshore stacks host colonies of guillemots, razorbills and sometimes puffins.
Wheal Coates Tin Mine Ruins
Clifftop remains of tin mining buildings, including the iconic engine house perched dramatically above the sea.
Chapel Porth Surf & Sand Stretch
Renowned for its surf, and at low tide the white sands stretch onward toward Porthtowan.
Sally’s Bottom Granite Steps
Winding granite steps descend into this secluded cove. The name comes from a mining term for valleys.
“Pepperpot” Daymark Above Portreath
A distinctive white daymark used by sailors to locate Portreath harbour.
Porthcothan Bay
A sheltered sandy cove fringed with dunes — a peaceful place to end the walk.
Tin Mining Heritage on the Coast Path
Between Perranporth and Portreath, the South West Coast Path passes through one of Cornwall’s most iconic tin mining landscapes. The dramatic cliffs here are dotted with crumbling engine houses, fenced mine shafts, and colourful spoil heaps — reminders of a time when Cornwall was the world’s leading producer of tin.
Look out for:
- Wheal Coates – The photogenic Towanroath Shaft engine house on the approach to Chapel Porth.
- Cligga Head – Granite cliffs, old quarry faces, and spoil heaps from tin and tungsten workings and mineral-stained cliffs and beach.
- Wheal Charlotte – A smaller cliff-top mine with surviving stonework inland from the Coast Path above Chapel Porth.
- Blue Hills Mine – A restored inland tin working (museum open seasonally) up Trevellas Combe.
These sites are now part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape, where nature has reclaimed the mines, but their stories live on in the rugged cliffs and coastal views.
Logistics
| Sleep Dog Friendly Accommodation | Jasmine House, Newquay |
| Eat & Drink | Portreath Arms |
| Park | Unlike many resorts, Portreath has a significant amount of on street parking on Beach Road, Tregea Hill and other nearby residential roads with a notable absence of yellow lines. There is a ‘private car park’ by the beach which is pay on exit and will cost between £8 and £10 depending on how long you stay. Apparently, the car park revenue is used to fund the resorts facilities. |
| Travel Transport from Portreath back to Perranporth | Daz Cabs, 07939 999725 |
The public transport option is quite challenging, involving three separate buses and taking between two and two and a half hours. From Portreath, you would first take a bus to Redruth, then another to Truro, and finally a third to Perranporth. For example, departing Portreath at 09:03 on the 49, connecting to the T1, and then the 87, would get you to Perranporth at 11:24.