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Discover the hidden silver sands at Portheras Cove

October 16, 2016

A sandy cove surounded by wild windswept cliffs in Cornwall

We set out last week to discover the hauntingly beautiful Portheras Cove of silvery white sands, and found it was a perfect walk for an autumn day with the magic of summer still lingering in the air. Portheras Cove is set between Pendeen and Morvah and it can only be reach on foot along the coastal path. But it is so worth taking the walk to this quiet and secluded cove that attracts only the dedicated locals who look after the beach, passing walkers along the coastal route around West Cornwall and seals resting on the sands


Finding Portheras Cove

We parked just beyond the dazzling white lighthouse of Pendeen, before following the unmade road further to a lower car park. From here there is a gate that opens on to the cliffs and the adventure begins!

  • Startlingly white Pendeen lighthouse glimpsed over he headland
  • sea gull sitting above the cornish cliffs
  • The sea swirling below the cornish cliffs near to Land's End

As we opened the gate on to the cliff path I felt the warmest breeze on my face and I knew we would have a lovely day ahead of us. As we followed the cliff top, the path was already tinted to the russets shades of autumn and such a perfect contrast for the vibrant blues of the seas below us.


Boat cove

A Mediterranean style entrance to A cornish fishing cove with a sandy beach beyond

What an inspiring and obviously much loved spot this is!
We took the left hand fork in the track to boat cove to explore the little working fishing cove below us, with a hint of the Mediterranean in the artistic touches, dazzling white sands and brilliant blue sea and yet with the cluster of lobster pots and fishing boats beside the slipway of a working cove

  • Silver white sands below rugged cornish cliffs
  • rusted boat
  • A tiny sheltered cove
  • Carved wooden face
  • Pendeen fisherman's institute above Boat cove
  • Fishing boats and lobster pots pulled up in Boat Cove near Potheras Cove


Portheras cove

Waves in a Blue sea breaking on the pal sands at Portheras Cove in West Cornwall

We scrambled back up to the coastal path and looped around to the far end of Portheras Cove, stopping frequently to admire the view as the sands were revealed below us. Finally we dropped down to the beach, just beside the stream and walked the quiet soft golden sands the length of the cove before returning to find a spot to picnic beside the stream.

  • rugged heathland flanks the stream above Portheras Cove
  • A stream carves its path to the sea at Portheras Cove
  • The stream runing down to the sea at Portheras cove
  • Perfect blue seas and a wave breaking on the shore in Cornwall
  • Isolated sandy Cove in west Cornwall

This is definitely a place to kick off the wellies or boots and watch the waves ripple to the shore! Sometimes we could see the seal playing in the waves, perfectly outlined through the clear seas.

It was a perfect escape for us for the afternoon, and a pure contrast to the coastline around Mounts Bay. It was so unexpected to find this almost tropical paradise tucked under the harsh granite cliffs of this wild, untamed, stretch of coastline.

Cornwall's unspoilt coast in autumn

As we walked home the waves, growing larger with each minute, rolled passed under the cliffs.

The next day we visited Sennen Beach, further towards Land’s End. There I watched the surfers toying with a very different sea and I knew we were so lucky to experience our blissful afternoon at Portheras Cove.


A word of warning – just in case!

I think I should tell you “just in case” that Portheras was closed to the public for some time after the shipwreck of the MV Alacrity in 1963. It is only in recent years (2004) that the cove has been safe enough to use but shoes are still advised for bathing in case of sharp metal fragments.

Explore West Cornwall and some suggestions for other unspoilt cornish coves

  • Explore West Penwith Rinsey Beach High tide
  • Explore west penwith and kennegy beach unspoiled golden sands
  • Explore west Penwith Porthchapel beach unspoilt beach
  • Rinsey beach below the rugged heathland between Praa Sands and Porthleven
  • Kenneggy Beach a beautiful sandy beach only accessible at low tide between Prussia Cove and Praa sands
  • Porth Chapel Beach a little beyond the fabulous beach at Porthcurno

Portheras Cove is one of my suggestion or places to visit to explore West Cornwall in my Penwith Tour that follows the coastline between Lands End to St Ives

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About Christine Taylor

Christine has written a weekly blog about life at Ednovean Farm and interesting places to visit in West Cornwall for over ten years now, concentrating on those off the beaten track places that only the locals find.

Charles and Christine Taylor have hosted Luxury Bed and Breakfast at Ednovean Farm Nr Penzance in West Cornwall since 1991 and live there with three cats and five horses, including a Spanish Stallion called Danni.

Ednovean Farm has been awarded AA five star gold for Bed and breakfast and is included in The Michelin Guide and The Alastair Sawday Guide .

The Farmhouse and gardens has been featured in BBC Homes and Antiques, Homes and Gardens. Period Living and 25 Beautiful Homes as well as being used as a film and photo shoot location.

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Christine and Charles Taylor,
Ednovean Farm, Ednovean Lane,
Perranuthnoe, Nr Penzance,
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