Top choice in North Cornwall
Perranporth's huge, flat, sandy beach is a favourite for everyone: dog-walkers, bucket-and-spade families, kite-buggiers and surfers alike. Its main draw is its sheer size – more than a mile long, backed by dunes and rocky cliffs – meaning there's usually space for everyone even on the busiest days. It's home to the Watering Hole, the hub of local nightlife.
There's a large car park right beside the beach.
18.24 MILES
Looking like a cross between a lunar landing station and a James Bond villain's lair, the gigantic hemispherical greenhouses of the Eden Project have…
21.15 MILES
This magnificent manor, 2.5 miles southeast of Bodmin, offers a fascinating insight into Upstairs, Downstairs life in Victorian England. The house was…
21.68 MILES
Looming up in the middle of Mount's Bay and connected to the mainland at Marazion via a cobbled causeway, this abbey-crowned island is an unforgettable…
17.34 MILES
After an 18-month, multimillion-pound refit, St Ives' most illustrious gallery reopened its doors, complete with a monumental exhibition space that's been…
26.56 MILES
A mile north of Lizard Point, this National Trust–owned inlet is an absolute showstopper, studded with craggy offshore islands rising out of searingly…
27.89 MILES
Famous as the supposed birthplace of King Arthur, Tintagel's epic clifftop castle has been occupied since Roman times and once served as a residence for…
17.39 MILES
This wonderful medieval house and garden was the family seat of the Godolphin family who, during the 17th and 18th centuries, were one of Cornwall's great…
16.09 MILES
This is Cornwall's real-life secret garden. Formerly the family estate of the Tremaynes, Heligan's magnificent 19th-century gardens fell into disrepair…
2.61 MILES
A mile east of St Agnes (signed to Wheal Kitty) is the rocky valley of Trevellas Porth, home to one of Cornwall's last tin manufacturers. You can watch…
2.65 MILES
This former mining valley near Trevaunance Cove is locally known as Blue Hills, a reference to the vivid blue heather that grows here in summer. There's a…
2.79 MILES
Two miles southwest of Newquay as the crow flies (but more like 5 miles by road), Holywell is a wonderful expanse of white sand, dotted with tidal pools…
3.02 MILES
St Agnes' main beach is great for paddling and rock-pooling, and has old-fashioned beach huts where you can get changed. Koru Kayaking runs trips from the…
3.5 MILES
Not quite the off-the-radar secret it once was, Porth Joke remains a good spot to escape (most) of the crowds. Known as Polly Joke to locals, its best…
3.91 MILES
Around Pentire Head lies this big, broad shelf of golden sand, backed by grassy dunes and set alongside a river called the Gannel. It's one of the most…
4.2 MILES
If you're feeling energetic, climb up to the area's highest viewpoint. The panorama from the top of the Beacon stretches across most of Cornwall on a…
5 MILES
Probably the most famous stretch of sand in Cornwall, and definitely Newquay's best-known beach, Fistral has become synonymous with Cornish surfing thanks…