Perranuthnoe Beach

Perranuthnoe is one of those beaches that has managed to mostly stay under the radar. It has always been reasonably popular with locals as it is one of the closest "properly" sandy beaches near to Penzance, plus it has surf. Combined with the backdrop of the charming little unspoilt village this makes Perranuthnoe a firm favourite.

On a low tide you will be greeted by a wide swathe of golden sand when you arrive at Perranuthnoe. However, as the tide comes in the water reaches almost up to the cliffs leaving no beach so you will need to check the tides before planning your day.

The beach is quite gently sloping which takes some of the power out of the ocean waves but there can be good surf here too. Until recently there was no lifeguard here but since 2018 there has been seasonal cover allowing this to become a great all round family beach.

To the rear of the beach are cliffs of soft red clay. These are highly susceptible to erosion and towards the slipway have been protected by the addition of tons of granite boulders. This is not the case further down the beach. As a rule I would advise not setting up too close to the cliffs here, and definitely not exploring the little caves that occur here.

At either end of the beach are granite outcrops which are home to numerous rockpools - perfect for exploring. The rocks at the eastern end of the beach are also great for climbing.