Porthpean beach in St Austell Bay is the perfect spot to swim when the winds are smashing the north coast. Very popular with sea swimmers, its (usually) calm waters allow a good distance swim, and there are caves to explore to the right of the beach if you are a strong swimmer. Also a favourite with kayakers and paddle boarders, especially in summer, it can get busy but always retains its tranquil atmosphere.
Black Head in the distance is home to a plaque that reads “This was the land of my content” in memory of Arthur (AL) Rowse, author of A Cornish Childhood and the first Cornishman to win a university scholarship to Oxford in 1921.
It’s a sandy beach and though there is often seaweed in the shallows especially at low tide, there are few stones to stumble across with cold feet.
Similar spots: For longer swims ~ Pentewan
