Porthcurno beach
In common with most of the other beaches around Penwith, the sand at Porthcurno is composed of fragments of seashell. Larger pieces of shell, and some intact shells, are usually washed up along the high-tide line. These mostly seem to be venus clams which are very pale in colour and may explain the particularly white sand around this coast. Another factor is that, unlike the slate in much of the rest of Cornwall, the granite here does not weather into minute flakes which mix into the sand and darken the colour.
There is a beach at Porthcurno at all states of the tide. At low spring tides, the beach merges with Pedn Vounder to create a huge expanse of sand. The beach faces south so it is a sun trap in winter. Photos will be into the sun during winter months.
Circular walks visiting Porthcurno beach
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3 miles/4.9 km - Moderate
Porthcurno to Penberth Cove
Porthcurno to Penberth Cove
3 miles/4.9 km - Moderate
A circular walk with spectacular coastal scenery from Porthcurno to Penberth Cove, passing the famous wobbling boulder of Logan Rock and returning via the escape route from the wartime tunnels which housed one of the world's largest telegraph stations.
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3.1 miles/5 km - Moderate
Porthgwarra to Minack
Porthgwarra to Minack
3.1 miles/5 km - Moderate
A circular walk to the Minack Theatre, via St Levan's church, St Leven's Holy Well and Porthchapel beach, from Porthgwarra where the beach is accessed via a rock tunnel created by local miners.
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5.4 miles/8.7 km - Moderate-strenuous
Porthcurno, Porthgwarra and Gwennap Head
Porthcurno, Porthgwarra and Gwennap Head
5.4 miles/8.7 km - Moderate-strenuous
A circular walk from Porthcurno, passing the Minack Theatre, St Leven's Holy Well, Porthchapel and Porthgwarra beaches, to Gwennap Head where the English Channel meets the Atlantic and the Runnelstone Reef has claimed so many ships that divers are unsure where the wreckage is from.
Download the iWalk Cornwall app and use the QR scanner within the app to find out more about any of the walks above.