Porthgwarra beach
The beach at Porthgwarra is privately-owned but well-behaved members of the public are permitted access. The tunnel to the beach was dug by miners from St Just to provide easier access for fishermen to the beach and so farmers could transport sand and seaweed from the beach by horse and cart to fertilise the fields. The cove is quite sheltered between the headlands, but swimming beyond the headlands is inadvisable as there are extremely strong currents here where the English Channel meets the Atlantic.
Circular walks visiting Porthgwarra beach
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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.