Penberth Cove

The tiny fishing hamlet of Penberth Cove lies at the foot of a wooded valley just to the east of Porthcurno. It is one of the prettiest spots around an has visually changed little since for the last 100 years or so. A fact that was not lost on the location manager of the Poldark TV series which shot a few scenes at Penberth.

The cove consists of a wide, granite cobblestone slipway at the top of which sits and enormous wooden capstan. This would have been used to pull fishing boats up the slope, but these days an electric winch is used. Today, a small fishing fleet still operates from Penberth.

At the lowest of tides a small patch of pebbly sand is exposed, but most of the time the cove is just boulders and the slipway. Somewhat more sheltered than neighbouring beaches, Penbert can be a good place for swimming and snorkeling provided you don't swim out too far. That said, there is no lifeguard service so care must be taken.

There are actually public toilets at Penberth Cove, although there is little else in the way of facilities. Car parking is also fairly limited, combined with its obscure, hidden location this tends to keep numbers down.