Lamorna Cove

  • Lamorna Cove
  • Lamorna Cove
  • Lamorna Cove - harbour wall
    © Cornwall Beaches
  • Last updated:

    The picturesque little Lamorna Cove sits at the foot of a wooded valley between Mousehole and Porthcurno. To one side of the cove is a stout quay and slipway, while behind the beach are a peppering of granite cottages. Lamorna is the sort of place which wouldn't look out of place in an episode of Poldark, something not lost on the producers of the original 1970s TV series, who did in fact film here.

    There is a small sand and pebble beach at the foot of the slipway when the tide is low, but nothing to speak of as the tide comes in. This is a popular beach for swimming and there is also good scuba diving to be had off the coast here. However, there is no lifeguard service here so caution is advised.

    Up until 1911 there was an active quarry here, and this is still apparent from the precarious looking piles of granite on the eastern slopes of the valley. Not only was this used to build the quay, but was shipped out from the quay. Granite quarried in Lamorna has been used in a number of illustrious buildings including Bishop and Wolf Rock lighthouses, Dover harbour and several buildings in London.

    Lamorna Cove has been privately owned for over a hundred years. Back then it was owned by a Colonel Paynter who actively encouraged the establishment of an artists colony here. The Lamorna School, as it became known, included artists such as Laura Knight, Dod Proctor and Lamorna Birch - who took his name from the cove.

    In the 1990s the Lamorna Cove was bought by Roy Stevenson, a factory owner from Liverpool. Over recent years criticism has been levelled about the state of the quay which was damaged by storms in 2014. At the time of writing the cove was up for sale, but its future remains unclear.

    Type of beach

    Sandy

    Lifeguard service

    No lifeguard cover

    Dogs friendly beach?

    Seasonal dog ban. Easter day to 1st October

    dog friendly beaches »

    Postcode

    TR19 6XH

    OS grid ref.

    SW 4518 2405

    Facilities

    There is a car park on the quay and a small café. A short walk up the hill there is a pub, the Lamorna Wink.

    Parking

    Paying car park on the quay.

    Lamorna Cove Reviews (30)

    Scam rip off car park - stay away

    Clive

    Jun 30th 2021

    12th June went to lamorna cove to kill a couple of hrs pre booking into our B&B. Paid £4 into the parking machine as no card payment available, stayed for 2 1/2 hrs got ripped off in the cafe and went about our week away.
    Recieved a parking fine 2 weeks later for £100, £60 if paid in 2 weeks. Who keeps a parking ticket longer than a day?? so I contested the ticket and asked if they could check CCTV as i 100% paid more than required - which was refused by Premier Parking. Dilema do i pay the fine to these rip off people or take the legal process….???
    I believe looking on other threads the machine is dodgy and does not record the number plate correctly when you add the info into the machine with payment….!  real blemish on a fantastic holiday in cornwall.

    Rob Stephens

    Jun 20th 2021

    The greed of the owner is sad to see… why buy the land to let it go to ruin…Spend some of your rip off parking charges (more like parking scam). And make it a place people would be happy to pay to park…Either that or bugger off back to Liverpool and let the locals look after it….

    Disgrae to Cornwall

    chris catlin

    Aug 20th 2021

    We recently visited Lamorna Cove whilst on holiday in Cornwall. I am amazed that this car park will only take cash when so many places throughout covid have refused cash and in fact during lockdown closed the machines. We scraped together all the coins we had and paid for 2 hours. Stupidly we thought that we had 2 hours from the time the ticket said and therefore returned late. As far as appealing we don’t have a leg to stand on, but we certainly won’t be visiting Lamorna Cove again.

    Car Parking Fines

    Mary Cannon

    May 28th 2021

    I would suggest that you give this area a miss on your Cornish travels. The car parking is a scam, we received a £100 parking fine even though we had proof of purchasing a ticket.  Interestingly the ticket only prints part of your reg. plate and this is the car park owners reason for issuing the fine,as you cannot prove the ticket relates to your car. I note that in the numerous complaints I have now read about the parking fine scams this was mentioned by others. In addition, the car park machine only takes cash which most people no longer carry. We were therefore forced to ask in the cafe for change, for which we were given £2 coins and needless to say, received no change from the parking machine! The local Council should look into this scam as someone is dishonestly making a lot of money, which isn’t a good advert for Cornwalls tourism.

    Parking Charges

    Rebecca Race

    Dec 18th 2021

    When will people’s frustrations regarding parking at this site be listened to? So many have complained over the years….We purchased a ticket and received a fine because it did not print out full registration… not our fault if technology doesn’t always work yet the kind people of premier parking couldn’t care less and demand cash for faulty equipment. As per others, so many, on here it’s a joke so avoid this place. Curious as to how others have fared with these modern day pirates. Happy to discuss through Facebook. ( I’m the exam invigilator at St Benedicts)

    Modern Cornish Pirates

    Brian Breakwell

    Oct 10th 2021

    Same as everyone else we were accused of non payment.
    Sadly they stopped hanging Pirates,  such a pity in the case of the Lamorna cut throats

    Paid for ticket but received a fine

    May 29th 2021

    We paid for 60 mins, stayed 55 min and received a fine for £100. Apparently for not paying for the full period, even though the letter says we only stayed 55min.  Either pay the fine or go to court were the options. Surely this is illegal!

    Cafe was pretty dire too, expensive and awful coffee. Avoid the place.

    Poor show

    Howard

    May 11th 2021

    I stopped at Lamorna cove , decided not to park and got a ticket through the post for £100 , paid it but wont be going there again, its a crap road to get there and not worth the effort, Im a Cornishman born & bred and dont expected to get ripped off like this, or anyone else for that matter.
    Dont go there !!!!!

    Cheats

    Mike

    Nov 05th 2020

    Bought a ticket for the car park and still got a parking ticket! As others have said, Grotty cafe, no reason to visit here when there are such lovely other spots along this coast Don’t visit!

    Disproportionate Parking Fine

    Oct 22nd 2023

    Stayed for less than one hour, spent generously in the cafe (£30) which for the record is owned by the same people as the car park, assumed visitors of the cafe would not be required to pay parking. None the less received a parking fine in the post (digital camera trap). I live in Penzance and will never come back here again.

    Disgraceful rip off parking

    Kev

    May 20th 2023

    We parked here to walk a section of the coast path. Only options were £4 for 4 hours or £8 for 12 hours. We paid £4 as we thought our walk would be finished in under 4 hours. We underestimated the challenge so ended up overstaying by about 10 mins. Arrived home to find a letter demanding a £100 fine, (£60 if paid within 2 weeks) OK we overstayed so we haven’t a leg to stand on. But it is very inflexible in my view. Just be careful!

    Dreadful rip off

    Oct 22nd 2022

    Went down to pick up some ladies who were in severe distress on the coast path in October. The car park was empty - cafe was shut. Helped them into the car and left within 12 minutes.  Now got a car park ticket - I will appeal but I’m sure it will be unsuccessful judging from other comments?  We were only trying to help out. Don’t go here!!

    Parking

    Aug 30th 2022

    Parking charges are enforced, they don’t put an expiry time on tickets. They are looking to catch you out. So make sure you pay it find an alternative

    Car park scam! Avoid

    K Drummond

    Jul 29th 2022

    Stopped here for 35minutes on the way to the Minack theatre. Put in a pound that should’ve covered me for 1 hour. Machine seemed to skip by the option to put in my reg and the ticket was issued. Prudently I took a pic of the ticket as I thought this was odd. Sure enough a parking ticket arrives a week later. I appealed through their website explaining what had happened and attached the pic of the ticket. Appeal got rejected funnily enough!! However they have said if I pay a £20 admin fee I’m no longer required to pay the £100 fine (scam) I’m going to appeal through POPLA purely out of principal as their stupid fines and debt collection are not enforceable here in Scotland. I’ll post an update when I have it.

    Car Park Scam

    G Hussain

    May 13th 2022

    Having paid a pay and display ticket for 10/02/2022 to park in an almost deserted car park I was surprised to receive a fine a month later for non payment of parking.
    Having spent 12 months in Cornwall I am too aware of car park charges and on this occasion their newly installed meter had a sign on it saying non operational please use the pay and display.
    I paid £4 to park and have now received a debt recovery letter ,even though we replied in writing stating that the photograph of our vehicle entering and leaving the car park could not be paid in their new meter ,but we had a ticket.
    No joy so like previous motorists they can take me to court.
    Shame to spoil such a beautiful area and beautiful walk.

    Premier park again

    Fab

    Oct 05th 2021

    we love to visit this place but the premier park ltd tactic scam to rip us off tarnih the visits!!
    my wife paid twice for a ticket that was not issued, she took the picture and the machine clearly show the wrong time. we sent the proof by the appeal option but still keep trying to get us pay the 100£ fine….they can take us to court if they want as we will never pay! I cant believe the British parking association hasnt kick them out??

    rip off

    Ian Northampton

    Sep 22nd 2021

    dio payed and received a fine only put in the last tree digets of registration I’m Dyslexic and don’t always get things right. how meany cars when in that day with EAU last three digits mersenry B_____________

    Rip off

    Aug 26th 2021

    As per previous comments - rip off and illegal parking costs

    Parking con!

    Alayne

    Jun 28th 2021

    Parked and paid (with cash, luckily found some between the seats, they don’t take card). And a week later received a fine for £100!

    Absolute scam - seems to be a running theme here. I won’t be paying, looking forward to challenging these crooks.

    Car Park a scam and rip off!

    Jun 04th 2021

    They issued my registration with a ticket during November (I am a local and had been asked to go there and say a remembrance prayer for a lost one who loved it there).  All car parks in Penzance and local area were free at this time - this car park only had cash payment so I wrongly assumed as it was so run down there (despite living locally I had not been there before) that it came under the same rules.  I did however try to use the cash machine to no avail - but most folk did not carry cash over lock down as no one wanted to take it (guidelines!) so assumed it wouldn’t take it because it had been turned ‘off’ as the money kept being ejected.  I cannot believe the stories I have read on here - awful.  I would say that it costs them to take you to court, most of the stories here would have the cases thrown out anyway!  It is not like a council issued fine.  This is considered a ‘debt’ so you can disagree with the debt and refuse to pay.  They use an outside agency to use bully tactics.  I think the car park owners obviously don’t want visitors as it seems a game to them to issue pcn’s and upset folk without cause.

    Don't go

    Camilla Johnson

    May 17th 2021

    As others have commented, a car parking ticket was issued for £100, discounted to £60 if paid within 14 days. This was for 16 minutes and 37 seconds. Please do not go here, or if you do, go on foot or be prepared to pay for it.

    Steve

    Mar 20th 2021

    We stayed at the flat above the cafe. 
    The flat was tired & uncleaned (spiders webs, mould & broken handles).
    To add to this we got a parking ticked a week later, despite staying at the flat & supposedly being exempt!  It took a while to get the fine cancelled via the flat owner.  The parking charges will kill the place - I advise not visiting in a car at all - or simply cover up your number plates!  It seems the owner treats the parking as a cash cow & will do nothing other than collect money.

    Lamorna cove. Last visit

    Rod Mills

    Jan 17th 2021

    I have visited Lamorna on a few occasions. And end up spending a fortune in the cafe. Which is getting worse year by year.
    My last visit in August was ok. But here I am in January with a £260 for parking.
    I know I purchased a ticket as it was a sunny day and I left the wife and kids to buy another.
    As usual I have cleaned the car but have no proof of payment.
    They can go and do one. I’m not paying these rip off merchants.
    They will kill this place. Put a person in a hut and let the locals control the money, and profits could be reinvested in this tired looking area.

    Car park scammers

    Nov 05th 2020

    Visited Lamorna last week, put £2 in the parking machine due to a change in the weather only stayed 50 minutes.
    Today over a week later a PCN arrived in the post showing a picture of my car supposedly incorrectly parked and requesting me to pay £100 by way of a fine.
    Being over a week ago, my car and all the parking tickets have been cleaned and removed.
    They can take a running jump, I’ll see them in court.

    Vivien Turner

    Oct 14th 2020

    Got a ticket after parking for about 20 minutes. Didn’t realise there was no opportunity to pay by card, had no cash, Covid-19 means we hardly ever use cash now. Miserable looking place, very disappointed, won’t be back. As someone has already pointed out there are plenty of other much nicer and friendlier place in Cornwall.

    Rip Off

    Oct 02nd 2020

    Drove down in July 2020. It was raining so stayed in the car for a few minutes and left. Received a ticket in the post. The greed of the owners of this car park is an example of the worse side of humanity. I think they should be required to warn of charges at the top of the lane.

    Dodgy parking tickets

    Sep 17th 2020

    We visited the cove, bought a ticket for the time we were there and have received a fine.  We still have the ticket and so appealed.  They’ve reduced it but have said we still have to pay £20 to cover costs.  It’s appalling but what can you do?  I will pay it reluctantly to make them go away but will never go there again. The ticket only shows part of the license plate so we can’t prove whether we entered the whole details correctly.  Annoying!

    Disgraceful place

    Dec 10th 2019

    Avoid this place at all costs!!!!!! (unless simply walking through along the coast path)....so sad that beautiful Cornwall should be blighted with the rip off merchant who owns/manages this cove.
    Visited in December, place looks quite run down, tried to get change for car park meter but nowhere open so left after a few minutes and then subsequently hit for a £100 parking fine through the post…...BEWARE!!!!! they have ANPR camera surveillance positioned at the bottom of the narrow access road (you won’t have a chance to turn round beforehand) have tried to appeal but a waste of time. Have now read so many disgraceful stories of similar instances involving innocent motorists since….it seems to have been an issue for some time ......plenty of much nicer, prettier, friendlier and welcoming places in Cornwall to visit. Best to stay away from this one!!!

    stay away

    john

    Oct 22nd 2019

    we drove in and turned around because there was nothing worth seeing, the café looked a mess, in fact I don’t think it was even used? as we were driving away a guy slapped a ticket fine on the car window then ran off, the one star rating should be a 0 star rating, Stay away.

    RIP OFF DUMP

    Michael

    Oct 14th 2019

    Keep away from this disgrace of a location. Cost you a fortune just to enter. If you just turn round and leave you will get a ticket. Café run down and poor. KEEP AWAY

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