Around Perranporth

Perranporth’s history is a mixture of mining and its association with the patron saint of Cornwall, St Piran. It is also blessed with a splendid beach of golden sand which is 3 miles in length. A Century ago, Perranporth was well known for its mining and fishing, and at one stage had four ‘seining’ companies fishing the bay for the quite prolific shoals of herring and pilchard that once frequented local waters.

The cliffs on the left side of the beach are full of the relics of the mining which took place here. You will find many holes cut into the rock, which are known in Cornwall as adits, which were created by hand to drain the many nearby tin-mines. But care should be taken and nobody should try to explore the adits without the necessary knowledge and equipment.

St Piran, who is celebrated in Cornwall annually on St Piran’s day, March 5th, was reputed to have landed here after being flung off the cliffs of Ireland by Irish Chieftains in the 5th Century (with a millstone around his neck!) After floating ashore on the beach, he built a small chapel in a rocky outcrop - still visible to the left of the beach and known as Chapel Rock. Shortly afterwards he built an Oratory a little way inland in the sand-dunes where many folk gathered to hear him preach. The Parish is known as Perranzabuloe - meaning St Piran in the sands.

The Oratory is now buried in the sands to protect it but the ruins of one of the churches dedicated to St Piran are still visible and attract numerous visitors. A cross marks the site of the original Oratory and many visitors make their pilgrimage to the site of this most famous of Celtic saints.

Surfing at Perranporth has grown increasingly popular and the newer extreme-sports of kite surfing, power-kiting and sand-boarding are emerging rapidly. On the less extreme side, if you enjoy walking, then the area has some of the most breathtaking scenic walks imaginable, along the coastal paths that inspired the Poldark series of books by Winston Graham when he lived in Perranporth.

Around two miles inland Perranzabuloe Folk Museum is well worth a visit. Situated in the Oddfellows Hall, the museum offers an insight into the social and industrial past of Perranporth and the surrounding villages. Displays include Mining, Farming, the Railway, Cornish Costume and a replica Cornish Kitchen. Having recently been refurbished it now also houses a memorial exhibition to Winston Graham, who was a patron of the museum until his death in 2003.

Nansmellyn Marsh nature reserve is one of the last remaining untouched areas of reedbed in the county. In the care of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, access is from the Perranzabuloe Sports Club car park. The common reed is a vigorous perennial plant with long flat greyish-green leaves that turn russet with purplish plumes in summer. It grows to 3m, with stiff straight stems.

Reedbeds support a wide variety of wildlife and also play an important part in removing toxins from waste water - a natural sewage treatment works. Whilst your here you may just catch site of a Cetti’s warbler or even an otter if you are lucky.

Set in the small village of Penhallow on the A3075 between Perranporth and Truro, you will find The Plume of Feathers, which dates back to the 17th century and was originally three separate dwellings, a farriers, a cottage and a post office. This excellent Freehouse offers a range of local real ales and traditional home-made food prepared on the premises. Sunday lunch is a speciality.

Nestled on the edge of the rocky coastline between Perranporth and St. Agnes is Perranporth Airfield, a remarkable example of one of the many fighter stations built during World War II in outlying parts of Britain. The majority of the airfield’s permanent facilities have survived the 55 years since decommissioning, although at the end of hostilities, the local authority insisted that the few hangars and huts on the site be taken down, allowing a return to agricultural use.

It is a unique example of the type of WWII temporary airfield, constructed solely for single engined fighters and was home to many different squadrons of Spitfires during the war period. It retains many of the heritage features of its original construction, notably two different types of dispersal and all the defensive structures, pill boxes, slit trenches etc.

There are no modern buildings on the site, and is still in regular - and growing - use for general aviation and gliding. Scenic flights in a small aircraft and Air Experience flights in a glider are normally available during the summer months.

The current owners are intent on ensuring that both the heritage and general aviation use is developed to the benefit of the local and general aviation communities, as it remains the only privately owned and operated hard surface airfield in the whole of Cornwall. English Heritage has now scheduled the fighter dispersal pens and all the other remaining structures as ancient monuments.