Hayle to Holywell Bay (2)
From Godrevy Point the coast trends east and then NE but it is fronted by high cliffs. At high water the sea reaches the foot of the cliffs, and at low water the shore is mostly rocky or stoney. Not a friendly place, as some of the place names suggest - Hell's Mouth, Deadman's Cove, and yet another Deadman's Cove!
But about halfway between Godrevy Point and St Agnes Head are the more accessible coves and harbour at Portreath.
First two photos, 29.06.2011.
Next five photos, 30.06.2011.
Two views of the harbour entrance, from above the town:
Portreath was badly hit by the storms in January 2014.
First, the eastern quayside was badly damaged:
Two days later, the end of the western quay, with the stone hut on it, was swept away!
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Next six photos, 20.08.2006. It's Portreath Harbour Fun Day, and local boats offer short sea trips.
(Other activities included climbing walls, children's games, and human size table football!)
Portreath harbour, like much of the infrastructure in Cornwall, was built for the mining industry. Copper ore was exported from here to Swansea in Wales for smelting, and coal was imported to power mine machinery. But Portreath also had two other important transport links. The Hayle Railway connected to the harbour by means of an inclined plane, still to be seen, and there was also the tramway connecting the port to Devoran in Falmouth Harbour. The tramway is now used as a cycle path.
Northeast from Portreath, the coast is again high cliffs and rocky shores.
The cliff path passes the RAF radar station at Nancekuke airfield (a wartime fighter station).
The cliff path eventually descends to the sandy cove of Porthtowan. (Photos: 08.10.2009.)
If the tide is out, the coast walker can continue north along the sands to the
smaller cove of Chapel Porth. Otherwise, it has to be up and over the cliff path again!
smaller cove of Chapel Porth. Otherwise, it has to be up and over the cliff path again!
With its dramatic clifftop location, Wheal Coates is much photographed.
At low water the sands run a little further north from Chapel Porth, but soon the cliffs cut the beach off. The coast walker can only make progress north to the next major headland, St Agnes Head, via the coastal footpath atop the cliffs. The cliffs give good views of the coast, but the views from St Agnes Beacon, 628 feet high, just inland from the Head, are even better (photos, 26.07.2008.):
NB: There are photos on the internet of these rocks labelled the Crams. The Crams exist, but close in to St Agnes Head,
so they are hidden from this viewpoint by the high cliffs. The Bawdens are in fact nearly a mile north of the Head.
High steep cliffs means no access to the shore until Trevaunance Cove, a mile or so east of St Agnes head. (photos, 22.04.2006.)
so they are hidden from this viewpoint by the high cliffs. The Bawdens are in fact nearly a mile north of the Head.
High steep cliffs means no access to the shore until Trevaunance Cove, a mile or so east of St Agnes head. (photos, 22.04.2006.)
After three miles of cliffs, NE from Trevaunance cove, we reach Perranporth,
a resort with (at low tide) a huge sandy beach, and popular with surfers.
a resort with (at low tide) a huge sandy beach, and popular with surfers.
07.05.2008.
16.09.2006.
09.04.2008.
The text beneath the metal plate reads:
"St Piran, Cornwall's foremost saint, landed on this beach from Ireland in the 6th century, and established an oratory in the dunes. The sundial is calculated to Cornish time, and therefore shows a difference of twenty minutes to GMT." |
Foot of 'Hayle to Holywell Bay (2)' |