Par

Par is a small town on Cornwall’s south coast, just east of St Austell, with a long sandy beach and a practical, no-nonsense character. Par Beach is broad and family-friendly at low tide, with dunes backing the sand and views across St Austell Bay. It doesn’t have the dramatic scenery of some Cornish beaches, but it’s rarely overcrowded and there’s plenty of space for the kids to run around.

The town grew up around the harbour that was built in the early 19th century to export china clay — the white pyramidal spoil heaps of the clay works are still a distinctive feature of the landscape around here. The harbour area has been redeveloped in recent years and the Par Dock area makes for an interesting wander. The Eden Project, Cornwall’s biggest visitor attraction, is just a few minutes’ drive inland, sitting in a former clay pit that’s been transformed into a global garden under its famous biomes.

Par is well connected by rail on the main line, with its own station, making it one of the easier Cornish destinations to reach without a car. Fowey is a short bus or taxi ride away, Charlestown’s Georgian harbour is nearby, and the Lost Gardens of Heligan are within easy reach. It’s a practical, affordable base for exploring mid-Cornwall rather than a destination in itself, but the beach and the Eden Project access make it genuinely useful.