Porthcurno

Porthcurno is one of the most dramatic spots in Cornwall. The beach sits in a steep-sided cove framed by towering granite cliffs, with sand so white and water so clear that first-time visitors genuinely do a double take. It’s a relatively small beach, and the walk down from the car park is steep, but the setting is extraordinary — there are few places in Britain that look quite like this.

Perched on the cliffs above the beach is the Minack Theatre, an open-air amphitheatre carved into the rock face in the 1930s by Rowena Cade, who started the project largely single-handedly. Watching a performance here with the Atlantic as a backdrop is unforgettable, and even if you visit outside the theatre season the gardens and exhibition are worth the trip. On the other side of the valley, the Telegraph Museum tells the unlikely story of how Porthcurno became a hub of global communications — submarine telegraph cables landed here from the 1870s, connecting Britain to the rest of the world.

The coast path from Porthcurno in either direction is some of the finest walking in Cornwall. Head west towards Land’s End via the Logan Rock headland at Treen, or east towards Lamorna Cove through wild, exposed clifftop scenery. The beach gets busy in summer and parking can be a challenge, so arriving early or late in the day is the way to enjoy it at its best.