The north coast of Cornwall is very popular for camping, and many sites have
great sea views. Perranporth is located between Newquay and St Agnes and has
miles of golden sand. Once a tin mining village it is now dependant upon tourism
and there are plenty of guesthouses and campsites in and around the area.
Author, Winston Graham, wrote his Poldark novels here, which capture the
historic life of the area when it was a booming tin mining and pilchard fishing
area, known for its smuggling. Perranporth has several stores for camping
supplies and plenty of souvenir shops and tea rooms. Fresh fish and chips make a
great meal sitting outside, or try the bar food offered at the many pubs and
family restaurants.
Things to do in Perranporth
The beach at Perranporth is exceptionally good for surfing and is always
popular. Wetsuits and boards can be hired here. Sunbathers and sand yachters
also enjoy the expansive, firm, flat sand. At one end of the beach is a natural
arch and there are several caves in the area to explore. Bird watching is
popular with many rare birds being spotted from the headlands which are covered
with wild flowers in spring and summer. Perranporth also has a golf course.
For walkers, the coastal path runs along in either direction from Perranporth
with great sea views. Trevaunce Cove leads on to pretty St Agnes in one
direction while the surfing Mecca of Fistral Beach and Newquay are in the other.
The Eden Project, the Cornish Cyder Farm, Crealy fun park, Newquay Aquarium and
Zoo are just some of the activities enjoyed from Perranporth campsites.
Historic Perranporth
Along the dunes close to Perranporth is the ancient oratory of St Piran, who
the town was named after. This celtic monastery was a place of pilgrimage in
medieval times and reputedly held the remains of St Pirran and the teeth of St
Brendan and St Martin. It was engulfed in sand around 1500AD, excavated some
time later when supposedly three decapitated skeletons were found inside. It is
now reburied to protect it and a memorial stone marks the spot. You can also see
the ruins of the parish church which dates back to 1150AD, and a fine stone
cross which is even older.
On the northeast headland of the town is Piran Round, the site of an Iron Age
hill camp. Nearby is the Millennium sundial but it tells the Cornish time – 20
minutes ahead of GMT! Camping holidays in Perranporth offer plenty of things to
see and do in this lovely area.
