Discover St Austell

Portholland beach, a large sandy beach joining the two hamlets of East and West Portholland. Portholland has two separate coves at high tide, but at low tide they are linked by a sandy beach and some rock pools.Facilities include limited parking, slipway, shop and toilets.

Caerhays Castle was designed by John Nash at the start of the 19th century, there are the Gardens and parkland with the magnificent camellias and rhododendrons for which the estate is world famous and the National Magnolia Collection which has a home here.

Duporth Beach is a private sandy beach just outside Charlestown. Parking and facilities available at Charlestown and then a walk to the beach or you can get access from the Duporth holiday complex.

Polstreath beach is fine sand and split in two by a stack, the smaller beach is known as Little Polstreath. The beach offers good swimming and a quieter alternative to Mevagissey around the corner. Hard to get to for the elderly and those with young children as the climb back up from the beach is quite steep. No facilities, nearest are in Mevagissey. We have no dog information for Polstreath beach.

Pentewan beach a large private sandy beach with a disused harbour. Although this beach is private access is allowed from Pentewan village, although the village car park is very small. Good for swimming and all water sports – swimming, surfing, windsurfing, sea canoeing, water skiing and sailing. Large holiday park on this beach which can make it busy. Toilets and small village car park.

Great Perhaver beach is just along the coast from Gorran Haven, lovely sandy beach with lots of rocks for kids to explore only accessible by boat or very steep and muddy footpath from field above the beach. No beach at high tide. Closest facilities are at Gorran Haven. We have no dog information for Great Perhaver beach.

Charlestown is an unspoilt example of a late Georgian working port, still being used today. It offers two beaches on either side of the harbour. The harbour dates back to between 1791 and 1801 when Charles Rashleigh a member of the local landowning family, built it in response to the growth of the local mining industry. Originally built to export copper and import coal, it was soon being used for the export of China Clay. Today the port town remains unspoilt and retains much of its original Georgian character. This has lead to Charlestown being a popular location for film and television, and to some extent this has probably helped subsidise its existence and prevent development. Some of it’s credits include Poldark, Hornblower and Mansfield Park. As well as being a harbour location Charlestown capitalises on it’s past by hosting a fleet of square riggers ships. There are usually at least one of these magnificent ships in the harbour adding to the overall character. The Shipwreck, Rescue and Heritage Centre is located in one of the old China Clay buildings and centre contains a number of exhibits relating to Charlestown’s maritime past along with more general shipwreck salvage from Cornwall’s coast. The two beaches sit either side of the harbour and parking and all facilities within Charlestown are within easy reach.

Vault beach, also known as Bow beach, a wide sand/shingle beach backed by heather covered cliffs. The cliffs at Dodmans Point rise to 110m. No facilities at Vault, nearest at Gorran Haven.

Porthpean beach, a sheltered sandy beach with rock pools popular with families that can get busy. Safe for swimming, sailing and windsurfing. No jet-skiing allowed. Facilities include toilets, small car park and slipway (sailing boats).

The Lost Gardens of Heligan are one of the most popular botanical gardens in the UK. The style of the gardens is typical of the nineteenth century Gardenesque style, with areas of different character and in different design styles. The gardens were created and enhanced by members of the Tremayne family, over a period from the mid-18th century up to the beginning of the 20th century, and today still form part of the family’s Heligan estate. The gardens stood neglected after the First World War and then restored in the 1990s. The gardens now boast a fabulous collection of rhododendrons and camellias, a series of lakes fed by a ram pump over a hundred years old, working flower and vegetable gardens, an Italian garden, and a stunning wild area called “The Jungle” filled with sub-tropical tree ferns. The gardens also have Europe’s only remaining pineapple pit, warmed by rotting manure, and two figures made from rocks and plants known as the Mud Maid and the Giant’s Head. The gardens surround the house with the northern part which includes the main ornamental and vegetable gardens, being slightly higher than the house and sloping gently down to it. The areas to the west, south and east of the house slope steeply down into a series of valleys and are much wilder, including The Jungle and The Lost Valley. The gardens include a gift shop, multiple options to eat and plant shop.

Colona beach is a small sandy secluded beach between Turbot Point and Chapel Point. The beach is good for swimming and exploring rock pools. None, only access on foot. We have no dog information for Colona beach.

Hemmick beach is a small sandy beach to the west of Dodman Point. Relatively safe swimming. No facilities and the nearest small car park is some 15-20 minute walk away. Dogs allowed.