Porthtowan Beach, Cornwall: A Complete Guide

Disclosure: our raincoats on this trip were gifted by Helly Hansen. This guide also contains affiliate links, and if you book through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes what we recommend.

Porthtowan is a small village on the north coast of Cornwall, tucked between St Agnes and Portreath, with a wide sandy cove, a rugged stretch of the South West Coast Path and some of the cleanest water in the county. It is a proper family holiday spot rather than a pretty postcard town, and it is all the better for it.

I had never even heard of Porthtowan before the summer we went. When Luke’s family said they were heading down, I jumped straight on board. I had guessed it would be a small place with a rugged coastline and I was right. What I had not expected was the magnificent sandy cove that cuts into the land as you drive down the winding road into the village, nor the incredible yellow and purple heath across the cliff sides. There were copper mines here once, which contaminated the soil and stopped other plants thriving, but the heath does not seem to mind.

Where Is Porthtowan?

Porthtowan sits on Cornwall’s north coast, facing the Atlantic, a short way along the coast from St Agnes and south-west of Portreath. It is a village rather than a town, and there is not a great deal to it beyond the beach, a handful of places to eat and the cliffs either side. Most people arrive by car, down the single winding road into the valley.

Porthtowan Beach

Porthtowan beach is remarkably clean, and that is not an accident. It is thanks to a group of local, eco-aware surfers who founded Surfers Against Sewage, who run beach cleans and campaign to take care of our oceans.

Head down in the morning when the tide is out. The light is clear and reflects off the watery sands, and the beach opens right up. In the early evening you can watch some very good local surfers take to the waves.

Walking the Coast Path to St Agnes

Luke and I took the coastal path from Porthtowan to St Agnes, a stretch of around five miles. The terrain is rough in places, especially if you manage to wander off the path and down the cliff side without realising, which I did. You can stop midway at Chapel Porth for an overwhelming hedgehog ice cream, which is exactly as excessive as it sounds and completely worth it.

If you like this stretch of coast, our Cornwall travel guide and Dorset travel guide cover more of the south west.

Surfing at Porthtowan

Porthtowan faces the Atlantic and picks up plenty of swell, which is why it has the surf community it does. It is a working surf beach rather than a novelty one. If you are not surfing yourself, the early evening session is the one to watch from the sand.

Where to Eat and Drink in Porthtowan

There is not much in Porthtowan itself except a few fish and chip shops, but Blue Bar, right on the beach, is the liveliest place in the village and the obvious spot for a drink after a walk or a swim.

Where to Stay in Porthtowan

We stayed with family rather than in a hotel, so these are starting points rather than places we can personally vouch for. Porthtowan itself is small, so most people either book one of the handful of places in the village or base themselves in St Agnes along the coast, which has more choice.

• Places to stay in Porthtowan – the small selection by the beach and up the valley.
• Places to stay in St Agnes – more choice along the coast path, and still walkable to Chapel Porth.

Practical Tips for Visiting Porthtowan

• Go at low tide. The beach is far bigger and the light is much better in the morning when the tide is out.
• Check the tide times before you walk. This is an Atlantic coast and the water comes in quickly across a flat beach.
• Wear proper shoes on the coast path. The St Agnes stretch is uneven and exposed in places, and it is easy to lose the path.
• Bring a raincoat. This is the north Cornish coast. It will almost certainly rain at some point.

Porthtowan FAQ

Where is Porthtowan?

Porthtowan is a village on the north coast of Cornwall, between St Agnes and Portreath, facing the Atlantic.

Is Porthtowan beach good for swimming?

It is a popular family beach and the water quality is good, helped by the local beach-clean community. It is an Atlantic beach with real surf, so check conditions and the tide before you go in, and swim where it is patrolled.

Can you walk from Porthtowan to St Agnes?

Yes. The coast path from Porthtowan to St Agnes is around five miles, with Chapel Porth roughly midway. The terrain is rough in places, so allow more time than the distance suggests.

Is Porthtowan good for surfing?

Yes. It faces the Atlantic and picks up consistent swell, and it has a strong local surf community. Surfers Against Sewage was founded by surfers from this stretch of coast.

Is there much to do in Porthtowan?

Not a lot beyond the beach, the coast path and a few places to eat, which is the appeal. If you want more, St Agnes and the wider Cornish coast are close by.

England is a small country, but that also means it has a lot of small places just like Porthtowan that are off your radar unless you live nearby. Short breaks like this one remind me there are so many more small but beautiful places right on my doorstep that I have not yet explored.