Holiday rentals in Perranporth

With one of the largest beaches in Cornwall, it’s no wonder Perranporth is a laid-back place. There’s plenty of room for everyone (including dogs) along its golden stretch with a waterfront bar on the sands and a high street that leads straight off the beach, bringing a cheerful informality (think sarongs and thongs) to its cafes and restaurants. The magnificent mass of Chapel Rock, mounted with a Cornish flag, overlooks the beach, hiding a natural pool where you can bathe even when the tide’s gone out. At Droskyn Point there are surfable waves, sea caves, and a vast rock arch. There’s also a sundial designed to tell Cornish time (12 minutes faster than GMT). And at low tide, the three miles of Perran and Penhale sands stretch all the way to Ligger Bay, backed by sloping dunes alive with birds, butterflies, lizards, and all kinds of flora.

Perranporth’s vibe stays pretty relaxed year-round, although it’s summer that sees it at its best. In June the town hosts a music festival, Tunes in the Dunes, while July and August experience the hottest weather; the beach is big enough that you don’t need to worry about overcrowding, even in peak season. Temperatures remain warm in September, and at the start of the month the town hosts the prestigious Perranporth triathlon, which has built a reputation as one of the best and most challenging in the country. The dunes and countryside are beautiful in the spring, with the surrounding clifftops covered in wildflowers. In winter, the town takes on the feel of a small village, and even though it can be cold and stormy, the beach still has its draw.

The Boating Lake and Clock Garden

While Perranporth’s magnificent beach is its ultimate attraction, you won’t want to ignore the town entirely. The Perranzabuloe Museum, run by volunteers, is a treasure trove of local history. Walk farther south and you’ll come to the well-tended gardens, with a nearby boating lake. It’s even shaped like a boat, and you can hire a small rowboat if you want to join the ducks and swans on the water.

Perran Round

Just outside of Perranporth in the little hamlet of Rose, you’ll find a fascinating ancient landmark: a raised grass circle that was once the site of an Iron Age hill fort. Many hundreds of years later, during the medieval period, it became an amphitheatre for performances of the Cornish Miracle Plays, and is still used by open-air theatre companies today.

Cligga Head

Perranporth sits on a gorgeous stretch of the South West Coast Path dotted with coves between Newquay and St Agnes. Cligga Head, a couple of miles from the beach, isn’t just a great lookout: You’ll also see the mining history that Cornwall is famous for, from the remains of a tin and tungsten minehead to the mineral-stained, black-veined rock of the cliffs.