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Portreath
Each year millions of people from all over the world visit Cornwall. The county has the longest coastline in the United Kingdom and possesses a wealth of natural beauty whether on the seashore or inland.
We believe that our village of Portreath and its immediate surrounds, situated on the north-west coast, is one of the most spectacular beauty spots in the county. Portreath nestles in a valley between high cliffs and has a secluded, sandy beach which is ideal for the family and for the more energetic water sports enthusiasts.
The village has a very friendly atmosphere and caters for most needs of visitors whether holidaying in the area or touring whilst based in the village.
For the holidaymaker who prefers to keep to the local area there are many facilities to enjoy, including: the beautiful beach for swimming, surfing and windsurfing; fishing; the National Trust coastal footpath with unsurpassed breathtaking scenery; inland wooded and parkland walks where wild flowers and many species of birds abound.
Although Portreath is uncommercialised, the local amenities provide for all holiday and touring needs. There are large car parks; cafes and licensed restaurants; a good range of shops; four public houses; a garage; hotels and guest-houses; a wide selection of self-catering facilities; camping and caravan sites with good services.
The Beach
Bask in warm sunshine on the beach of fine sand or go surfing and windsailing
in safety, watched by the local Surf and Life Saving Club. On the north side
of the beach the harbour wall provides shelter and warmth for a fine tidal
swimming pool. Set amidst rocks and rockpools here children can also spend
happy hours exploring marine life. The sand of the beach still contains particles
of tin and during the 19th Century a Cornish Mine Captain retrieving these
on a commercial basis separated enough gold to make a gold ring!
The south side of the cove is a quiet haven overlooked by sloping cliffs and dominated by Battery House; here cannons were kept in readiness during the French wars to repel any attacks on the cove and harbour. The quaint Smugglers Cottage, set amongst whispy Tamarisk is a surviving remnant of a fishing industry where in 1617 "a capson house for the drawing up and saving of boats" was erected. It was later used as a retreat by the Bassets of Tehidy who created a miniature Brighton here during the 1780s. Several rock-cut baths were then hewn in the rocks and cliff-face for female members of the family. They now provide a place of play for children who delight in the role of 'Lady Basset".
It was here also that the first harbour was unwisely constructed in 1713 by local mining adventurers seeking an outlet for their minerals. A large quay, curving from the projecting cliff face into the cove was shattered by heavy seas before 1749. Only a tradition of this venture lingered until shifting sands exposed its extensive foundations in 1984. An old track still survives on the hillside above along which mule trains conveyed ore and coal to the old harbour below.
Cliff Walks
The wild and rugged beauty of the local cliffs provides another dimension
for those on holiday. Here the walker, naturalist and artist find solitude
away from crowded beaches. Buzzards circle, ravens soar and kittiwakes nest
in their hundreds above blue seas where Atlantic seals sport in secluded coves.
The dramatic North cliffs, with distant views to Godrevy Lighthouse and St. Ives are particularly attractive. Here the Bassets once derived a regular source of income from wreckage cast upon the shore from proud East Indiamen which succumbed to terrifying gales and blanket fogs.
Immediately inland is the Tehidy Country Park with its adjoining golf-course, an area of beautiful woodland, lakeside walks and picnic areas. Throughout the year a programme of free guided walks on history, geology, botany and natural history can be enjoyed by the whole family. Adjoining Portreath itself are the Illogan Woods where streams meander beneath towering beeches and a circular walk leads to the 14th century church tower of Illogan.
Sports and Leisure
A multitude of sports and leisure facilities are available within a short
drive of the village.
Here is a selection:
Indoor swimming pools, keep fit groups, squash, badminton, saunas, tennis
indoor and outdoor bowls, adventure sports and tuition. Six golf courses,
one within a mile. Horse riding, two having indoor facilities. Walking, coastal
footpath, woodland, country park. Surfing and windsurfing. Sea, river and
reservoir fishing. Painting. Historical sites. Coach excursions. A vast selection
of tourist attractions for the whole family.
The Harbour
The historical harbour of Portreath provides a focal point for family exploration.
Commenced in 1760 as an outlet for the mining industry its basins were once
filled with small sailing vessels. This "Welsh Fleet" sailed regularly out
of the narrow harbour entrance loaded to the gunwhales with rich copper ore
destined for the smelting furnaces of Swansea. They returned with Welsh coal
to fire the boilers of numerous steam-powered beam engines which clustered
round local tin and copper mines.
Giants of the Industrial Revolution, then residing in the area, strode its quays - Richard Trevithick inventor of the high-pressure locomotive, William Murdock, the inventor of gaslighters and James Watt the engineer. Here too a seine-fishing company was established in 1800 and large wooden sailing vessels were constructed and launched. Today the huge sailing fleet and steam-powered coasters which followed have been replaced by small and colourful fishing vessels off-loading catches onto the quays.
Historical Railways
What other cove can boast of once having two railways? The need for an efficient
transport system for the vast amounts of mineral ore and coal passing between
the local mines and Portreath Harbour resulted in the building of the Portreath
to Poldice tramway, in 1809. It was a horse-drawn railway and the first in
Cornwall. Towering above the village is also the great incline of the Portreath
branch of the Hayle Railway, erected in 1838. This too was a mineral line
linking the mines of Camborne and Illogan with the harbour. A stationary steam
engine once moved trucks up and down its steep face whilst its network of
rails fanned out along the quaysides.
Today it is possible to follow the routes of both railways, the former a pleasant walk along the wooded tram-way in the sheltered valley leading to the cove.
The loss of the "Escurial"
There are many stories of the sea to be told here in Portreath, but probably
the most famous of all is the tragic loss of the "Escurial" in 1895.
The 1,187 ton steamer went down with a loss of eleven hands out of a full crew of nineteen in a severe winter storm. Desperate attempts were made to launch the Hayle lifeboat, which had been horse-drawn overland to Portreath, but high seas and strong winds prevented the brave coastguards from achieving their rescue mission. Burning tar barrels were lit and displayed along the cliffs near Battery House in an attempt to guide the vessel towards the beach but, due to her engine trouble and her anchor dragging, she turned broadside and ran aground east of Gull Rock.
Since that sad day divers, including many locals, have shown endless interest in the wreck. In the 1970s one local diver discovered the anchor and propeller which lay some 40 ft from the main wreck in 45 ft of water. After many dives to prepare for the final lift, a full team of divers were brought to Portreath to assist with the attachment of inflatable bags and the raising of the artefacts from where they had lain for nearly 90 years.
Today the anchor can be seen outside the Portreath Arms in the centre of the village - it weighs approximately 5 cwt. and is a constant reminder of these dangerous sea-faring days.
Heart of Cornwall Tourism Association
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