Why visit Perranporth?
Spectacular beaches
You might want to double-check that you’ve packed a bucket and spade before you set off for Perranporth, because its beach is prime sandcastle-building territory. However, that’s not the only reason this humongous expanse of sand is popular with families. The Chapel Rock tidal pool and a stream with safe, shallow waters are great alternatives to the sea when the current is too strong, and there are also caves and rock formations to keep young explorers busy. At low tide, it’s possible to walk to nearby Perran Sands (also known as Penhale Sands), a dog-friendly beach backed by dunes with rare plants and colourful butterflies.
Surf’s up
A Cornish holiday wouldn’t be complete without a little surfing action, right? Although Perranporth has some pretty decent waves of its own, it's also only a 20-minute drive from what are considered the best surfing beaches on Cornwall’s north coast. Newquay in particular is well equipped to welcome surfers of all abilities, with a couple of schools and several stretches where you can ride your board and catch some swells. These include novice-friendly Tolcarne and Great Western beaches, in addition to Fistral, home to the International Surfing Centre complex, the Cribbar reef (for experienced surfers only) and events like the Boardmasters competition.
South West Coast Path hikes
Following the entire Cornish coastline (and beyond into neighbouring counties), the long-distance South West Coast Path passes right through Perranporth town. Whether you’re after a leisurely stroll or a day-long hike, there’s plenty of gorgeous scenery to take in. The walk around Crantock, for example, follows a family-friendly trail that takes in the village’s sandy beach, on the Gannel Estuary, plus ocean views and plenty of birdlife. For something a little more challenging, head south west along the rugged heather-covered cliffs of the St Agnes Heritage Coast.
Splendid gardens
Cornwall’s famed mild microclimate nurtures some lush gardens filled with subtropical vegetation – a lovely day out for plant lovers, photographers and scenery seekers alike. Known for its collections of camellias and rhododendrons, the Lost Gardens of Heligan also has a Jungle section with palms, tree ferns and bamboo tunnels, plus a kitchen garden that grows much of the produce served in the café. In addition to several National Trust properties – such as Lanhydrock and riverside Trelissick, with their woodland walks and seasonal blossoms – there are also gems like Enys Gardens (renowned for its spring carpet of bluebells) and Tregrehan Garden (with several plants from the southern hemisphere).
Essential things to do in Perranporth
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Have a traditional cream tea with a freshly baked scone; just remember to spread the jam first, then the clotted cream (the proper Cornish way)
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Tee off with expansive views of the beach and the coast at Perranporth Golf Club
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Sample ciders and a range of apple-based spirits at Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm
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Climb up to Kelsey Head, from where you might be able to see the seals over on Chick Island
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Take an immersive tour of the prison cells and the Victorian hanging pit at Bodmin Jail Attraction
Unexplored Perranporth
Summer festivals
Does Cornwall have more summer festivals than any other county in the UK, or does it just feel that way? Besides Newquay’s renowned Boardmasters Festival, which combines surfing competitions and concerts by big-name artists, there’s the Tropical Pressure Festival in Porthtowan, which celebrates the music, cuisines and cultures of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. At the International Sea Shanty Festival in Falmouth you can listen to sailors’ songs and check out crafts stalls, while Rock Oyster puts on global music acts, cooking demonstrations and wellbeing workshops in Wadebridge. And that’s without taking into account the Eden Sessions concerts at the Eden Project…
Birdwatching
The sand dunes, salt marshes and rocky cliffs of the Roseland Heritage Coast are home to colonies of guillemots and cormorants. Other winged residents in this corner of Cornwall include peregrine falcons, and in the winter months, you might spot migrating loons and grebes. All of the above can also be seen flying around the rugged coastline of Pentire Point and The Rumps, though this area is arguably better known for the presence of puffins in the early summer (have your camera ready to see if you can snap that iconic shot of a puffin with a beak full of fish). Finally, you can let your passion for ornithology take you to England’s westernmost point, Land’s End, where you might spot fulmars and kittiwakes.
Poldark Country
Author Winston Graham lived in Perranporth for many years, and his 'Poldark' novels are set in north Cornwall, around the St Agnes Heritage Coast. Time to put on your best brooding expression, unbutton your shirt and pose for a photograph on a windswept clifftop, before setting off to explore Poldark Country. Check out beaches like Trevaunance Cove, formerly a harbour for the tin mines, and Chapel Porth, with its rockpools and caves, then follow the South West Coast Path to Wheal Coates, a ruined 19th-century engine house dramatically set on a cliff overlooking the sea.
Here’s how
Whether you’re a surfer, a walker or a birdwatcher, you should find something to keep you plenty busy in Cornwall – so now all you have to do is sort out your accommodation.
Many Cornish beaches (including Perranporth itself and Fistral) welcome dogs, so forget kennels and check out this list of the area’s dog-friendly campsites instead. Meanwhile, if you’re travelling as a couple for a romantic break, you might be interested in these adults-only sites.
Our tick-box filters allow you to choose the amenities and facilities that are important to you, so you can book the right accommodation in Perranporth, choosing such things as campsites with a clubhouse or bar or a playground.
Some of our popular camping options in Perranporth include:
Perranporth campsites with electricity
Campsites open all year in Perranporth
If Perranporth doesn't have quite what you're looking for, there are plenty of other options. Maybe you’d prefer looking for campsites around the Lizard Peninsula or on the Hartland Heritage Coast, which straddles Cornwall and Devon. Alternatively, you could hit the national parks and look for campsites in Dartmoor and Exmoor.
