Porthgwarra Beach

Porthgwarra Beach is a secluded rocky cove in Cornwall, England, where low tide reveals a sandy shoreline dotted with rock pools and framed by granite cliffs. The cove features two tunnels cut directly into the rocks, one providing beach access and the other serving boat storage and equipment handling.

The granite slipway and hand-carved tunnels were built in the late 1800s to help farmers and fishermen reach the sea more easily for their work. These structures show how local people adapted to the challenging coastal terrain.

The beach and surrounding area maintain strong ties to traditional Cornish fishing practices, with one working fishing boat still operating from the cove.

The cove has a pay parking area, public toilets, and a seasonal cafe on site for visitors. Swimming is safest within the cove itself, where the sheltered waters offer calmer conditions than the open coast.

The two tunnels were hand-chiseled into the rock and still show tool marks on their walls from the original carving work. Walking through them reveals the physical effort that locals invested in creating these passages centuries ago.