A place of your own

Alexandra Pearce-Broomhead goes in search of a little playful peace and quiet in one of Cornwall’s most ancient villages

- Alexandra Pearce-Broomhead

Tucked away behind the quaint village of St Just is a dramatic part of Cornwall’s coastline that is dying to be explored. The free car park is at the very end of Cot Valley as it is known locally, but you may more luck finding it on your sat nav by typing in Porth Nanven, its official name.

Once here, you will be faced with a small river at the bottom of a valley which leads onto a sandy beach surrounded by large boulders. Scrabbling over these is not for the faint-hearted but is worth it to get to the sand, enjoy a swim and explore the small caves. The rocks here are now protected, but in the past, they were once stolen from the beach and used as garden ornaments.

In the car park, there is an informative sign that tells you all about Porth Nanven’s history over the last 120,000 years and how the landscape has changed, which includes the formation of this beach’s iconic rocks. Today, what remains is spectacular coastline and beautiful views of the Celtic Sea, which is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).