Perranporth is a popular seaside resort, six miles south-west of Newquay. It is much quieter than Newquay and has a three mile long sandy beach facing the Atlantic Ocean. It takes its name from Saint Piran, meaning Saint Piran’s cove. It is thought that St. Piran, the patron saint of tinners, founded a church at Perranzabuloe, near Perranporth, in the 7th century. Over the centuries it became buried in sand, but was rediscovered early in the 20th century, but again has become covered by the sand dunes. It can be reached from a turning off the Newquay Road.
Perranporth is a popular family holiday resort, with good surfing facilities along the two miles to Lugger Point. There are RNLI Lifeguard patrols from May to September. Perran Beach is backed by sand dunes, known as Penhale Sands, which extend a mile inland. The southern end of the beach becomes rocky, with natural arches in the cliffs and stacks and tin mining adits at Droskyn Point. Perranporth was a tin mining village in the 1870s.
On the cliffs, there is a youth hostel and the 19th century Droskyn Castle, which is now divided into apartments. Further south, is Cligga Head, where cliffs rise to 230 feet.
Perranporth is well served by hotels and has the Ponsmere Hotel actually on the beach. The Watering Hole pub, situated on the sands, is close to the Surf Life Saving Club and claims to be the only bar on the beach in the United Kingdom.
Donald Healey, the motor engineer, opened the first motor garage in Perranporth in 1919. Winston Graham, author of the Cornish “Poldark” novels, on which the BBC TV series was based, lived in Perranporth.
