Porthcurno Beach – the Cornwall coastal paradise

Cornwall is a county located in the southwestern part of England, United Kingdom. Although all of Cornwall is stunningly beautiful, located on the far southwest tip of it’s coastline is Porthcurno Beach, one of the finest in UK and rightfully enough, the cliffs and coastline around Porthcurno are officially designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The beach, with it’s white soft powdery sand and turquoise waters, it’s nothing less than a dream.

The beach is easily accessible from the Porthcurno Beach car park. It’s a short walk down a sandy slope with signboards leading up to the beach. As you approach the beach, you can hear the waves from quite some distance.

The usually vibrant and crowded beach takes on a tranquil and solitary ambience during the winter. With fewer visitors, there’s a sense of peaceful seclusion as you stroll along the shoreline. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore feels more pronounced and rhythmic. The winter winds keep whipping the sea, creating dramatic and powerful waves lashing onto the shore and adding to that coastal drama.

Talking of drama – a short walk away from the Porthcurno Beach is the Minack Theatre. A flight of steps cut into the rocks (on the right side while facing the beach) are the start of the path all the way up to the theatre. It’s a steep climb on the well maintained trail that winds its way up the cliffside, offering panoramic views of the Porthcurno Beach, the turquoise waters, and the rugged cliffs. The vantage points along the way provide excellent photo opportunities.

As you approach the Minack Theatre, you will pass through the Minack’s sub-tropical gardens, which are beautifully landscaped, and which lead you to the entrance of the theatre. The Minack Theatre is an open air theatre perched on a cliffside and overlooking the spectacular panorama of the Porthcurno Bay. The beautiful place was the mastermind of Rowena Cade who is known as “The Master Builder”. Cade, with the help of her gardener, created the first makeshift stage in 1932 for a local production of Shakespeare’s “The Tempest.” Over the years, Cade continued to develop and expand the theatre, turning it into the iconic venue it is today. The story of how this place came into existence is on their official website.

The theatre hosts a variety of performances, including plays, musicals, concerts, typically during the summer months. But even during winter and without any ongoing shows, it’s worth a visit. The unique blend of natural rock formations and man-made structures; the empty stage against the natural granite backdrop of the cliffs with stone seating steps; and the vastness of the sea, all of it together feels like a magic to the senses.

This lovely duo of Porthcurno Beach and Minack theatre is an immersive blend of nature, art and cultural history.