We’ll admit it, we were somewhat sceptical when we saw that a beach in England has made it onto various ‘best beaches in the world’ lists. But then we saw it for ourselves. And it’s true, Pedn Vounder really is an exceptional beach.
With clear turquoise water, pristine golden sand and grand cliff walls as a backdrop, it definitely has the wow factor. Added to that, a picturesque sand bar appears at low tide making the already spectacular scene even more special. It’s not however, the easiest beach to access, with a scramble or swim required to reach it.
Here’s what to expect from both options.
The walk to Pedn Vounder Beach
The stats
Distance: 0.6 miles (1km) each way via the shortest route
Elevation gain: 80m
Difficulty: Moderate due to the scramble
Trailhead: Car Park in Treen, Penzance
Summary: There are a couple of start points you can use to walk to Pedn Vounder Beach and we’ll cover both. One route is slightly longer than the other but much more scenic.
Both trails meet at the descent towards the beach and this is where the trails go from normal paths to narrow tracks, culminating in the final rock scramble required to reach the sand (which we’ll describe in detail in the notes below).
If you don’t like the sound of the scramble you can swim round from nearby Porthcurno Beach. This needs to be done when the swell is slight and you’ll have to swim a lot less of the distance if you do it within an hour or so either side of low tide.
On a different note, Pedn Vounder is an unofficial nudist beach, so expect plenty of skin on show and a difficulty in taking photos at beach level.
A note on the tide and swell
Technically you can visit Pedn Vounder Beach during any tide and a small sliver of sand should still be present unless you get an unusually high tide. However, assuming you want more than a little bit of beach to play with then you should visit on a low to mid tide, or at least avoid the two hours either side of a high tide.
If you’re really keen to see the sand bar you need to time your visit for within an hour or so either side of low tide. It starts to reveal itself before this time, but it’s more prominent and substantial during this window.
Pedn Vounder Beach does get a little wavy so visiting when the sea swell is rated slight or smooth make for the best conditions for swimming. You can see the 5 day tide and swell forecast here.
The walk to Pedn Vounder Beach via the shortest route
The quickest route to Pedn Vounder begins in the main car park at Treen (full parking details below). You’ll head out of the car park and left along the lane that is directly opposite the Farm and Fort Cafe. At first it’s a gravel road and leads to the Treen Farm Campsite after 300m.
Don’t walk through the campsite car park, instead follow the track left. The path is a little uneven underfoot, but not difficult and still predominantly flat or gently downhill.
Approximately 580m after leaving the car park you’ll reach a junction with the coast path and turn right.
You’ll now be following a narrow dirt track gently downhill with exquisite views out to sea and soon enough you’ll spot Pedn Vounder far below you.
There are a few little rocky sections and the path is narrow, but the trail is generally still good at this point.
After around 150m from the junction there are a couple of rocks to climb down and just beyond this the track continues to the left. There is a warning sign mentioning the track is not in good shape, or words to that effect.
This is where the descent gets a little steeper and there are a few steps on a dirt track with loose soil before the condition improves again.
You’ll then reach a warning sign that mentions that the descent to the beach is vertical (it’s not, but it is steep). However, this refers to the last scramble and there’s a little bit more normal track to go first.
There are a few rocky stairs and then you’ll come to a cool balancing rock formation on the right and get a superb view down to the beach.
There’s 50m of narrow but easy dirt track to go and then another little rocky section.
This is just a few steps and then there’s another 50m until you reach yet another sign. It says the path to the beach is closed, but hundreds of people use it everyday.
The Pedn Vounder Beach scramble
There are two possible routes down to the beach, both of which require a bit of a scramble. I will describe the most commonly used route first which begins beside the final warning signpost (ironically there is also a signpost at Porthcurno Beach saying you cannot reach Pedn Vounder from there, so if everyone heeded the signs, your options to get to the beach would be very limited!).
The first part of the scramble is quite easy, just climbing down a couple of rocks which are grippy when dry. There is yet another amazing view at this point. Once you reach the last point of the rock you can walk to, you bear left (some people go right but it’s a harder option).
I would say if you aren’t used to scrambling it probably looks more intimidating than it is when you start. There are places you can stop at each rock as you descend, so you get a chance to stop and think about your footing.
There are several metres of large rocks to climb down which are steep, but as mentioned, not vertical. Personally I sat on my bum and lowered myself down each one, but adept scramblers will just walk down. The rocks are grippy when dry, but watch for any damp or sandy bits.
After this there is a large slanted rock shelf to climb down, which is much less steep, but it’s covered in a fine layer of sand making it potentially more slippery.
There are sort of ruts/indents in the rock you can use to go down bit by bit. Then you’ll hit the sand and if you are nervous, know that it is easier going uphill when you don’t have any forwards momentum, so you can relax and enjoy the beach knowing the hardest bit is over.
The second route is to bear right before that final warning sign by the rope fence. You’re aiming to cut down to the cove you will see from the main walking trail above. There is no set route, but you can pick your way down the rocks and it’s less steep than the main scramble. However, you will arrive at the next cove along, so you would need to wade round to Pedn Vounder (or swim at high tide). This only takes a few minutes though.
Exploring Pedn Vounder Beach
Pedn Vounder is at its most glorious on sunny days when the water colour really has to be seen to be believed. However, we’ve also visited when it’s overcast and it’s still gorgeous, the water retains its blue colour, just not its vibrancy.
At mid to low tide there is a large sandy beach to enjoy and the sand itself is really lovely and soft. It doesn’t have that damp muddy feel that you’ll find at some Cornish beaches. There are a few caves you can poke around in too.
The water is incredibly clear and looks aquamarine in colour from inside the water and then more of an azure blue as you get deeper. There are small waves present even on a calm day, but only very small and swimming at this time is generally very leisurely - though the beach is not patrolled so you need to know your own limits.
A couple of hours before and after low tide the water remains shallow a long distance out. You can swim but not close to shore. That’s what makes this the easiest time to wade/swim over to Porthcurno.
As mentioned, the incredible sand bar is best visited an hour or so either side of low tide. At this time it’s big enough to laze around on and almost becomes it’s own mini beach within the sea.
It’s very special and worth timing your visit to see it if you can - though this is generally the busiest time of day at the beach.
Swimming from Pedn Vounder to Porthcurno Beach
I’d seen it said that you can walk between Pedn Vounder and Porthcurno Beach at low tide. I have never seen this so I can only assume it must be an exceptionally low tide and even then it would surprise me, though I am not a local and don’t proclaim to be an expert.
To make the swim - which is absolutely sensational - you should visit when the sea swell is marked as slight or smooth. I would estimate the distance to be 400ish metres, but please know this is a guess! There are three coves along the way you could stop at for a break if needed.
Two are almost joined, but not quite and they are just around the corner from Pedn Vounder, at low tide this can be waded and no swimming is required.
Make sure you don’t get too close to the large rocks around these beaches as even when the sea was very calm, large waves smashed into the rocks and you don’t want to get caught up in that - however, don’t be put off because there is a lot of room to get onto the beaches far away from these rocks.
From these coves you’ll see a large rocky outcrop in the sea and this stretch of water can be waded. It’s only a little after this rock that I needed to swim and I would say it was maybe a couple of hundred metres. At this point you’ll reach another small beach, just before Porthcurno.
This one is much larger than the others and a true beauty in its own right, with steep walls, soft sand and glorious clear water. From here it takes around two minutes to wade round to Porthcurno Beach.
For me this swim was one of the best I’ve done in Cornwall yet, calm, easy and utterly jaw-dropping. It felt like a tropical paradise and is rivalled so far only by Mother Ivey’s Bay which is another world class swim spot (close to Padstow).
The scenic route to Pedn Vounder from Porthcurno Beach
If you don’t mind a slightly longer, slightly harder (not in terms of terrain, but in terms of hills) walk to Pedn Vounder, instead of parking in Treen, park at Porthcurno Beach.
Follow the path as if going to the beach, but instead of following the steps down to the sand, turn left onto the Coast Path.
There’s a bit of a hill to climb at first, which lasts for around 300m, but it’s worth it. You’ll come to the Telegraph Viewpoint and can see both Porthcurno and Pedn Vounder Beaches.
Both beaches look incredible from above. You’ll then continue on the narrow path above the coast with exceptional views almost the entire way. Prepare for your camera roll to fill up very quickly!
Roughly 550m from the Telegraph Viewpoint you’ll come to the Pyramid, which offers, you guessed it, more awe-inspiring views. At this point you are 150m from the trail that leaves the Coast Path to go down to Pedn Vounder (a few hundred metres away).
Parking for Pedn Vounder Beach
If you are using the shortest route to Pedn Vounder you need to park in the Treen car park, postcode TR19 6LF, you can see in here on Google maps. This is a large lawn, but despite it’s size it does fill up during peak season, so you may want to come early or late during the school summer holidays.
The current charges for the car park are: £2 for 2 hours and £4 for all day parking. There is a public toilet available inbetween the car park and the Farm and Fort Cafe.
If you’re parking at Porthcurno Beach, you need to head for the Porthcurno car park, postcode TR19 6JX, you can see it here on Google maps. This is a more expensive car park, but only charges between 9am and 6pm. The charges are:
Up to 2 hours: £2.80
2 - 4 hours: £5.50
All day: £7.50
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the area, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
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