Portreath Beach

The name Portreath, which means sandy cove, was first recorded in the late 15th century. At the time, and for a couple of centuries following, the town was a small settlement, with most people making a living from agriculture, fishing, and tin streaming. However, this was all soon to change.

For many years, Portreath had suffered the effects of a lee shore, where winds blowing towards the coast would make shipping highly dangerous in rough weather. A mole was built on the western side of the beach in 1713, but was later destroyed sometime before 1749. It wasn't until 1760 that the problem was resolved, for a breakwater pier was built to give ships a safe space to land.

Portreath soon became a major port, and began exporting copper to Wales for smelting. As these exports grew, so too imports of coal, which were needed to power the steam engine pumps. In 1812, a tramway was opened between Portreath and Poldice to ease the traffic created by mules. Only a decade later, Portreath was described as Cornwall's most important port.

The copper industry collapsed in the 1860s, and while the imports of coal continued to Portreath, this too died down after the Second World War. Nowadays, the port attracts leisure and fishing boats on a seasonal basis, while the beach is very popular amongst surfers.