West Portholland

The coastal path drops steeply down to West Portholland, a small fishing hamlet on Cornwall's south coast that feels properly off the radar despite being just a few miles from Truro. The beach is the real draw - a sheltered cove with golden sand backed by rocky outcrops and a scatter of weathered fishing shacks that look like they've been there since the 1950s. You'll see actual boats here, not just pretty postcards.

It's the sort of place where you can spend a morning pottering about, paddling in the shallows, or scrambling over the rocks to spot crabs and starfish. The walk down takes about fifteen minutes from the village above, and it's worth bringing decent shoes - the coastal path is steep enough to make you feel you've earned the beach at the bottom. Most days you'll find far fewer people than at the bigger Cornish beaches, which makes it proper lovely for families after some peace and quiet.

Neither West Portholland nor the surrounding hamlet charges for access, though parking is limited and honestly a bit of a squeeze during high summer. The real bonus is proximity to Tregarton Park and Treveague Campsite - both within three miles - so you could base yourself there and make this a morning expedition. Bring a picnic because there's nowhere to eat on site. It works best on a decent day; the cove can look a bit grim in rain, and the beach disappears almost entirely at high tide, so check the tides before you head down.