It’s fair to say that winter in Cornwall can be dramatic. Weather and storms transform beaches and bays that are clear and tranquil in summer into moving scenes of power and destruction. Nestled at the foot of the UK, and jutting out into the ocean with over 400 miles of coastline, in Cornwall you’re never far from seeing the power of Mother Nature when high winds and huge waves arrive. It’s a spectacle that can be breathtaking to say the least.
Here’s our pick of the top six places to watch Cornwall’s wild winter weather…
Sennen
In summer Britain’s most southerly village is visited by throngs of sun worshippers who flock to its beautiful sandy beach to enjoy a classic Cornish seaside day out. The west facing beach at the far edge of Cornwall is also a surf hotspot, picking up consistent swell from the Atlantic. But during storm season, even the most daring of surfers will pack up their boards and watch in awe as huge waves and high winds batter the Cowloe reef and smash into the granite cliffs sending towers of spray over the village.
Porthleven
Arguably Cornwall’s storm capital, or at least the most photographed. When storms arrive there’s drama a-plenty at this south Cornwall town on the edge of the Lizard peninsula. Waves here frequently crash over the harbour wall and also throw their weight against the sea wall the stretches along the ocean edge.
Mullion Cove
With a westerly facing position the Lizard peninsula gets the full brunt of Cornwall’s Autumn and Winter storms. Mullion is the Lizard peninsula’s largest village, but its pint sized harbour at the foot of the village can get dwarfed by huge storm swells which crash over the harbour walls. The great thing about Mullion harbour is that there are cliffs surrounding the harbour which means you can watch events unfold in relative safety.
Carnewas at Bedruthan
Bedruthan Steps offer an otherwordly view at any time, but they’re at their monumental best with storm waves crashing at the peak of the giant natural obelisks dotted across the shoreline between Newquay and Padstow.
Land’s End
England’s most westerly point has to be on our list. When a storm rolls in, with panoramic elevated ocean views on all sides, and with the Longships lighthouse acting as a focal point to any storm watching experience here, Land’s End is a truly epic setting for watching Mother Nature unleash her fury on the land.
Botallack
Famed from its appearance in the BBC series Poldark, and framed by thousands of photographers over the years, we think nothing can quite match the rugged beauty of Botallack mine during a storm. You can only imagine what it must have been like for the miners turning up to work when storms rolled in… legend has it the miners could hear the rocks being rolled along the ocean floor in the tunnels that went over a mile out to sea!
A final note, whilst undoubtedly exhilarating, it’s important to watch storms with caution. High winds and high seas can whip higher in an instant making seemingly safe places suddenly be in peril. It’s also common for debris to get thrown around so please err on the side of caution and watch those waves from a safe distance!
Coming to Cornwall to storm watch and want a cosy place to stay? Trewena Cottages near Falmouth are the perfect setting. Right on the doorstep of the Lizard within easy reach of some of Cornwall’s finest storm watching hotspots. Just 10 minutes from the centre of Falmouth and some of Cornwall’s best beaches, you can choose from ‘Little Avalon’ our 1850s labourers cottage, or ‘The Pigsty’ our converted barn.
