Pedn Vounder

On Cornwall’s southern coast near Porthcurno and the village of Treen, Pedn Vounder is a cliff-backed cove known for its turquoise tidal lagoons and golden sand at low tide. The National Trust has closed the route down to the beach for safety reasons, so it is now a view from the coast path rather than a beach to visit.

With broad sandbanks visible at low tide, Pedn Vounder offers a combination of golden sand and polished pebbles against a backdrop of towering cliffs and rocky outcrops. Natural lagoons and small ponds form with the tide, and from the clifftop the water shows bright turquoise over the sand. There are no lifeguards here, and the National Trust warns of rip currents, rockfall and of the rising tide cutting off the beach or pinning visitors against the cliff.

The old route down has eroded in places, with steep drops and a near vertical 6 metre climb at the bottom, and the National Trust says there have been regular serious incidents involving the emergency services. It asks visitors to use the beach at Porthcurno instead, which has seasonal RNLI lifeguard cover. Above the cove, the South West Coast Path links Pedn Vounder to other coastal landmarks including Logan Rock and the Minack Theatre, and the clifftop between Treen and Porthcurno gives the best view of the lagoons at low tide.