Mullion Cove

Mullion Cove - also known by its Cornish name Porth Mellin - sits on the western coast of the Lizard peninsula, on the eastern side of Mount’s Bay. The cove is owned by the National Trust and centres on a working harbour built in the 1890s, completed in 1895 when pilchard fishing was the main local industry.

Stout sea walls protect the harbour from westerly storms, and Mullion Island lies about 720 yards offshore to the south-west, providing a natural windbreak. Local fishermen still use the harbour, and seals and seabirds are regular visitors. Kayaking is popular in calmer conditions.

The South West Coast Path passes through the cove, connecting walkers south towards Predannack and the Lizard Point, or north to the sandy beaches at Polurrian and Poldhu. Poldhu beach is notable as the site where Marconi transmitted the first transatlantic wireless signal in 1901.

The village of Mullion itself is about a mile inland and has shops, pubs and a 15th-century church. Helston, the nearest larger town, is roughly six miles north. Mullion Cove appeals to visitors who want direct access to a dramatic stretch of coastline without the crowds found at more commercial resort towns. The harbour walls require regular maintenance against storm damage, and the National Trust has invested over 3 million pounds in repairs since 2014. Autumn and winter bring large swells that crash spectacularly against the harbour walls - worth seeing from the clifftop even if swimming is out of the question.