Charlestown Beach

The historic harbour of Charlestown, near St Austell in Cornwall was originally built over 200 years ago to export china clay from the regions clay pits, but is now a base for a marine company, who have a fleet of old tall ships regularly used as sets for films such as Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland and more recently the hit TV series Poldark, who take advantage of the dramatic backdrops.

There are two beaches at Charlestown, which sit either side of the harbour – one accessed by steps from the harbour wall and the other via a slipway. You will notice the sea has a beautiful turquoise colour, formed by mica quartz deposits from mining days gone by.

The area also features restaurants, an ice cream parlour and popular shipwreck & heritage centre. The nearby beach of Porthpean can be accessed via the South West Coast Path, offering beautiful views of St Austell Bay along the way.