Cornwall UK Stealth Camping Locations List

[Mark Andrews]

Since I spend most of my time in west Cornwall (United Kingdom), I thought it might be useful to one or two here if I posted up a list of locations where you can get away with parking overnight for an odd night or two of stealth camping.

In Famouth, you can park for the night at 3 locations around Pendennis Castle. Take the road towards the castle past the docks viewing area on the left, go up the hill until you come to the castle car park. Turn right in here and there is ample room for a large number of vehicles all on the level. The gate btw is never closed overnight despite the sign at the entrance saying otherwise. Peaceful enough spot, little trouble here. An easy walk to town (or take the bus) and to the nearby town beaches.

Or if this spot isn't to your liking, continue on the road to Pendennis Point itself. Enter the free car park on The Point on the left, go down a few yards and turn right to enter the lower car park. Level ground and far reaching views out to sea across Falmouth Bay to St. Mawes on the other side of the River Fal and to St. Anthony's (Fraggle Rock) Lighthouse at the entrance to the river. Officially no overnight parking but lots do it anyway and the police will turn a blind eye to you as long as you don't make a mess.

Or continue around Pendennis Point until you come to Daisy's Carpark on the left hand side of the road. Lovely views across the bay towards Castle Beach, Gyllyngvase Beach, Swanpool Beach and Maenporth Beach in the distance. You'll need chocks here if you want to stay level.

At Swanpool Beach too you can park overnight on the road immediately behind the public toilets. You'll often see a couple of vans here in the summer months.

At Maenporth Beach you can park on the beach itself overnight and the cafe owners seems cool about it although advisable to move off early in the morning or pay £3 if you want to stay for the day.

If you keep going up the road, away from Falmouth heading towards Mawnan Smith you'll go past The Meudon Hotel on the left. Stay on this road for another mile until you see a left turn. Go down this narrow lane (it's a dead end) at the end of which is Mawnan Church. Here, there is space to park overnight for one or two vehicles under the trees. A very peaceful spot if you can put up with the haunted owlman of Mawnan Church.

If you didn't turn left to go towards the church, the road would take you into the village of Mawnan Smith (5 miles from Falmouth). In the centre of the village is the thatched roof Red Lion pub. Turn left heading towards Helford Passage. As soon as you leave the village behind the road levels out and after less than half a mile you'll see a small cross roads. Turn left as if heading towards the hamlet of Durgan. Go past the farm cottages on either side of the narrow lane, right after you'll see a narrow entrance to Durgan National Trust car park. Pull in here. A very peaceful spot indeed and just a few minutes walk down to the absolutely beautiful cove at the bottom of the hill. Wheel chocks may come in useful for the gently sloping ground.

If you hadn't turned left towards Durgan and gone straight on instead, you would have very quickly pass by Glendurgan Gardens (National Trust property) and The Magical Gardens of Trebah - The Garden of Dreams, rated one of the top 80 paradise gardens worldwide. I was actually born here at Trebah. It's an astonishingly beautiful location. See Google images: http://goo.gl/bYA9VR

Drive past the entrances to both gardens on the left and where the road takes a sharp 90 degree turn to the right (heading towards Port Navas) you can in effect go straight on down towards Helford Passage and The Ferry Boat Inn. On the level at the top of the hill you can park overnight on the left hand side. Don't be tempted to drive all the way down the hill or you will get stuck, the lane is very steep and exceptionally narrow.

Alternatively, if you hadn't gone straight on towards Helford Passage and followed the road round to the right instead, heading towards Port Navas, at the bottom of the hill is another little spot right beside the river where one 3.5t van can park overnight. Bear in mind the hill going down to this spot is once again steep and exceptionally narrow, 6'6" wide at most and yes, it is for two way traffic. Tourists drive me nuts on this section in the summer months, by gum, don't any of them know how to reverse at anything but dead slow, I mean what the hell is wrong with them all? Grrrrr. Mental.

Anyway at the bottom of the hill is a tiny and I mean tiny little entrance (not the first tarmaced entrance) the second muddy entrance lower down beside it is the one I'm talking about. You can reverse in here if you're very careful and park up alongside the hedge. Just don't block my mate in who lives on a boat here. He parks his vehicle here too and needs space to get out in the morning to get to work. If you block him in, he won't be very happy.

Loads more locations to come, I'll post some more up in due course. Next stop Helston and The Lizard peninsular.

 

[owl]

Mark, good to see you here again ! Good post, I hope I have the opportunity to use it some day. You keep that thick skin and stick it out, the louts won't, but a lot of us like a tickety-boo. Nollaig shona duit

 

[Mark Andrews]

Aye, cheers. Thought what the hec, can't be letting one hmmm, hmmm wotsit to drag me down like that. Better to keep posting and be positive.

I know I posted in the wrong section btw, I reported my OP so hopefully, fingers crossed, will have it moved to a more appropriate section soon as.

Good to see you again Owl. You're not the owl man of legend are you?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owlman

 

[SoulRaven]

Good to see you back. World traveler that I am not I had to look at a map to see what area you are in. Beautiful country side. Do you cross over to other countries? Fellow on another forum (He's from England) has posted some great trip reports from all over Europe. Post some pictures if you get the chance.

 

[owl]

owl man of legend, of course not. I have never been anywhere near Cornwall. I am not man at all, but a real owl.

 

[Unchained]

Sorry for the delay in relocating, it's been one of those days.
Carry on, you lot!

*tosses a mouse to the Owl and exits thread*

 

[Mark Andrews]

"You lot." One of my expressions. Good to know I can get away with it here without causing offense. Excellent.

Right 'you lot'.

Helston and The Lizard next...

In Helston going from the Tesco's roundabout go straight on as if heading towards RNAS Culdrose. You'll go through a set of traffic lights until you come to another roundabout, go straight on again. Yhe council estate will be on your right hand side. Keep going until you come to the Sainbury's roundabout, go straight on again and after 30 yards you'll come across yet another roundabout. Turn right here.

Don't speed up too much because in just a few yards time you'll be turning left beside the Cottage Hospital. This little lane is a dead end about 2 miles further up the road. Fairly narrow in places so be careful, the last thing you want is to go hurtling round a blind corner to be faced with one of the many farm tractors using this lane.

At the far end of the lane, you'll see a little tiny granite chapel on the left, here the lane turns sharply 90 degrees to the right. Now immediately in front of you, you'll see where you can park up the right. This is yet another free National Trust (unmanned car park) where you can very safely park overnight and get no bother at all.

Btw if you go down the lane on foot, just keep heading downhill down the track, you'll come to Loe Pool which you can walk around. On the beach side (Loe Beach) do not and I repeat DO NOT be tempted to swim from here as there are extremely strong rip currents and undertows. It's a very steeply shelving beach indeed.

OK lets get back to the lane where you turned left by the side of the Cottage Hospital. Turn right when exiting here. A few yards in front of you the roundabout where this time you're going to turn right heading towards The Lizard. Keep RNAS Culdrose on your left hand side, keep going, stay on this road going underneath the bridge and on the long straight just before the roundabout at the far end of Culdrose, you'll see a right hand turn signposted Gunwalloe. Turn right here.

This is another dead end lane (although there are alternative ways out of here too complicated here to explain). Just stay on this lane for a couple of miles until you come to Gunwalloe village. A very small village, lots of thatched cottages. Keep going, just stick to the road ahead. Go past the Halzephron Inn on the left and keep driving up the lane past the white house on the right at the top of the lane cresting the hill.

On the left hand side immediately after the white house you'll see a little tiny campsite sign. You can go in here if you wish to albeit you'll have to pay for the privilege.

If like me you object to paying anywhere just keep going down the lane. On the broad sweeping left hand corner just before the lane narrows significantly, you'll see on the right hand side a tiny little rough rutted entrance. Pull in here, it might take a 3 point turn to get in there and drive up 25 yards.

Here turn around again and park your van up against the hedge on the left. You'll need your wheel chocks if you want to keep level. Lovely spot, good Internet connection too. Very peaceful, nobody will bother you here.

If this doesn't grab your fancy, just keep driving down to the bottom of the lane (dead end), very, very narrow but don't worry, you can turn around easily at the bottom of the lane. This is Church Cove owned by The National Trust. A beautiful little beach, safe for swimming, a little cafe is here and public toilets too.

If you pull into the unmanned National Trust car park and go up into the top field (if the gate is open on the left), on the grass in the field in the top corner you'll find a good level spot. Loads of room here, sea views too. The beach not more than a 2-3 minute walk away.

Take your pick there are 2 coves to choose from either side of the chapel on the beach. Perfectly safe, nobody will bother you here. Just ensure you have your National Trust membership sticker on display in the windscreen of your motorhome / stealth camper van.

Lets get back to the main road again. Where you turned right as if heading towards Gunwalloe, instead keep going straight on. Immediately in front of you another roundabout. Here, turn left heading towards St. Keverne.

Go down the steep hill and stay on this road until you come to another mini roundabout at the top of the hill. At the roundabout turn right heading towards Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station and St. Keverne.

Stay on this road for a couple of miles until you see the big satellite dishes on your right hand side. Go past the main entrance on the right, keep going for another 1/4 mile or so. Ahead of you immediately after the edge of the satellite earth station, you'll see a brown sign (English Natre Reserve) turn right in here.

Tucked away in here is a little free car park where you can park a few vans overnight. Tarmaced and level. Bin provided but that's about it. Lovely walks from here across Goonhilly Downs, pick up an information leaflet for more information on the various paths you can take. Only 'problem' here is the traffic noise from the nearby Helston - St. Keverne road but it's really not too bad.

There are quite a few more places you can park overnight if you continue down the St. Keverne road but the lanes around here are a labyrinth so I'm not even going to attempt to try to explain any more locations down this way. Your sat nav will be going dizzy enough as it is down here off the main connecting roads criss crossing The Lizard peninsular. There are dozens of tiny lanes you can take, just bear in mind you will without fail almost invariably get hopelessly lost.

Do check out though Cornish Camels. Google it. A beautiful little spot to enjoy afternoon tea and strawberries and fresh cream. Very nice. All the while a bunch of camels gawping at you, munching contentedly on the fresh cud. Lovely. Nothing like a bit of camel dribble in your afternoon tea, there's nothing else quite like it lol.

Right, lets get back to that roundabout at the far end of RNAS Culdrose where you turned left to come towards St. Keverne. If you hadn't turned left towards St. keverne and gone straight on instead, you'd now be on the main road heading towards The Lizard village (the UK's most southerly point on the mainland).

Don't speed up too much because 50 yards past the roundabout on the right hand side of the road, you'll see a right turn signposted Cury. Turn right here.

Stay on this road until you come to the village of Cury. Drive over all of the speed bumps and out the other side of the village back out into the open countryside. Past Mullion Golf Club on the right hand side. Immediately where the golf club building ends, look to your right for immediately behind the fairway, this is where you're next being guided towards.

Keep going down the hill, round the very sharp steep right corner, immediately in front of you at the bottom of the hill you'll see Poldhu Cove.

At the bottom of the hill a hairpin corner turning to the left. Don't go all the way round it, instead in effect go straight on (turning right officially) up that lane in front of you which goes up the side of the cliff keeping the beach / cove on your left hand side.

The lane will sweep round to the right, keep going up the hill past the holiday cottage on the right. This is another deadend track / lane. Just a few yards later, you'll come across the tiny car park where 3-4 vans can squeeze in for the night.

Another free car park, nobody will bother you here except for the grumpy old git traveling round in a Talbot Express camper van who seems to believe he owns the car park. He doesn't, so if he bothers you or threatens you (he's a nasty piece of work) tell him to go you know what with himself, he's a friggin' arsehole and a pain in the ass. Hopefully though, you won't come across him although he is a regular here.

Lovely sea views from here across Mounts Bay, you are literally parked on the clifftop. To your right down below is Church Cove described previously. To get down there is but a 5 minute walk down the path (cafe and public toilets). Or walk down the way you drove up, to the cafe and public toilets at Poldhu Cove.

Do not be tempted to park in the main carpark at Poldhu Cove as the council here take a dim view of it and will if they can, fine you. I've seen it happen to others too oftenso please bear this in mind.

Okay, lets get back to the main road heading towards The Lizard. If you hadn't turned right towards Cury and stayed on the main road instead, about 8 miles later you'd see The Lizard village in the distance. Half a mile outside The Lizard, you'll see a road sign (Kynance Cove), another National Trust property.

Keep your National Trust membership card handy or your window sticker on display. Free carparking of course for all NT members at any of their properties in the UK, the membership pays for itself in no time at all.

Kynance Cove is a manned National Trust car park (unmanned November - March). Keep going down the narrow lane over all the speed bumps and over the metal cattle grid. As soon as you crest the hump by the cattle grid you'll see on the right hand corner a tiny rutted track leading downwards through a S bend. Turn down here as there's enough room here for a couple of vans. Wheel chocks will come in handy to keep your van level.

Fantastic cliff top walks from this location, excellent Internet connection speeds on a dongle, it's the perfect little spot. Gorgeous walks and the stunning Kynance Cove not more than 30 minutes away on foot. The Lizard village similarly about 20-25 minutes walk away on foot.

On the other hand, if you stayed on the lane continuing down towards Kynance Cove you would pop out into the main car park. It's large car park and invariably you'll see a motorhome or two in here parked up for the night during the summer months. The guy manning the car park (a friend of mine) he's fine, lovely fellow. Wheel chocks may come in handy depending where you park your vehicle.

Last but not least there are two locations at The Lizard. Down at The Lizard lighthouse there is another manned NT car park (John - lovely old Cornish boy, a former local butcher). He doesn't mind what you do after he knocks off at 5pm. You can park here overnight if you wish to. Just keep in mind the lane to get to this car park is exceptionally narrow, they'll be about an inch either side of your vehicle in-between the solid granite walls. (You get used to this living down here).

In The Lizard village ask how to get to Henry's Campsite. This is a stunning little spot. A fantastic place to park up. Very unusual. Yes it costs a little money (£10?) but it's more than worth it if only to charge up all your onboard batteries and to give everything a darn good spring clean. See http://www.henryscampsite.co.uk/ for more details. Live music too in season under the stars, what could be better?

Next up in the next post the far west of Cornwall. Porthleven to Land's End and St. Ives.