We decided to take a detour down to Polkerris on a journey back from Lostwithiel so we could investigate what Polkerris was like and also see how ‘Storm Jorge’ was behaving.
In my opinion Storm Jorge was pretty tame compared to the other named storms we’d had recently but it was well worth the visit nonetheless.
We knew nothing about Polkerris so we were pleasantly surprised by the small village, beach-front pub and the amazing rainbow that made an appearance just before we left.
About Polkerris
Polkerris Beach is a sandy beach cove and is dog friendly between 01st October and Good Friday.
Polkerris forms part of the Rashleigh Estate which belongs to the ancient Rashleigh family. This is where the beachfront Rashleigh Inn gets its name from.
Polkerris is about two miles west of Fowey and three miles east of St Austell. It’s also very close to the Eden Project and the dramatic Gribben Head.
You can pick up the South West Coast Path at Polkerris and walk for miles in either direction taking in some spectacular coastal scenery.
If you are into your watersport activities Polkerris offers some fantastic opportunities for learning to sail, paddleboarding, kayaking, windsurfing, powerboating, snorkeling, and swimming.
A bit of film trivia – The Rashleigh Inn was the site of the 1972 film Doomwatch.
Polkerris is great for a day trip or as a place to call home for your two-week summer holidays. For a small place, there’s a lot going on. If you want to explore further afield you are never too far away from one of Cornwall’s beautiful beaches, towns, villages, and spectacular South West Coast Path.
Where is Polkerris?
OS Grid REF: sx09285207
Sat Nav: PL24 2TL
By bus: The nearest bus stop is located at the Ship pub at Polmear, about 20 minutes walk away via the coast path.
By train: Polkerris is 2 miles away from the mainline station at Par.
By air: Newquay airport is 40 minutes away from Polkerris by car.
Parking at Polkerris
The main car park in Polkerris itself is located about 200m from the beach on the right-hand side as you come into Polkerris, You really can’t miss it.
It’s Pay and Display between 8pm and 6pm. You can pay with cash or better still via the JustPark app.
Current pricing:
- 1 hour = 80p
- 2 hours = £1.60
- 3 hours = £2.40
- All day = £4.00
Top Tip: You can pay for parking in the majority of Cornwall Council car parks using the JustPark app. I highly recommend that you install this app on your smartphone if you haven’t already done so.
The beauty of the app lies in the fact that you can extend your parking from wherever you are. Imagine you are out with the family enjoying yourself when you realise you’ve got to trundle back a few miles to the car park to extend your parking, we’ve all done it and it’s very annoying, to say the least. If you have the app you can extend your parking right there on your smartphone. It also means that you don’t have to queue for the ticket machine. It’s a very useful app and I wouldn’t be without it.
Click here to get the JustPark app
During the summer months, the Tregaminion Overflow Car Park is open and situated in a field 200 yards up on the Polkerris beach turning heading towards Menabilly. From there it is a short walk down the coast path to Polkerris. This costs £2.50 all day.
There is also very limited parking at the Rashleigh Inn car park for visitors to the pub but you’d have to get there pretty early to bag one of those spots so it’s probably best parking in one of the other car parks during the holiday season.
Our afternoon at Polkerris (Feb 2020)
The Rashleigh Inn Pub, right on the beachfront.
Sadly we didn’t have time to pop in on this occasion but the beer and food selection looked great and it’s such a fantastic location to sit and have a beer and a bite to eat.
Looking out onto the cliffs.
Stay away from the bottom of the cliffs if you can as they are unstable. There is a sign, so take heed.
A Geologist friend of mine said the height of a cliff is the distance you should stay away from the foot of it.
Due to coastal erosion caused by the very wet weather we’ve had in Cornwall we’ve seen a lot of landslides and cliff collapses around the Cornish coast so be careful.
The snaking harbour wall.
I walked to the end of the harbour wall and as I was making my way back I got soaked by a wave that managed to breach it. Just my luck.
Looking back towards the Rashleigh Inn as the sun starts to make its way down.
I’m glad we took the time to visit Polkerris. It’s a tiny place full of character and the Rashleigh Inn really does look like a welcome retreat at any time of the year.
Places to stay near Polkerris
As far as I am aware there aren’t any places to stay within Polkeriss itself as it is such a small place but there are plenty of places to stay nearby in:
Where to eat in Polkerris
Looking for Polkerris related gifts and items?
Related links
- Watching Storm Dennis at Portreath
- Watching Storm Ciara at Lands End and Sennen
- Massive waves and stormy seas at Porthleven
Check Out My Storm Jorge, Polkerris Beach Video: