Our relentless search for more rock-cut swimming pools took us to the Looe and Polperro area. But first, we needed to appease the gods by visiting Duloe church which has much to recommend it. And, since we were in the area, we could not resist St Cuby’s well or Duloe: Cornwall’s smallest stone circle.
It would be good to say that they were ‘all within walking distance’ but the walk to the well would probably end in disaster for the road is winding, downhill and with no pavement.
Duloe stone circle
Millendreath was our next stop, a location we commented on unfavourably when we were walking the coast path. It hasn’t improved. the chalets still give the impression of a series of portacabins dumped on the side of the valley.
A chance conversation led to the discovery of two natural seawater rock pools which we have not seen mentioned anywhere else.
Rinsey Head is a familiar landmark with its house apparently perched on the edge of the cliff. What many people miss is that there is a small cove at the base of the cliff – Porthcew – which has sand at low tide and has several tempting-looking rock pools.
In our search for rock-cut swimming pools, we visited Mousehole on a baking hot day in September. Amongst the rocks to the north-east of the village is the large paddling pool which was constructed in the 1950s/1960s.
Mousehole paddling rock pool with St Michael’s Mount in the distance
Although large – perhaps 12m x 12m square, the pool is not deep. At low tide it was knee-deep to an adult. As the tide came in, this rose to about thigh deep and so do not expect to be achieving Olympic times. It is also slippery underfoot.
We visited Perranporth at spring low tide on a bright May day to find the rock-cut swimming pool on Chapel Rock. It turned out to be very easy to find in a wonderful location.
Perranporth pool
We could not miss Chapel Rock which dominates the centre of the immense Perranporth beach, its St Piran flag flying proudly straight out in the stiff wind. A hazy sandstorm was blowing from the direction of the Watering Hole.
Out for a post-Easter walk we came across a most charming small natural seawater pool just off Menabilly beach. At about four metres by three metres and perhaps just under a metre deep, it hardly qualifies to stand alongside the other great pools around the coast but it appears to be completely natural and was filled (at a very low tide) with water so clear that it was difficult to see the surface.
Part of its charm is that it is set within a single circle of rocks which appears crenellated like a miniature castle, almost as though the mermaids had created their own small pool. Many of the larger pools, such as that at Boat Cove, Pendeen, seem to have their own ‘children’s’ pool. Here is one on its own.
A recent re-visit to Stackhouse Cove revealed a surprising discovery: there may be a third bath to add to the two we have written about before.
We have not found any mention of this in any literature and so it is very speculative but it is undoubtedly a very nice open air sea water bath. The only disadvantage is that it is only exposed at fairly low tides.
Stackhouse cove showing the positions of the three baths
Bath 1 is the fresh water bath, cut into the cliff for Mrs Stackhouse (which we were pleased to see was attracting a fairly regular stream of admiring visitors).
Bath 2 is the sea water bath on the eastern side of the cove which shows clear evidence of man’s intervention in its creation.
Our research into the rock-cut pools of Cornwall took us (on a distinctly damp day) to the large pool at Trevone. This was made famous recently when it featured in the BBC series of Enid Blyton’s Mallory Towers when some young actresses had to pretend that a distinctly stormy Cornish day was just the time to go swimming in cold water. They carried it off splendidly despite the usual Blytonesque bullying of another girl.
This is one of the larger sea pools around the coast.
It being New Year’s Day, we felt the need to get out and explore something new. Continuing our recent theme of searching for rock-cut swimming pools, and advised by another article in Cornwall Live, we set out for the environs of Pendeen to search for three we had not seen before. These were all man-made or man-improved, often by local miners, probably in the C20. As it was a viciously cold bright day, we felt no necessity to pack our swimming things.
We have been seeking out a series of early rock-cut baths mentioned in an article by Michael Tangye . The third beach he mentions is Polridmouth on the Menabilly estate. This, he says, is later than the earlier ones at Stackhouse and Portreath, and was constructed for Jonathan Rashleigh (1820-1905) ‘for health reasons’.
Our recent trips in search of tidal pools has reminded us of our favourite: the mermaid pool at Porthtowan which is C20th. This is located on the east side of the beach, requiring some scrambling over rocks at anything higher than half tide.
A friend recently shared a wonderful letter with us:
A Cornish Journey 