On Treyarnon, you can always find shelter from the wind or sun with hundreds of small caves and gullies. This beautiful bay has small pools for shrimp fishing at all tides with rocks to explore and the well known natural swimming pool in the rocks on the north side of the beach. The swimming pool – featured by Kate Rew in Wild Swim – is cold and exhilarating with a wealth of interesting flora and living things to discover, nearly as good as going snorkelling in the warmer seas abroad. The rocks and pools stretch around this side of the beach providing hours of fun particularly at low tide.
To the south of Treyarnon, pools run down the side of the beach – perfect for learning to swim and games. At the shoreline is Trethias Island separated from the mainland by a gulley, where the sea rushes in and out according to the height of the tide – its great to explore but can be dangerous at various states of the tide, so please be careful. This island has been given to the nation as a bird sanctuary. Should you visit there be careful not to be cut off by the rising tide.
Treyarnon can be accessed from both sides – but Trethias side (south) is only really used by walkers and those lucky enough to be staying here. Raintree have a number of houses to let on this side. Here a small path runs down to the beach from around 15 houses but there is no public parking facilities.
On the north side, there is a beach car park and access down a causeway to the beach. Or there are plenty of routes down the low cliff over the rocks. Raintree’s houses are right by the beach on this side as well – with an easy walk down to the beach or onto the grassy, flat headland between Treyarnon and Constantine. In the car park over the summer is Treyarnon Bay Stores – almost a ‘tardis’ supplying most of what you may want. It’s particularly good for morning paper, bread or croissant and milk – but really is always worth checking for anything you may be after! On the short causeway down to the beach, there is often an ice cream van – in the same place – and enjoyed – for many years. For more extensive shopping, you can head towards Constantine on the coast path and walk up the road to Constantine Bay Stores and Des’ surf shop next door in about 10 minutes. Here you can buy a range of quality foods and provisions as well as renting or buying any surf equipment you want.
Surfing can be good at Treyarnon – receiving plenty of waves, but with a little more protection than Constantine alongside. It is best at mid to high tide and the sea is usually full with children and adults of all ages. There are lifeguards on duty through the summer months.
Treyarnon and Porthcothan bays were well known for their smuggling activities and there are many tales told of these past doings. Remains of a cliff castle is still in evidence and can be seen further down at Pepper Cove. During the past there have been ships wrecked off this coast and one of these, a ship laden with marble, was wrecked on the rocks at Fox Cove and another laden with coal went aground at Minas cove.
For many, Treyarnon has been their very favourite place because sun, wind or rain there was always something to do or see. Children bring back crabs, little fish and shrimps when investigating the rocks and shoreline.
