Pendower National Trust

Pendower is a unique habitat on the south Cornwall coast, a rare small sand-dune system, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and part of Cornwall National Landscape.

The site is protected partly due to the rare flora found here including Hairy Bird’s-foot-Trefoil, Subterranean clover and Least soft-brome.

Volunteers carry out river monitoring and the presence of fish and invertebrates in the stream indicate it is of good health.

In the cliffs east of the beach you will find layers of pebbles and sand - a ‘raised beach’ laid down between ice ages when the sea was even higher – lying on a wave-cut platform of folded 360-million-year-old Devonian slates.

A submerged forest off shore that would have existed many thousands of years ago can occasionally be seen on a very low tide.

There are remains of an historical lime kiln at the western edge by the slip way. Lime kilns are an important part of Cornish industrial history along the coast and would have produced quicklime for local building and agricultural industries.

To the east of Pendower is Gwendra Farm which overlooks both Pendower and Carne beaches, and over towards the east side of the valley. The farm includes the valley going upwards to the north and has a large earthwork; the remains of an ancient castle known as Veryan Castle. The site was bought by the National Trust in 1961 thanks to bequests and local donations.

The small area to the west of Pendower Beach was given to the National Trust in 1962 by Mr R A N Gamble.

The National Trust local ranger team have an ongoing management system which includes protecting the delicate dune system from damage by fires and trampling, removal of invasive species such as Japanese rose and Himalayan balsam and keeping the dunes clear of scrub and bracken. There are monthly community beach cleans here on the first Monday at 2pm.