Portreath is situated between Camborne and Redruth, two of Cornwall’s most populated towns, this can make the beach very busy in the summer months, The beach itself is formed of course sand and shingle with soft sand being exposed at low tide. To the right hand side of the beach is the pier which separates it from Portreath harbour, there are some rock pools which are good for children to play in at low tide. There is also a sea water swimming pool which gets exposed as the sea retreats which gets popular when the sea is rough.
The left hand side of the beach is flanked by high cliffs which contain some interesting caves which are worth exploring. When the conditions are good local surfers like the beach for its powerful and frequent waves, it is especially fashionable with body boarders. Just out to sea is ‘Gul Rock’, during certain points of the tide the rock disrupts the wave’s formations.
There are lifeguards on duty during the summer months and during the rest of the year there is an emergency service in operation. Within a few hundred metres of the beach you can find local tourist shops, food outlets, amusement arcades and a surf shop which also hires out equipment.