Porthpean is located in the parish of St Austell Bay, newly created in 2009 to cover the stretch of coastline between Charlestown and Black Head.
Just two miles from St Austell, Porthpean Beach is safe and sandy, ideal for families and popular with windsurfers, swimmers and sailors. Nesting birds populate the cliffs to the east and numerous rock pools can be found to the west.
Nearby and with excellent views over the sea and the surrounding countryside is the Porthpean Outdoor Education Centre and camp site, run by Cornwall County Council and offering everything from high and low ropes courses to kayaking and archery.
Porthpean's parish church is dedicated to St Levan and was built by the Sawle family as part of the Penrice Estate. It was given to the parish on the death of Mrs Cobbold Sawle in 1981.
There is a golf club and a sailing club based in Porthpean, from where it is a short, easy walk north along the coast path to Charlestown.
