Land Use

On the flatter land slightly further east and inland, larger scale fields of regular pattern provide a more open aspect where the Red River valley provides suitable shelter for the ancient Sessile Oak woods of Tehidy Country Park with its lakes and woodland walks, providing an attractive destination for visitors and residents alike.

The coastal plateau and landward slopes support mixed arable and pastoral farming. The mostly large, recently enclosed, rectangular fields enhance the impression of expansive openness close to the cliff tops. However, toward the mouth of the Red River anciently enclosed land with its much smaller irregularly shaped fields creates a distinct change in scale and character. The surrounding low stone Cornish hedges are clothed by rough vegetation mixed with occasional wind sculpted blackthorn and hawthorn.

Settlement is sparse and limited to scattered dwellings and a few farmhouses. The only exception being the edge of Portreath which lies just inside the AONB boundary. Small quiet lanes and tracks connect the fields and dwellings whilst the still rural B3301 provides ready access to the numerous popular small informal car park viewpoints adjacent to the cliff top coast path. At Tehidy the ornamentally designed landscape is accessible by the many footpaths associated with its current use as a popular Country Park.

Biodiversity & Geodiversity

High cliffs of unstable soft Devonian slate, greywakes and siltstones are sculpted into small coves, small islands and numerous rocky stacks by the relentless pounding of the Atlantic Ocean. At Hell’s Mouth and Hudder Cove precipitous drops fall sheer to the rocks and surf below. The coast at Godrevy Point, however,  is softer in profile with a low rocky coast backed by gentle slopes just offshore of which is the low craggy outcrop of Godrevy Island topped by its landmark white lighthouse.

An almost continuous belt of coastal heath interspersed with other coarse vegetation creates a varying texture that enhances the wildness of the abrupt cliff edge. Reaching close to these cliffs the woodland

plantations of Tehidy are wind pruned to a low sloping outer edge by the salt laden winds but gradually achieve greater stature with the progressively increasing shelter of the Red River valley. In spring the sheltered partially ancient Sessile Oak woods are spectacularly carpeted with bluebells.

The mainly inaccessible coves provide critical habitat for grey seals, which can be readily seen from the cliff tops above.

The headland at Godrevy contains important archaeological remains from the Mesolithic period onwards with evidence of various settlements.

Due to its geology, coastal land here is largely free of known historic mining remains unlike the adjacent AONB sections to the east and west. It is however rich in other important archaeological features including vestiges of prehistoric settlements and fortifications. Unusually it is along the course of the Red River valley that significant early industrial archaeology is found dating from the medieval period onward and possibly far earlier.

Carvannel Cliff Castle is located on the edge of a prominent coastal cliff known as Carvannel Downs overlooking Basset’s Cove, near Portreath.