Mount Pleasant Eco Park
UK England South West England Cornwall Porthtowan
Mount Pleasant Eco Park isn’t far short of the campsite we all dream of. Spacious, eco friendly and with views not just of a quintessentially Cornish copper mine but also out to the sparkling sea beyond. There’s a handful of hook-ups for campervans but nothing that intervenes with the natural, grassy acreage for tents and, along with campfires permitted at your pitch, there’s also a sheltered, walled courtyard with a pizza oven and communal fire. The only thing missing is a free, unlimited supply of marshmallows and perhaps a magic carpet to get you back up the hill from the beach. But it wasn’t always this way.
“In 2001 when we took over the 42-acre farm it was derelict; an old potato sorting shed was half collapsed and the land was exhausted by 37 years of intensive farming,” affable owner Tim explains. In the intervening decades, Tim and his team have steadily transformed the place, not just into a tremendous campsite with room for about 40-odd camping pitches but also into an exciting hub of community life. The spirit of the old farm remains, even if the method has changed, with a vast allotment patch and well-stocked polytunnels. A local community group tends to the organic crop and the vegetables are used in an excellent on-site café, which also makes for a relaxed chill-out space and reading area. Through summer there are numerous courses, events and workshops too. The outcome is a campsite that’s not just somewhere for holidaymakers to escape to but also a place to feel a part of the local community, eat the most local of local produce and find out beach tips and secret swimming spots from the people that actually live here.
As the name suggests, Mount Pleasant Eco Park is at the forefront of all things environmentally friendly. A wind turbine on the site provides some of the power, suppliented by a batch of solar panels on the café roof, and heating comes from a wood-chip boiler supplied by off-cuts from a timber business. Protecting the environment seems particularly poignant in a setting such as this. When campers peg down in the lush green grass of the camping meadow they overlook the Tywarnhayle Valley, a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) and once a busy copper mine where an old stone mining building still stands to tell the tale. Today it looks wild and overgrown but the old mule path once used by the miners is still clear and weaves its way down to the coast and Porthtowan Beach. Winding your way through the gorse, to the sound of the waves beyond, you feel utterly bedded amongst nature; stepping out of your dream atop Mount Pleasant and venturing down to the just-as-pleasant beach below.
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Details
Facilities
Solar and gas-powered showers in a brand new toilet and shower block, plus a separate washblock for pots and pans, which also has plug sockets, a mirror and a kettle. There’s a communal freezer in the atrium for ice blocks and an excellent on-site vegetarian café. Drinking water taps are dotted around and campfires are encouraged in the cob courtyard area. Fire pits and barbecues are also welcome on the campsite as long as they are kept off the grass (environmentally friendly BBQs available to buy). The site hosts regular events, workshops, craft and food gatherings. Spectacular views and good access to the beach via the cleared mule track that leads down through the valley to Porthtowan Beach.
Suitable For
Everyone! Glampers, campers, tents, campervans, caravans, kids, dogs... but it books up fast and those in the know book in advance. With many pitches only available for Saturday-to-Saturday, week-long bookings, however, there's often availability if you look for the right dates!
Nearby
For all the superb activities on the campsite, people don’t come to this neck of the woods to stay put. With sea views from your tent there’s no doubt that one of the first places you’ll be heading is to the beach. A sign on the campsite points you in the right direction, down an old mining path that leads through the picturesque valley to Porthtowan Beach (about a 15-minute walk). Porthtowan is wide, sandy and popular with surfers (you can book a lesson at Porthtowan Surf School or hire a bodyboard from Tris Surf Shop; 01209 890990). At the very lowest tides of the year you can walk along the sands to the next beach north, Chapel Porth, which is owned and run by the National Trust (car park right on the beach) and is overlooked by the famous Wheal Coates Mine. Both beaches have good cafés, where you can watch the sun go down and you can walk between them via the South West Coast Path (along with many other beaches along the coast). Those on the hunt for a more dog-friendly option should try Trevaunance Cove, while, from here, at low tide you can also get round to Trevellas Porth, the smallest and quietest beach in the area (but there is no lifeguard, so it’s not recommended for families and you must stay aware of the tide).
Away from the beaches, the campsite is just up the road from the Mineral Tramway cycle path, which runs all the way between the north and south coast and takes in the areas mining history with good signage and information. It’s an easy flat ride and is almost entirely on purpose built cycle paths making it perfect for young children and families. If you don’t want to bring your own bike, you can hire one from Aggie Cycles – a great range of bikes and they’ll deliver them right to the Eco Park. Good local walks can be found on the St Agnes Forum website, while sea kayaking is also popular – Koru Kayaking (07794 321827) run guided tours and know all the secret spots.
Food & Drink
Mount Pleasant Eco Park is home to the excellent Cabana Kitchen & Café. The food is vegan and vegetarian, with produce grown in the site’s allotments on the surrounding organic farmland or sourced locally. The café is only open Tuesday–Friday, 10am–3pm, though it does sometimes extend outside of this in peak season and the park hosts a number of special foodie events on weekends and other dates. Elsewhere, walk down to Porthtowan for a drink at shabby-chic Blue Bar (01209 890329) or a bite at the beach café (01209 899016; BYO booze permitted) – there’s another good café at the next beach up the coast too, Chapel Porth (01872 552487). If you’re enjoying keeping all things local, head a tad further north for a tour of Driftwood Spars Brewery (01872 552 591), just outside St Agnes, finished with a well deserved pint at the end.
Opening Times
April–October.
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
The Owner Says
The Mount Pleasant Eco Park campsite near Porthtowan and St Agnes offers a beautiful, peaceful place to stay on the North Coast of Cornwall. We offer spacious grass pitches for tents and campers or tourers (with or without hookup), as well as a glamping option with handcrafted Shepherd's Huts and fully furnished canvas Bell Tents.
Located in a huge field, surrounded by countryside and complete with a footpath to the beach, even in summer at full capacity there is plenty of space to get away from it all and immerse yourself in the great outdoors.
The Eco Park has many extraordinary spaces to explore and use. With a cafe serving delicious vegetarian breakfast and lunches, cob pizza oven next to the fire pit, under cover atrium and outdoor amphitheatre.
We love hosting events here, but don’t worry, our campsite is situated in the perfect spot in our 42 acre grounds, so it is always a restful place to stay.
Whilst our immediate surroundings are perfect for holiday relaxing, with a footpath leading to Porthtowan Beach directly from the campsite and the picturesque village of St Agnes just a 5 minute drive away, we are also perfectly situated to explore the rest of Cornwall. We are more than happy to share our favourite spots and recommendations with visitors!
Video Tour
Accommodation
17 pitches in the wild meadow with views across to Tywarnhayle Mine, 21 pitches in the main camping field closer to facilities (including five with electricity), four campervan pitches with electricity in the orchard, plus six furnished bell tents and two beautiful shepherd’s huts. At times, all of the pitches and accommodation can appear fully booked, but with many only available for Saturday-to-Saturday, week-long bookings, there's often availability if you look for the right dates.
Small Woods Shepherd's Hut
The Beacon Shepherd's hut
The Tye View Shepherd's Hut
Morning Star Converted Library Bus
Bell Tent
Large Bell Tent
Main Camping Field Large Pitch
Main Camping Field Large Pitch with Hook up
Main Camping Field Standard Pitch
Tywarnhayle View Large Pitch
Tywarnhayle View Grass Pitch with Hook Up
The Orchard Campervan Field inc hook up
Location
Contact Mount Pleasant Eco Park, Chapel Hill, Porthtowan, Cornwall TR4 8HL
Getting There
With a SatNav, the site's postcode should bring you directly to the entrance. Follow the A30 straight into the South West and exit left at the Blackwater Bypass, where you see signs for the A3047. Follow this right over the bypass and continue straight on Westway until you reach a T-junction with Rose Hill just outside Porthtowan (roughly two-and-three-quarter miles). Turn left here, choose the left hand fork onto Chapel Hill and the site will be on your left shortly after.
On arrival, you will find the reception at the far end of the car park on the right, above the barn. To access the campsite, drive to the left of the building at the far end, and follow the path and signs round to the left. Hook-up pitches are clearly marked on the right side of the camping field. All tent and car pitches are on the left of the camping field, and bell tents are situated at the bottom of the field.
Reviews
Add Your ReviewRated ★★★★★ over 9 reviews
Peaceful high on a hill
Lovely Site
Chilled campsite with gorgeous views down to the beach
Picturesque place to stay
Lovely place for a staycation
A Good place to stay
Lovely chilled place to stay!
Great campsite
Perfect spot
Why book with Cool Camping?
- Best Price Guarantee, with no fees
- Instant booking confirmation
- Trusted for over 10 years
- A chance to win prizes in our regular competitions
