Porthleven was traditionally a fishing village and fishing is still an important part of the village culture. An excellent description of Porthleven and some delightful photographs of Porthleven and the surrounding area can be found on www.helstonhistory.co.uk . It is a coastal village with a population of about 5000. Porthleven was also the home to many tin miners and Cornwall exported miners to many parts of the world. It is said that if there is a deep hole in the ground, you’ll be sure to
find a Cornishman at the bottom of it. Consequently, scattered around the locality are many old mine workings. Porthleven is situated on Mounts Bay which is also a world heritage site having in it St Michael’s Mount, an ancient island fortress and abbey. Porthleven has some delightful restaurants and is close to the Minack Theatre, an open air theatre on the cliffs at Porthcurnow that stages Shakespeare and other popular plays and not far from the world famous Eden Project. (www.edenproject.com) . The beautiful coastal walks, surf beaches and warm summer weather means that Porthleven receives many thousands of visitors each year, visiting for reasons as diverse as the famous Food Festival, fishing, surfing, walking or just relaxing. Porthleven itself, has a very strong identity and the people of Porthleven are wonderfully friendly and welcoming to strangers owing to their connections with “cousin Jacks” in foreign lands. We can offer plenty of history, lovely beaches, a small fishing village, Cornish pasties, a common language and a safe time.