In North Quay, you’re at the heart of Hayle’s industrial heritage. It’s hard to imagine that today, as you enjoy a sundowner looking out over the estuary; however this part of Hayle was once a hub of cutting-edge engineering design as well as an important global trading port. 

Exploring Hayle’s Heritage on Foot.

Hayle is a great place to explore by foot, and you’ll encounter snippets of its history as you stroll around. It’s a long strip of a town, with the water to one side and shops and houses on the other. Hayle is often divided into “Foundry end” (the west) and “Copperhouse end” (the east). 

From North Quay, it’s easy to explore both sides of town. Take the path along pretty Memorial Walk (keep going past the swimming pool), where among the lush sub-tropical planting, the old harbour sluice gates are on display. Cross Copperhouse Pool (this stretch of the estuary) on the 200 year-old Black Bridge and walk back through the town.

If you head west (right) from North Quay, past the shops (kids: make your parents stop at Blewetts toy shop and Mr B’s ice cream) and under the dramatic viaduct, you’ll start to see other traces of Hayle’s history. The Millpond and its garden is a lovely spot, where there was once a mill that ground corn for the foundry’s horses. Across the road, you can see other remains of the foundry, some ruins, others converted into modern buildings.

Hayle Heritage Centre.

If walking around the town has whetted your appetite to find out more, visit Hayle Heritage Centre. Housed in an old foundry building, the centre is the custodian of all things Hayle, from the prehistoric settlement to its industrial heyday, to wartime Hayle and the present-day community.

Find out more about why Hayle is one of the ten areas that make up the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site, and the town’s connection with famous engineer Trevithick.