Shaping Mullion Cove’s future together

Stormy weather hitting the breakwater at Mullion Harbour — Storms hitting the breakwater at Mullion Harbour | © Bill Scolding

Mullion Cove is, and always has been, a dynamic place. Coastal change is accelerating and we are working together to shape a positive future for the Cove. The National Trust is working with Mullion Cove Harbour Group, harbour users, the local community, regulators and specialists to plan how the cove can remain safe, welcoming and viable in the face of increasing coastal change, rising sea levels and more frequent severe storms.

Climate adaptation is no longer a future concept, it is a reality. Some parts of the harbour, particularly the most exposed parts of the southern breakwater, cannot be repaired in ways that are safe, sustainable and lasting. As we deal with ongoing challenges around the southern breakwater, we need to find approaches that will help the cove adapt as the pace of coastal change intensifies.

This is what is happening now, why change is needed, and how we are working together to plan for Mullion Cove’s future.

Why change is needed

Mullion Cove faces directly into the Atlantic and has always been shaped by the sea. Long before the harbour was built in the late 19th century, the cove offered shelter for fishing boats. Today, it remains a place of work, provides shelter for homes and is a valued community space where heritage continues to come to life. It is also a popular destination for visitors.

The harbour quay and breakwaters at Mullion Cove were built in the 1890s by Lord Robartes. Although it never developed into the commercial port originally intended, it became an important refuge for local fishing boats and remains a much-loved place for harbour users, residents and visitors today.

The National Trust has cared for Mullion Harbour since 1945. In that time, the Trust has spent more than £2 million repairing the harbour walls, with over 80 per cent of that investment made since 1995 as the harbour structures continue to age and winter storms become more frequent and severe.

Like many historic coastal structures, Mullion Harbour is increasingly affected by coastal change, rising sea levels and more frequent severe storms. Over time the harbour has required repeated repairs, particularly to the southern breakwater, which has been significantly damaged and adapted (rebuilt with adjustments) four times in its history. The southern breakwater has always been the most vulnerable part of the harbour due to a combination of its exposure, historic construction and the conditions it faces.

As a community, it is vital we lean into the challenges our cove faces. In collaboration with the National Trust, we can use our community expertise and experience to influence decision-making, being a recognised and respected partner in the conversation. This benefits everyone involved and creates a culture of listening, collective action and mutual respect. With those ingredients, I believe we can make positive change together.

A quote by Jonny PascoeMullion Cove Harbour Group Director

People inspect damage to the breakwater at Mullion Harbour — Inspecting the breakwaters at Mullion Harbour | © John Miller

Reaching a threshold

In 2004 the National Trust commissioned the Mullion Harbour Study. The study examined the harbour’s structure, the seabed and coastal conditions, as well as the likely impacts of climate change.

Together, stakeholders agreed a long-term approach: the harbour would continue to be repaired and maintained for as long as it was viable, while recognising that there would come a point, a threshold, when repairs alone would no longer be sustainable.

By 2023, the most exposed tip of the southern breakwater had reached the point where like-for-like repairs would no longer provide a lasting solution. Given the increasing pressure on these ageing structures, we need to make shared decisions about where continued maintenance remains viable and where an adaptation-led approach is the most viable option.

During our collaborative planning workshop, we looked at all the features within the cove and worked back from the worst-case scenario for each, identifying how best we could work together to delay those outcomes. As hard as it can be to see physical changes in the cove, adaptation is key to a positive future, ensuring the features and this place we treasure are given the best care through inevitable change and the growing challenges of coastal erosion and climate change.

A quote by Cat LeeNational Trust Community, Participation and Volunteering Manager

Planning how to adapt

Rather than continuing to repair the harbour in ways that will not last, we are now working with the community and regulators to explore how we can adapt to future coastal change, in such a way that makes the best use of resources across multiple ageing features in the cove.

This work is being informed through a Climate Impact Assessment Planning (CIAP) process, which helps us understand the risks climate change poses to the harbour and surrounding structures.

In March 2025 around 30 stakeholders came together for a facilitated CIAP workshop to explore how climate change may affect the cove in the future and how we might respond together, helping build a shared understanding of the challenges ahead and the practical choices that will be needed.

Rather than focusing on one single structure, the work considers the whole cove, including the southern breakwater, northern quay, slipway, culvert and surrounding buildings.

Together, we have developed adaptation pathways that identify actions needed now, alongside possible future decisions as conditions change.

I’ve been volunteering at Mullion Harbour for around three years, doing various roles, including the important work required to keep the harbour walls pointed. I always find it amazing that winter storms can have such an impact on what appear to be solid structures. Keeping on top of the pointing each year, alongside other volunteers led by Cat and Jonny, helps keep this gem of a harbour in good condition so that it can be enjoyed by so many visitors and harbour users throughout the year. Mullion Harbour is a special place, and it’s loved by all who use and visit it. Contributing to help keep it that way is both satisfying and rewarding.

A quote by John ChambersNational Trust Volunteer

Caring for Mullion today

While this planning work continues, the National Trust and Mullion Cove Harbour Group remain committed to caring for the cove, working with those most affected by change, and welcoming visitors now and in the future.

Current structural maintenance is focused on the western and northern quays, which remain the strongest and most robust parts of the harbour. We continue to carry out regular structural surveys and repairs with specialist contractors, while local volunteers and harbour users support smaller maintenance work.

By planning ahead and working together, we will help Mullion Cove remain a safe, welcoming and valued part of community life as the coastline continues to change.