Veryan Bunker, Cornwall

Tucked beneath the cliff-top at Nare Head on Cornwall’s Roseland Peninsula, Veryan Bunker is a Cold War relic built in 1963 to monitor nuclear fallout. It is the best preserved fully operational Royal Observer Corps (ROC) bunker in the South West.

Constructed and operated by the ROC, it comprises two small chambers linked by a 12 ft ladder shaft, a cramped monitoring room with original radiation‐detection instruments, a ventilator shaft, storage bay and basic toilet compartment—preserved exactly as when decommissioned in 1991.

Public tours run May–August (£5; free in September for Heritage Open Days), offering a rare glimpse into Britain’s secret civil-defence network.

Facilities

• Meeting point and car parking at Kiberick Cove (free for NT members; pay-and-display otherwise)
• No on-site toilets—nearest facilities at car park
• Uneven farm track to bunker; access via steep ladder—unsuitable for those with limited mobility

Special Exhibits

• Original Royal Observer Corps radiation monitors
• Ventilation shaft and hatch mechanism
• Two-room living and working quarters
• Storage area with period ration tins and bedding
• 12 ft ladder shaft
• Ventilator shaft with filtration gear
• Adjacent WWII starfish decoy bunker remnants