Mevagissey harbour
Eden Project near St Austell

A Guide to the beaches around the coast of Cornwall

Other Coastal Information on Visiting Cornwall

Cornwall has over 300 miles of coastline and over 200 beaches. There are many small coves, rocky inlets, large and small harbours and great expanses of golden sands.
Within these pages we have tried to provide information on as many of those beaches as possible. There are a few beaches that are only accessible by sea and these have not been included. Nearly all the beaches are very close to the South West Coast Footpath .

Shortcut to Map

Dog friendly or not?

Many beaches have dog bans throughout the tourist season and this guide will help identify those beaches where dogs are allowed or are banned and when.
The season is normally from Easter to the end of September.


As a guide we have marked the beaches below with
AA ( Dogs A llowed at A ll times ),
OS ( Dogs Allowed O ut of S eason ) and
NA ( Dogs N ever A llowed ).
AA-L indicates that dogs are allowed at all times but must be kept on a lead during the season.
Please note that there are some beaches where dogs are allowed but access is very difficult and you may not want to endanger your dog.
Quick guide to dog friendly beaches.

The dog friendly beach information in this guide has been updated using data provided by Cornwall Council (dated March 2011).
Beaches where dog bans apply are patrolled on a regular basis. Persons with dogs on the beach during the ban period will be issued with a fixed penalty notice for Ѓ80 and asked to remove their dog from the beach immediately.

A printable map of the beaches where dogs are allowed can be obtained from The Cornish Coast but may not be up-to-date.

Please use the map below to select which part of the coastline you are interested in. This will take you to a listing of the beaches in that section of coast. Each beach name links to a description of the beach, its facilities and access details.

Those beaches at the towns between the coastal strips (Padstow, St Ives and Falmouth) appear under both of the adjoining areas.

An alphabetical list of beaches is at the foot of the page.
( A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z )
Headlands on other features in italics
The Devon/Cornwall Border
Gull Rock
Higher Sharpnose Point
Hippa Rock
Rane Point
Lower Sharpnose Point
Steeple Point
Warren Point
Menachurch Point
Maer Cliff
Compass Point
Higher Longbeak
Lower Longbeak
Widemouth Bay (AA - south end) (OS - north end)
Foxhole Point
Dizzard Point
Pencannow Point
Cambeak
Samphire Rock
Voter Run
Buckator
Fire Beacon Point
Pentargon
Penally Hill
Willapark
Short Island
Long Island
Lye Rock
Barras Nose
Tintagel Head
Penhallic Point
Dennis Point
Tregonnick Tail
Delabole Point
Lobber Point
Varley Head
Kellan Head
Doyden Point
Trevan Point
Carnweather Point
Rumps Point
Pentire Point
Trebetherick Point
River Camel
Gun Point
Stepper Point
Trebetherick Point
River Camel
Gun Point
Stepper Point
Trevone Bay (OS) Newtrain Bay (AA) but (OS) as only accessed from Trevone Bay
St Cadoc's Point
Cataclews Point
Merope Rocks
Cats Cove (not accessible for dogs)
Trevose Head
Stinking Cove (AA) - difficult access
Dinas Head
Treyarnon Point
Trethias Island
Pepper Cove (AA) - difficult access Warren Cove (AA) Fox Cove (AA) Porthcothan Bay (AA)
Trescore Islands
Porth Mear (AA) High Cove (AA) - difficult access
Park Head
Pentire Steps (AA) - difficult access Bedruthan Steps (AA) - watch for tides
Carnewas Island
Trenance Point
Beryl's Point
Beacon Cove (AA) - difficult access
Griffin's Point
Trevelgue Head
Towan Head
Pentire Point East
Pentire Point West
Kelsey Head
Penhale Point
Hoblyn's Cove (AA) - difficult access
Ligger Point
Droskyns Point
Cligga Head
Hanover Cove (AA) - difficult access
Green Island
St Agnes Head
Tubby's Head
Samphire Island
Godrevy Point
Strap Rocks
Hawkes Point
Porthminster Point
Pedn Olva
St Ives Head
Porthminster Point
Pedn Olva
St Ives Head
Clodgy Point
Hor Point
Pen Enys Point
Carn Nuan Point
Mussel Point
Zennor Head
Carnelloe Cliff
Gurnard's Head (site of Cornish Iron Age fort)
Robin's Rocks
Porthmeor Point
Porthmeor Cove Great Zawn Halldrine Cove Porthmoina Cove
Brandys
Whirl Pool
Greeb Point
The Mozens
Three Stone Oar (or The Wra)
Boat Cove
The Enys
The Avarack
Trewellard Zawn Levant Zawn
Carn Du
Botallack Head
The Crowns
Zawn a Bal Wheal Edward Zawn
Kenidjack Castle
Priest Cove (AA)
Cape Cornwall
Porth Naven (AA) Progo (AA)
Gribba Point
Polpry Cove
Aire Point
Gwynver Beach (AA) Sennen Beach or Whitesand Bay (OS)
Pedn-men-du
Gamper
Lands End
Pordennack Point
Trevilley Cove
Carn Boel
Zawn Beeth (only accessible by boat) Mill Bay or Nanjizal Bay (AA)
Carn Les Boel
Lower Pendower Cove Zawn Kellys Return to top of page Folly Cove
Black Carn
Porth Loe
Gwennap Head
Polostod Zawn
Hella Point
Porthgwarra (OS)
Carn Scathe
Porth Chapel (OS)
Pedn-men-an-mere
Porth Curnow or Porthcurnow (OS) Pednvounder (AA)
Logan Rock
Gamper
Cribba Head
Penberth Cove (AA) Porthguarnon
Merthen Point
St Loy's Cove
Boscawen Point
Tater-du
Carn Barges
Lamorna Cove (AA)
Carn-du
Kemyl Point
Zwan Organ
Penzer Point
Point Spaniard
The Mousehole (NA)
Merlyn Rock
Penlee Point
Newlyn - Tolcarne (AA) Newlyn - Sandy Cove (AA) Penzance - Wherrytown (AA) Penzance - Eastern Green or Chyandour (AA) Penzance - Long Rock Beach (OS) Marazion (OS)
The Causeway to St Michael's Mount
Perran Sands (OS)
Cudden Point
Prussia Cove - Piskies Cove (AA) Prussia Cove - Bessey's Cove (AA) Return to top of page Kenneggy Sands (AA)
Hoe Point
Praa Sands (OS)
Rinsey Head
Porthcew Prinsy (OS)
Trewavas Head
Porthleven Sands (OS) Loe Bar Beach (OS) Gunwalloe - Fishing Cove or Halzephron Cove (OS)
Halzephron Cliff
Dollar Cove (AA) Gunwalloe - Church Cove part (AA) and part (OS)
Carrag-a-Pilez
Poldhu Cove (OS)
Poldhu Point
Polurrian Cove (OS)
Henscath
Mullion Cove (AA)
Predannack Head
ogo-dour Cove Pol Cornick
Vellan Head
Kynance Cliff
Kynance Cove (OS)
Lion Rock
Caerthillian Cove (AA) Pentreath Beach (AA)
Lizard Point - most southerly point of UK
Polpeor Cove (AA)
Lizard Lighthouse
Bumble Rock
Housel Bay (OS)
Pen Olver
Bass Point
Devil's Frying Pan
Cadgwith (OS)
Enys Head
Carleon Cove (AA)
Polbream Point
Kennack Sands (OS) Spernick Cove
Carrick Luz
Dolor Point
Coverack (AA)
Lowland Point
Dean Point
Godrevy Cove
Manacle Point
Porthoustock (AA)
Pencra Point
Porthkerris
Porthkerris Point
Porthallow (AA)
Nare Head
Nare Point
Gillan - Men-Aver Beach (OS) Gillan - Flushing Cove (AA)
Dennis Head
Penarvon Cove, Helford River Helford Passage - At Anthony in Meneage (OS) Polgwidden Cove (AA) Durgan Porth Sawsen Porthallack Beach
Toll Point
Prisk Cove
Rosemullion Head
Nansidwell Cove Bream Cove Maenporth (OS) Swanpool (OS)
Swanpool Point
Pendennis Point
Falmouth Docks
Penryn River
Flushing - Trefusis Beach (AA)
Penarrow Point
Mylor Creek
Loe Beach (OS)
Carrick Roads - River Fal
St Mawes - Tavern Beach St Mawes - Freshwater Beach Molunan Beach
Maenporth (OS) Swanpool (OS)
Swanpool Point
Gyllyngvase Beach (OS) Castle Beach (OS)
Pendennis Point
Falmouth Docks
Penryn River
Flushing - Trefusis Beach (AA)
Penarrow Point
Mylor Creek
Loe Beach (OS)
Carrick Roads - River Fal
St Mawes - Tavern Beach St Mawes - Summers Beach St Mawes - Freshwater Beach Molunan Beach
St Anthony Head
Porthbeor Beach (AA) Elwinick Cove
Killigerran Head
Towan Beach (AA)
Greeb Point
Portscatho (OS) Porthcurnick (AA)
Pednvaden
Porthbean Beach
Creek Stephen Point
Pendower Beach (OS) Carne Beach (OS) Return to top of page
Nare Head
Lemoria Rock
Kibberick Cove (OS)
The Blouth
Manare Point
Portloe
Caragloose Point
Perbagus Point
East and West Portholland Porthluney Cove (Caerhayes Beach) (AA) Hemmick Beach (AA)
Dodman Point
Maenease Point
Gorran Haven - Little Perhaver Beach Gorran Haven - Great Perhaver Beach (OS)
Turbot Point
Chapel Point
Portmellon (AA) Mevagissey - Polkirt Mevagissey - Harbour (AA) Mevagissey - Polstreath
Penare Point
Portgiskey Pentewan Sands (OS - Apr to Oct inclusive) Hallane Mill Beach
Black Head
Porthpean (OS)
Carrickowel Point
Duporth (NA) Polmear or Charlestown Beaches (NA)
Appletree Point
Landrion Point
Crinnis Beach (Carlyon Bay) (AA) Polgaver Beach (OS) Par - Spit Beach
Par Docks
Par - Par Sands (AA)
Little Hell
Polkerris (OS)
Gribben Head
Polridmouth
St Catherine's Point
Fowey - Readymoney Cove (OS) Fowey - Whitehouse Beach
River Fowey
Polruan - Quay Beach
Blackbottle Rock
Lantic Bay (AA)
Pencarrow Head
Lantivet Bay (Palace Cove) (AA) Lansallos Cove or West Combe Beach (OS) Polperro (AA)
Downend Point
Talland Sand and Rotterdam Beach (Talland Bay) (AA) Samphire Beach, Portnadler Bay
St George's (or Looe) Island
West Looe - Hannafore (AA)
Looe Harbour
East Looe Beach (OS) Plaidy Beach Millendreath Beach (NA) Seaton (AA) Downderry (AA) Portwrinkle (OS) Finnygook Whitsand Bay - Long Sands or Tregantle (AA) Whitsand Bay - Freathy (AA) Whitsand Bay - Tregonhawke Beach (AA)
Rame Head
Cawsand (OS) Kingsand (AA)
Mount Edgcumbe
Wilderness Point
River Tamar
Only beaches that already have their own descriptive pages are listed here. The remaining beaches will be added to this list as their pages are completed.
Each beach name is linked to a page of relevant details
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
Full, all year around, access for dogs
Bude Area Bossiney Haven & Benoath Cove , Duckpool , Millook Haven Northcott Mouth , Sandymouth , Stanbury Mouth Falmouth & Roseland Area Carne, Hemmick, Nansidwell, Porthbeor Porthluney Cove/Caerhays, Towan Fowey & Looe Area Downderry, Hannafore, Kingsand, Lantic Bay Lantivet Bay, Millendreath, Par Sands, Plaidy Polperro, Polridmouth Cove, Polstreath, Portmellon Seaton , Talland Bay, Vault , Whitsand Bay Lands End & Mounts Bay Area Gwenver, Lamorna Cove, Nanjizal (Mill Bay), Porth Nanven Cove Portheras Cove , Priests Cove Lizard Peninsula Bessy's Cove, Cadgwith (north), Coverack, Gillan Harbour Gunwalloe Fishing Cove, Kenneggy Sands, Loe Bar, Mullion Cove Piskies Cove, Polpeor Cove, Porthallow, Porthoustock Newquay Area Crantock , Holywell Bay , Mawgan Porth , Perran Sands Watergate Bay (Tregurrian Beach) Padstow Area Booby's Bay , Constantine Bay , Daymer Bay , Harlyn Bay Mother Ivey's Bay , Port Gaverne , Porthcothan Bay Trebarwith Strand , Treyarnon Bay St Ives Area Porthkidney Sands
Restricted access for dogs (out of season)
Bude Area Crackington Haven , Crooklets , Summerleaze , Widemouth Bay Falmouth & Roseland Area Castle Beach , Gyllyngvase , Maenporth , Pendower, Pentewan, Porthcurnick Portholland, Portscatho, Summers, Swanpool, Tavern Fowey & Looe Area Cawsand Bay, Gorran Haven, Polkerris, Porthpean, Portwrinkle Beaches Readymoney Cove Lands End & Mounts Bay Area Long Rock, Marazion, Perranuthnoe Beach (Perran Sands), Porthchapel Porthcurno, Porthgwarra, Praa Sands, Sennen Cove Lizard Peninsula Cadgwith (south), Gunwalloe Church Cove, Housel Bay, Kennack Sands Kynance Cove, Poldhu Cove, Polurrian Cove, Porthleven Newquay Area Chapel Porth , Fistral , Lusty Glaze , Perranporth , Porth , Tolcarne Trevaunance Cove Padstow Area Epphaven Cove, Polzeath , Trevone Bay St Ives Area Carbis Bay, Godrevy Gwithian Towans , Harbour (or Town) Beach (St Ives) , Hayle Beaches, Porthgwidden , Porthmeor , Porthminster , Porthtowan , Portreath
Created and maintained by