Beaches in Cornwall

Cawsand Beach is a small, east-facing beach in Cawsand Bay, on the Rame Peninsula in the far south east of Cornwall. The beach, which is predominantly sand and shingle with some rock pools to explore at low tide, is set in a sheltered location, backed by woodland, overlooking Plymouth Sound.

Charlestown beach is a south-east facing sand and pebble beach near St Austell, Cornwall. It sits outside a historic harbour, host to one of Cornwall's top tourist attractions, Charlestown Shipwreck & Heritage Centre.

Downderry is a south-facing, sand and pebble beach with rock pools at low tide. It is located 4 miles from the western-most end of Whitsand Bay in the far south east of Cornwall, 18 miles from Plymouth. At low tide, the cliff-backed beach stretches to around a mile and reaches Seaton.

Duporth beach is a private, sandy beach around 2 miles from St Austell on the mid-south Cornwall coast. Above the long, narrow beach runs the South West Coast Path, providing walkers with access to Carlyon Bay and beyond to the east, and Porthpean and beyond to the south.

East Looe Beach is a popular family beach in the seaside town of Looe in south Cornwall. It is a crescent-shaped, sandy, south-facing beach on the eastern side of the town, and one of the most popular beaches in Cornwall. At low tide, a large expanse of sand is revealed.

Gorran Haven boasts two east-facing, sandy beaches. Sitting around 3 miles from Mevagissey in mid-south Cornwall, Gorran Haven is an historic fishing village sitting in the shadow of Dodman Point, a 400 foot high headland on which once stood an Iron Age hill fort.

Hannafore Beach is a predominantly rocky beach, with some sand and shingle, which stretches from Hannafore Point to the outskirts of west Looe, Cornwall. At low tide a multitude of rock pools are revealed, making it a particularly good spot for rock poolers.

Kingsand Beach is a small sand and shingle beach in the small Cornish fishing village of Kingsand. It is a south east-facing beach on the Rame Peninsula, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in south east Cornwall, which looks over Plymouth Sound.

Lantic Bay beach lies in a sheltered, hidden cove in south east Cornwall, around 1½ miles from both Fowey and Polruan, and 4 miles from Polperro. Lantic Bay is a south-facing 'sun trap' beach with white sands and some shingle.

The sand and pebble beach at Lantivet Bay, between Polruan (near Fowey) and Polperro on the south Cornwall coast, is accessible only at low tide. Due to its remoteness and the difficulty of access, the beach is normally very quiet and is visited mainly by agile walkers.

Millendreath Beach is a south facing beach in a sheltered cove near Looe, Cornwall. It is a sandy beach with numerous rock pools to explore at low tides. At high tide most of the beach is reclaimed by the sea.

Par Sands is a south-facing beach between St Austell (6 miles by road) and Fowey (3 miles), within easy travelling distance of some of Cornwall's top attractions - The Eden Project (2 miles), Charlestown (3 miles) and the Lost Gardens of Heligan (7 miles).

Plaidy Beach is a south facing beach near Looe, Cornwall. It is a sandy beach with rock pools to explore. At high tide most of the beach is reclaimed by the sea. Because of the shortage of facilities near the beach it is normally pleasantly quiet.

Polkerris Beach lies in the sheltered harbour of Polkerris, a small and picturesque village in south east Cornwall, around 2 miles from Fowey and 6 miles from St Austell. It is a sandy, south west facing beach overlooking St Austell Bay, with a stone quay providing shelter.

Polperro is one of Cornwall's most picturesque villages, sitting on the south coast between Fowey (7 miles by road and Bodinnick Ferry) and Looe (4 miles by road). A small, sandy beach sits just outside the harbour walls of this unspoilt Cornish fishing village.

Polridmouth Beach is set in an attractive, sheltered cove to the east of Gribbin Head near Fowey, Cornwall. Much of the south-facing beach is reclaimed by the sea at high tide, which divides the beach into two distinct, small beaches.

Polstreath Beach is a sand and shingle beach just outside the picturesque fishing town of Mevagissey, Cornwall. It is a fairly wide, east-facing beach which offers good bathing and a peaceful haven. The beach can be accessed, with difficulty, only via the South West Coast Path.

Porthpean Beach is a south-east facing beach in St Austell Bay, on the south Cornwall coast. Its aspect, location (close to some of Cornwall's finest attractions), and relatively safe bathing in its sheltered waters, make Porthpean a particularly popular family beach.

Portmellon Beach sits in a small, sheltered cove, little more than half a mile from the centre of Mevagissey, Cornwall. It is normally a very quiet beach, tourists preferring to visit its better-known neighbours, where access for boats is provided by a slipway.

Portwrinkle's two beaches are located at the western-most end of Whitsand Bay in south east Cornwall. The eastern-most beach at Portwrinkle, Finnybook Beach, is the more popular of the two - a pleasant, sandy beach, popular with families and experienced surfers alike.

Readymoney Cove Beach is a sandy, south-east facing beach in the picturesque working harbour town of Fowey, Cornwall. It lies in a small, sheltered cove overlooking Polruan, at the mouth of the Fowey Estuary. The remains of the 16th century St Catherine's Castle stand on a headland above the beach.

Seaton Beach is a wide, south-facing beach at the foot of the River Seaton valley near Looe in south-east Cornwall. Seaton's steeply-sloping, sand and pebble beach is reasonably popular with families during peak summer months.

Talland Bay, near Polperro, Cornwall, boasts two sheltered, sand and shingle beaches - Talland Sand and Rotterdam Beach - in an area once synonymous with smuggling. Talland Bay is one of Cornwall's most unspoilt areas, and a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Torpoint is a relatively modern Cornish town on the Rame Peninsula. The city of Plymouth sits on the opposing, Devon, side of the River Tamar. Some stretches of coarse beach at Torpoint are revealed at low tide, but the setting is not traditionally picturesque.

Vault Beach is a long, south-facing beach which lies to the south of Gorran Haven, Cornwall, in the shadow of Dodman Point. Vault is a crescent-shaped, sand and fine shingle beach which is often pleasantly quiet.

Arguably the finest stretch of sands in south east Cornwall, Whitsand Bay beach is actually a sequence of beaches which, combined, stretch around 4 miles from Portwrinkle to Rame Head. The beach, which is south west facing, is only available at low tide - beware of being cut off at high tide.