The UK’s Tropical Paradise - A Guide to the Top 10 best beaches in Cornwall!

Cornwall boasts some of the Best beaches in the Uk! People often overestimate how far you need to travel to find soft white sand beaches and crystal clear water. Cornwall has the clearest water in the Uk, it’s torquoise shimmer is reminiscent of that abroad. Bask in the sun and sip a cocktail in any of these locations and feel like you are on holiday in the Carribean, The UK’s Caribbean!

Top 10 Best beaches in Cornwall

1. Kynance Cove

Kynance cove is a hidden treasure. On of the most beautiful places In the country. It’s a sandy cove with many different rock formations surrounding the headland creating all sorts of caverns for the crystal clear water to flow around. When the tide is out access to a secret beach is uncovered. This beach is double sided as the tide slowly engulfs it from both sides. There are many rocks to coasteer from into deep pools of water. When the water is calm it’s a great place to snorkel between the Rocky outcrop. Always research the tide times as access to the secret beach will be lost at high tide and it becomes dangerous. The headland above the beach is grassy and perfect for a picnic overlooking the dramatic coastline. There is also a small cafe for refreshments and public toilets next to it. The walk down to Kynance cove from the car park takes 10 minutes and can be steep in some areas but is well worth it! There's a council enforced seasonal dog ban in place 1 July - 31 August 10am - 6pm. Dogs are welcome on the surrounding footpaths all year. Dogs are also welcome at Kynance Cove Cafe.

2. Readymoney Cove

Readymoney cove is roughly a 10 minute walk from Fowey along the esplanade. From the walk alone you will see unbelievable views over the Fowey river. The first thing that will catch your eye when arriving at the hidden cove is how clear the water is. It is crystal clear making the perfect opportunity to snorkel and see some Cornish sealife up close. It is ideal for swimming as the water is usually very calm due to being in a very sheltered cove, however always be aware as there are no lifeguards patrolling the beach. If you like a challenge and are a good swimmer, there is a small pontoon to swim to in the middle of the cove. Readymoney cove allows dogs for most of the year, there is only a seasonal dog ban from 1st July to 31st August, 10am to 6pm.

3. Porthmeor Beach

Porthmeor beach is strikingly beautiful. It is located in St Ives, the sand is soft and white and the sea has a turquoise glow when the sun is shining, on a hot day it can definitely give you a sense of being on holiday abroad! The beach can get busy in the summer being in St Ives, but that comes with the added benefit of amenities. There are toilets on the beach and plenty of options for food and drink. There is a dog ban on Porthmeor beach from May 15th to September 30th, between 10am and 6pm. Lifeguards do patrol the beach making it a safer option to swim than more remote beaches.

4. Charlestown Beach

Charlestown is a historic Georgian harbour town which you may recognise as it is a film set for Poldark! It feels like stepping into the Cornish past surrounded by pirate ships and cobbles. It really is the picture perfect Cornish harbour with two beautiful pebble beaches either side, the right hand one being dog friendly. Both beaches have calm, crystal clear water and make a great place to relax and paddle. Alongside the harbour there are a few places to eat and drink, plenty of pirate memorabilia and often marquees selling local food and produce. Above the harbour, at the top of Charlestown is the Shipwreck treasure museum that houses over 8,000 artefacts from over 150 different shipwrecks! There are several excellent reasturants in Charlestown making it an ideal place to eat out! Charlestown feels like a deep dive into Cornish culture and is a geat place to spend the day!

5. Porthminster

St Ives boasts some of the clearest waters in the UK along with beautiful white sands that really encapsulate that 'holiday abroad' feeling. Porthminster beach in particular is a great example of this, anyone could look at the image above and tell you that’s a tropical paradise without suspecting it’s Cornwall. Porthminster is walking distance from the town and harbour and also has facilities on the beach such as toilets and Food. The beach is patrolled by lifeguards making it a safe place to swim. Dogs are banned from Porthminster beach between May 15th and September 30th, between the hours of 10am and 6pm. Dogs are welcome at all other times.

6. Pentewan

Pentewan beach is the closest beach to St Austell. It’s a magnificent stretch of white sand and clear blue sea between two headlands. There is a campsite (Pentewan Sands) right next to the beach that is a very popular place to stay. On the beach there is also an amazing restaurant and cocktail bar which is featured in the ‘places to eat’ section of the ‘Things to do near St Austell’ article. There is Kayak, Paddle board, Windsurf, Pedalo and self drive boat hire on the beach, see Cornwall water sports for more information. I highly reccomend the self drive boat it is relatively simple to operate and great fun getting out offshore! There are toilets right next to the beach and even a cofee shop and campsite shop if you need refreshments. Dogs are banned from Pentewan beach from the 1st of March to the first Sunday in November. If you’re in desperate need of a beach day then Pentewan is where to look!

7. Polkeris

Polkerris is a tranquil sandy cove, sheltered by a harbour wall. Duet to this the water is very calm making it an excellent place to swim or partake in water sports. With that bieng said, they offer paddle board lessons and hire alongside kayak hire too! Dogs are banned on the beach between easter and October 1st. There are public toilets, a pub, cafe and shop close to the beach and there is also a public car park in the hamlet next to the beach. There is disabled access to the beach (ramp) and also a disabled toilet. The beach is absolutely stunning and I highly recommend spending some time there, especially on a sunny day!

8. Sennen Cove

Sennen cove is a long golden stretch of beach on the very west side of Cornwall, only a mile from Lands end via the coastal path. The beach is very popular with surfers due to its swell, hence why there is also a surf school on the beach. The water is unbelievably clear and a sunny day will make you feel miles away in the Caribbean! The beach is almost a mile long so you won’t struggle to find a spot even when it’s busy. There are 2 car parks with access down to the beach. There is also a cafe serving food if you are feeling peckish. The RNLI patrol the beach making it much safer place to swim. Sennen Cove has a seasonal dog ban, dogs are only allowed at Sennen Cove Beach before 10am and after 6pm (between the 15th of May and 30th of September). They are allowed any time outside of the dates.

9. Pedn Vounder

Pedn Vounder is maybe the most strikingly beautiful beach in Cornwall and is also considered one of the best in the world. Once upon a time this beach was very quiet and only visited by locals, sometimes with and sometimes without clothes! That’s right it was traditionally a Naturists (Nudist) beach, and some still use the beach for that purpose. Word has spread about this stunning cove and now it can be a very busy place packed with tourists in the holidays! To get to Pedn Vounder you can park in the Treen car park and walk down (20 mins), the walk to the beach is steep and slightly tricky so I wouldn’t reccomend pushchairs or wheelchairs. Always bare in mind that there are no toilets or facilities near the beach the closest toilet is in the car park. While it’s fairly remote to access, it is definitely worth it! Fortunately for dog lovers, Pedn Vounder allows dogs all year round!

10. Lantic Bay

Lantic bay is a gorgeous shingle bay with panoramic views of of the dramatic Cornish coast. It is easily one of the best beaches in England! The beach is a 20 minute walk from the car park which is owned by the National trust. The walk to Lantic bay can be fairly steep in places and is not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Lantic bay allows dogs all year, so you and your furry friends can enjoy the jaw dropping beauty of the bay. The beach shelves quickly so is good for swimming but be careful of rip currents at certain levels of tide. Lantic bay is located near Polruan, east of the River Fowey. Dogs are allowed at Lantic bay all year round, it makes a lovely spot to walk your dog and let it burn some energy!

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