32 Beaches to Explore in Cornwall

The moon-shaped Porthminster Beach is among the prettiest stretches of sand in St. Ives. Sheltered by grassy headlands and in proximity to the town center, the beach is an ideal family vacation spot with excellent facilities and clean conditions. Swim with the kids in the calm, pristine water and enjoy views of the glimmering sea.

Readymoney Cove is a south-east-facing sandy beach to the south of the harbour town of Fowey. It was flourished with cliffs close to the mouth of the River Fowey and bounded and also one side is the renowned St Catherine's Castle. Reasonably safe bathing within cove, but not in the Fowey Estuary. However, can be water pollution after storms and heavy rain. Above the cove is the former coach house which was the home of author, Daphne du Maurier, for a few years during the Second World War.

St Ives Bay is a crescent-shaped expanse stretching for 6 miles from the Island, near the centre of town, around to to Godrevy Head and the world-famous Godrevy lighthouse. This three mile stretch of golden sand contains Gwithian beach popular for surfing. To the west, the quieter more sheltered Porthkidney Sands adjacent to the village of Lelant is a tranquil and unique location.

A gorgeous National Trust beach, just 15 minutes north of the town. When the tide is out, the fantastic sandy beach is exposed and it is often much quieter than the other main beaches. It is very popular with both families and surfers and is set against a dramatic backdrop of sheer cliffs. Sandymouth is a National Trust beach and has a large, manned, car park with 200 spaces at the top of the cliff. This lovely beach has its own waterfall and is serviced by a seasonal café, toilets, and surf-hi

Summerleaze Beach is Bude’s central hub of sand, surf, and sun, and it’s the first port of call for many visitors. The river, with its bobbing fishing boats, flanks the wide, sandy beach that is sheltered by the impressive breakwater, making the beach particularly popular with families and surfers. Summerleaze is also an unusually interesting beach with a large breakwater complete with a tower protecting a small harbour and the mouth of the Bude canal with its massive lock gates.

Loe Beach is a half-mile shingle bank that separates the Loe, the largest natural freshwater lake in Cornwall, from the sea. The fishhook-shaped Loe lies at the heart of Penrose Estate, a bucolic, National Trust–managed park perched atop Lizard Peninsula, mainland Britain’s most southerly point. It is within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is considered a classic Geological Conservation Review Site.

The Towans is dotted with secluded luxury lodges that make the most of a stunning setting that’s just moments from the beach. The Towans is within an easy walk of beautiful Constantine Bay and the world-class Trevose Golf Club, while just a short drive away you’ll find some of Cornwall’s best attractions, including Padstow, Watergate Bay, and The Eden Project.

Towan Beach is the most central of Newquay's beaches lying just below the Killacourt and Beach Road. This beach is sheltered by Towan Head and provides either small waves, ideal for novice surfers or calm waters for safe swimming. This makes it an ideal family beach with the waves here being generally small in all but the stormiest conditions.

Treyarnon Bay is a beautiful, clean, and sandy north-west-facing beach backed by sand dunes and surrounded by low cliffs. It is one of the most popular beaches in the area, especially with families because of the expanse of soft sands and low waters. It has a partially constructed rockpool that acts as a swimming pool for older children at low tide.

Upton Towans is a Sandy beach located near St Ives in Cornwall. The beach reaches a low rocky headland and the lighthouse on an island just off the coast. Ideal for surfing and safe for bathing and backed by sand dunes and adjacent holiday camping sites.

Watergate Bay beach, about 3 miles from Newquay on the North Cornwall coast, is a large beach. Two miles of golden sand at low tide stretches towards Newquay and out to sea enormous waves come in from the Atlantic providing a spectacular sight and a popular surfing and kitesurfing spot. One of the iconic location and it provides a refreshing mood and can enjoy with family.

The beach's of Whitsand Bay offer over three miles of stunning sand from Rame Head to Portwrinkle and are considered one of Cornwall’s hidden gems. Rock pools dotted along the beach reveal fascinating marine life, and out to sea the bay is a popular dive site, home to HMS Scylla, an ex-naval frigate sunk in 2004 to form an artificial reef.