Beaches and Coastline of Cornwall - West Cornwall & Mount's Bay

St. Ives to Prussia Cove

Places in Italics  are Cliffs, Headlands and Coastal Features.

Godrevy

Carbis Bay

St. Ives Harbour

Cape Cornwall

Sennen

Land's End

Porthcurno

Mousehole

Penzance

Marazion

St. Michael's Mount

Perran Sands
   

Prussia Cove

 

Godrevy Island

The lighthouse on the island is thought to be the one referred to in Virginia Wolf's book 'To The Lighthouse'.

Godrevy Point

Godrevy (Hayle)

Lifeguard. A rocky beach adjacent to the island lighthouse with marvellous surfing conditions although The Red River sometimes discolours the water from tin waste, it has no harmful affect on bathers. The beach is perfectly safe if you listen to advice and keep away from the stretch of water between the island and the mainland, because of the strong tides there. Dog Ban.

Gwithian
Lifeguard. Situated at the end of the long, sandy beach at Hayle, it offers small coves and stretches of open sand with safe bathing. Surfing conditions are generally favourable. Sheltered on one side from North East winds. Parking on dunes. Dog Ban.
Peter's Point

Lifeguard. On the northern end of the three mile stretch of sand. Access is difficult but this means it is often un- crowded and is a good alternative to the more popularly used Gwithian and Hayle. Moderate surfing conditions.

Upton Towans

Lifeguard. In the centre of the long, sandy beach, is fairly well used but has ample scope for large numbers of people. Ideal for surfing and wind- surfing. Safe bathing. Backed by sand dunes and holiday camps. Parking at Gwithian.

Beachside

Lifeguard. An open sandy beach with safe bathing. Occasional good surfing conditions and ideal for novices.

Mexico Towans

Lifeguard. On the north side of the Black Cliffs with moderate surfing conditions and safe bathing. Large car park.

Hayle Towans

Lifeguard. On the Hayle estuary promontory. There is a sandy cove with sand flats on the riverbank. Bathing is safe as long as you stay away from the river itself which is dangerous. Keep within the flags. Ample parking. Dog Ban.

Porthkidney (Lelant)

Lifeguard. A long walk to reach this beach. A vast expanse of sand with sand dunes behind. At low tide it is almost a mile to the water's edge. It is dangerous to bathe in the river but very safe if you keep between the flags. Plenty of room for everyone! Limited parking by Lelant Church.

Carbis Bay

A large, sandy beach with very safe bathing. Almost always very calm conditions, a lovely spot for children. Good parking. Dog Ban.

Porthminster (St. Ives)

Seaside Award. Lifeguard. A half mile of golden sands with calm sea conditions. Very safe for bathing and sheltered from most winds. Scenic cliffwalks to Carbis Bay. Car parking by railway station. Dog Ban.

St. Ives Harbour

Narrow winding streets and atmosphere have attracted artists for over a century but this is still a working harbour.

Very sheltered with sandy areas in the harbour. A perfect sun-trap in the heart of town. Fishing trips, shops and many other attractions. General parking available. Dog Ban.

Porthgwidden (St. Ives

Small sandy cove and delightful sun trap. Safe bathing but keep inside the buoys. Car park on The Island. Dog Ban.

St. Ives Head
Porthmeor (St. Ives)

Seaside Award. Blue Flag Beach. Lifeguard, restaurant and cafe facilities. Sandy surf beach. Good surf conditions prevail frequently and the surfboard area is marked with orange buoys. Generally safe bathing - check with life- guards. Parking at Barnoon and above beach. Dog Ban.

The Carracks

Rocky outcrop.

Zennor Head
Zennor
Pendour Cove
Gurnards Head
Portherras Cove

An attractive blend of rock and sand shaped in a semi-circle. The conditions are often unsuitable for bathing. Beware of sharp metal in the sand and water, this comes from old wrecks. Excellent cliff walks.

Pendeen Watch

Lighthouse standing on a promontory above a sandy cove.

Pendeen

Home of the Geevor Tin Mine.

Botallack Head
St. Just

The most westerly town in England.

Boat Cove

Picturesque fishing cove with pleasant bathing for good swimmers. Limited parking.

Priests Cove (Cape Cornwall)

Attractive fishing and relaxing scenery. Boulder strewn quiet cove accessible by path. Children's swimming pool in the rocks. Limited access to the sea except by slipway. Car park.

Cape Cornwall

The only Cape in England and Wales. Views of the Longships Lighthouse and Land's End.

Pen-Nan-Ven (Cot Valley)

A mixture of sand and boulders and a pleasant spot for picnics. Very limited parking.

Polpry Cove
Aire Point
Gwenver (Sennen)

Lifeguard. Sandy beach which provides some of the best surfing conditions in Cornwall, only suitable for experienced surfers. Bathers should take particular care to keep within the flags and if in doubt should ask the life- guards for advice. young children and weak swimmers should not be left unattended in the water. Small car park on the cliffs.

Sennen

Seaside Award. Blue Flag Beach. Lifeguard. Long sandy beach with small fishing harbour and lifeboat station. First class surfing conditions and safe bathing within the flagged areas. Pay special attention to this area as the flags can be changed and moved frequently due to tidal movements. Car parks at each end of the bay. Dog Ban.

Pedn-men-du

Headland which features a bronze age barrow and the remains of Britain's oldest known cliff castle.

Land's End

Most South Westerly point on the British mainland. Offshore is the fabled lost land of Lyonesse.

Longships

Lighthouse and reef.

Pordenack Point
Nanjizel (Mill Bay)

Sand and boulders in this beautiful cove but bathe with care.

Pendower Cove
Folly Cove
Porth Loe
Gwennap Head
Porthgwarra

Picturesque cove with sand at the bottom of the slipway and access through a cave. Easy parking.

Porthchapel

A small sandy beach with little sand remaining at high tide. Difficult climb down the path. Bathing is safe on the left (eastern) side of the beach. Seals may be seen. Car park quarter of a mile away by church.

Porthcurno

Once known as 'the centre of the universe' since this is where undersea cables linking the British Empire to the rest of the world were laid in 1870.

Beautiful sands situated underneath the cliffs near the Minack Theatre. Very safe bathing except on some occasions at high tide when the steep shelving beach can cause problems. Sun- bathers paradise. Large car park. Dog Ban. Lifeguard.

Treryn Dinas
Pedn-Vounder

Isolated stretch of sand almost totally covered at high tide. Moderate safe bathing but take care of sandbank forming as the tide comes in. Difficult access.

Penberth

A small National Trust owned fishing cove at the end of a very pretty valley. "The most perfect of Cornish fishing coves". Best viewed from the coastal footpath. Very limited car parking.

Merthen Point
Tater-du

Lighthouse

Lamorna

Small harbour surrounded by boulder clad foreshore. There is a small amount of sand in the harbour and safe bathing within the harbour limits. Privately owned and popular with divers. Small harbour car park.

St. Clement's Isle
Mousehole

Described by Dylan Thomas as 'the loveliest village in England'. Was once a major pilchard port but is now used by pleasure craft and deep-sea fishing boats. At the entrance to the village there is a sandy beach with safe bathing and sandy areas in the harbour when the tide is low. On the road to Newlyn there is a rocky beach at Roskilly. Small quay car park. Dog Ban.

Penlee Point
Newlyn

Fishing port with a fleet in excess of 100 boats. Narrow streets and stone cottages lead down to the harbour to the north of which is a shingle and sand beach.

Penzance

Still a busy working harbour Penzance once shipped half of Cornwall's tin. It now handles fishing boats, pleasure boats and passenger ferries to the Isles of Scilly.

Along from Eastern Green there is a shingle beach turning to sand towards Marazion. Windsurfing schools are open to the public. Car park. Dog Ban.

Marazion

Cornwall's oldest town is noted for its narrow streets.

Lifeguard. Sandy bay with causeway to St. Michael's Mount at low tide. Popular with families and for water sports. Large car parks. Dog Ban.

St. Michael's Mount

The 14th Century castle atop the Mount is built on the site of a monastery. A causeway at low tide and small boats provide access to the Mount.

Perranuthnoe (Perran Sands)

A sandy beach backed by high cliffs. Safe bathing at most times but keep clear of the sand bank which can form in the centre of the beach. Ideal for children. Some parking close to the beach. Dog Ban.

Stackhouse Cove
Cudden Point

Jagged rocks have wrecked many ships.

Pisky Cove

A small isolated cove south-west of Prussia Cove. Good bathing but at high tide the beach becomes covered. There are large flat areas of rock suitable for sunbathing.

Prussia Cove

This old world corner has a pebbly beach with safe bathing and seclusion. Car park.

Cudden Point

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