Beaches and Coastline of Cornwall - The Cornish Riviera
St. Mawes to Gribbin Head
Portloe Gorran Haven Mevagissey Pentewan Charlestown Harbour
Porthbeor Beach
Peaceful sandy beach reached by path. Limited parking.
Towan Beach
Short walk from car park at Porth Farm. Half circle of sandy beach.
Tattems (Portscatho)
Small harbour with coast path leading to secluded coves. Parking and toilet in village. Dog ban.
Portcurnick Beach
Car park with views of Gerrans bay. Sandy beach.
Carne & Pendower
At low tide these sandy beaches become one. Parking and refreshment facilities.
VeryanFamous for its round houses.
Nare Head
300 feet high with sea views is a fifteen minute walk from the car park at Kiberick Cove.
Kiberick Cove
Car park. Walk to cove.
Portloe
Unspoiled fishing harbour. Inn. Popular with tourists.
Porthollan
Twin villages, East and West, with a shared beach.
Porthluney Cove (Caerhays)
South West facing wide sandy beach. Part of the Caerhays Castle Estate whose gardens are open from Easter to early May. Car park and cafe.
Hemmick Beach
Accessed by typical, narrow cornish lanes. Sandy cove with rock pools. Parking at Penare, about ten minutes walk.
Dodman Point
Vault or Bow Beach
Parking at Penare. Walk of about ten minutes to beach with very steep path.
Gorran Haven
Fishing village with boat trips for sight seeing and fishing. Small, sandy beach which connects with Great Perhaver beach at low tides. Car park, shops and cafe in village.
Great Perhaver Beach
Long sheltered beach. Park at Gorran Haven and walk.
Badrugan's Leap
Chapel Point
Portmellon
Fishing village. Small, sandy beach, popular for swimming and watersports. Slipway for boat launching. Dogs welcome.
Mevagissey
A popular holiday destination. Narrow, steep streets mean that parking is on the outskirts of the village. Large harbour with fishing and pleasure boats. Restaurants, pubs, shops and museum.
Polstreath
PentewanOnce a thriving port. Wide, sandy beach where the St. Austell River reaches the sea. Sailing, swimming and watersports Pub, cafe, tea rooms and shops.
Black Head
Porthpean
St. Austell's 'Town Beach'. small, sandy beach popular for swimming and water sports. Once a busy fishing village the old fish cellars are now used by the sailing club. Dog ban.
St. Austell
Identified with the clay industry since the mid 1800s, and the resulting moonscape, a great deal of port activity was generated around the town and its environs.
Charlestown Harbour
The 18th C harbour grew prosperous from the clay industry but was created by Charles Rashleigh (hence its name) to export copper produced by the local mines. The harbour is a popular setting for the film industry and has a Heritage and Shipwreck Centre. Two pebbly beaches lie one each side of the harbour. Tall ships in the inner harbour can be visited.
Crinnis (Carlyon Bay)
A long, sandy, private beach backed by cliffs fronts a leisure and amusement complex. Watersports and swimming. Official naturist beach at Shorthorn Cove.
Par Sands & Little Hell Cove
At low tide the large, flat, sandy beach extends seaward for half a mile. Sand dunes back the beach and on its eastern edge there is an opening in the cliff known as Little Hell Cove. Pub, cafe and sports facilities. Dogs welcome.
Polkerris
Peaceful harbour with sandy beach enclosed by curved breakwater. Car park, cafe and pub.
MenabillyDaphne du Maurier's home and the setting for 'Manderley' in her novel Rebecca.
Gribbin Head
Park at Menabilly Barton Farm and twenty minute walk. Beacon built in 1832 assists seamen to find the Fowey harbour entrance.