West Cornwall Beaches are amongst some of the best beaches in the world, its golden sand meeting the turquoise sea is a sight you may not get anywhere else in the UK. From mermaid tales at Lamorna Cove to the famous Kynance Cove and Marazion, history beats through this part of Cornwall.
Many of West Cornwall Beaches are easily accessible; most are spacious or sheltered, all benefiting from the remarkable light which has attracted many creatives here, for the west of Cornwall is also a land of storytelling, myths and legends.
St Ives Harbour Beach is as you would imagine, located in the heart of St Ives and missed by many summer time tourists, these crystal clear waters mixed with golden sand are perfect for swimming around the harbour or even paddle boarding. Being in the heart of St Ives you have all the facilities you need, from toilets, cafes, pasty shops and much more. This is also perfect for the children as being in harbour walls can be more controlled when playing in the water than being in the open sea. The harbour beach is sheltered by Smeatons Pier which protects the boats from big Atlantic swells and only the tiny waves make it past the harbour walls.
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Sennen Beach is situated just around the corner from Land’s End and is the most westernly beach in mainland Britan. Sennen faces the full force of the Atlanic Ocean making it the perfect surfing spot and when theres a storm it lives up to its name. The sand dunes here offer a shelter and is generally a little quieter on that side of the stream. Access to the beach is easy from the large car park and there are toilets here. The village centre is located just a minute or two away with a couple of shops, cafes and pub. There’s also a fairly upmarket restaurant right on the beach.
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Prussia Cove is a small secluded Cove situated inbetween Perranuthnoe beach and Praa Sands beach, most people consider its neighbour Bessy’s Cove as the main beach but in the section there are a small series of Cove one after the other rich in smuggling history. This sheltered little cove is a fantastic place to explore with rock pools, a cave and tumbledown granite fishing huts built into the side of the cliff next to the coast path. Other reminders of years-gone-by are the deep cart tracks cut into the rock where seaweed was hauled up to be used on the fields as fertiliser.
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Praa Sands Beach is located in the middle of Penzance and Helston. This is a large sandy golden beach with plenty of facilities and a seasonal lifeguard service with shops located right on the beach where you can rent surfboards. Praa Sands is a well known surf spot on Cornwall’s West Coast, and during spring there can be some great waves and they can get pretty big and more powerful than a lot of other Cornish beaches.
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Porthoustock Beach is located in West Cornwall Situated in the east side of the Lizard Peninsula a couple of miles from St Keverne. High tide sees the beach become a consistent pebbly beach with quarry workings either end. At the back of the beach is car parking looking through to what people would describe as a small fishing cove with a small fleet of fishing boats that still work the beach here. Low tide the beach drops and shows a tiny area of sand making that the prime spot to build sand castles.
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Porthminster Beach is located inbetween Hayle and St Ives, being so close to St Ives this beach can get quite busy during summer time other than that its a great family friendly beach with RNLI Lifeguard patrolling the summertime. Porthminster holds amazing golden sand and without a doubt one of Cornwall’s finest beaches. Backing on to the beach is a sloping grassy hillside with some great facilites for you to use. On a sunny day you can see all the boats leaving St Ives harbour and at very low tide this beach joins up with the Harbour beach in St Ives forming a bigger beach, although if you do this please be careful as the tide can come in quickly.
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Porthmeor Cove is set in the rugged West Cornwall coast somewhere in between Sennen and St Ives and is about as remote as you can possibly get a beach in Cornwall and in summer is a haven to escape the busy streets of St Ives. The foreshore is mainly composed of rounded rocks and boulders but towards lower tides a sandy area is revealed. There are a few other patches of sand amongst the rocks but these vary from year to year.
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Porthmeor beach is located in the center of St Ives and being one of the busier beaches during summer can be quite busy. The reason for this is once you visit you may not ever venture on a plane for another beach again, it has everything a Blue Flag beach needs hence why it has won multiple times. Porthmeor has great facilities backing on to the beach which include a cafe, bar and restaurant, don’t forget the surf shops and the toilets too!
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Porthleven beach is located near the famous harbour wall of Porthleven which you may have seen in most vicious storm pictures breaking over the harbour wall onto the church. The beach is actually located right infront of the church and the the left of the harbour wall being exposed to the wind from the East side but protection from the West with the wall being there. This beach is a family friendly beach which stretches all the way to Loe Bar at low tide. Porthleven is a great swimming beach but when the sea is rough we advise that you don’t get in as this is not covered by the RNLI.
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Porthkidney Beach is located near the mouth of the Hayle Estuary and very close to Carbis bay. The beach itself is around a mile long and at low tide the beach connects up with Black Rock Beach creating a huge vast expanse of golden sand. This beach is great for families because of the space you have and gives the children space to play and explore. This beach is backed on by Sand Dunes which have several access points to the coastal path and just around the corner is the GWR train line with one of the most beautiful train journeys around to St Ives.
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Porthgwidden Beach is more than often forgotten about in St Ives which makes it the perfect beach to get away from the crowds at the other popular St Ives Beaches. It does benefit from being sheltered unlike many others and sits between the Island and Harbour which is positioned perfectly to block out any wind from either direction. Although there isn’t much lifeguard cover there are plenty of other facilities nearby, including a great cafe overlooking the beach.
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Porthgwarra Beach is another West Cornwall gem. This beach is set in a secluded area of the Cornish coastline and largely owned by Lord St Levan of St Michaels Mount. At low tide there is a small beach with an array of rock pool and cave systems but history tells us that Porthgwarra has a rich fishing heritage meaning and you can see that as you enter the cove but now only a few fishing boats remain and work regularly from Porthgwarra.
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Portheras Cove is one of West Cornwall’s gems, located in the wildest stretches of Cornish coastline and not that easy to locate means in the summer its a haven to escape the busy tourism Cornwall receives. Portheras is actually owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the beach itself is a lovely sandy cove located at the end of a shallow valley with sheer cliffs at the northern end. Recently parts of the beach are now out of bounds because of wrecks which have left razor sharp fragments under the sand.
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Porthcurno Beach is one of the most notorious beaches in Cornwall and you can really see why this near white golden sand meets crystal clear waters with rugged granite cliffs as backdrops sets a picture almost like a movie scene and it doesn’t feel like you’re in the UK. Not only is the sand look special but it actually is very few beaches in Cornwall have this type of sand but another one would be Porthmeor beach. The sand is made up of seashells pounded to smithereens by the sea over millions of years it is quite unique and is partly responsible for the beautiful colour of the sea here.
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Porthchapel Beach is around 3 miles from Lands End, situated somewhere between Porthcurno and Porthgwarra in West Cornwall. This sheltered cove is surrounded by weathered granite cliffs and generally quiet a favour with the locals as its neighbour beaches of Porthcurno and Pedn Vounder get busy during summer time. Due to its location, access is only suitable for the able bodied; the narrow cliff path winds through a beautiful wooded valley followed by a climb down rocks to the beach.
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Rinsey Cove is located inbetween Praa Sands and Porthleven and its off the beaten track. Owned by the National Trust but doesn’t see as much foot traffic as other National Trust beaches due to its location. Low tide shows a small sandy beach but high tide quickly takes that away and it really is a small scramble down to the beach which isn’t ideal for families. This stretch of coast is quite exposed to powerful swells so given the remoteness and lack of lifeguard cover care should be taken if you fancy a dip.
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Porthallow Beach is located in West Cornwall, situated in the east side of the Lizard Peninsula. Porthallow was once a busy fishing village thriving life and full of fishing boats on the pebble beach. The pub which overlooks the beach is named the “Five Pilchards”. Today there are still a few working boats left here, and you will often see them pulled up on the beach, as it doubles as the harbour.
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Polurrian Beach is located just south of Poldhu Cove and just north of Mullion Cove, you can get the best view of this beach from the headland inbetween Mullion Cove. The beach at low tide is a vast golden sandy beach with high cliffs either side providing shelter away from the breeze but the beach is west facing meaning you will get the Atlantic winds coming at you and the surf here can get quite good depending on what the swell and weather is doing. During the summer months there is a lifeguard service – but only at weekends. So if you do fancy a dip take care or make sure it is on a weekend during the summer holidays.
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Polpeor Cove has a small beach located just to the right of Lizard Point, you may have seen this beach on old pictures of the Old Lizard Lifeboat Station which is located right on the beach with everything still intact. The beach is dark grey and isn’t great or even suitable for swimming, last time i checked there was still one fisherman using this cove as a working cove hauling the crab pots and catching mackerel from here!
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Poldhu Cove is located on the Lizard Peninsula and is considered one of the most popular ones in this area and its less remote than further west but it also has the facilities you need which is great for the family. Poldhu Cove beach sits in a valley with high cliffs either side and backed on by low sand dunes which is a haven for wildlife. This cove faces west meaning its exposed to wild wind and big waves which attracts the surfers to Poldhu and its also a great place to learn to surf when the surf is not so big.
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Perranuthnoe Beach is one of the quieter beaches in West Cornwall this means its reasonably popular with the locals, we’re not sure why its one of the quieter ones as its a stunning golden sandy beach with a charming backdrop of an unspoilt village. During low tide Perranuthnoe opens up and you can see why its a local firm favourite, vast open space with golden sand and uncovered rock pools allow for endless hours of fun but watch out for high tide as the water reaches up to the cliff edge leaving no room for a beach which means you have to plan your trips around the tides!
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Pentreath Beach is located just a short walk away from the famous Kynance Cove. This beach is west facing meaning its exposed to the Atlantic swells making it a great surfing beach if you can get your surfboard here as its typically also a quiet beach because of the lack of car parking. During high tide, Pentreath Beach becomes just a pebble beach and then at low tide it transforms into a much sandier stretch. In winter, the beach is typically rockier, with cliff falls are a hazard.
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Pedn Vounder Beach is one of Cornwall’s gems and you may have seen this pop up on social media. This beach is set among the stunning cliffs of Treryn Dinas with crystal clear turquoise water and a beautiful white sand beach. The name Pedn Vounder translates from the Cornish ‘pedn’, meaning head or end and ‘vounder’, meaning lane. Pedn Vounder is located at where Porthcurno beach ends and during low tide you can walk from one to the other however be careful as the tide comes in you may face being cut off and climbing up a steep cliff.
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Newlyn’s Tolcarne Beach is located just to the right of the harbour but during high tide you may only see stones but at low tide it reveals a large sandy beach which is frequently visited by the Cornish seals. This beach also looks out to Mounts bay with St Michael’s Mount in the distance. This beach isn’t suited great for families as it doesn’t have much facilities nearby but it can be a great beach just to chill at or watch the boats come in and out of the harbour! It’s also very close to Newlyn Orion Gallery.
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Nanjizal Beach, located in remote West Cornwall, is a small and secluded hidden gem that remains unspoiled and retains its natural cornish charm. With no facilities in sight, the beach’s pristine and untouched beauty brings visitors from far and wide. It is a haven for wildlife, especially birds with a variety of bird species such as Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, and Blackcap. The marine wildlife here is vast too with the recent addition of Bluefin Tuna to the county.
Nanjizal is known for its turquoise waters and incredible natural stone formations. On the north side of Nanjizal beach, you’ll see the famous Diamond Horse stands out. Characterized by a sparkling quartz vein that catches the sunlight. On the south side of Nanjizal, the magnificent rock arch known as ‘Zawn Pyg’ or ‘Song of the Sea’ adds to the dramatic landscape with many visitors flocking to the area for pictures in front of the ‘Song of the Sea’. Nanjizal Beach’s crystal clear waters and the rugged landscape that surrounds it beams an unmatched atmosphere and relatively low footfall make it a great destination for walkers along the south west coastal path.
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Mexico Towans Beach is directly in the middle of Hayle’s 4 miles of golden sand. This part of the beach is backed on by high sand dunes which are covered in marram grass but there are a couple of access points up and down the dunes. When the tide is out it shows off how big this beach is and despite the size it doesn’t get too busy during summer so there is plenty of room for the family and children to roam around.
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Marazion Beach is located right in front of St Michaels Mount and directly in front of Marazion village with great parking spaces on the front along with facilities making this beach a great family friendly beach with clean water, lifeguard patrol through the summer and backing on to the beach is a childrens playground. Towards the town end the beach becomes rockier after which there are a series of small rocky coves. It is from this end of the beach that you can walk over to St Michael’s Mount at low tide along a stone causeway.
Marazion beach is about a mile long, starting infront of the town and curving round to the Station House pub and the bay continues for another 2 miles into neighbouring beach Long Rock Beach.
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Longrock Beach is a great family beach as there is very little waves and the golden stretch of sand is easily accessible from the town and there is a good sized car park on the right making this beach a choice of many families during the summer. Towards the car park section of the beach this offers some shelter from the wind whilst also being a little sandier above the tide line. Swimming here is particularly safe as it takes a lot of walking to get into even waist deep water.
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Loe Bar beach is located in between Porthleven and Poldhu Cove and is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in Cornwall and the sandy bar is what separates that and the sea. This was originally a mouth of the River Cober which lead to an old harbour in Helston but by the 13th century the bar cut off the connection between the both and made the harbour redundant. The bar is made up mostly of flint although it is uncertain where this comes from as the nearest onshore source is over 120 miles away. There is also a reasonable extent of sand between the Pool and the bar.
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Lankidden Cove is located in West Cornwall situated between Coverack and Kennack Sands. This hidden cove can only beach reached from the coastal path from Kennack Sands around a mile away and is usually not as busy as other surrounding beaches due to its location. Lankidden Cove is a typical Cornish Cove with beautiful turquoise waters with golden sand broken up by large rocky outcrops. As with much of the Lizard the rocks here are unique with red serpentine running throughout them. Lankidden cove is south east facing, meaning its sheltered from the wild Atlantic winds by huge Iron age cliffs.
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Lamorna Cove Beach sits at the bottom of a wooded valley situated between Mousehole and Porthcurno. Behind the beach are small cute cottages and when you arrive into Lamorna it looks like something out of Poldark, as you come towards the beach you’ll notice a small sand and pebble beach at the foot of the slipway when the tide is low, but nothing to speak of as the tide comes in. This is a popular beach for swimming and there is also good scuba diving to be had off the coast here. However, there is no lifeguard service here so caution is advised
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Kynance Cove is located on the west side of the Lizard in West Cornwall, arguably the most photographed and painted location in Cornwall, the contrast between the rocky cliff tops, the golden sand beach, and the clear blue seas takes your breath away.
At low tide you can explore the towering rock stacks and caves which are usually covered when the tide is high, once you’re done exploring you can then have some lunch at the eco-friendly cafe, choose from a few Cornish favorites like Cornish pasties, fresh sandwiches, baguettes, homemade cakes, and afternoon tea then head down the beach for some family fun.
Owned and looked after by the wonderful Nation Trust, thanks to their members and volunteers they’re able to keep this wonderful location in tip-top shape. Parking is also free for National Trust Members and can be quite difficult during the summer months, we recommend arriving early morning or early evening to avoid disappointment but fortunately, there are many other beaches near Kynance like Housel Bay, Pentreath Beach, Kennack Sands Beach, and more.
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Kenneggy Cove Beach is a large sandy beach which you could access from a cliff path with metal ladders but recently due to coastal erosion this access has been closed for your safety but you can access the beach at low tide from nearby coves but please take care if you do visit as high tide swallows the beach whole and it can be dangerous!
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Kennack Sands Beach is located in West Cornwall and is situated in between Coverack and Lizard Point. Despite being in the sheltered side of the Lizard Peninsula this fairly remote location is actually very popular due to being such a family friendly beach. Low tide this beach is huge and features all the family friendly things for children like a stream, rock pools and plenty of facilities like toilets and a cafe for convenience. As Kennack Sands beach faces west its considerably warmer than most other beaches in the area but another thing, this beach is popular with surfers when the conditions are good, during summer its a great beach to learn to surf on.
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Housel Bay Beach is located just a short walk away from Lizard Point is this stunning bay set at the bottom of dark derpentine cliffs you will find a sretch of golden sand with the clearest turquoise water imaginable. The beach here is relatively sheltered, particularly considering it is within a stone’s throw of the most southerly point in mainland Britain. The high cliffs also provide plenty of cover from the wind. Backing on to the beach is a tall cliff with Housey Bay Hotel on the back with a small garden. Surrounding the bay is beautiful coastal walks to the Lizard or to Cadgwith Cove! be careful if you can become cut off at higher tides
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Hendra Beach is located inbetween Helston and Penzance, actually its connected to Praa Sands beach and makes up 1/2 of the huge beach. Its golden sandy beach sees less foot traffic than Praa Sands due to there not being any car park and a lengthy walk away from the car park therefore in summer can be a lot quieter than Praa Sands. An amazing family friendly beach provides everything you need but the facilities are a long walk away if you need them so make sure you check you have everything before walking down to Hendra. The left hand side of the beach is great for rock pooling and fishing, perfect to keep the children busy.
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Gwynver Beach is derived from Gwynevere of Authurian legend and it does have some mystic beauty about it. This beach is situated on the North end of Sennen beach at the base of a grassy cliff and just about secluded so it doesn’t get busy. The beach itself is sandy and around 150 meters long and at high tide the beach slopes steeply into the sea and can be dangerous, but at low tide the Gwenver joins up with Sennen Beach
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Gwithian Beach is a part of the longest beach in Cornwall, the total length comes to around 4 miles of golden sandy beach and great for families with tons of space and features all through the beach including rock pools filled with Cornish marine life. This beach is also very popular with surfers giving perfect conditions for all types of waves from beginners to long time surfers. A famous surf spot if called ‘Sheep Dips’ which refers to a large pool formed between two big sets of rocks.
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Gunwalloe Beach sits between the Lizard and Porthleven and is owned by the National Trust. This Cove holds a good stretch of golden sand which is backed on by gently sloping grassy dunes and the most famous bit of this beach is the church tucked away in the northern end. Gunwalloe church is where the beach gets its name, named after the early Breton missionary, St Winwaloe, and the squat little bell tower is actually separate from the main church.
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Godrevy Beach sits at the north end of Hayle’s long 4 Mile golden sandy beach. This Cornish beach is very popular with surfers as it takes the brunt of the Atlantic swell and being one of the most exposed beaches in the North coast it has a range of swells from beginner all the way to experieced surfers. Godrevy is connected to Gwithian beach and at low tide this stretch of beach reaches staggering lengths and could be walked all the way to Carbis Bay at some points but be sure to check the tide times and not get caught out!
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Eastern Green Beach is situated right outside the Penzance train station near some rocks named ‘Station Rocks’ and follows the curve round to meet Longrock Beach. This was once one of Cornwall’s most polluted beaches but now thanks to South West Water Clean Sweep program it is now as clean as any other beach inviting many swimmers and watersports enthusiasts. This beach is a family friendly beach which gently slopes out and very sheltered makes it perfect on those windy days, to get below waist depth in the water you may have to walk around half a mile to get out your depth. This is generally a quiet Cornwall beach.
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Coverack Beach is located in West Cornwall on the Lizard Peninsula. The beach backs on to the little fishing village of Coverack and the harbour here is one of the more photogenic ones of Cornwall with beautiful granite walls and a few wooden fishing boats nearby along with whitewashed cottages above. This remote part of the Cornish coast rarely sees much attention of a crowd beyond ones staying in the area. Low tide there is a good size of golden sand making it ideal for families but as the tide comes in this dissappears and becomes more of a rocky beach.
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Church Cove is situated in West Cornwall, somewhere between Cadgwith Cove and Lizard Point. This small cove was once a little fishing cove with boats being used within it, still in the cove are a few cottages which lead to the slipway. You can still find boats here from time to time but it’s not used for commercial purposes anymore. Low tide you can sometimes see a small patch of sand at the lower end of the slipway but this soon disappears when the tide comes in. Surrounding Church Cove are many beautiful coastal walks and vantage points to overlook the Cove from
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Carbis bay Beach is located inbetween the popular seaside town of St Ives and Hayle, this wide sandy beach is actually a private beach owned by the Hotel which backs on to it which gives it great facilities making it a very popular family friendly beach as it also benefits from the surrounding cliffs for shelter. Surfing isn’t really a big thing on Carbis Bay as it requires a srong northerly swell but when there is its usually popular with bodyboarders as the waves can be quite wedgy and dumpy.
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Cadgwith Cove Beach is small cornish village built on fishing dating way back. The Cove is full of thatched cottages lined up at the side of the valley and the small fleet of fishing boats winched up on shingle beach. The beach is still at the centre of the village with pots at the front of the boat houses.
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Bessy’s Cove is a small secluded cove on the West Cornwall coast, situated somewhere between Perranuthnoe and Praa Sands this Cove is small in size but beautiful. During low tide it opens up a small beach which can be empty most of the time but its perfect for escaping the crowds near Praa Sands on a busy summers day. It goes without saying its not a family friendly beach as there is not enough space for the children to play or any lifeguard cover. This picturesque cove is great for snorkelling and explore Cornish marine life, also a popular fishing spot off of Cudden Point.
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Bamaluz Beach is located in the heart of St Ives and is one of the lesser known beaches, situated between the harbour and Porthgwidden. The beach offers sheltered cover with high walls which can also block out the sun, the only thing at high tide there is a small beach left which can fit no more than maybe 15 people on and in spring it can almost disappear from your very own eyes. This beach is also just below the famous St Ives Museum. Bamaluz is a fairly friendly family beach but there is no lifeguard cover or much room for the children to play and there isn’t really any surf here apart from when there’s big northerly Atlantic swells.
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Prussia Cove is a small secluded Cove situated inbetween Perranuthnoe beach and Praa Sands beach, most people consider its neighbour Bessy’s Cove as the main beach but in the section there are a small series of Cove one after the other rich in smuggling history. This sheltered little cove is a fantastic place to explore with rock pools, a cave and tumbledown granite fishing huts built into the side of the cliff next to the coast path. Other reminders of years-gone-by are the deep cart tracks cut into the rock where seaweed was hauled up to be used on the fields as fertiliser.
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Porthoustock Beach is located in West Cornwall Situated in the east side of the Lizard Peninsula a couple of miles from St Keverne. High tide sees the beach become a consistent pebbly beach with quarry workings either end. At the back of the beach is car parking looking through to what people would describe as a small fishing cove with a small fleet of fishing boats that still work the beach here. Low tide the beach drops and shows a tiny area of sand making that the prime spot to build sand castles.
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Porthminster Beach is located inbetween Hayle and St Ives, being so close to St Ives this beach can get quite busy during summer time other than that its a great family friendly beach with RNLI Lifeguard patrolling the summertime. Porthminster holds amazing golden sand and without a doubt one of Cornwall’s finest beaches. Backing on to the beach is a sloping grassy hillside with some great facilites for you to use. On a sunny day you can see all the boats leaving St Ives harbour and at very low tide this beach joins up with the Harbour beach in St Ives forming a bigger beach, although if you do this please be careful as the tide can come in quickly.
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Porthmeor Cove is set in the rugged West Cornwall coast somewhere in between Sennen and St Ives and is about as remote as you can possibly get a beach in Cornwall and in summer is a haven to escape the busy streets of St Ives. The foreshore is mainly composed of rounded rocks and boulders but towards lower tides a sandy area is revealed. There are a few other patches of sand amongst the rocks but these vary from year to year.
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Porthkidney Beach is located near the mouth of the Hayle Estuary and very close to Carbis bay. The beach itself is around a mile long and at low tide the beach connects up with Black Rock Beach creating a huge vast expanse of golden sand. This beach is great for families because of the space you have and gives the children space to play and explore. This beach is backed on by Sand Dunes which have several access points to the coastal path and just around the corner is the GWR train line with one of the most beautiful train journeys around to St Ives.
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Portheras Cove is one of West Cornwall’s gems, located in the wildest stretches of Cornish coastline and not that easy to locate means in the summer its a haven to escape the busy tourism Cornwall receives. Portheras is actually owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, the beach itself is a lovely sandy cove located at the end of a shallow valley with sheer cliffs at the northern end. Recently parts of the beach are now out of bounds because of wrecks which have left razor sharp fragments under the sand.
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Rinsey Cove is located inbetween Praa Sands and Porthleven and its off the beaten track. Owned by the National Trust but doesn’t see as much foot traffic as other National Trust beaches due to its location. Low tide shows a small sandy beach but high tide quickly takes that away and it really is a small scramble down to the beach which isn’t ideal for families. This stretch of coast is quite exposed to powerful swells so given the remoteness and lack of lifeguard cover care should be taken if you fancy a dip.
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Porthallow Beach is located in West Cornwall, situated in the east side of the Lizard Peninsula. Porthallow was once a busy fishing village thriving life and full of fishing boats on the pebble beach. The pub which overlooks the beach is named the “Five Pilchards”. Today there are still a few working boats left here, and you will often see them pulled up on the beach, as it doubles as the harbour.
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Polurrian Beach is located just south of Poldhu Cove and just north of Mullion Cove, you can get the best view of this beach from the headland inbetween Mullion Cove. The beach at low tide is a vast golden sandy beach with high cliffs either side providing shelter away from the breeze but the beach is west facing meaning you will get the Atlantic winds coming at you and the surf here can get quite good depending on what the swell and weather is doing. During the summer months there is a lifeguard service – but only at weekends. So if you do fancy a dip take care or make sure it is on a weekend during the summer holidays.
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Polpeor Cove has a small beach located just to the right of Lizard Point, you may have seen this beach on old pictures of the Old Lizard Lifeboat Station which is located right on the beach with everything still intact. The beach is dark grey and isn’t great or even suitable for swimming, last time i checked there was still one fisherman using this cove as a working cove hauling the crab pots and catching mackerel from here!
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Pentreath Beach is located just a short walk away from the famous Kynance Cove. This beach is west facing meaning its exposed to the Atlantic swells making it a great surfing beach if you can get your surfboard here as its typically also a quiet beach because of the lack of car parking. During high tide, Pentreath Beach becomes just a pebble beach and then at low tide it transforms into a much sandier stretch. In winter, the beach is typically rockier, with cliff falls are a hazard.
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Newlyn’s Tolcarne Beach is located just to the right of the harbour but during high tide you may only see stones but at low tide it reveals a large sandy beach which is frequently visited by the Cornish seals. This beach also looks out to Mounts bay with St Michael’s Mount in the distance. This beach isn’t suited great for families as it doesn’t have much facilities nearby but it can be a great beach just to chill at or watch the boats come in and out of the harbour! It’s also very close to Newlyn Orion Gallery.
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Nanjizal Beach, located in remote West Cornwall, is a small and secluded hidden gem that remains unspoiled and retains its natural cornish charm. With no facilities in sight, the beach’s pristine and untouched beauty brings visitors from far and wide. It is a haven for wildlife, especially birds with a variety of bird species such as Chiffchaff, Whitethroat, and Blackcap. The marine wildlife here is vast too with the recent addition of Bluefin Tuna to the county.
Nanjizal is known for its turquoise waters and incredible natural stone formations. On the north side of Nanjizal beach, you’ll see the famous Diamond Horse stands out. Characterized by a sparkling quartz vein that catches the sunlight. On the south side of Nanjizal, the magnificent rock arch known as ‘Zawn Pyg’ or ‘Song of the Sea’ adds to the dramatic landscape with many visitors flocking to the area for pictures in front of the ‘Song of the Sea’. Nanjizal Beach’s crystal clear waters and the rugged landscape that surrounds it beams an unmatched atmosphere and relatively low footfall make it a great destination for walkers along the south west coastal path.
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Mexico Towans Beach is directly in the middle of Hayle’s 4 miles of golden sand. This part of the beach is backed on by high sand dunes which are covered in marram grass but there are a couple of access points up and down the dunes. When the tide is out it shows off how big this beach is and despite the size it doesn’t get too busy during summer so there is plenty of room for the family and children to roam around.
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Longrock Beach is a great family beach as there is very little waves and the golden stretch of sand is easily accessible from the town and there is a good sized car park on the right making this beach a choice of many families during the summer. Towards the car park section of the beach this offers some shelter from the wind whilst also being a little sandier above the tide line. Swimming here is particularly safe as it takes a lot of walking to get into even waist deep water.
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Loe Bar beach is located in between Porthleven and Poldhu Cove and is one of the largest natural freshwater lakes in Cornwall and the sandy bar is what separates that and the sea. This was originally a mouth of the River Cober which lead to an old harbour in Helston but by the 13th century the bar cut off the connection between the both and made the harbour redundant. The bar is made up mostly of flint although it is uncertain where this comes from as the nearest onshore source is over 120 miles away. There is also a reasonable extent of sand between the Pool and the bar.
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Lankidden Cove is located in West Cornwall situated between Coverack and Kennack Sands. This hidden cove can only beach reached from the coastal path from Kennack Sands around a mile away and is usually not as busy as other surrounding beaches due to its location. Lankidden Cove is a typical Cornish Cove with beautiful turquoise waters with golden sand broken up by large rocky outcrops. As with much of the Lizard the rocks here are unique with red serpentine running throughout them. Lankidden cove is south east facing, meaning its sheltered from the wild Atlantic winds by huge Iron age cliffs.
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Lamorna Cove Beach sits at the bottom of a wooded valley situated between Mousehole and Porthcurno. Behind the beach are small cute cottages and when you arrive into Lamorna it looks like something out of Poldark, as you come towards the beach you’ll notice a small sand and pebble beach at the foot of the slipway when the tide is low, but nothing to speak of as the tide comes in. This is a popular beach for swimming and there is also good scuba diving to be had off the coast here. However, there is no lifeguard service here so caution is advised
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Kenneggy Cove Beach is a large sandy beach which you could access from a cliff path with metal ladders but recently due to coastal erosion this access has been closed for your safety but you can access the beach at low tide from nearby coves but please take care if you do visit as high tide swallows the beach whole and it can be dangerous!
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Kennack Sands Beach is located in West Cornwall and is situated in between Coverack and Lizard Point. Despite being in the sheltered side of the Lizard Peninsula this fairly remote location is actually very popular due to being such a family friendly beach. Low tide this beach is huge and features all the family friendly things for children like a stream, rock pools and plenty of facilities like toilets and a cafe for convenience. As Kennack Sands beach faces west its considerably warmer than most other beaches in the area but another thing, this beach is popular with surfers when the conditions are good, during summer its a great beach to learn to surf on.
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Housel Bay Beach is located just a short walk away from Lizard Point is this stunning bay set at the bottom of dark derpentine cliffs you will find a sretch of golden sand with the clearest turquoise water imaginable. The beach here is relatively sheltered, particularly considering it is within a stone’s throw of the most southerly point in mainland Britain. The high cliffs also provide plenty of cover from the wind. Backing on to the beach is a tall cliff with Housey Bay Hotel on the back with a small garden. Surrounding the bay is beautiful coastal walks to the Lizard or to Cadgwith Cove! be careful if you can become cut off at higher tides
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Hendra Beach is located inbetween Helston and Penzance, actually its connected to Praa Sands beach and makes up 1/2 of the huge beach. Its golden sandy beach sees less foot traffic than Praa Sands due to there not being any car park and a lengthy walk away from the car park therefore in summer can be a lot quieter than Praa Sands. An amazing family friendly beach provides everything you need but the facilities are a long walk away if you need them so make sure you check you have everything before walking down to Hendra. The left hand side of the beach is great for rock pooling and fishing, perfect to keep the children busy.
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Gwynver Beach is derived from Gwynevere of Authurian legend and it does have some mystic beauty about it. This beach is situated on the North end of Sennen beach at the base of a grassy cliff and just about secluded so it doesn’t get busy. The beach itself is sandy and around 150 meters long and at high tide the beach slopes steeply into the sea and can be dangerous, but at low tide the Gwenver joins up with Sennen Beach
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Gwithian Beach is a part of the longest beach in Cornwall, the total length comes to around 4 miles of golden sandy beach and great for families with tons of space and features all through the beach including rock pools filled with Cornish marine life. This beach is also very popular with surfers giving perfect conditions for all types of waves from beginners to long time surfers. A famous surf spot if called ‘Sheep Dips’ which refers to a large pool formed between two big sets of rocks.
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Gunwalloe Beach sits between the Lizard and Porthleven and is owned by the National Trust. This Cove holds a good stretch of golden sand which is backed on by gently sloping grassy dunes and the most famous bit of this beach is the church tucked away in the northern end. Gunwalloe church is where the beach gets its name, named after the early Breton missionary, St Winwaloe, and the squat little bell tower is actually separate from the main church.
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Eastern Green Beach is situated right outside the Penzance train station near some rocks named ‘Station Rocks’ and follows the curve round to meet Longrock Beach. This was once one of Cornwall’s most polluted beaches but now thanks to South West Water Clean Sweep program it is now as clean as any other beach inviting many swimmers and watersports enthusiasts. This beach is a family friendly beach which gently slopes out and very sheltered makes it perfect on those windy days, to get below waist depth in the water you may have to walk around half a mile to get out your depth. This is generally a quiet Cornwall beach.
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Coverack Beach is located in West Cornwall on the Lizard Peninsula. The beach backs on to the little fishing village of Coverack and the harbour here is one of the more photogenic ones of Cornwall with beautiful granite walls and a few wooden fishing boats nearby along with whitewashed cottages above. This remote part of the Cornish coast rarely sees much attention of a crowd beyond ones staying in the area. Low tide there is a good size of golden sand making it ideal for families but as the tide comes in this dissappears and becomes more of a rocky beach.
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Cadgwith Cove Beach is small cornish village built on fishing dating way back. The Cove is full of thatched cottages lined up at the side of the valley and the small fleet of fishing boats winched up on shingle beach. The beach is still at the centre of the village with pots at the front of the boat houses.
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Bessy’s Cove is a small secluded cove on the West Cornwall coast, situated somewhere between Perranuthnoe and Praa Sands this Cove is small in size but beautiful. During low tide it opens up a small beach which can be empty most of the time but its perfect for escaping the crowds near Praa Sands on a busy summers day. It goes without saying its not a family friendly beach as there is not enough space for the children to play or any lifeguard cover. This picturesque cove is great for snorkelling and explore Cornish marine life, also a popular fishing spot off of Cudden Point.
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Bamaluz Beach is located in the heart of St Ives and is one of the lesser known beaches, situated between the harbour and Porthgwidden. The beach offers sheltered cover with high walls which can also block out the sun, the only thing at high tide there is a small beach left which can fit no more than maybe 15 people on and in spring it can almost disappear from your very own eyes. This beach is also just below the famous St Ives Museum. Bamaluz is a fairly friendly family beach but there is no lifeguard cover or much room for the children to play and there isn’t really any surf here apart from when there’s big northerly Atlantic swells.
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St Ives Harbour Beach is as you would imagine, located in the heart of St Ives and missed by many summer time tourists, these crystal clear waters mixed with golden sand are perfect for swimming around the harbour or even paddle boarding. Being in the heart of St Ives you have all the facilities you need, from toilets, cafes, pasty shops and much more. This is also perfect for the children as being in harbour walls can be more controlled when playing in the water than being in the open sea. The harbour beach is sheltered by Smeatons Pier which protects the boats from big Atlantic swells and only the tiny waves make it past the harbour walls.
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Sennen Beach is situated just around the corner from Land’s End and is the most westernly beach in mainland Britan. Sennen faces the full force of the Atlanic Ocean making it the perfect surfing spot and when theres a storm it lives up to its name. The sand dunes here offer a shelter and is generally a little quieter on that side of the stream. Access to the beach is easy from the large car park and there are toilets here. The village centre is located just a minute or two away with a couple of shops, cafes and pub. There’s also a fairly upmarket restaurant right on the beach.
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Praa Sands Beach is located in the middle of Penzance and Helston. This is a large sandy golden beach with plenty of facilities and a seasonal lifeguard service with shops located right on the beach where you can rent surfboards. Praa Sands is a well known surf spot on Cornwall’s West Coast, and during spring there can be some great waves and they can get pretty big and more powerful than a lot of other Cornish beaches.
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Porthmeor beach is located in the center of St Ives and being one of the busier beaches during summer can be quite busy. The reason for this is once you visit you may not ever venture on a plane for another beach again, it has everything a Blue Flag beach needs hence why it has won multiple times. Porthmeor has great facilities backing on to the beach which include a cafe, bar and restaurant, don’t forget the surf shops and the toilets too!
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Porthgwidden Beach is more than often forgotten about in St Ives which makes it the perfect beach to get away from the crowds at the other popular St Ives Beaches. It does benefit from being sheltered unlike many others and sits between the Island and Harbour which is positioned perfectly to block out any wind from either direction. Although there isn’t much lifeguard cover there are plenty of other facilities nearby, including a great cafe overlooking the beach.
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Porthcurno Beach is one of the most notorious beaches in Cornwall and you can really see why this near white golden sand meets crystal clear waters with rugged granite cliffs as backdrops sets a picture almost like a movie scene and it doesn’t feel like you’re in the UK. Not only is the sand look special but it actually is very few beaches in Cornwall have this type of sand but another one would be Porthmeor beach. The sand is made up of seashells pounded to smithereens by the sea over millions of years it is quite unique and is partly responsible for the beautiful colour of the sea here.
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Polurrian Beach is located just south of Poldhu Cove and just north of Mullion Cove, you can get the best view of this beach from the headland inbetween Mullion Cove. The beach at low tide is a vast golden sandy beach with high cliffs either side providing shelter away from the breeze but the beach is west facing meaning you will get the Atlantic winds coming at you and the surf here can get quite good depending on what the swell and weather is doing. During the summer months there is a lifeguard service – but only at weekends. So if you do fancy a dip take care or make sure it is on a weekend during the summer holidays.
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Polpeor Cove has a small beach located just to the right of Lizard Point, you may have seen this beach on old pictures of the Old Lizard Lifeboat Station which is located right on the beach with everything still intact. The beach is dark grey and isn’t great or even suitable for swimming, last time i checked there was still one fisherman using this cove as a working cove hauling the crab pots and catching mackerel from here!
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Perranuthnoe Beach is one of the quieter beaches in West Cornwall this means its reasonably popular with the locals, we’re not sure why its one of the quieter ones as its a stunning golden sandy beach with a charming backdrop of an unspoilt village. During low tide Perranuthnoe opens up and you can see why its a local firm favourite, vast open space with golden sand and uncovered rock pools allow for endless hours of fun but watch out for high tide as the water reaches up to the cliff edge leaving no room for a beach which means you have to plan your trips around the tides!
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Mexico Towans Beach is directly in the middle of Hayle’s 4 miles of golden sand. This part of the beach is backed on by high sand dunes which are covered in marram grass but there are a couple of access points up and down the dunes. When the tide is out it shows off how big this beach is and despite the size it doesn’t get too busy during summer so there is plenty of room for the family and children to roam around.
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Marazion Beach is located right in front of St Michaels Mount and directly in front of Marazion village with great parking spaces on the front along with facilities making this beach a great family friendly beach with clean water, lifeguard patrol through the summer and backing on to the beach is a childrens playground. Towards the town end the beach becomes rockier after which there are a series of small rocky coves. It is from this end of the beach that you can walk over to St Michael’s Mount at low tide along a stone causeway.
Marazion beach is about a mile long, starting infront of the town and curving round to the Station House pub and the bay continues for another 2 miles into neighbouring beach Long Rock Beach.
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Hendra Beach is located inbetween Helston and Penzance, actually its connected to Praa Sands beach and makes up 1/2 of the huge beach. Its golden sandy beach sees less foot traffic than Praa Sands due to there not being any car park and a lengthy walk away from the car park therefore in summer can be a lot quieter than Praa Sands. An amazing family friendly beach provides everything you need but the facilities are a long walk away if you need them so make sure you check you have everything before walking down to Hendra. The left hand side of the beach is great for rock pooling and fishing, perfect to keep the children busy.
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Gwithian Beach is a part of the longest beach in Cornwall, the total length comes to around 4 miles of golden sandy beach and great for families with tons of space and features all through the beach including rock pools filled with Cornish marine life. This beach is also very popular with surfers giving perfect conditions for all types of waves from beginners to long time surfers. A famous surf spot if called ‘Sheep Dips’ which refers to a large pool formed between two big sets of rocks.
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Gunwalloe Beach sits between the Lizard and Porthleven and is owned by the National Trust. This Cove holds a good stretch of golden sand which is backed on by gently sloping grassy dunes and the most famous bit of this beach is the church tucked away in the northern end. Gunwalloe church is where the beach gets its name, named after the early Breton missionary, St Winwaloe, and the squat little bell tower is actually separate from the main church.
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Coverack Beach is located in West Cornwall on the Lizard Peninsula. The beach backs on to the little fishing village of Coverack and the harbour here is one of the more photogenic ones of Cornwall with beautiful granite walls and a few wooden fishing boats nearby along with whitewashed cottages above. This remote part of the Cornish coast rarely sees much attention of a crowd beyond ones staying in the area. Low tide there is a good size of golden sand making it ideal for families but as the tide comes in this dissappears and becomes more of a rocky beach.
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Church Cove is situated in West Cornwall, somewhere between Cadgwith Cove and Lizard Point. This small cove was once a little fishing cove with boats being used within it, still in the cove are a few cottages which lead to the slipway. You can still find boats here from time to time but it’s not used for commercial purposes anymore. Low tide you can sometimes see a small patch of sand at the lower end of the slipway but this soon disappears when the tide comes in. Surrounding Church Cove are many beautiful coastal walks and vantage points to overlook the Cove from
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Carbis bay Beach is located inbetween the popular seaside town of St Ives and Hayle, this wide sandy beach is actually a private beach owned by the Hotel which backs on to it which gives it great facilities making it a very popular family friendly beach as it also benefits from the surrounding cliffs for shelter. Surfing isn’t really a big thing on Carbis Bay as it requires a srong northerly swell but when there is its usually popular with bodyboarders as the waves can be quite wedgy and dumpy.
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Cadgwith Cove Beach is small cornish village built on fishing dating way back. The Cove is full of thatched cottages lined up at the side of the valley and the small fleet of fishing boats winched up on shingle beach. The beach is still at the centre of the village with pots at the front of the boat houses.
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