Best Beaches in Cornwall

We have been to Cornwall quite a few times, these are our favourite beaches.

Tintagel Haven

We did not get chance to come here but plan to next time. Most people visit Tintagel because of the legends of King Arthur and the mythical Camelot castle. However, there is also a very cool beach sat in a protected cove surrounded by high cliffs, just below the castle ruins. When the tide’s out you can enjoy the sandy beach, or alternatively explore Tintagel’s caves, including the 100m passage that is ‘Merlin’s Cave’.

Porthcothan

We stayed above this beach on our stag-hen. There is a cliff top walk which we loved and would walk Barney on every morning, as well as the beach itself. This beach holds special memories for us as it’s where Barney managed to break Phoebe’s finger, unintentionally of course. It’s an expansive beach between two cliffs protecting it from the elements.

Watergate Bay

Phoebe had heard about this beach so many times we had to finally visit and it did not disappoint. It’s so long and there was so much to explore. Barney even went on a baby jog with Phoebe on the way back.

Fistral Bay

Fistral is a beach we have been to a few times over the years of visiting Cornwall. Located right on the shores of Newquay this is one of the most famous beaches in Cornwall. Fistral is the heart of Cornwall’s surfing scene as well as this beach being a great family beach. It has stunning sunsets too and is definitely worth a visit at the end of your day.

Crantock Beach

We hadn’t been here till our latest trip but it is one of our favourites now. We visited in the evening and it was so peaceful on many occasions. The water is warm and the sand is long. There were plenty of people in the water swimming, surfing or paddle boarding.

Perranporth

Perranporth is a large expansive beach with rockpools and a clifftop walk. Lots of surfers visit here to enjoy the large amount of space. We enjoy a walk along the beach here, once you go past the main enterance to the beach and round to the right the beach opens out with a lot less people.

Portreath

We came and watched the sunset here, we were not alone. It is a great beach to walk along and even has a tidal pool tucked in the rocks next to the harbour wall on the right hand side, you need to do a bit of climbing over rock pools to reach this little lagoon.

Gwithian

We came here twice in one day, in the morning and in the afternoon. It is popular with body borders, we went for a swim on the afternoon trip. It’s the longest beach in Cornwall to our knowledge and has some great views.

Porthcurno

This is a little idyllic beach next to the Minak Theatre, it was very popular for the small beach it was. We had a little stroll down but it was to busy for us to enjoy so we didn’t stay long. I think it is best to visit early so you can get a good spot for the day.

Kyzance Cove

This is an exceptionally beautiful beach. We arrived later in the day and it was packed so we didn’t venture in to the beach itself and stayed up on the cliffs. We want to visit again to go on the beach, it looked perfect for a swim. There are a lot of steps down to the beach so please be wary if you are unfit or have limited mobility.

Porthpean

Porthpean is a beach we’ve been to a couple times, it’s very popular with locals for paddle boarding, swimming and boating. Phoebe took Barney in the sea for the first time here. He definitely wasn’t sure about it on his first go but did a great job swimming.

Lantic Bay

Lantic Bay is a national trust beach located on the east coast. It’s quite the climb to get down to it but I’m sure it would be worth it. We didn’t make the walk down we stayed on the cliffs instead overlooking the beach.

Whitsand Bay

This is Phoebe’s favourite beach in Cornwall. She found it on our first trip together to Cornwall and we’ve been back a few times since. You have to go down a cliff to get to it, there are steps most of the way down and then a rope to get down the last bit. During summer there are also lifeguards located on the beach. It’s never been busy when we have visited and it’s just such a beautiful spot to spend some time. Even a little walk along the cliffs is great for when the tide is high.