Enjoy a beach adventure with your four-pawed friend with our pick of the best all-year dog-friendly coastal spots in Cornwall.
Bamaluz Beach
Bamaluz beach in St Ives is hidden enough that it is often missed by visitors making it a quiet place to take a load off.
Why we love it: Overlooked by the beautiful Wheal Dream tin mine and the St Ives museum, this sandy beach is tucked between Porthgwidden and St Ives harbour. Be aware that at high tide, most of the beach disappears!
Kingsand Beach
Kingsand beach on the Rame peninsula is dog friendly all year round. Overlooked by the infamous Kingsand clocktower built by George V, this pretty beach has a variety of offerings.
Why we love it: With a recommendation of excellent water quality, Kingsand has access via slopes meaning it can be enjoyed by everyone. With sand, rockpools, a harbour and a beautiful village with several pubs, what more could you ask for?!
Pedn Vounder
Made famous due to its sand bank in the middle of the sea, Pedn Vounder beach is known as one of Cornwall's most beautiful beaches due to its white sand and clear water.
Why we love it: Overlooked by the Iron Age settlement of Treryn Dinas and the Minack Theatre, Pedn Vounder has featured on Poldark. It is dog friendly all year round, with car parking a 10-minute walk away. Access to the beach is via a steep cliff.
Be aware that Pedn Vounder is also a nudist beach; one to avoid if your dog is of a sensitive nature!
Mawgan Porth
Mawgan Porth beach is a large sandy beach, halfway between Padstow and Newquay on the north Cornish coast.
Why we love it: Awarded a top prize by The Sunday Times, this sandy beach has lots of space to run and play on, as well as caves and rock pools to explore. There are bins, toilets and eateries as well as two car parks, providing all the needed facilities for a great day out!
Hawker's Cove
Often overshadowed by the famous nearby Padstow, Hawker's Cove is a large stretch of sand with excellent water quality.
Why we love it: At 1.5 miles long, Hawker's Cove provides a lot of space to run around in, especially at low tide, when the infamous Doom Bar is revealed. This sandbar, formed during Henry VIII's reign and was said to have been created by a mermaid as her dying curse, is a danger to shipping but has a notorious reputation.
The beach tends to be quiet as parking is limited, but well worth a visit for the views across the estuary and the old lifeboat station.
Gorran Haven
Gorran Haven is a beautiful beach known for its luscious sand and safe waters.
Why we love it: Set in front of the beautiful village and encompassing a small 19th century harbour, the beach has toilets, nearby parking and a slipway, making it accessible for everyone.
Seaton Beach
Seaton beach near Looe is an award-winning beach which is well looked after by Cornwall Council.
Why we love it: As it is quite sheltered, the beach is a safe place for swimming. With nearby parking, a café, toilets and disabled access, the beach has something for everyone: walks, fishing and rock pools.
Duckpool Beach
Duckpool beach is a stretch of beach surrounded by grassy cliff tops near Bude.
Why we love it: Often attracting fewer people than other beaches (it's not suitable for swimming) Duckpool the perfect place to let your dogs stretch their legs on the sand. With a car park just a short walk away, there's toilets and delicious ice cream during the high season.
Keep yourselves and your dogs out of the water due to strong currents.
This article was updated by Martha Griffiths in June 2021.
