The character of Cornwall is defined by its coastline. The stereotype is one of dark headlands and swelling Atlantic waves crashing on desolate cliff faces, where swirls winds gust through coastal castles and a place where tales of secretive smugglers hole up in clandestine coves and sailors are ravaged by storms.
In part this is true, and although dreary winter months in Cornwall have a certain desolate beauty, in the summer the coastline shed its harsh, unforgiving image to reveal a wholly different appeal; sun-drenched beaches surrounded by crystal clear waters where holidaymakers and surfers flock to in their thousands to make the most of the British summer, no matter how brief it occasionally turns out to be. While the county’s myths and legends, rugged romance, quaint villages, and crumbling ruins should be enough to attract these people alone, the majority come for the dazzling sand, hidden coves and wonderful seascapes. Cornwall certainly isn’t short of them.
There are over 250 miles of coast in Cornwall, providing over 300 beaches along what is some of Britain’s most varied and stunning coastline. Despite countless trips to the southeast, I am still a long way from visiting them all but have put together a list of the beaches that are my personal favourites and the ones that I would consider unmissable.
Holywell Bay
The twin outcrops of Carter’s Rocks sit in the froth and foam of crashing waves just a quarter of a mile from the shore of Holywell Bay and give this beach its iconic backdrop, one that has been used to great effect in Poldark and the Bond blockbuster Die Another Day where it was used as a stand-in for North Korea.
Like many of Cornwall’s coves, Holywell Bay is shrouded in myth and legend. Hidden away in the southwest corner of Kelsey Head and accessible only at low tide, the multi-coloured grotto of St Cuthbert’s Cave is daubed in the blues, greens and reds of mineral deposits from an ancient spring said to have healing properties. Weather worn steps that are carved into the cave’s entrance have been used by pilgrims for centuries who brought their sick and disabled here to sip on the restorative waters.
Nowadays, the beach is relatively free of religious pilgrims and its dune-backed sands are relatively quiet due to the fact that it is a good quarter-mile walk from Holywell village. Holywell is owned by the National Trust and parking is free to Trust members.
Where to Stay Near Holywell Bay
The majority of the accommodation around Holywell Bay are rental properties and Airbnbs, but the Holywell Bay Bed & Breakfast is a beautiful little B & B located in the nearby town of Holywell, just a 20-minute walk from the bay itself. The hotel is set in set in a sheltered valley, offering a quiet, peaceful base for exploring the surrounding area.
Carbis Bay
Blue Flag status is one of the most sought-after awards that a beach can attain, reserved only for the most pristine stretches of coastline where the water is crystal clear and the highest environmental standards are met. Of the hundreds of beaches on England’s coastline, just 74 meet this high watermark and only 7 are found in Cornwall.
A Sheltered crescent surrounded by cliffs and sub-tropical palms with clear, calm waters lapping at its pristine sands, it is easy to see why Carbis Bay makes the list. My own memories of Carbis are especially fond; this was the destination of my very first trip to Cornwall for me and my friends back when we were teenagers. Staying at a caravan park that sits atop the steep road that curves down to the magnificent, sweeping beach, we spent a glorious week kicking a ball around on the sand, fishing for mackerel in the bay aboard a leaky boat with an unreliable, sputtering outboard motor, and sipping ill-gotten scrumpy (it seems that making yourself look taller and affecting on an unconvincingly deep voice will get you far in a St. Ives off license) beneath the stars. This was when we weren’t sheltering from the rain in our beach hut.
Carbis Bay is just a mile east of St Ives and can be reached on foot in just half an hour by walking along the coastal path.
Where to Stay Near Carbis Bay
The Carbis Bay Hotel, built in 1894, dominated a large portion of the waterfront real estate and is in fact one of the only British Hotels to have its own Blue Flag beach. Although the original hotel has just 38 rooms, it has since been extended and now includes luxurious beach-front lodges complete with hot tubes while the main hotel is home to a number of restaurants and a spa. Famous guests include Virginia Wolfe, who it is said was inspired by the nearby Godrevy Lighthouse when writing her most famous work, ‘To The Lighthouse’.
Watergate Bay
As the tide rolls back on the Cornish coast, Watergate Bay’s vast expanse of unbroken golden sand is revealed. Sandwiched between Trevelgue Head to the south and Stem Point in the north and backed by dramatic, rugged cliffs, this 2-mile wide beach is North Cornwall at its finest. However, don’t expect the rocky backdrop to offer much protection from the elements; the bay’s north-westerly location means that it is windswept and battered by Atlantic swells adding to its appeal for board riders and kite surfers.
If the weather does decide to take a turn for the worse, there are plenty of facilities in the small valley that approaches the bay, although they are relatively upmarket (Jamie Oliver has an outpost of his restaurant, Fifteen, here).
The beach can be accessed at several points, but I highly recommend parking at the clifftop carpark so that you can enjoy the view while descending to the sand.
Where to Stay Near Watergate Bay
Although there are a number of apartment complexes and holiday rentals sandwiched between the bay’s rocky cliffs – including The Village where you will find contemporary self-catering eco-lodges and surfside eateries such as Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall – The Watergate Bay Hotel is the only true hotel on the bay. This stylish hotel has existed in one form or another since 1905, when it was built as a railway terminus hotel. Despite being converted to an officer’s mess during WWII, it has been a hotel again since 1970 and now boasts 71 rooms, 5 restaurants/cafes, and the Extreme Academy where guests can try their hand at kayaking, kite surfing and stand up paddleboarding.
Kynance Cove
In the summer months, as the tourist hoards descend on every patch of sand around the Cornish coast (it is said that the region’s population jumps from 500,000 to almost 5 million during the summer holidays), the Lizard Peninsula – the southernmost point of this southernmost county – remains relatively untouched. Stretching just 10 miles in both length and width, the Lizard lacks the large towns and famous sights that attract visitors elsewhere, but this doesn’t mean it isn’t a very worthwhile stop on any itinerary; the craggy cliffs, hidden smuggler’s coves, tiny villages of thatched fishing cottages and harbours strewn with crab pots.
That isn’t to say that the Lizard is completely crowd-free: Mullion harbour can become busy and Porthleven is increasingly growing in popularity as a weekend break destination. However, Kynance Cove is the big draw for most people. This is Cornwall at its most picturesque, a white sand beach with crystal-clear waters surrounded by rugged rock stacks – so distinct that they have been given names like The Parlour and The Drawing Room – that is perfect fodder for oil painted fudge boxes and Poldark scenery. It’s a 15-minute walk from the car park to the sand, but the National Trust run café will reward your effort with pasties, cakes and cream teas.
Where to Stay Near Kynance Cove
If you are looking for accommodation close to Kynance Cove, Lizard – just 2 miles away and the closest village to the beach – is your best bet. Here you will find the 4-star Housel Bay Hotel, built in 1890 and picturesquely located overlooking the western approaches of the Atlantic Ocean where it meets the English Channel. There is a tidal beach can be reached directly from the property.
Fistral Beach
Newquay is a town synonymous with UK surf culture and of the town’s 11 beaches, Fistral Beach is the most iconic. It is quite simply the most consistent and best surfing beach in the UK, if not Europe, with boarders flocking from all over the country in the hope of catching big waves. It has cemented its reputation as the UK’s surf capital thanks to a constant schedule of events and competitions such the Famous Night Surf, Boardmasters Surf Championships, and the National Surf Championships.
Bookended by jutting headlands and backed by steep sand dunes, Fistral isn’t just for surfers. This 750 metre long, west-facing beach is renowned for serving up one of the southwest’s most stunning sunsets and you can pick up a beer or cocktail from the Fistral Beach Bar to enjoy while nestled in the dunes watching the orange and pink hues glowing above the Atlantic.
Where to Stay Near Fistral Beach
Being a surfer’s paradise, Newquay isn’t short on cheap, socialable hostels catering to groups of beach bums looking to catch a few waves. The hostel chain St. Christopher’s Inn has an outpost located on a clifftop overlooking Towan Beach in the centre of town. They even offer a ‘Surf and Stay’ package for those looking to hone their wave-riding skills. Elsewhere, the lively Escape Surf Lodge has 24 rooms, its own bar and an in-house Thai restaurant.
Fistral Beach Hotel and Spa is situated right next to the beach and is easily Newquay’s finest hotel for those looking to have a romantic coastal getaway.
Porthcurno Beach
If I was forced to choose one tiny slice of Cornwall my favourite and eschew all others, a decision that I certainly wouldn’t take lightly, I would be hard-pressed to select anywhere other than Porthcurno. Here, hidden by high cliffs on either side, is a tiny slither of narrow golden sand that cuts a few hundred metres inland surrounded by glimmering turquoise waters that easily surpasses any other Cornish beaches in terms of natural beauty.
It’s a beach best seen from the terraces of the nearby Minack Theatre. Meaning ‘rocky place’ in Cornish, this open-air theatre is hewn from the cliffside and attracts thousands of visitors each year who flock to watch the summertime evening performances of Shakespeare, musicals and drama.
From the Minack, the walk down to the beach is a steep one but hiking in this area is rewarding; the South West Coast Path runs right through Porthcurno and a small 3-mile hike along the cliffs will lead you through Trethewey, Penberth, and Treen.
Mawgan Porth
There isn’t a great deal to attract visitors to the clifftop village of Mawgan Porth. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery and hikers may want to wander inland along the Vale of Lanherne to the pretty hamlet of St. Mawgan with its quaint old church and tearoom. More adventurous ramblers can even trek the South West Coastal Path northwards to Padstow, passing the legendary Bedruthan Steps, through Porthcothan Bay, Treyarnon Bay and Trevose Head.
However, the beach is reason enough to make a diversion towards Mawgan Porth. Seemingly small at high tide, the beach is gradually unveiled as the water recedes, revealing a vast swathe of sand bounded by high cliffs to the north and south where you will find plenty of rock pools and caves to explore. Although the waves here aren’t high or frequent enough to rival Fistral Beach, Mawgan Porth is usually less crowded than Watergate Bay Newquay, making it a popular place to surf.
Where to Stay Near Mawgan Porth
The rugged, clifftop village of Mawgan Porth has long been taken over by holiday homes and rental apartments, meaning that finding a cottage or house to stay in beside the beach is a relatively easy task. However, the only hotel in the area is the Bedruthan Hotel & Spa, situated high above the bay with stunning views out across the Atlantic.
Marazion
The sweep of coastline that makes up Mounts Bay has a certain beauty; a wide ribbon of sodden, golden sand that is swallowed by the rising silvery-blue tide, often windswept with a lingering scent of salt and seaweed. To the west is the bustling port town of Penzance, famed for its singing pirates and geothermal pool, and to the east you will find the craggy coves of Piskies, Prussia, Kenneggy before eventually reaching the Lizard.
However, it’s the section of coastline beside the village of Marazion that appeals to me the most. On its own, it is not particularly interesting, especially when compared to the crashing waves of Lands End or the foreboding cliffs at the previously mentioned Porthcurno, but just a few hundred metres out to sea, across a causway that is only revealed at low tide, St. Michael’s mount rises dramatically from the water and gives this stretch of sand one of the most stunning backdrops found in the entire UK. On a drab and dreary day, the castle that stands atop the mount looks particularly eerie behind clouds of mist and sheets of rain, but the summer months are its time to shine, when it is possible to hire a SUP from Marazion beach and intrepid paddlers propel themselves over to the island at high tide.
Where to Stay in Marazion
While most people chose to stay in the nearby town of Penzance – just a 10-minute drive (or 1-hour walk) away – due to the fact that it is a little more interesting than Marazion in terms of dining and hotel options, there are still a good number of hotels and B&Bs beside the beach with views of St. Michaels Mount. The Godolphin Hotel is one such bolthole, with an on-site restaurant that serves local specialities including mussels, scallops, Cornish sausages and crab from nearby Newlyn Harbour, Cornish cream teas and a bar stocked with Cornish cask ales.
2 Responses
Amazing, I did not expect the beaches of Cornwall to be sandy and swimmable. Love your photographs!
Thanks, Bryson! There are some truly stunning beaches and coves in southern Cornwall!