Beaches in Cornwall

Last updated: 23/04/2013 Add to My Bookmarks Subscribe

This page provides a list of the main beaches within Cornwall that are regularly used by beach users and have a lifeguard service provided by Cornwall council. Information includes surf and water safety, amenities, beach cleaning and dogs on beaches.

Cornwall Council own some of the beaches mentioned whilst others are owned privately either by the National Trust or by private individuals.

Cornwall council contracts out its Beach Lifeguard Service to the RNLI. The main lifeguard season runs from May-September. However, this does vary from beach to beach. For advice on staying safe at the beach please view the:

Information on dog friendly beaches is available from Visit Cornwall. There is also detailed beach information for Cornish beaches, including those not managed or lifeguarded by Cornwall Council on the Cornwall beaches website.

Beaches in West Cornwall

Beaches in North Cornwall

Beaches in South Cornwall

There are 82 designated bathing waters in Cornwall in 2012. For a summary of the 2012 season's monitoring results please view our 'bathing water results' document. For full details on the bathing water quality at the beaches please visit the Environment Agency's Bathing Water Quality Results pages. Any queries relating to bathing water quality results please use the EA's Cornwall office contact email swcornwall@environment-agency.gov.uk. The Environment Agency also publish bathing water profiles that give details on features that may affect water quality on beaches.

We also have a page on any Bathing Water Quality Incidents that may occur on our beaches which we've developed as part of Bathing Water Quality Partnership between the Council, Environment Agency, South West Water and Surfers Against Sewage.

Visitors to 21 of Cornwall’s beaches can now check live bathing water quality information every day on a new Beach Live website developed by South West Water.

Beach Live gives visitors live information on risks to bathing water quality caused by overflows in the public sewage network. Overflows are rare and help protect homes from internal flooding but can affect water quality.

Working in partnership with Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), tourism bodies, beach managers and local authorities, South West Water is offering advice on overflows at 21 of the South West’s best loved beaches.

Beaches covered in Cornwall by the programme are: Summerleaze, Crantock, Gyllyngvase, Polzeath, Porthleven, Porthminster, Porthtowan, The Towans (Hayle to Godrevy), Porthmeor, Trevaunance Cove, Seaton-Looe, Rock, Porth Newquay, Fistral Bay, Perran Sands, Par, Mawgan Porth, Bude-Crooklets.

Cornwall has been awarded 6 Blue Flag 2012 Awards for its beaches. Five of these beaches are managed/owned by Cornwall Council, they are: Porthmeor, Porthminster, Gyllyngvase, Porthtowan and Polzeath. Carbis Bay has also received a Blue Flag Award this year. For further information on Blue Flag please visit ENCAMS Blue Flag Award beaches.

For information on other beaches in Cornwall that are not mentioned here, as either they're privately owned or haven't a lifeguard service please view Visit Cornwall website.