Metal detecting is permitted on Council owned beaches. There is a list of these below. You do not need a permit to do this.
Where a beach is leased out we advise you to seek permission from the beach leaseholder as well. In most instances they will manage the café on site.
Where the Council only own between MHW (mean high water) – MLW (mean low water) then permission from the landowner above this point is also required.
Council owned beaches
Council owned beaches where metal detecting can be done are:
- Long Rock
- Wherrytown
- St Ives Harbour
- Porthmeor (leased out)
- Porthminster (leased out)
- Porthgwidden (leased out)
- Praa Sands (MHW – MLW)
- Gyllyngvase (leased out)
- Castle Beach (leased out)
- Swanpool (leased out)
- Porthtowan
- Portreath (only right hand side of watercourse is owned by CC)
- Widemouth (only North of Black Rock is permitted)
- Harlyn
- Treyarnon (MHW – MLW)
- Porthcothan (MHW – MLW)
- Mawgan Porth (MHW – MLW)
- Whipsiderry (but not on the cliffs)
- Porth (but not on Trevelgue Head)
- Tolcarne (MHW – MLW)
- Great Western (MHW – MLW)
- Towan (MHW – MLW)
- Little Fistral
- Fistral (MHW – MLW)
- Downderry
- Seaton
- Hannafore
- Readymoney
- Par
- Porthpean
Where metal detecting is not permitted
Metal detecting is not permitted on beaches which have an SSSi (Site of Special Scientific Interest) attached to them.
If a beach is not on the list above it either has an SSSi, or is a private beach.
Cornwall Council does not permit metal detecting on any of its other open spaces or grassed verges.
Report your finds
If you find anything while metal detecting you should report your finds to the Portable Antiquities Scheme.
You should report wreck material, for example parts of a ship or its cargo, to the Receiver of Wreck.
