Top 10 dog friendly beaches in Cornwall

Best dog friendly beaches

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At a guess I'd say most people who have gone to the effort of bringing their dog on holiday to Cornwall will have at some point pictured Rover bounding across the beach and frolicking in the sea. Well there's plenty of good news as the vast majority of beaches in Cornwall are dog friendly and out of season virtually all beaches allow dogs.

The seasonal dog ban on some beaches is generally from Easter day through to the 1st October. It does include some of Cornwall's best beaches and some towns are particularly non dog-friendly such as St Ives, Falmouth and Looe where you'll be hard pressed to find a beach that dogs are allowed on.

The beaches listed below are only a small sample of the many wonderful dog friendly beaches in Cornwall. For every one listed below there are nearly ten other fantastic beaches were you can take your dog anytime you want.

  • Porthkidney

    Porthkidney Sands
    Porthkidney Sands

    There doesn't seem to be any reason Porthkidney remains so quiet yet around the corner at Carbis Bay you can barely move. The only explanation I can think of is that people are scared of all the space!Just across the river mouth from Hayle's fantastic sandy beaches is Porthkidney beach. At low tide there is a vast expanse of sand here and usually hardly another soul to be seen. In fact there is probably enough room to wear out the average greyhound it's so big!
  • Trebarwith Strand

    Trebarwith Strand pool
    Trebarwith Strand pool

    Generally considered North Cornwall's premiere beach Trebarwith has it all. Lovely golden sand, rock pools galore and good surf. As the tide drops away the beach here grows into an expanse of sand backed by high cliffs with deep caves. What better way to spend an afternoon exploring with the family and dog in tow.
    There's plenty to do around the beach too with great coastal walks, places to eat and a good pub (the Port William) looking out over the beach
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  • Pedn Vounder

    Pedn Vounder
    Pedn Vounder

    Porthcurno is one of Cornwall's most iconic beaches. With its natural rock amphitheatre, white sand and azure water it's easy to see why. Unfortunately for dog owners there is a seasonal ban. Well don't despair for just around the corner is the equally beautiful Pedn Vounder beach. Also known as Treen beach this is home to the famous rocking Logan Rock. It is also one of the areas best known nudist beaches – whether that goes well with dog-friendly is another question!
    The only drawback with Pedn Vounder is access is via a steep scramble down the cliff.
  • Helford Passage

    Helford Passage beach
    Helford Passage

    The small shingle beach at Helford Passage is a great spot for you and your four-legged friend to relax and watch the world go by. Located near the mouth of the Helford river it is in fact one of the closest dog-friendly beaches to Falmouth.
    Perhaps the biggest draw to the beach here is the 300 year old Ferry Boat Inn. As well as providing the most convenient parking for the beach it is also top spot for a spot of lunch and a pint in the sunshine.
  • Holywell Bay

    Holywell Bay Beach
    Holywell Bay Beach

    Whilst most of the Newquay beaches are dog friendly I think it is worth travelling a few miles out of town to the lovely beach of Holywell Bay. If the idea of Newquay beaches in the summer with any number of dogs running around is just a little too much then Holywell might be a good alternative.
    This long stretch of sandy beach backed by high sand dunes has plenty of space to run around and lots of things to explore, from caves to streams
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  • Gorran Haven

    Gorran Haven Beach
    Gorran Haven Beach

    All of St Austell's main beaches are out of bounds to dogs in the summer. In fact three of them have all year dog bans. But, if you don't mind a short drive down the coast then this isn't a problem. Gorran Haven is a lovely sandy beach with a small harbour at one end and a pleasant little village to the rear. This is a great family beach with everything you need close at hand. It is also a great starting point for walks along the coast in either direction (and more dog friendly coves).
  • Summerleaze Beach

    Summerleaze Beach - Bude
    Summerleaze Beach - Bude

    There are a few dog friendly beaches around Bude including the town's main beach Summerleaze. At low tide the beach here is huge and you can easily walk around to neighbouring Crooklets (but not with the dog!). On the downside you won't be able to let your dog off the lead to run around during the day. However, the beach backs onto extensive grassy dunes and downs where there is plenty of space for a run around.
    Summerleaze is a good family beach with everything close at hand. It also has lots of interesting nooks and crannies to explore from the breakwater and canal on one side to the tidal swimming pool on the other.
  • Bedruthan Steps

    Bedruthan Steps Beach
    Bedruthan Steps Beach

    This National Trust owned beach is one of the natural wonders of Cornwall. It isn't the mile long stretch of golden sand that make Bedruthan special, but the impressively massive sea stacks that cross the beach like a set of giant's stepping stones.
    Despite plenty of parking and a sturdy set of steps leading down to the beach Bedruthan is always pretty quiet. So at low tide this is a great beach to let your four-legged friend run wild. However, keep an eye on the tide as it is possible to get cut off here
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  • Isles of Scilly beaches

    View to The Bar
    View to The Bar

    All the beaches on the Isles of Scilly are fantastic and all, bar two or three on St Mary's, have no dog restrictions at all. If white sand beaches stretching off into the distance, with barely a soul in sight are your thing then you'll love the Scilly Isles.
    If it really comes down to choosing I'd recommend Lawrence's Bay on St Martin's or Appletree Bay on Tresco. The only advice is make sure your dog has sea legs as you'll definitely by spending some time on boats!
  • Lantic Bay

    Boats at Lantic Bay
    Boats at Lantic Bay

    Lantic Bay is without doubt one of Cornwall's most stunning beaches. However, many people have never heard of it and most have no idea how to find it. It is in fact located somewhere between Fowey and Polperro with the easiest way to get there probably being by boat. But of course you can walk here and the best news is it's completely dog friendly. The chances are, even in the middle of summer, you will have a swathe of this beautiful beach to just you and your pooch.