Local Beaches

Red flower clipart
Buckets and spades at the ready for all the family!

Cornwall has miles and miles (and miles) of beaches. Some are right on our doorstep and others are worth travelling a little further afield for. These are our tried-and-tested local favourites:


Porthluney Cove Beach, St Austell

Our local favourite (approx. 20 mins drive from Bosinver). Part of the Caerhays Estate, this is an excellent, south-facing safe family beach, with plenty of room for beach games. There are rock pools to explore, and it doesnโ€™t get crowded, even in summer. Easy parking, right behind the beach. Seasonal cafe and toilet facilities. Dogs welcome all year round

Porthpean Beach (St Austell Bay)

Porthpean is a popular family beach with safe bathing. There are plenty of lovely rockpools to explore at low tide. Make sure you check the tide times before you go as the sand disappears at high tide. Car park nearby with easy access. Refreshments and toilets available. Seasonal dog ban.

Polkerris Beach (St Austell Bay), Fowey

A small, attractive west-facing cove sheltered by the harbor wall. You can also book watersports lessons or hire boats and equipment from the Polkerris Beach Company Donโ€™t miss Samโ€™s on the Beach, a laid-back, family friendly restaurant set in the old lifeboat station. Fantastic pizzas! Parking is a short walk from beach. Shop, cafe and toilets available. Seasonal dog ban.

Portholland Beach

Two small beaches of grey stones and rocky outcrops make up beaches of these twin villages. Check the tide times before you go, as these beaches are completely covered at high tide. Parking and toilets available at East Portholland. Dogs welcome all year round.

Pentewan Beach

Over half a mile of sand surrounded by Pentewan caravan park. The beach is east facing, with easy access. The Ship Inn is a small, friendly pub with a beer garden overlooking the harbor. Good for a classic pub lunch or a beer as the sun goes down. Parking at Pentewan caravan park (small charge for parking and facilities). Refreshments and toilets available. Seasonal dog ban.

Par Sands Beach

Par Sands is a large south-facing beach with dunes, which is popular in the summer. Itโ€™s great for kids, as itโ€™s very flat and shallow for a long way out, making it ideal for paddling. Parking right by the beach. Refreshments and toilets available. Dogs welcome all year round.

Charlestown Beach

A large, stony safe private harbour beach. Parking in Charlestown โ€“ itโ€™s a short walk down to the beach. Refreshments and toilets available. Dogs not allowed on Charlestown Beach at any time of the year.

Gorran Haven Beach (Dodman Point), St Austell

An east-facing, sandy beach, popular with families. Thereโ€™s a great 20 minute walk along the coast path to the nearby mile-long Vault Beach. Large car park nearby, 5 mins walk to the beach. Small beach shop and toilets. Dogs welcome all year round.

Further afield

The Roselandย is a hidden gem. Tucked away from the main A30/A390 it is often overlooked and much quieter than many of the beaches elsewhere. There are beautiful beaches galore โ€“ Pendower, Porthcurnick, St Mawesโ€ฆ Why not go and see for yourselves?

And of course,ย the north coast, beloved of surfers around the country, is only half an hourโ€™s drive away. Try Perranporth, Watergate Bay, Fistral or Polzeath for huge, sweeping sandy beaches and beautiful views.

Cornwall has its own micro-climate and the weather conditions can vary from coast to coast so if youโ€™d like to check the weather when planning your day then please see Farmer Daveโ€™s weather board outside reception โ€“ or if you want some reassurance on the accuracy (!) then click here for the BBC weather forecasts for our area:

South Coast (St Austell) weather

North Coast (Newquay)

Also tide times are important when visiting beaches so please check them here:

Falmouth tide times

Newquay tide times

Beach safety

Hereโ€™s some great advice from the RNLI on how toย stay safe on the beach โ€“ have fun, stay safe!

Please be aware that swimming in the sea can be dangerous and is safest on lifeguarded beaches between the red and yellow flags. Do also be aware of the possibility of rip currents โ€“ for more information on how to recognise them and what to do should you get caught in have a look at this great little video:

Two children walking towards the coast with a kite in Cornwall on a sunny day.
Follow the well trodden
Cornish coast path

The beauty of Bosinver’s location is just how easy it is to get to the fantastic Cornish coast. ย Make sure you pack your walking boots to tackle some of the the incredible 330 miles of coast path that snakes around the peninsula.

Red cow with a red heart clipart

The very latest from the bosinver team


Action Nan and the rest of the team are always busy writing posts that we think you’ll like – from top tips on where to take the kids, to what’s likely to be going on in the local area when you stay – we’ve got it all in our blog!