Dog-friendly beaches to enjoy in Cornwall
WalksCornwall is a county of splendour and magnificence, not to mention the location of some of the best beaches in the UK. Visiting the stunning county will allow you to immerse yourself in the beauty of the local area as well as taking in the stunning opportunities that surround you. Beaches are a huge attraction for the hundreds of thousands of people that visit every year, many of those bringing their four-legged friends with them.
Our Cornwall hotel and spa is the perfect resting place for you and your doggies if you’re planning to visit Cornwall as we have dedicated dog-friendly rooms, and this guide will tell you which locations you should visit for some dog-friendly beach adventures.
Situated right on the doorstep of St Michaels Resort, Gylly Beach is the sandy jewel in Falmouth's crown. One of only a handful of blue-flag Cornish beaches, Gylly is famous for its (usually) calm waters, making it one of the best paddleboarding locations in the whole of the UK. It's flat nature also makes it the paw-fect place for pups to splash in the shallows.
Gylly isn’t dog-friendly all year round and four-legged friends aren’t allowed on the sand between 15th May and 30th September between 10am and 6pm and it is dog-friendly for the rest of the year.
Easily walkable via the coast path from Gylly, this popular cove is located on the outskirts of Falmouth, around a mile and a half from the town centre. Swanpool isn't the biggest beach, but it more than makes up for it with natural beauty.
Dogs are welcome on the beach all year round as long as they are kept under control, and are cleared up after to avoid any unwanted mess.
A little further around the coast from Swanpool is the quiet, picturesque Maenporth. Loved by locals, high cliffs either side provide shelter from the elements and low tides expose rockpools galore.
You can find the village of Praa Sands roughly halfway between the towns of Helston and Penzance. The main feature is its glorious, extensive white-sanded beach, which stretches for around a mile between Hoe Point in the west and Rinsey Head in the east.
Miles of golden sand in every direction, shelter from the wind brought by nearby cliffs and seemingly endless rockpools await at Gwithian beach.
As well as being popular with dog-owners, you'll also find locals taking to the waves with excellent surfing conditions due to its more exposed nature.
A secret beach tucked away in the coves of the south coast is Polgwidden Cove. Described by Into Cornwall: “Polgwidden Cove is a shingle beach on the northern side of the Helford River with views stretching out to the open sea. It lies at the end of the valley containing Trebah Gardens. The beach is also known as Trebah Beach. A privately-owned beach but open to the public who can access it when visiting Trebah Gardens. The Cornwall coast path passes the beach but does not give access to it.”
Dogs are allowed at the beach all year round and the quiet, secluded nature of the beach makes it a great option for those who want a quiet walk.