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As a dog-friendly campsite, we often get asked - what are the best beaches that allow dogs?
There is nothing worse than finally making the all-important decision of which beach to visit, only to arrive and find out the dog isn't welcome. Here is a list of beaches from Newquay to Padstow that are dog-friendly year-round;
Bedruthan Steps
Constantine Bay
Crantock
Daymer Bay
Fistral
Great Western
Harlyn Bay
Hawkers Cove
Mawgan Porth
Mother Iveys Bay
Porthcothan Bay
Towan
Treyarnon Bay
Watergate Bay
Whipsiderry
Of these here are some of our favourites;
Constantine Bay
Constantine is a stunning, wide beach backed by steep dunes and with great coast paths at either end. At high tide, there is still plenty of room to roam, and at low, a large area of rock pools emerges for exploring. If you follow the coastal path to the North you can head up to Trevose head for some fantastic views and loop back around through Trevose Golf course. To the South, you can link up with Treyarnon Bay (also dog friendly) which has a cafe in the YHA and a small beach store for snacks and drinks.
Harlyn Bay
Around the Trevose headland from Constantine is Harlyn Bay, With a pub, shop and parking all right by the beach it's convenience is hard to beat. What sets Harlyn apart from the others on the list is that it is slightly more northerly facing, and benefits from the natural shelter of the headland if its a windy day. If you want to go exploring you can head to the neighbouring beach of Mother Iveys (also dog friendly) along the cliffs. Heading past Rick Stein's old gaff you will reach Trevose head from a different direction with great views of the lifeboat station and dramatic rocks.
Mawgan Porth
A real favourite for dog walkers, at low tide Mawgan Porth offers boundless space with dramatic cliffs surrounding the beach. Be aware though, as the distance from low water to high water is large here so the tide comes in fast. If you are pitching up for the day be sure you are above high water or you might find yourself moving camp in quite a hurry! At the time of writing the amount of sand to choose from above high water is limited which means if it stays that way for summer people could well be crammed in. I will keep this up to date.
Porthcothan
My personal favourite. Porthcothan has an enclosed cosy feeling with low cliffs running down the side that opens up to a wider bay at low tide. At high tide, there is still a good amount of space at the top of the beach, with sheltered nooks to find in the dunes for some special bbq spots. If you follow the coastal path on the Southern end of the beach you will first come across Golden Burn (not sure if that's its real name) which is more of an extension of Porthcothan but gets cut off as the tide comes in. If you are up for a short walk making camp here for the day is definitely worth it.
Watergate Bay
The most well-known beach on this list. Famous for its surf and watersports Watergate is probably the largest of all the beaches mentioned. Again be wary of high tide, as the once spread out crowds will have much less choice and it can get busy. Watergate's real strength is its amenities. It has numerous surf hires, cafes and restaurants all very close to the sand. Parking and toilets are also right there.
To check the tide times click here - https://www.tideschart.com/United-Kingdom/England/Cornwall/Watergate-Bay-Beach/ this chart can be used for all the beaches mentioned as the differences between them will be a matter of seconds.
While we don't have any beaches where dogs are banned near us these beaches do not allow dogs over the summer months.
Lusty Glaze
Polzeath
Porth
Rock
St George's Cove
Tolcarne
Trevone Bay
For a full list of Cornish beaches and whether they are dog friendly or not have a look here - https://www.cornwall-beaches.co.uk/dog-friendly