Discover St Austell

Par Sands is a sheltered sandy shallow dropping beach with sand dunes.Car park, shop, cafe and toilets.Dogs allowed.

Dodman Point is a 400-foot (120 m) high headland that was once an Iron Age promontory fort. At its seaward end is a large granite cross, erected to help protect shipping from this headland. It is mentioned in the shanty Spanish Ladies. Below the large stone cross, there is a way down to the bottom of the small cliffs and there is some climbing there on the faces. Mainly bouldering as it is rarely climbed and so there are no fixed anchor points.

Mevagissey is a working harbour that at low tide has a beach which acts as a good break whilst visiting Mevagissey. If you want a true family beach travel to one of the others very close by. Car parks and all facilities of the town. We have no dog information for Mevagissey Habour beach.

Portmellon beach is in a small cove with a sand and shingle beach at low tide. Facilities include pub, slipway and pimited parking nearby, more car parks in Mevagissey (20 minute walk).

Spit beach is a small beach tucked in-between the China Clay Driers and the eastern end of Carlyon Bay Golf Course. No facilities.

Charlestown is an unspoilt example of a late Georgian working port, still being used today. It offers two beaches on either side of the harbour. The harbour dates back to between 1791 and 1801 when Charles Rashleigh a member of the local landowning family, built it in response to the growth of the local mining industry. Originally built to export copper and import coal, it was soon being used for the export of China Clay. Today the port town remains unspoilt and retains much of its original Georgian character. This has lead to Charlestown being a popular location for film and television, and to some extent this has probably helped subsidise its existence and prevent development. Some of it’s credits include Poldark, Hornblower and Mansfield Park. As well as being a harbour location Charlestown capitalises on it’s past by hosting a fleet of square riggers ships. There are usually at least one of these magnificent ships in the harbour adding to the overall character. The Shipwreck, Rescue and Heritage Centre is located in one of the old China Clay buildings and centre contains a number of exhibits relating to Charlestown’s maritime past along with more general shipwreck salvage from Cornwall’s coast. The two beaches sit either side of the harbour and parking and all facilities within Charlestown are within easy reach.

Great Perhaver beach is just along the coast from Gorran Haven, lovely sandy beach with lots of rocks for kids to explore only accessible by boat or very steep and muddy footpath from field above the beach. No beach at high tide. Closest facilities are at Gorran Haven. We have no dog information for Great Perhaver beach.

Porthluney Cove a sheltered sandy beach part of Caerhays Castle estate. The beach backs onto the castle and gardens. Facilities include toilets, car park and shop.

Polstreath beach is fine sand and split in two by a stack, the smaller beach is known as Little Polstreath. The beach offers good swimming and a quieter alternative to Mevagissey around the corner. Hard to get to for the elderly and those with young children as the climb back up from the beach is quite steep. No facilities, nearest are in Mevagissey. We have no dog information for Polstreath beach.

Porthpean beach, a sheltered sandy beach with rock pools popular with families that can get busy. Safe for swimming, sailing and windsurfing. No jet-skiing allowed. Facilities include toilets, small car park and slipway (sailing boats).

Vault beach, also known as Bow beach, a wide sand/shingle beach backed by heather covered cliffs. The cliffs at Dodmans Point rise to 110m. No facilities at Vault, nearest at Gorran Haven.

Carlyon Bay is actually three beaches in one, to the west is Crinnis beach, in the middle is Shorthorn beach and to the east is Polgaver beach. This is a popular coast location backed by cliffs just outside of St Austell on Cornwall’s south coast. The beach has temporary toilets, pop-up eateries and car parking although the car park can get full early on a hot summer day.