Porthcurno Beach is a beautiful white sand, southeast facing beach in the western corner of the very lovely Porthcurno Bay. The beach has some protection by the cliffs on either side but the beach has a deep shelf into the sea at high tide that adults would find a challenge and so care must be taken with children.
Facilities at the beach include car park, toilets, cafe and lifeguard patrols during the summer, with access to the beach along a hard path through the trees from the car park.
This is a popular location as we would also suggest a visit to the Minack Theatre in the cliffs to the west and if you have time to the east Pedn Vounder Beach and the famous Logan Rock. This popularity does mean the car park can get very busy as a number of visitors use it to visit the theatre and museum rather than spending the day on the beach.
Porthcurno beach has seasonal dog restrictions, check signs on the beach.
Water samples are taken at regular intervals during the bathing season and at the end of the season the water quality is classified as:
Excellent: the highest classification meaning the water is cleanest
Good: generally good water quality
Sufficient: meets minimum standards
Poor: You are advised not to swim. The beach will stay open and an action plan should be in place to improve the water quality.
Our tide forecast for Porthcurno Beach in Cornwall.
Our weather forecast for Penwith Peninsula in Cornwall is split into two widgets. The first shows a timeline containing temperature, wind, sunrise/sunset and chance of rain, whilst the second shows the forecast for the week ahead including severe weather alerts when available.
In this 'you may also like' section we attempt to answer what else can I do? Here you have a list by order of being the closest some more beaches, things to see and do, places to eat and upcoming events.
Bamaluz beach is a small sandy beach with large boulders that all but disappears at high tide. Within St Ives this is the beach for allowing dogs and so is typically used exclusively by dog owners. The beach itself is situated just north of the harbour wall and bellow St Ives Museum. You have car parking and facilities within St Ives Read more…
Lamorna Cove has a small granite harbour (quay) and beach, the beach is pebble with some sand at low tide. Popular location for divers and swimmers. Car park, toilets, cafe, slipway. We have no dog information for Lamorna Cove beach. Read more…
Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens is a beautiful sheltered valley near Penzance, surrounded by woods, streams and dramatic 22-acre exotic and sub-tropical garden. The gardens provide the perfect backdrop to art, with internationally renowned artists creating permanent works, all harmonising with their garden setting. Facilities include a cafe, design shop, toilets, car parking and well-behaved dogs are welcome on a lead throughout Read more…
Perran Sands or Perranuthnoe beach is a flat beach with sand except at high tide when it all the beach disappears leaving a few pebbles. Good surfing beach and boasts a reef break along with the beach break. Perranuthnoe has remained undeveloped, with car park, one pub, an art and craft centre and a small cafe catering for beachgoers. Read more…
The Rockpool is a café bar standing in the dunes of Gwithian and Godrevy. The food includes fresh local seafood along with proper burgers and a large selection of drinks. The restaurant also hosts a wide range of events and can be hired for private functions. Dogs on leads are very welcome too! Read more…
St Ives Bay has two main areas. The town beaches on the St Ives side of the estuary and then the long beach on the Hayle side of the estuary. The Hayle side has 3 miles of sandy beach backed by sand dunes (“Towans”) and cliffs. The beach stretches from St Ives estuary up to Godrevy beach, just off the Read more…
Porthgwarra beach is a secluded small beach located within a small fishing village. Time your visit correctly as only a small beach available at low tide with an array of interesting rock pools and caves. One cave runs through part of the cliff; there is a rope to hang on to as it’s slippery. Facilities include parking in the village Read more…
Porthgwidden beach is a small sandy sheltered beach to the north of St Ives harbour. The beach is backed by grass slopes and beach huts and as well as the sand you have some interesting rocks to explore. The beach is positioned within the town between the bigger St. Ives beaches and more visitors tend to head to these bigger Read more…
For nearly 100 years Pendeen Lighthouse has been guiding passing vessels and warning of the dangerous waters around Pendeen Watch. From Cape Cornwall the coast runs NE by E towards the Wra, or Three Stone Oar, off Pendeen. From here the inhospitable shore continues for a further eight miles or so to the Western entrance of St. Ives Bay, the Read more…
Land’s End is the most south westerly point of mainland Britain on the Penwith peninsula, a unique location with beautiful scenery. Land’s End has a particular resonance because it is often used to suggest distance. Land’s End to John o’ Groats in Scotland is a distance of 838 miles (1,349 km) by road and defines the length of races, walks Read more…
The Telegraph Museum tells the story of how submarine cables from Porthcurno beach connected all corners of the world. The Telegraph Museum along with a large collection also includes the only complete working telegraph station left in the world. Visitors can explore: Eastern House, home to the World’s biggest telegraph station from the turn of the 20th Century. Grade II listed Cable Read more…
Chysauster Ancient Village, 2,000 year old Iron Age settlement. The village of stone-walled homesteads known as ‘courtyard houses’, found only on the Land’s End peninsula and the Isles of Scilly. The houses line a ‘village street’, and each had an open central courtyard surrounded by a number of thatched rooms. There are also the remains of an enigmatic ‘fogou’ underground Read more…
Perfect after a Minack visit
Good beach and protected by the high cliffs. The sea steeps very quickly and was a problem for smaller children and we were quite nervous.
The road access was a pain as we got stuck on narrow lanes between tractors and buses.
Overall a great stop off when combined with a trip to Minack Theatre but not sure if I would just visit the beach.
Porthcurno beach has seasonal dog restrictions, check signs on the beach.
1 Review on “Porthcurno Beach (Cornwall)”
Perfect after a Minack visit
Good beach and protected by the high cliffs. The sea steeps very quickly and was a problem for smaller children and we were quite nervous.
The road access was a pain as we got stuck on narrow lanes between tractors and buses.
Overall a great stop off when combined with a trip to Minack Theatre but not sure if I would just visit the beach.