Local Beaches

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Buckets and spades at the ready!

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 doesn’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 Don’t miss Sam’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. It’s great for kids, as it’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 – it’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. There’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 Roseland 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 – Pendower, Porthcurnick, St Mawes
 Why not go and see for yourselves?

And of course, the north coast, beloved of surfers around the country, is only half an hour’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 you’d like to check the weather when planning your day then please see Farmer Dave’s weather board outside reception – 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

Here’s some great advice from the RNLI on how to stay safe on the beach – 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 – 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:

Grab your walking boots
and take on the coast path

The mighty South West Coast Path snakes 660 miles around the coastline from Dorset to Somerset – the Cornish section makes up around half of that distance, how much will you be able to tick off your list? 

We include up to a whopping ÂŁ475* of Extras in your holiday!


Your young family holidays will be some of the most special you take. To make sure you get great value from your break at Bosinver, we include a whopping £475 worth of activities and facilities within the price of your holiday. So once you arrive you’ll know that you can relax and enjoy the time you spend with us without worrying about additional costs.


*When compared to similar venues that charge extra for activities, facilities and equipment.

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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!