Thingstodoincornwall.co.uk - Beaches & Watersports Far West Coast

From sheltered sandy beaches where children can fish for shrimps in rock pools, to the magnificent serpentine stacks of Kynance Cove, the Far West coastline offers something for everyone. If you are looking for the best beaches in England, then the Far West boasts 5 Blue Flag beaches which, having been judged on 28 stringent criteria, are de facto amongst the very best beaches in the world. These are Portminster & Portmeor at St Ives, Sennen Cove near Lands End, Porthtowan near St Agnes and Gyllyngvase beach at Falmouth.

Carbis Bay is situated between Lelant and St Ives and can be reached by road or by the small Carbis Bay train station. It offers a chance to enjoy the Cornish beach scene without all crowds of the peak season. The long broad sands that are surrounded by woods in the valley above give it a feel of privacy and seclusion.

Parking and facilities are very close to the beach and there are toilet facilities. Dogs are not permitted on the beach from Easter to end September.

Coverack The large crescent shape of Coverackjbeach make it ideal for water sports and swimming. There is parking in the village nearby. Facilities include Restaurants, cafe's, beach shop and a Post Office. Dogs are allowed all year round.

Kennack Sands is right on the tip of the Lizard Peninsula and bursting with natural beauty. It is a great beach for families and is divided into two sections by the Serpentine rocks. One side is great for would-be surfers or you can just sit and watch the professionals do it ! The other side has lots of sand, ideal for sand castles, and the rock pools are great for exploring. There is lots of shelter if needed and the cliff walks make for great exercise.

There is Disabled access to the beach, so it would also be suitable for pushchairs. There are toilets and a café. Dogs have restricted access to the beach.

Godrevy Godrevy Bay has a beautiful sandy beach that stretches from Gwethian Towans up to Godrevy Point. There are rocky parts to this beach but it has lots of sandy areas and there are excellent views right over to St Ives on a good day. It offers great facilities for the family; there is a first aid point and a lifeguard in season. When the conditions are favourable surfing here is excellent and in fact is offers surf board hire. This is also a good place to try wind surfing and canoeing. Horse riding is also very popular. It has a lost child centre and you can park just by the beach for a fee or park for free if you don’t mind a 10 minute walk. There is a restricted area for dog walking.

Praa Sands doesn’t only attract holidaymakers because of the mile and a half of sandy beaches, or the amazing sand dunes, but also because visitors of the fishy variety such as seals, dolphins and even basking sharks (not jaws) are known to visit this beach on occasion !.

Praa Sands are well known for its facilities and awareness of safety and these factors really draws people to this beach. Praa Sands is great if you want the certainty of knowing that there is a life guard on duty, a lost child centre, first aid assistance and facilities for you and your family to use like the café’s and shops. Either way, if you want to come for the water sports, they are many on offer such as surfing, wind surfing, jet skiing and canoeing.

Above the beach, the steep cliff walk is well worth it to see the view of Penzance and the Lizard peninsular.

There is disabled access so it’s no problem for pushchairs and there is restricted access for dogs.