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Beautiful beaches and secret coves near Helford Village
Cornwall is blessed with an abundance of beautiful coves and beaches and many of them are within an hour of Helford Village.
So here are just a few of the beaches we love or that we know are loved by others.
Please note that whether a beach is good/safe for swimming or surfing depends on the local conditions, your own swimming abilities/health conditions and the weather and water/rip currents at the time you go.
So please do your own research and be aware that any beach can be dangerous in the wrong conditions.
For all of these beaches if you use a Sat Nav please set your starting location as the Helford Village car park. Otherwise it will try to tell you to go up Orchard Lane which is not a suitable route and often leads to vehicles getting stuck and blocking the road.
All images taken by and copyright of B. Woolley and Waterside Hideaways.
Local beaches near Helford Village
Penarvon Cove
A lovely little pebbly beach within the Helford River and only a 10-15 minute walk from Laloma Cottage. You can paddle and swim here (no lifeguard) but the main beauty is in listening to the birdsong and the swish of the waves and looking out into the Helford River Creek. The cove is entirely surrounded by ancient woodland and is a perfect spot for a beach picnic, as always just take away everything and leave no rubbish. Dogs are also allowed on the beach all year round.
The woodland walks around the cove also lead you past a lovely little chapel that commemorates St Francis and his love of all animals and birds. The chapel is kept open for visitors to enter and there is a guest book if you want to leave a message.
Bosahan Cove
A gorgeous little sand and shingle cove surrounded by the woodland of the Bosahan Estate.
The cove is only accessible in three ways – first is via the Coast Path, you can walk there from Laloma or park at the Helford Village car park at the top of the hill and walk, it will be around a 30 minute walk from the car park.
The second way is to enter the cove using a dingy or small boat.
The third and shortest route (in Summer) is to go through Bosahan Gardens (a small fee applies), you can also park here when it is open.
Dogs are allowed on the beach, there is no lifeguard.
Helford Passage Beach
Just opposite Helford Village on the other side of the River is Helford Passage with its famous Ferryboat Inn. From Helford Village you can take the foot ferry from the Helford point (Seasonal) or drive round the creeks to get there.
The beach is a mix of shingle and sand, just watch out for boats and other river craft as it is a very busy launching point.
There is no lifeguard and dogs aren’t allowed on the beach between Easter and the end of September. As well as the pub there is a shop and toilets.
Polgwidden Cove at Trebah Gardens
The cove is open from 9.30am to 4.30pm and is only accessible through Trebah Gardens on the opposite side of the River to Helford Village. Trebah Gardens should be on your list to visit anyway with its stunning gardens and history.
The beach itself is lovely with a mix of sand and pebbles, there are also rockpools to explore. As well as natural beauty, Polgwidden Cove also has a fascinating history. In WWII the cove was used as a D-Day embarkation point for American troops as part of Operation Overlord, the largest amphibious landing in history.
Today the beach allows dogs on leads and has a beach café which serves snacks, hot and cold drinks and Roskilly’s ice creams.
Durgan Beach at Glendurgan Gardens
This lovely beach has a mix of sand and shingle as well as rockpools to explore. It sits at the bottom of the valley that contains the National Trust owned Glendurgan Gardens and Durgan Village and can be accessed via a ½ mile track with a carpark at the top of the valley.
There is no lifeguard and Durgan Beach.
The beach is fairly sheltered from the wind and has beautiful views of the Helford River. Dogs are allowed on the beach.
Beaches within 30 minutes of Helford Village
Kennack Sands, Kuggar
A very popular sandy beach for both families, rock-pools and surfing/body boarding. There are two beach cafes, a toilet block and a car park. You can also spot beautiful pebbles of serpentine rock.
At high tide the beach itself is actually split into two with a rocky hill (The Caeverracks) separating the two areas into Kennack Sands West and Kennack Sands East.
Kennack Sands West is nearest the car park and cafes and is definitely the more popular side, it also has a lifeguard in the Summer months. Just be careful at low tide as rip currents can appear occasionally, as with any beach.
Dogs are allowed on the East beach and it is much quieter. There are the remains of WWII defences at the back of the beach and there are pill boxes and an anti-tank wall too.
At the back of the beach is a nature reserve with a little stream, ponds and lots of coastal grassland species of plants, birds and animals.
Kennack Sands is about a 25 minute drive from Helford Village.
https://www.visitcornwall.com/things-to-do/beaches/kennack-sands-beach
Coverack Beach
This is a beautiful beach with a very special geological history. Situated in the middle of the village of Coverack, the sand and pebble beach is popular for paddling, swimming, diving, walking and kayaking. There is a lifeguard during set times.
Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round but must be on leads during June, July and August. You can get drinks, meals or snacks from a number of places within the village, including from the village shop, Cafés, pubs or chip shop. There are also public toilets available.
The beach at Coverack is special geologically because it is one of the only places you can see evidence of the boundary (Moho) between the Earth’s mantle and crust. If you walk across the beach you can see the serpentine that makes up the Earth’s upper mantle layer and then the gabbro that makes up its lower crust. Both were once molten and have cooled into the rocks you can see there today. Other special rocks you can see here include peridotite and troctolite.
Coverack Beach is about 25 minutes drive from Helford Village. The postcode is TR12 6SP.
https://www.geographysouthwest.co.uk/visit-sw/places-to-visit/coverack-beach/
Poldhu Cove (also known as Black Pool Cove)
A popular sandy cove for swimming and surfing. There are lifeguards here in the Summer months but just be careful at low tide.
Dogs are allowed on the beach between 1st September and 30th June.
The beach is owned by the National Trust and is designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This area is also home to the famous Marconi wireless communication centre.
There is a beach café, car park and toilets.
Poldhu Cove is about 25 minutes drive from Helford Village.
Within 40 minutes of Helford Village
Kynance Cove
An iconic beach with turquoise waters and towering rock formations of serpentinite. This beach is probably better to explore on foot or to paddle rather than for swimming as there are strong currents and no lifeguard. It is such a beautiful beach though and well worth a visit just for its natural beauty.
There are also two blowholes in the cove. The first is names the Post office because it has so much suction that letters can be sucked down it. The other is on Asparagus Island and is called the Devil’s Bellows which makes a snorting sound at half-tide.
There is a beach café in the cove along with toilets when the café is open. There is a car park on the cliffs to the east of the Cove but it is small car park and fills up quickly, you access the cove via the south West Coast Path or walk from Lizard Town.
The cove recently featured in the Netflix series House of the Dragon as the battleground site on the Stepstones.
Kynance Cove is around 37 minutes drive from Helford Village. The Postcode is TR12 7PJ
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/kynance-cove
https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/GeositesKynance
Marazion Beach
A sandy beach with a stunning view of St Michael’s Mount directly in front. At low tide you can walk across the uncovered road to the island and explore.
The beach is popular for families and swimming and is large enough to not get too crowded. There is a lifeguard service in the Summer months.
There are cafes and toilets as well as car parks. It is also only a short walk into the centre of Marazion for more options.
Dogs aren’t allowed from Easter week to the 1st of October.
The postcode is TR17 0EG and it is about a 40 minute drive from Helford Village.
Within an hour of Helford Village
Gyllyngvase Beach (known as Gylly Beach), Falmouth
A very popular sand and pebble beach in Falmouth. Gylly is the largest beach in Falmouth and is enjoyed by students, families, swimmers and paddleboarders. There are also lots of rockpools to explore too.
There are lovely views of Penndennis Point from the beach and it is a brilliant place to watch the large ships that moor in the bay or those leaving Falmouth Docks.
Swimming is very popular at the beach, it has a blue flag award and during the Summer months there is a lifeguard.
Dogs are allowed on the beach between 1st October to 14th May or after 6pm out of those dates.
There is a beach café and restaurant as well as toilets and showers. There is now a Co-Op shop opposite as well for snacks.
The beach has a level access and disabled toilets for those with mobility issues and a sand chair can be hired from the beach café.
Gylly Beach is around a 46 minute drive from Helford Village. The postcode for Gylly Beach is TR11 4NA.
https://www.visitcornwall.com/things-to-do/beaches/gyllyngvase-beach
https://www.falmouthharbour.co.uk/shipping-and-harbour-operations/shipping-movements/
Castle Beach, Falmouth
Although swimming is possible here at higher tide it is probably a better beach for rock-pooling at low tide which is excellent here. There are also the remains of a wartime wreck which becomes exposed at low tide. The entire beach can become covered at high tide so you need to be aware and not get cut off.
There is a beach café and toilets. Dogs are allowed on the beach after 6pm in the Summer months and at any time between 1st September and 30th June.
Castle Beach is about a 48 minute drive from Helford Village. The Postcode for the beach is TR11 4NZ
Swanpool Beach, Falmouth
This lovely white pebbly beach is just a short walk over the coast path from Gylly Beach in Falmouth and has a beach cafe, car park and toilet block.
Swanpool also has a beautiful lake and nature reserve behind it as well as a crazygolf course and kayak hire.
Dogs are allowed on the beach after 6pm in the Summer months and then at anytime between the 1st of September and 30th of June.
Swanpool is about a 43 minute drive from Helford Village and the postcode is TR11 5BG.
Maenporth Beach, Falmouth
This pretty and sandy beach is only a 2 mile walk from Falmouth or there is a car park, toilets and beach café on site.
You can hire kayaks and paddleboards from the beach café or just paddle and sunbathe. There can be strong currents here and there is no lifeguard on this beach.
Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach from 1st July to 31st August (10am to 6pm).
Maenporth Beach is around a 41 minute drive from Helford Village. The postcode is TR11 5HN.
https://www.falmouth.co.uk/see-and-do/beaches/maenporth-beach/
Porthminster Beach, St Ives
A lovely sandy beach that is popular with families for sandcastle building, paddling and playing games. It is also popular with artists as the colour of the sea, golden sand and skies are often so vibrant. It is also popular with swimmers and has been awarded the blue flag award regularly, the beach has a Summer season lifeguard service.
The is a beach café and mini golf course and like most of the other beaches in St Ives, the town wraps around the beach and means that other snacks, drinks and toilets are close by.
Helford Village is about 48 minutes drive away from Porthminster Beach.
https://www.stives-cornwall.co.uk/best-beaches-when-you-visit-the-st-ives-area/
Porthmeor Beach, St Ives
One of the most popular and dramatic sandy beaches around St Ives, it has a beach café, bakery and toilets.
The beach is also near to all the cafes, restaurants and art galleries that St Ives is famous for, including the Tate Gallery.
You can learn to surf here as there is a surf school and there is also a lifeguard service from Easter through to October. The beach has often been awarded the blue flag too.
Dogs are allowed on the beach after 6pm or at anytime from the 1st of October to the 14th May.
Porthmeor beach is around 51 minutes drive from Helford Village.
https://www.cornwall-beaches.co.uk/west-cornwall/porthmeor.htm
https://www.stives-cornwall.co.uk/best-beaches-when-you-visit-the-st-ives-area/
Perranporth Beach
A famous beach that combines with its neighbour Penhale Sands at low tide to create an expanse of sand that is one of the largest pieces of unbroken sandy beach on the North Coast.
Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round but must be on a lead in the months of July and August between the hours of 9am to 5pm.
The beach is sandy so good for sandcastles and games and is well known for surfing and swimming.
There is a bar actually on the beach and the access to the beach is level and easy.
Sunsets are stunning here and it often attracts a crowd to watch.
The postcode is TR6 0AQ. It is about a 58 minute drive from Helford Village.
https://www.visitcornwall.com/things-to-do/beaches/perranporth-beach
