Best Dog-Friendly Beaches Near Padstow

 

Padstow is a dog-friendly destination, well endowed with plenty of nearby beaches where your hound can make paw-prints in the sand and frolic in the sea foam. Stroll to sheltered coves just a pebble’s throw from the harbour, discover a necklace of Atlantic-lashed beaches where your pooch can play as well as taking the short hop across the estuary to pearly bays. Here are some of our favourite dog-friendly beaches near Padstow, for waggy-tailed walks all year-round. 

Hawker’s Cove, Nr Padstow

Slink out of Padstow and beyond Harbour Cove to the dreamy beach of Hawkers Cove – where gently-shelving sands stretch over 1.5 miles as the tide ebbs. Boasting gob-smacking views to Stepper Point, the Doom Bar and The Rumps, it’s a favourite of dog walkers, picnickers, kite flyers and paddlers.

Tregirls (Harbour Cove), Padstow

You don’t have to stray far west out of Padstow to make paw-prints on this wide, sandy beach nestled in the lee of Stepper Point. Backed by dunes, and a glorious stroll from Padstow’s Gun Point and onto neighbouring Hawker’s Cove, it’s a sheltered, dog-friendly haven within easy reach of our favourite harbour town. 

Porthilly Cove, Rock

Cross the Camel Estuary (you can hop on the Black Tor ferry with the dog) to this picturesque cove near Rock where you’re bound to enjoy a peaceful stroll with your hound at your heels. The lack of facilities keeps the crowds at bay, and the tide drops to reveal an endless plateau of sand and shingle, with a river for the dogs to splash in and stunning views to soak up. 

Harlyn Beach, Nr Padstow

Follow your nose west from Padstow and you’ll find a necklace of sandy bays lacing the coastline all the way back towards Newquay. The second of which is Harlyn Bay – a generous stretch of sand that’s popular with surfers, swimmers, families and dog walkers. Splash in the stream, frolic in the sea foam and bound along the shoreline, before refuelling at the beachfront café. 

Mother Ivey’s Bay, Trevose Head

Cushioned from the wind by the Merope Rocks, Mother Ivey’s is an idyllic spot to shelter from the elements and the crowds. Play fetch beside the Caribbean-blue sea, picnic on the white sands and – when the tide reclaims the shoreline – wander along the coastal path to soak up dreamy views of Trevose Head, keeping your eyes peeled for dolphins. 

Booby’s Bay

If you’re looking for a rugged beach where you can discover a shipwreck, rock pools and miles of pillowy sands, head to Booby’s Bay at low tide. Divine for dogs, humans, kids and surfers, this a spot for shoreline adventures; and as the tide takes the beach back enjoy glorious dog walks around Trevose Head. 

Trebarwith Strand, nr Port Isaac 

One of the few sandy coves along the wild Cornish coastline that yawns north from Polzeath, Trebarwith Strand is a domain of caves, cliffs and sugary sands – all begging for barefoot exploration with your faithful four-legged friend. It’s also overlooked by the dog-friendly Port William Inn, and when the tide comes in you can walk over the cliff-tops to Tintagel.

Constantine Bay

Connecting with Booby’s at low-tide, Constantine’s dune-backed beauty is unsurprisingly popular with dogs and their owners. Great for throwing balls and padding barefoot along the water’s edge while hunting for sea glass. Top off the perfect day with a Cornish ice cream with your toes (and paws) in the sand. 

Daymer Bay, Nr Rock

Sandwiched between the popular beaches of Rock and Polzeath, the sweeping sands of Daymer Bay are loved by families and dogs alike. Skip along the beach and play ball at the water’s edge, or wear the dog out on a climb to the top of Brea Hill and enjoy a bird’s eye view of the scenery that inspired the late Poet Laureate John Betjeman.

Mawgan Porth, Nr Newquay

A year-round beauty spot for windswept beach walks, rock-pooling and dipping paws in the surf, Mawgan Porth beach is a sandy runway flanked by dramatic cliffs. And when you’ve had enough of chasing balls and seagulls, hunker in the dog-friendly waterside pub, or follow the wooded valley inland to pretty St Mawgan and a Cornish cream tea at the village store tea rooms.

Fistral Beach, Newquay

A little further from Padstow, we can’t miss the UK’s unofficial surfing capital off the list – where dogs mingle with surfers along the shoreline come rain or shine. Here there are pebbles to skim, shells to collect, miles of sand and dog-friendly eateries to chill out surf-side.

Watergate Bay, Nr Newquay

Surfers and dogs litter the beach year-round at Watergate Bay – both species frothing to enjoy the fruits of the Atlantic-lashed sands backed by staggering cliffs. The welcome to hounds extends beyond the two miles of beach, with The Beach Hut café and the Watergate Bay Hotel inviting sandy dogs into the mix. 

Book one of our pooch-friendly holiday pads and enjoy Cornwall’s dog-friendly beaches near Padstow.

You don’t have to stray far from your holiday home to enjoy the area’s best dog-friendly beaches. If you’re coming to Cornwall with your four-legged friend, take a look at our dog-friendly cottages in and around Padstow and find your perfect holiday pad by the coast.

For further information, please see our advice on Visiting Padstow With Dogs or read our blog posts on the best Dog Friendly Cottages by the Beach and Cornwall’s Top Dog-Friendly Attractions.