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2024 Cornwall Blue Flag Beaches
Monday 19 August 2024Whilst there are hundreds of amazing beaches in Cornwall, there are only nine in Cornwall that have received this prestigious award in 2024. The Blue Flag is sought for beaches as an endorsement of their high environmental and quality standards, including water quality, facilities, and safety. These Blue Flag awards are rigorously investigated, and their criteria is substantial so it’s important to point out that there are hundreds of wonderful, wild and worthy beaches that aren’t awarded this accolade.
Carbis Bay
St Ives is home to numerous fabulous beaches, but few would deny that Carbis Bay is its best, and possibly one of the best blue flag beaches in Cornwall, hence it ranks number one on this list. Here you will find a Caribbean-esque haven of pale sand and crystal clear, turquoise water with its own subtropical microclimate. This is because it has the magic combination of pristine sand, a gentle gradient in the shallows and is idyllically ensconced within a protected cove. It is perfect for those beach lovers who like to swim, paddle, relax and simply enjoy the natural beauty and scenery around the big blue. The facilities at this privately owned beach are of a very high standard, offering the very best of what is expected from a Blue Flag beach.
Porthmeor Beach
Yes, St Ives has another impressive Blue Flag beach, considered by many as its premier contender. Porthmeor is a very fine example of a beach that has it all. It blends natural beauty with culture, heritage and very fashionable buzz. It’s located right in front of the artistic streets of St Ives, whilst still retaining unquestionable wild beauty. It offers an ample swathe of golden powdery sand and crystalline blue water, all protected by very picturesque, rugged headlands at either end of the beach, one end capped by a granite chapel, and the other by craggy cliffs. If that wasn’t enough it is greeted by a full and surf-able Atlantic swell, which delights the surfers and the Tate visitors who watch them from the gallery windows. Beach facilities include lifeguards, great beach cafes, and a surf school.
Porthtowan Beach
Heading north to the surfing Mecca of Newquay there is another corker of a Blue Flag beach called Porthtowan Beach. It lies within the St Agnes Heritage Coast and is surrounded by un-spoilt natural beauty and wilderness. It lies within a lush valley with awesome cliffs that shelter the beach from off-shore winds and create a spectacular setting. The best time to go is when the tide is out as the bay doubles in size to include Chapel Porth Beach, a gorgeous, protected cove below cliffs and the iconic Wheal Coates engine house. This beach has all the qualities that a top Blue Flag beach should have including lifeguards, a beach bar and spotless beach facilities.
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Trevone Bay
North again in Padstow is another top Cornwall resort with a magnificent Blue Flag beach called Trevone Bay. Surfers and families alike flock to this beach probably due to its great waves and deep, wide sands that slope gently into the transparent water. This kind gradient creates all kinds of idyllic surfing and swimming conditions, most importantly safe swimming for little ones, with the added benefit of an organised lifeguard service that provides that extra watchful eye. This beach also has great rock pools that can be found at either end of the beach so there’s plenty of entertainment for the young ones. Two highlights around this bay include the blow-hole known as Round Hole, which can be found amongst the cliffs and the big rock-pools on the beach next door at Rocky Beach. Trevone Bay has excellent facilities and is an enjoyable two mile walk from Padstow.
Polzeath Beach
Next Blue Flag on the map heading north is Polzeath Beach, a wide-open bay with a generous rectangle of compact powdery sand, whose popularity with the trendies and jet-setters has boomed in the last five years. This is a beautiful beach to look at and is surrounded by the charming village of Polzeath, a buzzing little place with plenty of personality. The sunsets are unforgettable and the vibe on and off the beach is surfy and laid back with great cafes, restaurants, and bars. Beach facilities are exceptional, the greatest of which is the parking, which is right on the beach.
Widemouth Bay
A little further north just before Bude, lies the two-mile-long golden beach of Widemouth Bay, an exposed west facing beach that takes on the full power of the Atlantic, a virtue celebrated by seasoned surfers. For those who don’t surf this can be a windy beach, and onlookers often find refuge in the sandy dunes. Flags should be observed for those who dare to enter for a swim, as the rip tides can be dangerous and there are rocks at the southern end of the beach. That said, Widemouth has some great rock-pools for curious kids and in the middle of the shore lies the iconic Black Rock, offering great climbing opportunities. Visitors will love the beach facilities here, including lifeguards, toilets, cafes, and great parking.
Crooklets Beach
In Bude itself, you’ll find Crooklets Beach, a fabulous cove that at low tide expands to encompass Summerleaze Beach. These are the best beaches that make-up the rocky outcrop phenomena that is known as The Bude Formation. Crooklets Beach is very popular with surfing families in the summer and has super beach facilities and beach bars, with the added bonus of Crooklets village behind, which offers trendy bars and cafes. These are surfing beaches with an Atlantic force, but luckily Summerleaze Beach has a gorgeous tidal pool, Bude Sea Pool, perfect for the kiddies to enjoy a safe swim and splash at low tide. The promenade is a delight with its row of colourful beach huts that are available for daily hire.
Gyllyngvase Beach
The only Blue Flag beach on the South Coast of Cornwall is Falmouth’s jewel in the crown, Gyllyngvase Beach, lovingly nicknamed Gylly Beach by its residents. Gylly offers the winning formula of a soft golden crescent of sand that shelves beautifully into the clean water, rock pools filled with creepy-crawlies, sheltering from its elegant sea walls and framing headlands. All this creates calm seas, spectacular vistas and hours of safe family friendly fun by the seaside with top notch facilities from a vibrant, organised port town. Beach facilities include showers, toilets, cafes and lifeguards plus all the streets of fun and entertainment just a stone’s throw away in the port centre and harbour. To the back of the beach lie St Mary’s Gardens, where you can enjoy a picnic overlooking Pendennis Point and Castle and all the sailing boats that frequent Falmouth Harbour.
