North coast beach
Carbis Bay: dogs, parking and water quality
Photograph to come Carbis Bay, Cornwall.50.199° N, 5.465° W
The essentials for Carbis Bay on Cornwall’s north coast: the council’s dog rules, the nearest council car parks and the Environment Agency’s water quality ratings, each linked to its source.
- Dogs
- No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 SeptemberThe council’s rules in full
- Water quality 2025
- ExcellentEnvironment Agency rating
- Council parking
- Porthrepta, Carbis BayTR26 2NZ · 460 m (0.3 miles) away · all nearby
- Lifeguards
- Check the RNLI finderSeason mainly May to September, varies by beach (Cornwall Council)
- Nearest station
- Carbis Bay station210 m (0.1 miles) in a straight line · by train
- Nearest town
- St Ives1.6 km (1.0 miles) away
Dogs on Carbis Bay
Dogs are not allowed on Carbis Bay 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September. Cornwall Council lists it as “Carbis Bay Beach, Carbis Bay”. The council publishes a map of the restricted area (PDF).
Outside those dates and times the council restriction does not apply, but signs on the beach and Cornwall’s other dog orders (such as picking up after your dog) still do. The council says breaking a dog order can lead to a £100 fixed penalty notice (council penalties page).
Parking near Carbis Bay
Cornwall Council car parks within about 1.5 km of the Environment Agency’s sampling point for Carbis Bay, nearest first. Distances are straight-line estimates from our own calculation, not walking routes.
| Council car park | Postcode | Distance (straight line) | Spaces | Open | Council page updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porthrepta, Carbis Bay | TR26 2NZ | 460 m (0.3 miles) | 180 | 24 hours | 27 May 2026 |
| Station, St Ives | TR26 2BH | 1.5 km (0.9 miles) | 106 | 24 hours | 4 August 2026 |
Parking near many Cornish beaches is run by the National Trust, parish councils or private owners. We have not checked those yet, so they are not listed. Charges change, so we do not quote prices: each council page has current tariffs. All Cornwall Council car parks.
Water quality at Carbis Bay
The Environment Agency rated Carbis Bay Excellent in its 2025 classification. Ratings for the last four years:
| Bathing water | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbis Bay | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
The 2026 bathing season ran from 15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026, with 15 samples planned at Carbis Bay.
- Carbis Bay: no daily pollution risk forecasts are made here. The EA says a warning would still be issued if a pollution incident happened.
Streams and run-off at Carbis Bay (EA profile)
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. There is a very small stream flowing onto this beach which may reduce bathing water quality during or after periods of heavy rainfall due to run off from the surrounding urban area.
Seaweed at Carbis Bay (EA profile)
For the four year (2022-2025) assessment period where data is available, seaweed (macroalgae) was assessed as being sufficient to be objectionable for 4% of visits, with 84% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). This bathing water does not have a history of large amounts of seaweed (macro algae).
Source: Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. See every Cornish bathing water rating.
About Carbis Bay
The Environment Agency describes the bathing water like this:
Carbis Bay beach is on the north coast of Cornwall. It is a privately owned sandy beach resort, approximately one kilometre wide, backed by sand dunes.
Quoted from the Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. Beach material recorded by the EA: sand. Designated as a bathing water in 1988.
Safety and tides
Whether a lifeguard is on duty depends on the beach and the date. Cornwall Council says the RNLI’s main lifeguard season runs from May to September and varies from beach to beach, so check the RNLI’s lifeguarded beach finder before you go. We do not list lifeguard dates until we can check them.
The council points visitors to BBC tide tables for tide times. In an emergency at the coast, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard (HM Coastguard). More in our beach safety guide.
Getting to Carbis Bay by train
The nearest National Rail station to the Environment Agency’s sampling point for Carbis Bay is Carbis Bay, about 210 m (0.1 miles) away in a straight line. That is close enough that some people walk, but check the route and terrain first. The three nearest stations:
| Station | Distance (straight line) |
|---|---|
| Carbis Bay station | 210 m (0.1 miles) |
| St Ives station | 1.4 km (0.9 miles) |
| Lelant station | 2.6 km (1.6 miles) |
Straight-line distance, our own calculation from OpenStreetMap station locations (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL). It is not a walking or road route. Station links go to National Rail for times and facilities. See beaches near a railway station.
Where is Carbis Bay?
Nearby beaches
- Porthminster1.4 km (0.8 miles) away · No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September · water Excellent
- Porthkidney Sands1.9 km (1.2 miles) away · Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules · water Excellent
- Porthgwidden2.2 km (1.4 miles) away · No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August · water Excellent
- Porthmeor2.3 km (1.4 miles) away · No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September · water Excellent
Photos
Quick answers
Are dogs allowed on Carbis Bay?
No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September, under Cornwall Council’s dog orders. Outside those times the council restriction does not apply, but check signs on the beach.
Is the water clean at Carbis Bay?
The Environment Agency rated Carbis Bay Excellent in 2025. During the bathing season (15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026 in 2026) it publishes sample results online.
Where can I park for Carbis Bay?
The nearest Cornwall Council car park we found is Porthrepta, Carbis Bay (TR26 2NZ), about 460 m (0.3 miles) away in a straight line. Check the council page for charges.
What is the nearest railway station to Carbis Bay?
The nearest National Rail station is Carbis Bay, about 210 m (0.1 miles) away in a straight line (our calculation from OpenStreetMap data).
Sources and checks
- Cornwall Council: dogs on beaches – page last updated 23 October 2026, checked 1 November 2026
- Environment Agency: Carbis Bay bathing water profile – checked 1 November 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0
- Cornwall Council car park: Porthrepta, Carbis Bay – page last updated 27 May 2026
- Cornwall Council car park: Station, St Ives – page last updated 4 August 2026
- Cornwall Council: beach safety – page last updated 1 April 2026
- OpenStreetMap: railway station locations – ODbL; distances are our own calculation
Last checked: . Published by Oaknest Media. How we check: editorial policy.