South coast beach
East Looe Beach: dogs, parking and water quality
Photograph to come East Looe, Cornwall.50.353° N, 4.451° W
The essentials for East Looe on Cornwall’s south 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
- Not on the council restriction listThe council’s rules in full
- Water quality 2025
- GoodEnvironment Agency rating
- Council parking
- Riverbank, East LooePL13 1HN · 710 m (0.4 miles) away · all nearby
- Lifeguards
- Check the RNLI finderSeason mainly May to September, varies by beach (Cornwall Council)
- Nearest station
- Looe station850 m (0.5 miles) in a straight line · by train
- Nearest town
- Looe210 m (0.1 miles) away
Dogs on East Looe
East Looe does not appear on Cornwall Council’s dogs-on-beaches restriction list (council page last updated 23 October 2026, checked by us on 1 November 2026).
That is not a guarantee that dogs are welcome on every part of the beach. The council notes that other, privately owned beaches may set their own local restrictions, so check the signs when you arrive. Cornwall’s other dog orders, such as picking up after your dog, still apply.
Parking near East Looe
Cornwall Council car parks within about 1.5 km of the Environment Agency’s sampling point for East Looe, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbank, East Looe | PL13 1HN | 710 m (0.4 miles) | 65 | 24 hours | 6 August 2026 |
| Millpool, West Looe | PL13 2AF | 830 m (0.5 miles) | 964 | 24 hours | 27 May 2026 |
| Kilminorth Woods, West Looe | PL13 2AF | 1.1 km (0.7 miles) | 24 | 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 Charges change, so we do not quote prices: each council page has current tariffs.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 East Looe
The Environment Agency rated East Looe Good in its 2025 classification. Ratings for the last four years:
| Bathing water | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Looe | Good | Good | Good | Good |
The 2026 bathing season ran from 15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026, with 20 samples planned at East Looe.
- East Looe: the Environment Agency makes a daily pollution risk forecast here during the bathing season and can issue a warning advising against bathing. The EA profile says: “In 2025 17 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water.”
- The Environment Agency flags East Looe as a bathing water where heavy rain can affect water quality.
Streams and run-off at East Looe (EA profile)
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. East Looe beach is next to the mouth of the Looe Estuary which is formed where the East and West Looe rivers flow into the sea. The Environment Agency have monitored the East Looe River at the beach since 1987, and found that water quality in the estuary is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
Seaweed at East Looe (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 7% of visits, with 76% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). This bathing water can have moderate amounts of seaweed (macro algae) in the water column following storms. Seaweed washed up onto the beach is regularly moved to the back of the beach by the beach manager.
Source: Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. See every Cornish bathing water rating.
About East Looe
The Environment Agency describes the bathing water like this:
East Looe is at the mouth of the Looe Estuary on the south coast of Cornwall. It is a sand and rock beach resort, approximately 280 metres wide, close to the town of Looe.
Quoted from the Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. Beach material recorded by the EA: rock, 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 East Looe by train
The nearest National Rail station to the Environment Agency’s sampling point for East Looe is Looe, about 850 m (0.5 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) |
|---|---|
| Looe station | 850 m (0.5 miles) |
| Sandplace station | 4.0 km (2.5 miles) |
| Causeland station | 6.0 km (3.7 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 East Looe?
Nearby beaches
- Millendreath1.4 km (0.9 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Seaton4.8 km (3.0 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Downderry5.8 km (3.6 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Portwrinkle10.3 km (6.4 miles) away · Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules · water Excellent
Photos
Quick answers
Are dogs allowed on East Looe?
East Looe is not on Cornwall Council’s dogs-on-beaches restriction list (checked 1 November 2026). Privately owned beaches can set their own rules, so check signs.
Is the water clean at East Looe?
The Environment Agency rated East Looe Good in 2025. During the bathing season (15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026 in 2026) it publishes daily pollution risk forecasts here.
Where can I park for East Looe?
The nearest Cornwall Council car park we found is Riverbank, East Looe (PL13 1HN), about 710 m (0.4 miles) away in a straight line. Check the council page for charges.
What is the nearest railway station to East Looe?
The nearest National Rail station is Looe, about 850 m (0.5 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: East Looe bathing water profile – checked 1 November 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0
- Cornwall Council car park: Riverbank, East Looe – page last updated 6 August 2026
- Cornwall Council car park: Millpool, West Looe – page last updated 27 May 2026
- Cornwall Council car park: Kilminorth Woods, West Looe – 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.