South coast beach
Portmellon Beach: dogs, parking and water quality
Photograph to come Portmellon, Cornwall.50.262° N, 4.786° W
The essentials for Portmellon 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
- No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 AugustThe council’s rules in full
- Water quality 2025
- ExcellentEnvironment Agency rating
- Council parking
- River Street, MevagisseyPL26 6UE · 1.0 km (0.6 miles) away · all nearby
- Lifeguards
- Check the RNLI finderSeason mainly May to September, varies by beach (Cornwall Council)
- Nearest station
- St Austell station8.7 km (5.4 miles) in a straight line · by train
- Nearest town
- Mevagissey940 m (0.6 miles) away
Dogs on Portmellon
Dogs are not allowed on Portmellon 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August. Cornwall Council lists it as “Portmellon Cove, Mevagissey”. 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 Portmellon
Cornwall Council car parks within about 1.5 km of the Environment Agency’s sampling point for Portmellon, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Street, Mevagissey | PL26 6UE | 1.0 km (0.6 miles) | 50 | 24 hours | 6 August 2026 |
| Church Street, Mevagissey | PL26 6SP | 1.0 km (0.6 miles) | 11 | 24 hours | 6 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 Charges change, so we do not quote prices: each council page has current tariffs.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 Portmellon
The Environment Agency rated Portmellon Excellent in its 2025 classification. Ratings for the last four years:
| Bathing water | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portmellon | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent |
The 2026 bathing season ran from 15 May 2026 to 30 September 2026, with 15 samples planned at Portmellon.
- Portmellon: 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 5 pollution risk warnings were issued for this bathing water.”
- The Environment Agency flags Portmellon as a bathing water where heavy rain can affect water quality.
Streams and run-off at Portmellon (EA profile)
Streams and rivers are typically affected by human sewage, animal slurry and runoff from roads. The Portmellon Stream flows onto this beach. The Environment Agency have monitored the stream since 1986 and found that water quality is temporarily worse during and after heavy rainfall.
Seaweed at Portmellon (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 70% of visits, with 24% of visits noting the presence of seaweed (macroalgae). The bathing water can become covered with large amounts of seaweed, depending on tides and the weather. This bathing water has a history of large amounts of seaweed.
Source: Environment Agency bathing water profile, Open Government Licence v3.0. See every Cornish bathing water rating.
About Portmellon
The Environment Agency describes the bathing water like this:
Portmellon is on the south coast of Cornwall. It is a remote sandy beach, approximately 150 metres wide, backed by hills. Rock pools are accessible at low tide.
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 Portmellon by train
The nearest National Rail station to the Environment Agency’s sampling point for Portmellon is St Austell, about 8.7 km (5.4 miles) away in a straight line. You would need a bus, taxi, bike or a long walk from there. The three nearest stations:
| Station | Distance (straight line) |
|---|---|
| St Austell station | 8.7 km (5.4 miles) |
| Par station | 11.9 km (7.4 miles) |
| Luxulyan station | 14.5 km (9.0 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 Portmellon?
Nearby beaches
- Polstreath1.4 km (0.9 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Gorran Haven2.3 km (1.5 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Pentewan2.9 km (1.8 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
- Vault Beach3.0 km (1.9 miles) away · Not on the council restriction list · water Excellent
Photos
Quick answers
Are dogs allowed on Portmellon?
No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August, 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 Portmellon?
The Environment Agency rated Portmellon Excellent 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 Portmellon?
The nearest Cornwall Council car park we found is River Street, Mevagissey (PL26 6UE), about 1.0 km (0.6 miles) away in a straight line. Check the council page for charges.
What is the nearest railway station to Portmellon?
The nearest National Rail station is St Austell, about 8.7 km (5.4 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: Portmellon bathing water profile – checked 1 November 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0
- Cornwall Council car park: River Street, Mevagissey – page last updated 6 August 2026
- Cornwall Council car park: Church Street, Mevagissey – page last updated 6 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.