Before you go
Dogs on Cornish beaches: every council restriction
Photograph to come Dogs on Cornish beaches.
Cornwall Council lists 49 beaches and stretches of coast where dogs are banned or must be on a lead at certain times. Here is the full list as it stood on 23 October 2026, the date the council last updated its page, with a link to each council map.
How the rules work
- Most restrictions apply 10am–6pm, either from 15 May to 30 September or from 1 July to 31 August.
- Carnsew Pool, Copperhouse Pool and Hayle Estuary have an all-year, 24-hour ban.
- At Summerleaze, Bude, dogs must be on a lead 10am–6pm, 21 May – 30 September.
- The council says other, privately owned beaches may have their own local restrictions. Check the signs.
- The council has five dog orders: Dogs on Beaches, Dogs on Leads, Dog Exclusion, Dog Fouling and Dogs on Leads by Direction. Breaking one can lead to a £100 fixed penalty notice or, on conviction, a fine of up to £1,000 (council penalties page, last updated 27 May 2026).
The full list
| Beach as listed by the council | Rule | Dates | Times | Council map | Our page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadgwith Cove, Cadgwith | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Carbis Bay Beach, Carbis Bay | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Carbis Bay |
| Carnsew Pool | No dogs | All year ban | 24 hour prohibition | Map (PDF) | – |
| Castle Beach, Falmouth | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Cawsand Beach, Cawsand | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Cawsand |
| Chapel Porth Beach, St Agnes | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Chapel Porth |
| Church Cove, Gunwalloe | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Church Cove, Gunwalloe |
| Copperhouse Pool | No dogs | All year ban | 24 hour prohibition | Map (PDF) | – |
| Crackington Haven, Bude | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Crackington Haven |
| Crooklets Beach, Bude | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Crooklets |
| Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Gyllyngvase |
| Harveys Towans - Godrevy Point, Hayle | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Gwithian Towans, Godrevy, Hayle Towans (nearby), Mexico Towans (nearby), Upton Towans (nearby) |
| Hayle Estuary | No dogs | All year ban | 24 hour prohibition | Map (PDF) | Porthkidney Sands (nearby) |
| Hoodny Beach, Portwrinkle | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | – | Portwrinkle (nearby) |
| Housel Bay, The Lizard | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Kennack Sands Beach, The Lizard | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Kennack Sands |
| Kynance Cove, The Lizard | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Longrock level crossing to Marazion | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Marazion, Long Rock (nearby) |
| Maenporth Beach, Falmouth | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Maenporth |
| Mousehole Beach to Skilly Beach | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | – | – |
| Perranuthnoe | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | – | Perranuthnoe |
| Poldhu Beach, Mullion | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Poldhu Cove |
| Polurrian Cove Beach, Mullion | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Polurrian Cove |
| Polzeath Beach, Polzeath | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Polzeath |
| Porth Beach, Porth | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porth Beach (Newquay) |
| Porthcurno Beach, Porthcurno | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porthcurno |
| Porthgwarra Beach, St Levan | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Porthgwidden Beach, St Ives | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porthgwidden |
| Porthleven West, Porthleven | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Porthmeor Beach, St Ives | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porthmeor |
| Porthminster Beach, St Ives | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porthminster |
| Porthpean Beach, St Austell | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porthpean |
| Porthtowan Beach, Porthtowan | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Porthtowan |
| Portmellon Cove, Mevagissey | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Portmellon |
| Portreath Beach including Harbour, Portreath | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Portreath |
| Portwrinkle Harbour | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | – | Portwrinkle (nearby) |
| Praa Sands Beach, Praa Sands | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Praa Sands |
| Readymoney Cove, Fowey | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Readymoney Cove |
| Sennen Beach, Sennen | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Sennen Cove |
| St George’s Well, Padstow | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| St Ives Harbour Beach, St Ives | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Summerleaze, Bude | Dogs on leads | 21 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | – | Summerleaze |
| Summer’s Beach, St Mawes | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Swanpool Beach, Falmouth | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Swanpool |
| Tattam’s Beach, Portscatho | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Trevone Beach, Padstow | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Trevone Bay |
| Tunnel Beach, Falmouth | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | – |
| Wherry Town to Battery Rocks | No dogs | 1 July – 31 August | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Penzance Beach (nearby), Wherry Town |
| Widemouth Beach, Bude | No dogs | 15 May – 30 September | 10am–6pm | Map (PDF) | Widemouth Bay |
Source: Cornwall Council: dogs on beaches. Legal orders: Dogs on Beaches order (PDF), Dogs on Leads order (PDF).
Beaches in our guide that are not on the council list
These 46 beaches do not appear on the council’s restriction list. That does not guarantee dogs are welcome: privately owned beaches can set their own rules.
- Booby's Bay
- Charlestown
- Constantine Bay
- Coverack
- Crantock
- Crinnis Beach
- Daymer Bay
- Downderry
- Duporth
- East Looe
- Fistral Beach
- Gorran Haven
- Great Western Beach
- Gwynver
- Harlyn Bay
- Holywell Bay
- Kingsand
- Lusty Glaze
- Mawgan Porth
- Millendreath
- Mother Ivey's Bay
- Northcott Mouth
- Par Sands
- Pendower
- Pentewan
- Perranporth
- Polkerris
- Polstreath
- Porthallow
- Porthcothan
- Porthcurnick
- Porthleven Sands
- Porthluney
- Porthoustock
- Sandymouth
- Seaton
- Sharrow
- Shorthorn Beach
- Tolcarne Beach
- Towan Beach (Newquay)
- Trebarwith Strand
- Tregonhawke
- Trevaunance Cove
- Treyarnon Bay
- Vault Beach
- Watergate Bay
Sources and checks
- Cornwall Council: dogs on beaches – last updated 23 October 2026, checked 1 November 2026
- Cornwall Council: controlling your dog in public – last updated 27 May 2026
Last checked: . Published by Oaknest Media. How we check: editorial policy.