Before you go
Cornish beaches with Excellent water quality
Photograph to come Excellent bathing water.
80 of Cornwall’s 90 designated bathing waters were rated Excellent by the Environment Agency in 2025, and 69 have been rated Excellent in every year from 2022 to 2025.
What Excellent means
The Environment Agency rates each bathing water Excellent, Good, Sufficient or Poor, based on samples taken during the bathing season over up to four years. A rating is about the water over that period, not on a particular day: after heavy rain, quality can drop anywhere. Where the EA issues daily pollution risk forecasts (“Daily forecast: Yes”), check them during the season.
Excellent every year, 2022–2025 (69)
| Bathing water | Council dog rule | Nearest station (straight line) | Daily forecast | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booby's Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (14.3 km (8.9 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Carbis Bay | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Carbis Bay station (210 m (0.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Cawsand | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Saltash station (8.5 km (5.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Chapel Porth | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Redruth station (7.5 km (4.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Charlestown | Not on the council restriction list | St Austell station (2.6 km (1.6 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Church Cove | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penmere station (18.1 km (11.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Constantine Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (13.7 km (8.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Coverack | Not on the council restriction list | Falmouth Town station (14.0 km (8.7 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Crackington Haven | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Bodmin Parkway station (33.0 km (20.5 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Crinnis Beach | Not on the council restriction list | Par station (3.0 km (1.9 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Crooklets | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Gunnislake station (42.6 km (26.5 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Daymer Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Roche station (17.3 km (10.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Downderry | Not on the council restriction list | St Germans station (5.8 km (3.6 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Duporth | Not on the council restriction list | St Austell station (2.4 km (1.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Fistral North | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (1.7 km (1.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Fistral South | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (1.9 km (1.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Godrevy Towans | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August (council-listed stretch) | Hayle station (5.6 km (3.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Gorran Haven Little Perhaver | Not on the council restriction list | St Austell station (11.0 km (6.8 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Great Western | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (200 m (0.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Gwithian Towans | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August (council-listed stretch) | Hayle station (5.1 km (3.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Gwynver | Not on the council restriction list | Penzance station (11.8 km (7.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Gyllyngvase | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Falmouth Town station (450 m (0.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Harlyn Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (15.0 km (9.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Hayle Towans | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | Hayle station (2.1 km (1.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Holywell Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (5.6 km (3.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Kennack Sands | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penmere station (17.1 km (10.7 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Lusty Glaze | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (1.1 km (0.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Mawgan Porth | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (6.6 km (4.1 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Mexico Towans | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | Hayle station (1.7 km (1.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Mother Ivey`s Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (15.0 km (9.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Northcott Mouth | Not on the council restriction list | Gunnislake station (43.8 km (27.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Pendower | Not on the council restriction list | Falmouth Docks station (9.8 km (6.1 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Pentewan | Not on the council restriction list | St Austell station (5.8 km (3.6 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Perranporth Penhale Sands | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (8.2 km (5.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Perranuthnoe | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penzance station (6.5 km (4.0 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Poldhu Cove | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penmere station (18.2 km (11.3 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Polstreath | Not on the council restriction list | St Austell station (7.3 km (4.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Polurrian Cove | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penmere station (18.8 km (11.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Polzeath | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Roche station (18.4 km (11.4 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Porthallow | Not on the council restriction list | Falmouth Town station (8.9 km (5.6 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Porthcothan | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (11.1 km (6.9 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthcurnick | Not on the council restriction list | Falmouth Docks station (7.1 km (4.4 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Porthcurno | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penzance station (12.2 km (7.6 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthgwidden | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | St Ives station (930 m (0.6 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthmeor | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | St Ives station (820 m (0.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthoustock | Not on the council restriction list | Falmouth Town station (10.3 km (6.4 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthpean | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | St Austell station (2.4 km (1.5 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Porthtowan | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Redruth station (6.2 km (3.8 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Portmellon | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | St Austell station (8.7 km (5.4 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Portreath | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Camborne station (5.7 km (3.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Portwrinkle | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | St Germans station (3.6 km (2.3 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Praa Sands East | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | St Erth station (9.2 km (5.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Praa Sands West | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | St Erth station (8.4 km (5.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Sandymouth | Not on the council restriction list | Gunnislake station (45.1 km (28.0 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Seaton (Cornwall) | Not on the council restriction list | Looe station (5.0 km (3.1 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Sennen | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Penzance station (12.8 km (7.9 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Sharrow | Not on the council restriction list | St Germans station (6.2 km (3.9 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Shorthorn Beach | Not on the council restriction list | Par station (2.4 km (1.5 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Summerleaze | Dogs on leads 10am–6pm, 21 May – 30 September | Gunnislake station (42.1 km (26.2 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Tolcarne | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (380 m (0.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Towan | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (660 m (0.4 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Tregonhawke | Not on the council restriction list | St Germans station (7.5 km (4.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Trevaunance Cove | Not on the council restriction list | Redruth station (9.9 km (6.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Trevone Bay | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Newquay station (16.2 km (10.0 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Treyarnon Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (13.0 km (8.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Upton Towans | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | Hayle station (3.5 km (2.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Vault Beach | Not on the council restriction list | St Austell station (11.6 km (7.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Watergate Bay | Not on the council restriction list | Newquay station (4.0 km (2.5 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Widemouth Sand | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | Gunnislake station (38.9 km (24.2 miles)) | No | EA profile |
Excellent in 2025, but not every year (11)
| Bathing water | Council dog rule | Nearest station (straight line) | Daily forecast | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long Rock | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | Penzance station (2.0 km (1.2 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Maenporth | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Penmere station (2.9 km (1.8 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Marazion | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August (council-listed stretch) | Penzance station (3.7 km (2.3 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Millendreath | Not on the council restriction list | Looe station (1.4 km (0.9 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Penzance | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | Penzance station (900 m (0.6 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Polkerris | Not on the council restriction list | Par station (2.6 km (1.6 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
| Porthkidney Sands | Check the council map: a nearby listed area has dog rules | Lelant station (1.1 km (0.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthleven Sands | Not on the council restriction list | St Erth station (13.6 km (8.4 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Porthminster | No dogs 10am–6pm, 15 May – 30 September | St Ives station (100 m (0.1 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Swanpool | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August | Falmouth Town station (1.2 km (0.7 miles)) | No | EA profile |
| Wherry Town | No dogs 10am–6pm, 1 July – 31 August (council-listed stretch) | Penzance station (1.8 km (1.1 miles)) | Yes | EA profile |
Data: Environment Agency bathing water quality, Open Government Licence v3.0, downloaded 1 November 2026. Station distances are our own calculation from OpenStreetMap (ODbL). All ratings, including Good, Sufficient and Poor, are on bathing water quality in Cornwall.
Sources and checks
- Environment Agency bathing water data – downloaded 1 November 2026, Open Government Licence v3.0
- Cornwall Council: dogs on beaches – last updated 23 October 2026, checked 1 November 2026
- OpenStreetMap: railway stations – ODbL; distances are our own calculation
Last checked: . Published by Oaknest Media. How we check: editorial policy.