Best beach in cornwall for swimming in July-August

[bunny85]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any advice on Cornwall holiday around late July-August time? We are looking for a nice place with sandy beach where it will be possible to swim (in the sea, not swimming pool). If you know of nice B&B (not too far from the beach) in that area, even better! But mainly interested in a part of Cornwall that is best for a beach holiday.

Thanks in advance x

Good call, roly- op, if you have kids over 8 years old, they can learn to sail in the school hols with the helford children's sailing trust! Mornings or afternoons for a week. Fab charity, they've taught hundreds or even thousands of kids to sail and be water safe over the years.

Have googled and it's called Pednevounder. Sounds like you can wade round to it at low tide.

It is ped n vounder and it's amazing, but we have only ever waded round at low tide, and it's only certain times of year the tide is low enough to wade round. Never tried scrambling down the cliff.

Lots of great advice here! Thank you ladies.

Cath, I'm also a hater of cold water.

Thank you austenozzy my first, so no children activities necessary just yet - but will follow the recommendations about the walks locally and telegraph museum sounds great.

And sorry to sound really daft, but I've never heard of a weaver fish (I wasn't born in UK, maybe that's why?) and it's great to know the enemy!

Lizard village would be an hour away. The light house do lovely tours and there's a delightful little cafe, Popelor, right on the most southerly tip. The NT set up a Wildlife Watchpoint on nice days and a telescope focused on the seals on the rocks.

We've spent the last 3 summer hols on the Lizard. Far West Cornwall is such a beautiful area.

Another good beach for swimming is coverack when the tide is out. Sandy and shallow, really lovely spot. Then pop into roskilly's for an ice cream afterwards! Was about to suggest Segway riding at goonhilly but perhaps that can wait...! Congrats, btw.

I've swum in the sea at Porthcurno and it was amazing - such a great feeling to be able to swim in British waters and not be too chilly. Mind you after I got out of the water a shark appeared...yes really!

I walked round the cliffs above the nudist beach but didn't venture down there - I didn't fancy the idea of a scramble, nor the nudism!

Overall it's still one of my favourite places I've ever visited - Porthcurno would still probably be my favourite beach in the UK, it's a gem of a place.

Austenozzy, thank you! Will be our last holiday before the little one arrives

Marshmallow, the SHARK?? Omg. Thank God you were out! Never knew you could meet one near UK shores... How scary!

But yes from what I read online, Porthcurno really seems to be a gem of a beach - ohh can't wait!

By the way, last July we had a wonderful time in Bournemouth (Sandbanks) and were swimming all day every day! The water was amazingly warm, golden sand, really hot weather - we got burnt even through the sunscreens (we are very fair though). So I can absolutely recommend British beach holidays. As long as weather is good that is

Don't worry, the shark was far out in the bay, nowhere near people, it was quite a dramatic moment though! This was 13 odd years ago so I'm sure it was a rare occurrence in case anyone is worried!

No I'm not worried I can't swim well anyway, so I don't think sharks can come as close as 1.5 meters deep (that's as far as I go, ha!)

We came across Pedn Vounder when we stayed at a nearby campsite about 4 years ago. The scramble down the cliffs was pretty scary, then realised once on the beach that it was nudist.

I was turning 40 that year and decided after a few minutes that I was old enough not to care any more and took my clothes off too but DP chickened out

Water itself looked an amazing very bright turquoise colour but was BLOODY FREEZING. And this from someone who has been brought up swimming in very cold Scottish seawater!

Btw, basking sharks often appear around there at certain times of the year and are totally harmless - I would love to see one!

Girls, when you say nudist beach, are you actually talking about the Porthcurno beach? Sorry a bit confused

Porthcurno not nudist, adjacent beach is. Weaver fish are small fish that bury themselves in the sand and if you tread on them they jab you with a barb on their back. It is very painful but it is immediately relieved by hot water. I think they must be more of them some years as we had never had issues and then last year all of us got caught out. Normal sand shoes- the sort of wetsuit material ones protect your feet. I've never seen a shark when swimming but have seen a seal and dolphins in the distance.

no its pedne vounder thats nudist, but becauae its a scramble to get there , it doesnt get too busy

Badroly you have just reminded me of flushing! Such happy memories, went there as a child for holidays, so perfect.

Can't believe no one has mentioned Sennen Cove. About a 5-10 minute drive from Porthcurno and a few minutes from Lands End. Busier than Porthcurno but bigger and a good surfing beach but not on the scale of St Ives in terms of numbers of tourists. Stunning when the sea is stormy if you walk down to the harbour end.
Penzance,St Ives and Hayle are all easy to drive to from Porthcurno, if you want a day closer to civilisation.

Grumpy, goes on my list! Thank you

Hayle! Best summers ever there when DC were small... [need a nostalgia emoticon]. (Not St Ives - busy no parking, like Piccadilly Circus)