Lantivet Bay

Lantivet Bay is one of three small coves, alongside Lansallos and Lantic Bays, looked after by the National Trust. Located between Polruan to the west and Polperro to the east, Lantivet Bay is a fine example of Cornwall's beautiful coastline. Set in a tiny cove flanked by steep cliffs the beach reveals a relatively modest patch of sand towards low tide.

During the spring, the bay's cliffs come alive with wildflowers, which give way to rich heathers in purples and russet reds as the summer heat takes hold. But even during the autumn and winter months there's plenty to admire, from the seabirds soaring overhead to the waves crashing ashore on a stormy night.

One of the best ways to appreciate all that Lantivet Bay is able to offer the visitor is by opting to explore the area on foot, using one of several well-marked footpaths. The dog-friendly Lantivet Bay Circular Walk rises and falls over the gentle hills at the coast at this point, and at less than three miles in length can be tackled by pretty much everyone keen to get out into the fresh Cornish air.

Although it can be picked up at any location, the standard starting point is the National Trust car park, from where a path leads onto the cliffs over Palace Cove. Heading westward, you'll pass Lantivet Bay to Pencarrow Head, where the coast and the footpath heads northward around the eastern edge of Lantic Bay.

The beach itself can only be accessed at low tide due to the water levels. Its surface consists of a mix of sand and pebbles, which gently slope into shallows which are regularly the colour of turquoise during the popular summer months.