Kynance Cove

Popular since Victorian times, the brilliant turquoise water and white sand, with islands, caves and unexpected views are still a powerful draw today. It is difficult to overstate quite how stunning this unique cove is.

The beach's defining features are the serpentine rock formations, including the  distinctive pinnacle to the north of the beach. This red and green stone, which is found throughout the Lizard Peninsula, has been formed into otherworldly shapes over the milenia to form caves, sea stacks and islands. These all have their own quirky names such as the Asparagus Island, The Drawing Room and The Parlour.

At low tide you can explore the caves and islands close-up, however you need to keep an eye on the tides as it is possible to get cut off. In addition there are no lifeguards at Kynance, so some caution should be exercised if you fancy a dip in that crystal-clear turquoise water. The sea here is generally pretty calm in the summer, but this is quite an exposed stretch of coast so the sea can be unpredictable and dangerous.

Situated just above the beach is the Kynance Cove Beach Cafe which has operated here for nearly 100 years. This off-grid café is the perfect spot for a crab sandwich Cornish pasty,  or cream tea.

All in all Kynance is one of the prettiest coves in Cornwall and as a result one of the most painted and photographed. It is also becoming one of the most visited, especially after it featured in an episode of Poldark. This means it can become quite crowded here during the summer, and you may even have difficulties finding a spot in the large car park. To avoid this you can take the lovely scenic coastal walk around from The Lizard Point which is located less than 2 miles away.

Poldark isn't the only big name TV series to be filmed at Kynance. In 2022 the cove's fantastical features became Westeros' Stepstones in the Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon. A generous amount of CGI was added to the cove to make up the scene, but it's unmistakably Kynance.

Kynance Cove is now owned and cared for by the National Trust.