Fox Cove

Fox Cove
© Mike Charles
Last updated:

The secluded little Fox Cove lies roughly halfway between Treyarnon Bay and Porthcothan. It is one of a series of rugged little inlets, the others being Pepper and Chair coves.

Out of these three little beaches Fox Cove is by far the best being both larger and sandier than the others.


Fox cove is easily recognisable by the finger of mussel-encrusted rock which points into the inlet, dividing it in half. Surrounded by high, steep cliffs the cove is quite sheltered from the wind, although they do put much of the sand in shadow during the morning.


This is an exposed section of the North Cornish coast facing directly into the Atlantic swells. Therefore, given its remote nature care should be taken when entering the water. However, there is good snorkelling to be had on calm days.


At Fox Cove are the remains of the steam tanker, 'Helmsley I'. She was wrecked in 1969, on her way to a breakers yard. The captain believed he was somewhere south of Lizard Point shortly before driving her straight onto the rocks. Fortunately all aboard survived. Today all that is left are the boiler and a section of the bow which can be seen on very low tides.

As with virtually all of Cornwall's "secret beaches" access to Fox Cove is on the challenging side. The path down the cliff is not for the faint-hearted and the beach all but vanishes towards high tide.

Type of beach

Sand and rocks

Lifeguard service

No

Dogs friendly beach?

Dogs allowed all year

dog friendly beaches »

Postcode

PL28 8PL

OS grid ref.

SW 8549 7328

Facilities

For facilities head into the village at St Merryn or just around the coast to Constantine