South East Cornwall beaches

Map featuring South East Cornwall beaches. Click on pins to view beach details

The beach guide has 21 beaches listed in South East Cornwall.

Cawsand Bay

A calm sheltered bay which looks over Plymouth Sound and is generally considered…
Downderry Beach

This is a sheltered beach made of grey sand and shingle with rock pools at…
Freathy Beach

One of the more popular sections of Whitsand Bay. Freathy beach is a large…
Hannafore Beach

Stretching from Hannafore Point to the outskirts of Looe sits Hannafore Beach,…
Kingsand Beach

In the small Cornish fishing village of Kingsand on the remote Rame Peninsula…
Lansallos Cove

Small sand and shingle beach in Lanlivet Bay a few miles east of Pencarrow…
Lantic Bay

The term "hidden gem" is often used to describe some of the more remote beaches…
Lantivet Bay

Lantivet Bay is between Polruan and Polperro on coastal path. Accessible only…
Looe Beach

The beach in East Looe sits directly in front of the old town, sheltered from…
Millendreath Beach

Close to the resort town of Looe is Millendreath Beach. A south facing beach…
Plaidy Beach

Plaidy is a small sand and shingle beach located next to Millendreath beach,…
Polperro Beach

Situated on Cornwall's south coast is Polperro, viewed by many as one of the…
Polridmouth Cove

Between Gribbin Head and Fowey is the twin cove of Polridmouth. Access is via…
Polruan Back Beach

Back beach in Polruan is located on the other side of the quayside from Quay…
Polruan Quay Beach

As the name suggests, Polruan Quay beach is located next to the village's quay.…
Portwrinkle Beach

The little fishing village of Portwrinkle is tucked away in Cornwall's forgotten…
Ready Money Cove

A small, sheltered, sandy beach, slightly shelving. It is sheltered by cliffs…
Seaton Beach

Seaton Beach is located at the foot of the wooded Hessenford valley on what…
Sharrow Beach

Another of the sandy coves that make up Whitsand Bay. Sharrow beach is easier…
Talland Bay

Located midway between Looe and Polperro are the secluded twin coves of Talland…
Whitsand Bay

Located between Rame Head and Portwrinkle this is possibly one of the best…

South East Cornwall

Fowey to Plymouth

With its rolling hills, photogenic fishing villages, proximity to Plymouth and shelter from the prevailing south-westerly winds, this part of Cornwall has a lot to offer the dedicated beach-goer. On a hot summer's day the white sands of Lantic Bay can feel like the Mediterranean, while Whitsand Bay offers no less than four miles of beach, with a cafe, toilets and even the occasional surfable wave. Polperro and Looe both have pleasant, if small, sandy beaches, as do the twin villages of Kingsand and Cawsand. Most of the beaches on this stretch of coast are easy to access via paths, steps or slipways, which can mean crowds. The lesser-known Lansallos is usually quiet, however, as is the east end of Downderry, an unofficial nudist beach that joins up with the neighbouring Seaton at low tide.

South East Cornwall best beaches

Seaton