Insiders guide: Dog friendly Porthleven

Dog-friendly beaches

Porthleven and Loe Bar

Right on our doorstep, the beautiful Porthleven beach will take you all the way to Loe Bar at low tide. No dogs between Easter and October but the times have been changed to give an extra 3 hours when dogs are allowed.   9am – 6pm. There are no restrictions on dogs from the other side of Blue Buoys steps (at the Lifeguards Hut)

Other local beaches:

• Loe Bar beach (1 mi) – Dogs allowed all year – Loe Bar is made up of 2 parts; The Loe, which is the largest natural fresh water lake in Cornwall and the Bar, a half mile shingle bank which separates the Loe from the sea. Please take special care on this beach, especially in rough seas and no swimming. 
• Gunwalloe beach (2.6 mi) – No dogs between Easter and October – Lovely sandy, family friendly beach with a river running through it. Seasonal dog ban. Easter day to 1st October
• Rinsey Cove (2.6 mi) – Dogs allowed all year – Follow the coast road from Porthleven and take the left down to the hamlet of Rinsey. It is a rather treacherous climb down to the beach on a steep cliff path. But well worth it!
• Dollar Cove (3.3 mi) – dogs allowed all year – The cove is named after the silver dollars that have occasionally been found from the wreck of a 17th-century ship.
• Praa Sands beach (3.9 mi) – No dogs from Easter to October – Long sandy beach also known as Hendra. Very busy in the summer months with families.
• Poldhu Cove (4 mi) – No dogs from Easter to October – A popular sandy beach in a pretty valley location. There are lovely coastal walks with spectacular views around the cove and Poldhu Cafe on the beach.
• Mullion Cove (4.9 mi) – Dogs allowed all year – Pretty cove with sandy beach at low tide. Interesting serpentine rock formation in cliffs. A diversity of wild plants on the cliff tops.

Woodland walks

Penrose

Plenty of walks around Cornwall’s largest natural lake. Lovely views down the valley to Loe Bar from the Penrose Cafe. Accessible from Porthleven and Helston boating lake, the area offers open parkland, woodland and coastline. Find out more: www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Crenver Woods

About 20 minutes drive from Porthleven towards Camborne, is Crenver Woods. A protected woodland. Find out more: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

Places to eat

Plenty of cafes, pubs and restaurants in Porthleven and beyond will welcome your dog. Here are a few of our favourites:

The Atlantic Inn 

Situated overlooking Porthleven and with views across the Atlantic.

The Ship Inn 

Right on the harbour, the perfect place to watch the boats enter and leave the harbour or hunker down in stormy weather.

The Harbour Inn 

A St Austell Brewery pub which offers a cosy atmosphere and traditional pub grub. Well behaved dogs welcome.