A photo of Housel Bay beach, a small snady beach below the cliffs with a turquoise sea. Remote and beautiful. Taken from Friendly Guides Lizard Guidebook.

Jul 07, 2024 by Alastair Reid Schanche

The Lizard features some of the most striking coastline in Cornwall. The steep cliffs not only provide excellent walking and stunning views, but have many remote coves and beaches. Here, you’ll feel a million miles from civilisation and experience Cornwall at its most sublime. Here are some of Friendly Guide’s favourites taken from our LIZARD GUIDEBOOK and LIZARD POCKET GUIDES.

Know Before You Go

Many of these beaches disappear or are much reduced at high tide, so check tide times before you go. You can do that here (opens BBC website). You’re here for the wild and the remote, so don’t expect to find lifeguards or a nice cafe nearby. Access can be tricky – often a scramble down narrow cliff paths – so these beaches are only suitable for the agile and sure-footed. These beaches often involve a walk from parking. Remember to pack suncream, snacks and water.

Going clockwise around the Lizard peninsula:

Mears Beach (Porthbeer Cove), Coverack

A large sandy beach is revealed by the falling tide. Much loved by locals, it's an easy 20 minute/1 kilometre walk along the coast from Coverack.

Nearest large park is at North Corner, Coverack (TR12 6TF) or there is a small car park by the harbour (TR12 6SX)
No lifeguards
No cafe or loos (Coverack is closest)
Dogs OK all year round

Downas Cove, Coverack

A really isolated spot backed by serpentine cliffs. A sandy beach is exposed at low water so you need to plan ahead to arrive as the tide is falling. You will have to walk from Coverack but if you make the effort you’ll be rewarded with incredible cliffs, beautiful views and an empty beach.

Nearest parking is in Coverack then a 4.2 (2.5miles) walk – North Corner (TR12 6TF) or the small car park by the harbour (TR12 6SX)
there are a couple of parking spaces at Treleaver Farm (National Trust) then it’s a 1.5km walk to Downas Cove
No lifeguards
No cafe or loos (Coverack is closest)
Dogs OK all year round

Lankidden, Kennack Sands

At low water, an isolated sandy beach is exposed to the east of the headland. To get there you will have to walk from Kennack Sands. Then it's a scramble down the cliff from the coast path.

Nearest parking is at Kennack Sands (TR12 7LT) then 2.5km (1.5mile walk)
No lifeguards
No cafe or loos (Kennack Sands is closest)
Dogs OK all year round
Unofficial naturist beach

Housel Bay, Lizard Point

This beautiful cove is enclosed on three sides by steep cliffs and at low tide boasts soft sands. There are rocks and small islands to explore and jump from making it a great place to swim. It's a short walk down the cliff from the coast path to reach the beach. Photo at top of blog.

Park at the National Trust's Lizard Point Car Park (TR12 7NT) or in Lizard Village then it's a 1km walk along the cliff path
Food and refreshments available in nearby Lizard Town
No lifeguards
No toilet facilities
High season dog ban: 10am - 6pm, July 1st - August 31st

Pentreath and Caerthillian Cove

A cliff-top picture looking over one kilometre of sand that makes up Pentreath Beach. Two people are walking along the sand. The tide is out and the boiler of an old shipwreck is visible stuck in the sand. Taken from Friendly Guides Lizard Guidebook.

A kilometre long sandy beach at low water. It is usually deserted because access is difficult. Kids love the old ship's boiler stuck in the sand. Good surfing but beware rip tides if swimming. Best accessed from the low cliffs north of Caerthillian Cove (a lovely small beach). Keep a close eye on the returning tide.

Park at the National Trust's Lizard Point Car Park (TR12 7NT) then it's a 1km walk along the cliff path or on the Green in Lizard Town (TR12 7NJ) and walk down Pentreath Lane
Loos, food and refreshments in Lizard Town and at Kynance Cove
No lifeguards
Dogs OK all year round

Gew-graze (Soapy Cove)

A cliff-top view of Gew-graze (Sioapy Cove), a small sandy beach below dark serpentine cliffs. Taken from Friendly Guides Lizard Guidebook.

Soapy Cove is about as remote and out-of-the-way as it gets, though this means a tricky scramble down the valley from the coast path over boulders and through the stream bed. The beach is small and only exposed at low tide.

No lifeguards
No cafe or loos (nearest at Kynance Cove)
Park at Kynance Cove (TR12 7PJ) and then a 1.5 km walk or at Predannack Wollas (TR12 7EZ) then a 2km walk
Dogs OK all year round

Porth Pyg (Mullion Cove)

Porth Pyg is just outside the harbour at Mullion Cove and is set against the most magnificently black serpentine cliffs. The level of sand here changes markedly from year to year but if you’re lucky, there will be a wide sandy beach exposed for a few hours around low tide. Accessed via a tunnel from the floor of Mullion Harbour (under the concrete bridge).

No lifeguards
Cafe and loos at the harbour
Park at the large Porthmellin Car Park (TR12 7EU) or the slightly closer Quarry Car Park (TR12 7EP) and then it's an easy 1 km walk down the road to the harbour
Dogs OK all year round

Friendly Guides Lizard Beach Guide, Cornwall. A photo of the cover showing Gunwalloe Beach and lifeguard flags.

Friendly Guides Lizard Guidebook, Cornwall. A photo of the book sitting on some Wellington boots outside the back door. The cover shows a picture of Mullion Harbour.