Just like their human carers, dogs like few things more than feeling the sand beneath their feet in the summer and having a splash at the edge of the shore.
However, while dogs are welcome on many beaches in Cornwall there are some restrictions, many of which start this week.
Whether you want to just take your four-legged friend for a stroll or let them chase after a ball on your favourite beach it’s important to note when you are not allowed to take them.
Cornwall Council has a number of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in place which put restrictions on when dogs can go on beaches.
The majority of these start on Friday (July 1) and then run until the end of August and the restrictions are in force from 10am to 6pm every day.
The penalty for breaching a PSPO can be a maximum of £1,000 although, in most cases, the council will use its discretion to issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 to anyone who commits an offence.
Here is the list of beaches where restrictions run from July 1 to August 31, from 10am to 6pm:
Cadgwith Cove
Castle Beach, Falmouth
Cawsand Beach
Chapel Porth Beach, St Agnes
Church Cove, Gunwalloe
Harveys Towans to Godrevy Point, Hayle
Housel Bay
Kennack Sands Beach
Kynance Cove
Maenporth Beach, Falmouth
Mousehole Beach to Skilly Beach
Wherry Town to Battery Rocks
Long Rock level crossing to Marazion
Perranuthnoe
Poldhu Beach, Mullion
Polurrian Cove Beach, Mullion
Porthcurno Beach
Porthgwarra Beach, St Levan
Porthgwidden Beach, St Ives
Porthleven West
Porthpean Beach, St Austell
Portmellon Cove, Mevagissey
Portreath Beach, including the harbour
Praa Sands
Readmoney Cove, Fowey
St George’s Well, Padstow
St Ives Harbour Beach
Summer’s Beach, St Mawes
Swanpool Beach, Falmouth
Tattam’s Beach, Portscatho
Tunnel Beach, Falmouth
For beaches which have Blue Flag status the restrictions come into force in May and run until the end of September. These restrictions again operate from 10am to 6pm each day.
The following beaches all have the longer period of restrictions for dogs:
Carbis Bay Beach, Carbis Bay
Crackington Haven
Crooklets Beach, Bude
Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth
Polzeath Beach
Porth Beach
Porthmeor Beach, St Ives
Porthminster Beach, St Ives
Porthtowan Beach
Sennen Beach
Trevone Beach, Padstow
Widemouth Beach, Bude
And, lastly, there are some beaches which have all year round bans for dogs which are also 24 hours. Those are:
Carnsew Pool
Copperhouse Pool
Hayle Estuary
Please note that these restrictions only apply to those beaches which are covered by Cornwall Council’s PSPOs. Private beaches may also have their own restrictions in place which are not covered by these orders.
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