St Austell’s beaches
Carlyon Bay, Porthpean, Charlestown and Pentewan — dogs, parking, toilets and lifeguards, with dates.
St Austell sits two miles from the sea, with four very different beaches below it. Dog rules, parking and toilets for each — checked against the beach owners’ and beach guides’ own listings.
No lifeguards on any of these beaches
Carlyon Bay (Crinnis, Shorthorn & Polgaver)
Two miles of sand in three named stretches — the big, open beach, and the one to pick if you have a dog.
- Dogs
- Allowed all year
- Parking
- Clifftop car park above the beach
- Toilets
- No permanent toilets
- Lifeguards
- None
- Food & drink
- Summer pop-ups and a beach bar in season
- Map
- Open in maps
Porthpean
The sheltered family swimming beach, with a sailing club and rock pools at low tide.
- Dogs
- Banned 1 July – 31 August, 10am–6pm; allowed otherwise
- Parking
- Small car park near the beach — fills early on fine days
- Toilets
- By the beach
- Lifeguards
- None
- Map
- Open in maps
Charlestown
Small coves beside the Georgian harbour — more a place to wander, eat and look at tall ships than a towel-on-sand beach.
- Dogs
- Not allowed on the harbour beaches
- Parking
- One car park plus limited on-road parking on the approach
- Toilets
- Public toilets near the harbour
- Lifeguards
- None
- Food & drink
- Pubs and cafés around the harbour
- Map
- Open in maps
Pentewan
Over half a mile of sand with rock pools at the mouth of the St Austell River, at the end of the Pentewan Valley cycle trail.
The beach is privately owned by Pentewan Sands Holiday Park but open to the public — walk in from Pentewan village.
- Dogs
- Not allowed — the beach owner bans dogs (assistance dogs excepted)
- Parking
- Pay parking at the holiday park behind the beach
- Toilets
- Holiday park facilities, for paying visitors
- Lifeguards
- None
- Map
- Open in maps