Best family beaches on the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall
Five favourite Roseland beaches for photoshoots
Everywhere in Cornwall is beautiful! I love exploring the county and discovering new places. I live on the beautiful Roseland Peninsula - situated on the south coast in mid Cornwall. It is a very picturesque region full of rolling farmlands, sandy beaches, with a distinctly quaint, peaceful atmosphere.
These are some of my favourite beaches on the Roseland to visit for family days out, and also where I love to do outdoor family photography sessions.
Pendower Beach
This beach neighbours Carne beach and when the tide is out, the two join up and you can walk along the sand from one end to the other. I often suggest Pendower to people visiting the area because it's not too far out of the way and easy to find off the main road to St Mawes from Truro.
It’s a great beach with a lovely grassy area to sit on if the tide is high, or to have a sand-free picnic. Kids love running up and down the little hills there, and for photos I love using the long dune grass in the background. There is a stream that joins the sea and runs down the beach, often changing course, and can run quite wide and strong at times. It’s perfect for paddling, building little dams and rock walls, ideal for families with babies who want to have a little splash and dip in toes. If you don’t want to get your feet wet, you can cross over on the bridge, set back near the dilapidated Pendower hotel.
Pros:
Plenty of parking on the Veryan side (NT)
Two ways to access (via Veryan or off the A3078)
Plenty of beach, and grassy areas in case of high tide.
Refreshments available during Summer from the cafe at the old hotel and there are toilets by the NT carpark too.
In low tide you can walk along to Carne Beach. It’s also great for rock pooling.
Cons:
The single lane roads in and out of both car parks can be awkward on busy days. I avoid at peak times in the season!
The beach can be quite stony and tricky to walk on with bare feet depending on what’s been washing up.
2. Porthluney Cove Beach (Caerhays)
This is a beautiful spot, and so worth the few extra miles to get to. Like all beaches, it gets crowded in-season and I much prefer to visit at quieter times of the year (although going later in the day/early evening is lovely). At high tide it's a relatively small beach though in low tide it opens up quite a bit.
I love this beach because it feels contained, and has the amazing Caerhays Beach Cafe. There are loads of beautiful walks along the Cornish coastal footpath and the Caerhays Castle is a gorgeous sight.
See some photo shoots at Porthluney on my blog.
Pros:
Loads of parking, right at the beach so no long walks.
Amazing cafe in season (Caerhays Beach Cafe) with delicious food, and a great Summer evening line-up of entertainment, worth checking out (maybe tie in with a sunset photo shoot!)
Cons:
There are now parking machines which are monitored, and it quickly gets crowded.
It's a bit out of the way especially if you're coming to me from far. Narrow Cornish country roads can be tricky for some drivers in busy times.
3. Porthcurnick Beach
Nestled inbetween Rosevine and Portscatho, this gem has been put on the map by Hidden Hut.
It’s a lovely family beach, with soft sand, gentle waves and lots of rocks to explore. You can wander along the coastal footpath all the way to Pendower beach from here, or at least take a little stroll to the National Coastguard’s hut which looks out above the bay.
Visit my blog for stories and more photos from beach family sessions at Porthcurnick Beach.
Pros:
Easy to find
Delicious treats from the Hidden Hut in season
Safe and contained, with plenty of rockpooling and little walks
Cons:
Parking on the Rosevine side soon fills up. There is a bit of a walk from the Portscatho car park, so try to travel light.
4. Towan Beach
Off the beaten track, Towan Beach is located by Porth Farm, on the road between Portscatho and St Anthony’s head. There is a National Trust car park and a little walk between some fields to get down to the beach. These can be quite scenic depending on the time of year.
The Thirstea Company replenishes walkers and beach-bums with lovely teas, organic ice creams and treats, and there are public toilets there too - all recently revamped and lovely!
The beach itself is lovely and sandy, well worth a visit. Again, some good walks along the Coastal footpath, if you fancy.
For stories and more photos from family beach photoshoots done here, visit my blog!
Pros:
Car park, toilets and refreshments on sale in season.
Variety of backdrops making it great for photoshoots.
Beautiful area to visit - the drive in is pretty.
Cons:
Slightly out the way, it’s almost at St Anthony’s Head.
Road to and from can get congested in busy times.
5. Carne Beach
One of the better known and more popular beaches on the Roseland. Located next door to Pendower beach, stretching towards Nare Head (overlooked by the Nare Hotel). It’s a lovely sandy beach, with loads of climbing rocks. There is a large National Trust car park and a few spaces right on the beachfront if you’re lucky!
Being the South Coast, waves are rarely very big and it’s wonderful for paddling. It gets hit by tourists but when the tide is out there is plenty of space to run and play and enjoy the best of Cornish life.
Read some stories (and see more photos) from past photography sessions at Carne Beach.
Pros:
Easy to find, though gets rammed in summer!
Loads of parking (again, even this one overflows on a busy day)
Lovely coastal footpath walks in either direction.
You can walk along the beach to the other end of Pendower Beach during low tide.
Cons:
Popular beach, so unless it’s out of season there’s little chance of having it to yourselves!
These are the spots I most frequently find myself for sessions, though there are plenty more I love to use! I hope it’s inspired you to visit our lovely area.
Let me know if you have any favourite places on the Roseland that you love to visit!
To book a golden hour beach session at any of the above, or to explore some of the other gems on the Roseland with me, get in touch!