From wild coastal walks to rolling countryside rambles, Cornwall is one of the UK’s best dog-friendly destinations. If you’re planning a trip with your four‑legged plus-one, here’s your essential guide to enjoying a weekend or longer in this beautifully unruly corner of Britain — from where to stay to the best walks and practical tips for travelling with your dog.
Seaside walkies: the best dog-friendly beaches in Cornwall
Watergate Bay, near Newquay
At low tide, the sands of Watergate Bay stretch seemingly forever, making this beach just a couple of miles from Newquay town a vast playground for the dog to race around off lead. It’s particularly scenic, too, surrounded by sloping cliffs that glitter with wildflowers in summer. It’s easily accessible with paid public parking and a gentle slope down onto the sand, and dogs have the run of it year round. This stretch of coast is also home to the gorgeous, dog-friendly Watergate Bay Hotel, where you can dine with the dog by your side in the all-day restaurant and enjoy evenings in the spa hot tub overlooking the beach.
Gwithian and Upton Towans Beach, near St Ives
Gwithian and Upton Towans may have different names, but these two beaches are essentially the same stretch of sand that spans almost five kilometres of the coast just north of St Ives. Dogs are welcome all year across most of it (though there’s a small section with summer restrictions at the very northern end), and there’s thrilling surf here for bounding around in the sea. There’s parking just above the beach on the clifftop and steps down onto the sand.
Make a weekend of it and stay up on top of the cliffs in the chic beach houses at Three Mile Beach hotel, which each have their own private sauna and hot tub. Dogs are welcome in all its hideaways (£50 a pet, each night), and they’ll get a bed, bowl and towel from brands like Yeti and Lazyboy. Plus, there’s a sweet ‘library of sticks’ your pooch can choose from, and you can upgrade to a pamper package that includes a robe and grooming lotions and potions.
Carne Beach, near Truro
Carne Beach, set on the Roseland Heritage Coast around 20 kilometres from Truro, connects with Pendower Beach to create a 1.3 kilometre sweep of lovely, soft sand. Backed by grassy cliffs, the beach has some striking rock formations that glitter silver in the sun and harbours rockpools for searching out crabs and other sealife. There are no restrictions for dogs here and there’s handily a car park at either end of the beach. Pick up some local produce at the Pendower Farm Shop, just a few hundred metres from the western end of the sand.
An hour’s drive north, Fowey Hall hotel welcomes all: luxury-seeking adults, hopped-up-on-holiday-fun children and four-legged family members. For £25 per pet each night, they’ll get a bed, bowl, tennis ball and treats. But there’s more to make it a pet haven: rolling green grounds and direct access to miles of footpaths, lounges where they can hang with their human (as long as they’re on-leash), a dog-wash station, a special dogs’ afternoon tea and even an ‘a la bark’ menu for in-room dining.
Lantic Bay, near Polruan
Lantic Bay is surrounded by high cliffs, so you’ll have to brave a set of steep steps cut into the cliffside to get down onto the sands and shingles here, but once you do, the rewards are great. This beauty spot is remote and secluded, with sheltered corners and deliciously calm waters, perfect for paddling or swimming with your dog. Dogs are welcome year-round here; just keep in mind that there may be livestock in some of the farm fields you’ll have to cross from the National Trust car park on the cliff. From there the beach is a 15-minute walk away, and there are no facilities, so bring your own water and picnic. You could also stay at Fowey Hall — it’s a 45-minute drive around the Fowey Estuary from the bay or a slightly shorter drive when combined with a ride on the Bodinnick Ferry.
Onwards and pup-wards: the best dog walking routes in Cornwall
St Michael’s Mount, near Penzance
Best for: sea views and Cornish heritage
Distance: 1.5 kilometres
Estimated time: one hour
Pub stop: Island Café
Best season: autumn/winter
There’s something terribly exciting about walking over the sea floor to reach the pretty cobbled village on St Michael’s Mount, keeping an eye out for scuttling crabs and slippery seaweed as you go. Dogs can’t make this journey in summertime as the isle gets too busy, but in autumn and winter they are welcome to join you for the 500-metre trot across the causeway and onto the island. The small village here has a handful of interesting gift shops and a charming café for scones, sandwiches and light lunches; and the views back towards the mainland are mesmerising. Dogs can enjoy a runaround on Marazion Beach after, which is dog-friendly from September through June.
Stay nearby at quirky Artist Residence Cornwall in Penzance, a 30-minute bus ride or leisurely 90-minute walk away (Marazion is the closest car park to St Michael’s Mount). For £20 a pet per night, dogs get a warm welcome with a bed, bowl and treats aplenty. It’s ideal for those with a pack — The Lookout and Chapel Suite both host two dogs and the Cottage can sleep three; and your furry pal is welcome in the bar, lounge and some parts of the restaurant, too.
Godolphin Hill Walk
Best for: countryside rambling
Distance: 3.2 kilometres
Estimated time: one hour
Pub stop: Piggery Tea-Room
Best season: summer
While the South West Coast Path steals the show when it comes to walking in Cornwall, the Godolphin Hill Walk provides some wonderful views across the Cornish countryside and out to sea, and promises far fewer crowds. There’s a National Trust car park and its footpaths are easy to follow; you’ll most likely encounter cattle or sheep on this walk, so it’s recommended to keep dogs on a lead. Reward your exertions at the Piggery Tea-Room, where dogs on short leads are allowed, with a cream-tea pit stop (nb: the jam goes on the scone first in Cornwall). Then rest your heads at Three Mile Beach, just a 30-minute drive from the walking route.
St Mary’s Garrison, Isles of Scilly
Best for: island life and military history
Distance: 3 kilometres
Estimated time: one hour
Pub stop: The Atlantic Inn
Best season: summer
Fly on the dog-friendly Skybus from Land’s End or Newquay (dogs up to 45kg can fly in the cabin with you), and you can escape to the idyllic Isles of Scilly for as little as a day, which is enough time to walk the dog around the former military garrison on St Mary’s island before a pub lunch in town. The walk is easy to follow: from the quay head up Garrison Hill and hang a right until you hit the Star Castle Hotel. Keeping the sea on your right-hand side, you can simply follow the coast path, past the centuries-old guns and magazine stores and pillboxes, before you arrive back at the beginning again, where you can detour to the Atlantic Inn for a cracking fish and chip supper and pint of Cornish cider. Fly back to Land’s End and then spend the night exploring Penzance’s piratical past from the Artist Residence.
Mevagissey and The Lost Gardens of Heligan
Best for: South West Coast Path charm
Distance: 10.4 kilometres
Estimated time: 2.5 hours
Pub stop: The Ship Inn, Pentewan
Best season: spring
Come to Mevagissey before the summer crowds descend and you’ll have a much more enjoyable time with your dog. From this handsome little harbour village, the walk heads inland across China-clay countryside and along the Pentewan Valley, where the clay was exported via the St Austell River. At Pentewan village, stop in at The Ship Inn for pub classics and snacks for the dog – the staff here will give them lots of love – before you walk southward along the coast path back to Mevagissey. The walk passes Polstreath Beach where dogs are welcome year-round.
Stay the night at The Pig at Harlyn Bay, a 45-minute drive away, where dogs (up to 45kg) are welcome in some of its artfully lived-in rooms for £40 a night, with a bed and bowl. House rules must be followed as they’re not allowed in the restaurant, and you’ll need to be mindful of the livestock living in the grounds.
Dog’s dinners: where to eat with your dog in Cornwall
The Copley Arms, Hessenford
Independently owned pub The Copley Arms serves excellent local produce and Cornish ciders within an exceedingly characterful restaurant and bar. Expect exposed stonework, low timber beams and a bar festooned with hops on the vine. It’s all about hearty fare here, like pork chops with apple slaw or crab risotto; and there’s alfresco seating next to a babbling stream for when the weather’s right. Dogs are welcome on a lead throughout and will get plenty of fuss and a bowl of water.
The Longstore, Charlestown
This beachy restaurant in the heart of tiny Charlestown, overlooking the historic harbour that featured in the TV adaptation of Poldark, is worth driving out to for its delightfully fresh seafood, Cornish pork and beef, and regularly changing specials. Dogs can’t dine inside the main restaurant, but they’re allowed on the terrace outside on a lead, where there are heaters for cooler days.
The Tinners Arms, Zennor
Deep in mining country, 700-year-old pub The Tinners Arms is tucked away in a tiny village just 500 metres from the coast path. Dogs on leads are welcome throughout its rustic bar, where fairylights twinkle on the beams and a log fire creates a cosy scene at night. The fish and chips are excellent, as is the crab sandwich, and they’ve even got their own ale on draught. Enjoy alfresco drinks in the beer garden come summer.
Tallo, Newquay
Set on the coastal road north of Newquay with fine sea views, casual restaurant and bar Tallo has brilliant cocktails and Italian-inspired dishes. Expect classic pizzas and pasta, but also interesting small plates like bruschetta with salsiccia and blue cheese, or cacio e pepe arancini with lemon aioli. If the sun’s shining, bag one of the benches outside; dogs are welcome throughout and are encouraged to sit next to you as long they won’t snaffle from your plate.
Good to know
Getting around: Cornwall is a rural region and buses are the best form of public transport, but dogs aren’t always permitted and seats cannot be booked in advance. Self-driving is always recommended.
When to go: Cornwall is spectacular in summer, but it’s also busy. Dogs will have a much better trip if you travel in the shoulder seasons, or even in winter when you can find many of the beaches empty.
Etiquette on the coast: Be sure to check beach restrictions before you travel, as many have dog bans in summer. Dogs should remain on a lead on the coast path where there are steep cliffs.
Dog-friendly rules: There’s lots of livestock and cattle across Cornwall, so dogs may need to be on a lead more often than not. If you want to let yours run free, find a dog-friendly beach or hire an enclosed field; see British Dog Fields for an extensive list.
See our full collection of pet-friendly stays in Cornwall, a guide on how to travel with your dog, and spa hotels where four-legged friends are welcome to sploot