Falmouth Beaches
From Pendennis Point to the Helford Road - Five Beaches Around Cornwall's Historic Harbour Town
Falmouth grew up around one of the world's great natural harbours, and its beaches follow the shoreline south from Pendennis Point towards the Helford River. This guide covers all five: the small, sheltered coves of Castle Beach and Tunnel Beach tucked below Pendennis Castle, the town's main beach at Gyllyngvase, the ecologically important Swanpool a short walk further round, and the wooded, quieter Maenporth at the edge of town on the road towards Rosemullion Head.
Gyllyngvase is Falmouth's flagship beach and its only Blue Flag holder for 2026, with RNLI lifeguard cover through the summer season, beachside cafés and direct bus and coastal-path access from the town centre. Swanpool, just around the headland, is both a beach and a Site of Special Scientific Interest, its brackish pool behind the sand bar home to a nationally rare marine species. Castle Beach and Tunnel Beach, in the lee of the castle, are smaller and more sheltered, popular with snorkellers and rock-poolers at low tide, while Maenporth, reached by road or coast path, has its own café, restaurant and watersports centre.
Each beach below has its own dedicated page with a full visitor guide - parking, facilities, disabled access information, a precise map, nearby things to do and places to stay - researched and kept up to date. Use the buttons above or the list below to jump to any beach.
At a Glance
- Falmouth, South Cornwall, on the Carrick Roads/Fal Estuary
- 1 Blue Flag beach for 2026: Gyllyngvase
- 5 named beaches, from sheltered harbour coves to a Local Nature Reserve & SSSI
- Coast path links all five beaches on to Rosemullion Head and the Helford
Symbols key
- Parking
- Toilets
- Refreshments
- Lifeguard in season
- Wheelchair accessible
- Dogs allowed
- Dogs restricted or not allowed
Falmouth's Beaches
Castle Beach
A small, sheltered sand and shingle cove below Pendennis Castle, popular for snorkelling.
- Toilets
- Refreshments
- Seasonal dog restriction
Tunnel Beach
A small, easily missed cove reached through a rock tunnel beneath Pendennis headland.
- Seasonal dog restriction
Gyllyngvase Blue Flag
This folder's flagship beach - Falmouth's main sandy beach, with cafés and lifeguard cover.
- Car park
- Toilets
- Refreshments
- Lifeguard in season
- Wheelchair accessible
- Seasonal dog restriction
Swanpool Local Nature Reserve & SSSI
A beach beside a rare brackish lagoon, protected for a nationally scarce marine species.
- Car park
- Toilets
- Refreshments
- Wheelchair accessible
- Seasonal dog restriction
Maenporth
A wooded, sheltered cove towards Rosemullion Head, with a café, restaurant and watersports.
- Car park
- Toilets
- Refreshments
- Wheelchair accessible
- Seasonal dog restriction
Visitor Information
Parking
Gyllyngvase, Swanpool and Maenporth each have their own pay-and-display car parks; Castle Beach and Tunnel Beach rely on nearby Pendennis Point and Castle Drive parking - see each beach's own page for exact locations.
Facilities
Gyllyngvase, Swanpool and Maenporth all have cafés and toilets, with lifeguard cover at Gyllyngvase in season; Castle Beach and Tunnel Beach have no facilities of their own.
Disabled Access
Gyllyngvase and Swanpool have the most level, developed access from their car parks; Castle Beach, Tunnel Beach and Maenporth involve steps or unsurfaced paths - full details on each beach page. Blue Badge parking provision varies by beach - check each beach's Visitor Information panel for details.
Places to Stay in Falmouth
Page last updated: 10 September 2026