Trevone, Cornwall – Sandy Bay, Tidal Pool & the Round Hole
Trevone Bay & Rocky Beach
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Blue Flag beach (2026)
HOLIDAYS IN TREVONE
Trevone is a small seaside village and sandy bay on the North Cornwall coast, about two miles west of Padstow. The beach is a gently shelving stretch of golden sand between rising cliffs, and it holds a Blue Flag award for 2026 – one of only ten Blue Flag beaches in Cornwall this year (officially listed as Porthmissen/Trevone).
Trevone has two remarkable natural features. Next to the main beach, Rocky Beach hides one of the largest natural tidal pools on the Cornish coast, and on the cliffs above the bay is the Round Hole, a huge collapsed sea cave.
The village has a shop, a café, a surf shop and a pub, and the South West Coast Path runs along the cliffs in both directions – east to Padstow and west to Harlyn Bay and Trevose Head. Please note that Trevone has a summer dog ban (see Visitor Information).
For somewhere to stay, see Trevone holiday cottages and holidays and short breaks in Trevone.
Best Time to Visit Trevone
Summer brings lifeguards, warm sand and the tidal pool at its best – but the car parks fill on sunny days, and dogs are not allowed on the beach between 10am and 6pm. Low tide is the best time for space on the sand and for the tidal pool.
Spring and autumn are lovely for coast path walks and quieter beach days, and from October dogs are welcome on the beach at any time. In winter, big seas make the Round Hole and the cliffs a dramatic sight.
↑ Back to topTREVONE BEACH
Trevone’s main beach is a broad, level expanse of firm golden sand that grows considerably as the tide falls. It is enclosed by cliffs on both sides, with the village and its car parks just behind, and it is a popular family beach for swimming, paddling and sandcastles.
The bay faces west into the Atlantic, so it catches the swell and is a well-used surf beach too. At high tide the sand narrows and a sharper shore break can form, so low tide is the best time for a relaxed day on the beach.
The rocks and cliffs here are protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for their geology – look out for the dramatically folded and tilted rock layers as you walk along the clifftop. The beach also has an in-depth page in our Cornwall Beaches guide.
↑ Back to topTrevone at a glance
Where: Trevone, near Padstow, PL28 8QY
Beach: golden sand between cliffs
Award: Blue Flag 2026
Tidal pool: yes – on Rocky Beach
Lifeguards: RNLI, mid-May to late September
Dogs: banned 15 May – 30 Sept, 10am–6pm
Parking: two pay and display car parks
ROCKY BEACH & THE TIDAL POOL
Next to the main sands, reached over a low rocky headland, is Rocky Beach, also known as Newtrain Bay – a shore of ledges and gullies that fills with rock pools at low tide and is a favourite place for crabbing.
Its showpiece is a huge natural tidal pool, partly walled to hold the water as the tide goes out, and known to generations of locals as Tinker Bunny’s Bathing Pool. It is one of the largest tidal pools on the Cornish coast, and on a warm day at low tide it is perfect for a sheltered swim.
The pool is only usable around low tide – at high water the sea covers it. There is no lifeguard at the pool and the rocks are slippery, so take care getting in and out and keep a close eye on children.
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THE ROUND HOLE
In a sloping field on the cliffs above the eastern side of the bay is the Round Hole, a great circular shaft about 24 metres (80 feet) deep. It formed where the roof of a sea cave collapsed long ago, and it is open to the sky, with a tunnel at the bottom through which the sea surges in at high tide.
It is one of the most dramatic sights on this part of the coast, and well worth the short walk from the village. But it has an unfenced edge and has been the scene of serious falls and rescues – admire it from a safe distance, keep children close and dogs on a lead, and never try to climb down into it.
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SURFING & BEACH SAFETY
Trevone’s beach break works best from around mid tide, when the sandbanks in the middle of the bay give the cleanest waves. On a good day it suits improving surfers and bodyboarders, while smaller days are fine for beginners. The surf shop in the village hires boards and wetsuits. For lessons, the surf schools at Harlyn Bay are just along the coast.
RNLI lifeguards patrol Trevone daily in the main season, from mid-May to late September, between 10am and 6pm. Swim and bodyboard between the red and yellow flags, and remember that no flags means no lifeguards. Like every open Atlantic beach, Trevone has rip currents.
↑ Back to topTHE COAST PATH TO PADSTOW
Trevone is a perfect starting point for walks on the South West Coast Path. Heading east, the path follows the cliffs past Gunver Head to Stepper Point, with its old stone daymark tower, then turns into the mouth of the Camel Estuary and follows it past Hawker’s Cove and St George’s Well to Padstow. Catch the bus back, or walk back across the fields.
Heading west, the path passes the Round Hole and Rocky Beach on its way to Harlyn Bay, Mother Ivey’s Bay and Trevose Head – with views all the way.
↑ Back to topTHINGS TO DO IN TREVONE
Trevone packs a lot into a small bay. For families, the sand, the tidal pool and the rock pools of Rocky Beach can fill a whole day. On rainy days, Padstow’s shops, harbour and museum are only two miles away.
- Swim in the tidal pool on Rocky Beach at low tide.
- See the Round Hole – from a safe distance.
- Go crabbing and rock pooling on Rocky Beach.
- Surf or bodyboard between the flags in the lifeguard season.
- Walk the coast path to Padstow via Stepper Point.
- Walk west to Harlyn Bay and Trevose Head – Harlyn Bay guide.
- Spend a day in Padstow – Padstow guide.
- Cycle the Camel Trail from Padstow – Camel Trail.
- Explore the Seven Bays – Constantine Bay, Treyarnon and Porthcothan.
TREVONE VILLAGE
Trevone has grown up around its beach without ever feeling overrun. The village has a shop, a seasonal café and beach shop, a surf shop, the Well Parc pub and a village hall, which hosts a popular summer fete.
The name Trevone, from the Cornish Treavon, is usually explained as a farmstead by a stone or river. The village lies within the parish of Padstow, and its older houses are a reminder that there was a settled farming community here long before the holidaymakers arrived.
↑ Back to topPLACES NEAR TREVONE
- Padstow – the harbour town on the Camel Estuary, about two miles east.
- Harlyn Bay – a sheltered family and learn-to-surf beach, a short way west.
- Constantine Bay – a big surf beach on the far side of Trevose Head.
- Treyarnon Bay – a sandy cove with a natural tidal pool.
- Rock and Polzeath – across the Camel Estuary by the Padstow ferry.
The Seven Bays
Trevone, Harlyn, Constantine, Booby’s, Treyarnon, Porthcothan and Mawgan Porth – see all the beaches around Padstow in our Cornwall Beaches guide.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Parking & Getting There
Trevone is signposted from the B3276 west of Padstow. Two pay and display car parks serve the beach (PL28 8QY) – one near the village shop and a larger field car park a short walk back. Both are privately managed with camera enforcement in places, so check the signs carefully when you pay.
Bus & Train
Trevone is about two miles from Padstow, where buses run to Wadebridge, Bodmin and Newquay. Check whether a local service stops in Trevone before you travel. The nearest railway stations are Bodmin Parkway and Newquay.
Facilities
Public toilets, a seasonal café and beach shop, and a surf shop offering board and wetsuit hire serve the beach, with the village shop and the Well Parc pub a short walk away. For supermarkets, head for Padstow.
Disabled Access
The car parks are a short, fairly level walk from the beach, and at low tide the beach is a broad, level expanse of firm sand. The Round Hole and coast path are reached across rough, sloping fields. Dedicated Blue Badge bays are not confirmed – check locally.
Dogs on the Beach
Dogs are not allowed on Trevone beach from 15 May to 30 September, between 10am and 6pm. Outside those times, dogs are welcome. Nearby Harlyn Bay and Constantine Bay allow dogs all year. Keep dogs on a lead near the Round Hole.
Safety & Health
Swim between the red and yellow flags when lifeguards are on duty, and check tide times before exploring the rocks. Call 999 in an emergency and ask for the Coastguard at the beach or on the cliffs, or NHS 111 for urgent advice. The nearest A&E is the Royal Cornwall Hospital, Truro.
STAY & EXPLORE NEAR TREVONE
Nearby Towns
Local Attractions
Walks & Surfing
Official Information
FAMILY HOLIDAYS & SHORT BREAKS AT TREVONE
Family holidays in Trevone are all about the beach – days of sandcastles and bodyboarding, swims in the giant tidal pool and crabbing on Rocky Beach, with lifeguards on duty through the summer and a Blue Flag for water quality and safety.
The village has its own holiday cottages and houses, many within a short walk of the sand, and Padstow is just two miles away. Browse Trevone holiday cottages, or holidays and short breaks in Trevone for every type of accommodation.
Spring and autumn are perfect for a short break, when the coast path is at its best and, from October, dogs can join you on the beach. Booking direct with the owner means no agency fees.
↑ Back to topFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT TREVONE
Trevone is a small village and sandy bay on the North Cornwall coast, about two miles west of Padstow, between Harlyn Bay and Stepper Point. The postcode for the beach car parks is PL28 8QY.
Dogs are not allowed on Trevone beach from 15 May to 30 September, between 10am and 6pm. Outside those dates and times dogs are welcome. Nearby Harlyn Bay and Constantine Bay allow dogs all year round.
Yes. Rocky Beach, next to the main sands, has one of the largest natural tidal pools on the Cornish coast, known locally as Tinker Bunny’s Bathing Pool. It can only be used around low tide, and there is no lifeguard at the pool.
The Round Hole is a collapsed sea cave in a field on the cliffs above the bay – a circular shaft about 24 metres deep, with a tunnel to the sea at the bottom. It has an unfenced edge, so view it from a safe distance and never try to climb down.
Yes. Trevone, officially listed as Porthmissen/Trevone, holds a Blue Flag award for 2026, one of ten Blue Flag beaches in Cornwall this year. Awards are renewed each year.
Yes. RNLI lifeguards patrol Trevone daily in the main season, from mid-May to late September, between 10am and 6pm. Swim between the red and yellow flags, and check the RNLI website for this year’s dates.
Yes. The South West Coast Path runs east from Trevone around Stepper Point and along the Camel Estuary to Padstow – a beautiful walk of a few hours. There is also a shorter inland route across the fields.
Perranporth | Holywell Bay | Crantock Bay | Newquay | Porth | Mawgan Porth | Bedruthan Steps & Carnewas (NT) | Porthcothan Bay | Treyarnon Bay | Constantine Bay | Harlyn Bay | Trevone | Padstow | Wadebridge | The Camel Estuary - Camel Cycle Trail | Daymer Bay | Rock | Polzeath | Port Isaac | Bodmin |