Dog Friendly Beach Guide

Dog Friendly Beach Guide

by | Jun 7, 2025 | Dog Friendly, Family Friendly, Uncategorized

Dog Friendly Beach Guide

We have 20 fantastic dog friendly beaches within a 15 mile drive from The Laurels

Some beaches have seasonal restrictions - the dates and times vary from beach to beach.

Up to date information can be found here: Cornwall Dog Friendly Beaches

Number Beach Name Dog Friendly Distance to drive from The Laurels
1 Hawkers Cover All Year 7.1 miles
2 Trevone Seasonal Ban 6.1 miles
3 Harlyn Bay All Year 6.8 miles
4 Constantine Bay All Year 7.2 miles
5 Treyarnon Bay All Year 7.5 miles
6 Porthcothan Bay All Year 8.5 miles
7 Bedruthan Steps All Year 11 miles
8 Mawgan Porth All Year 10.1 miles
9 Watergate Bay All Year 12.5 miles
10 Porth Beach Seasonal Ban 13.2 miles
11 Lusty Glaze Beach All Year 13.1 miles
12 Tolcarne Seasonal Ban 13.3 miles
13 Great Western Beach All Year 13.6 miles
14 Fistral Beach All Year 15 miles
15 Rock Seasonal Ban 9 miles
16 Daymer Bay All Year 9.7 miles
17 Polzeath Seasonal Ban 9.9 miles
18 Lundy Bay Seasonal Ban 9.1 miles
19 Port Quin Seasonal Ban 9.2 miles
20 Port Isaac All Year 10.2 miles

Days out with the kids in Cornwall

Days out with the kids in Cornwall

by | Jun 7, 2025 | Family Friendly

Days out with the kids in Cornwall

A few ideas of activities and days out with children when staying with us here at The Laurels in North Cornwall

Make sure to check the details on the individual websites for up to date opening dates ad times

Cycle the Camel Trail

https://www.cameltrailcyclehire.co.uk/

Wadebridge

PL27 7AL

2.4 miles drive from The Laurels

Camel Creek Family Adventure Park

https://www.camelcreek.co.uk/

Wadebridge

PL27 7RA

2.8 miles drive from The Laurels

Wadebridge Leisure Centre & Soft Play

https://www.wadebridgeslc.co.uk/

Wadebridge 

PL27 6BU

3.5 miles drive from The Laurels

Cornish Bird of Prey Centre

https://cornishbirdsofprey.co.uk/

St Column Major

TR9 6DH

4.1 miles drive from The Laurels

Tide Climbing Center

https://www.tideclimbing.com/

St Issey, Wadebridge

PL27 7SE

4.5 miles drive from The Laurels

Giant Slip and Slide

https://www.giantslipandslide.co.uk/

St Column Major

TR9 6DH

4.6 miles drive from The Laurels

Retallack Water Sports

https://www.retallackcornwall.com/things-to-do/watersports/

St Column Major

TR9 6DE

4.9 miles drive from The Laurels

National Lobster Hatchery

https://nationallobsterhatchery.co.uk/

Padstow

PL28 8BL

5.4 miles drive from The Laurels

Padstow SeaLife Safaris

https://www.padstowsealifesafaris.co.uk/

Padstow

PL28 8AF

5.9 miles drive from The Laurels

Springfields Fun Park

https://www.springfieldfunpark.co.uk/

St Column

PL31 2RQ

7.9 miles drive from The Laurels

St Eval Karting

https://www.stevalkartcircuit.com/

St Eval

PL27 7UN

9 miles drive from The Laurels

Screech Owl Sanctuary

https://screechowlsanctuary.co.uk/

Indian Queens

TR9 6HP

9.4 miles drive from The Laurels

Bodmin Jail

https://www.bodminjail.org/

Bodmin

PL31 2NR

10 miles drive from The Laurels

Bodmin Railway

https://bodminrailway.co.uk/

Bodmin

PL31 1AQ

10.5 miles drive from The Laurels

Bodmin Trampoline Park

https://www.supertrampparks.co.uk/bodmin

Bodmin

PL31 2RQ

11 miles drive from The Laurels

Oasis Fun Pools

https://www.oasis-hendra.co.uk/

Newquay

TR8 4NY

13.6 miles drive from The Laurels

Newquay Zoo

https://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/

St Column

TR7 2LZ

13.9 miles drive from The Laurels

Lappa Valley

https://www.lappavalley.co.uk/

Newquay

TR8 5LX

14 miles drive from The Laurels

Newquay Activity Centre

https://newquayactivitycentre.co.uk/

Newquay

TR7 1LW

15.7 miles drive from The Laurels

Blue Reef Aquarium Newquay

https://www.bluereefaquarium.co.uk/newquay/

Newquay

TR7 1DU

15.9 miles drive from The Laurels

Eden Project

https://www.edenproject.com/

Par, St Austell

PL24 2SG

18 miles drive from The Laurels

Kidzworld Adventure Play

https://kidzworldcornwall.co.uk/

St Austell

PL25 3RP

19.3 miles drive from The Laurels

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

https://www.heligan.com/

St Austell

PL26 6EN

20.5 miles drive from The Laurels

Hidden Valley Puzzle Park

https://www.hiddenvalley.co.uk/

Lauceston

PL15 8SJ

26.6 miles drive from The Laurels

Adrenalin Quarry

https://www.adrenalinquarry.co.uk/

Liskeard

PL14 3PJ

26.8 miles drive from The Laurels

Paradise Park and JungleBarn

https://paradisepark.org.uk/

Hayle

TR27 4HB

37.5 miles drive from The Laurels

Cornish Seal Sanctuary

https://sealsanctuary.sealifetrust.org/en/

Gweek

TR12 6UG

40 miles drive from The Laurels

Our Favourite North Cornish Beach …….

Our Favourite North Cornish Beach …….

by | Jun 7, 2025 | Dog Friendly, Family Friendly, Latest News, Local Area

Our Favourite North Cornish Beach............

We often get asked which our favourite beach is and I would imagine it's like asking who your favourite child is – they are all so different and each have a uniqueness to them that we cannot choose!

Here's a brief guide to the best beaches all within a 30 minute drive from us here at The Laurels Holiday Park and the reasons why we think they are great!

Watergate Bay

Watergate Bay – Huge open stretch of sand, great for surfing (there are many surf schools and rental shops) Lots of fantastic restaurants and bars - nearly all with superb views over the bay. Dog Friendly. Lifeguard cover 5th May - 30th September.

Bedruthan Steps – A National Trust beach and home to the legend of the giant Bedruthan who made himself stepping stones which you see today in the form of huge rocky outcrops stretching along the beach. National Trust café at the top of the Carnewas cliffs. Dog Friendly. No lifeguard cover

Mawgan Porth – Another large beach which is a delight to spot as you drive down the windy roads towards it. It is surrounded by rugged cliffs and plenty of eating/drinking options close by. Dog Friendly. Lifeguard cover 19th May - 30th September.

Porthcothan – Smaller than others and limited parking this a a fairly quiet gem of a beach. Lots of caves and rockpools to explore at low tide. Dog Friendly. Lifeguard cover 19th May - 30th September.

Misty Mawgan Porth

Treyarnon Bay Tidal Pools

Treyarnon Bay – A stunning beach and at low tide has a wonderful tidal pool to take a dip in. Dog Friendly. Lifeguard cover 5th May - 30th September.

Constantine – Superb for experienced surfers and with large dunes to explore, at low tide it’s neighbour beach Booby’s Bay can also be reached. Limited parking. Dog Friendly. Lifeguard cover5th may - 30th September.

Mother Ivey’s – Small but perfectly formed the only access is from the coastal path and the holiday park behind. No immediate parking. Dog Friendly. No lifeguard cover.

Harlyn – A nice big bay-perfect for families. Popular with horse riders. It has smaller surf than Constantine and is great for learners. Ice Cream trucks and catering vans have a spot there in the summer. Lots of rock pools to keep everyone entertained. Dog Friendly. Lifeguard cover 5th May - 30th September.

Harlyn Bay

Harbour Cove / Hawkers Cover

Trevone – A pretty, smaller beach much deeper than it is wide. Dog’s banned from Easter Day to October 1st. Lifeguard cover from 19th May - 30th September.

Harbour Cove & Hawkers Cove – You don’t have to worry about loss of beach at high tide here plenty of sand stretching for over 1.5miles at low tide and linking Hawkers cover to Harbour Cove and St George's Cove. It is one of the quieter ones due to no lifeguard cover and a 5-10 minute walk to access the beach but is more than worth it! Dog Friendly. No lifeguard cover.

Rock – Opposite Hawkers’ Cove the views here are stunning and there are a number of pubs and restaurants to sit and take it all in. Dog friendly. No lifeguard cover.

Daymer Bay – A more secluded bay and popular with both wind and kite surfers it is accessible from Rock at low tide. Dog Friendly. No lifeguard cover.

Polzeath – One of Cornwall’s most popular beaches it is fantastic for learning to surf and has parking on the beach! Beware at high tide the beach does become quite small. Dog’s banned from Easter Day to October 1st. Lifeguard cover 5th May - 30th September.

Daymer Bay

As you can see we really are spoilt for choice – you could visit a different beach a day for the entirety of your stay with us and for those who are surfing we have a wetsuit dunk tank and drying area to ensure your kit stays in top condition.

If you prefer a more active day then all these beaches are linked by the stunning South West Coast Path. You can even park at one of the beaches, walk the coastal path then catch the bus that runs between Padstow and Newquay back to where you started and you can also cross the water by hopping on the Padstow to Rock Ferry which is almost constantly running. 

If you don’t fancy driving at all you can catch the bus from our entrance into Padstow and then connect to the coastal bus that runs between Padstow and Newquay which stops at many of these wonderful beaches.

I’ve already got a good book, a picnic and my wetsuit packed in the car….what are you waiting for??

Can i pitch a tent on a gravel pitch?

Can i pitch a tent on a gravel pitch?

by | Jun 7, 2025 | Latest News

Can i pitch a tent on a gravel pitch?

 

The answer is most definitely YES !!!!!

This is a question that we get asked numerous times so we thought it would be a good idea to do a little post about it so if you are thinking of booking one of our gravel pitches with a tent you'll know what to expect.

So what is the benefit of camping on gravel you ask? This one is pretty simple ...... NO MUD!

Although we would love to say that our grass pitches stay lush and green all summer we have to be realistic, after you've had 6 weeks of back to back bookings with tents pitching on exactly the same spot there usually isn't much grass left, and if we have a particularly wet summer then the grass pitches can become boggy - you'll find this on all campsites, not just us!

Some people worry about sleeping on the gravel, our answer to this is if you are a 'back to basics' camper who sleeps on the floor then book a grass pitch. BUT if you are like most modern campers who put down a carpet and use camp beds then there's no difference if your tent is on gravel or on grass.

Do i need any extra equipment?

We would say yes.......to be on the safe side!

All of our gravel pitches that are suitable for tents are finished with small pea gravel, what this means for your tent is there are no big sharp stones to make holes. We do however recommend using an extra piece of tarp as a barrier between the gravel and your ground sheet just to make double sure, tents can be expensive so a cheap bit a tarp can put your mind at ease.

One thing that most people worry about is being able to peg it into the ground. We recommend investing in some hard ground pegs (they are pretty much big nails and can be purchased on amazon or any camping shop - we also keep some here to purchase if you forget to bring some with you) and trust us you won't be disappointed, these pegs are not only great for gravel pitches they are brilliant on grass pitches too and keep your tent really secure to the ground, great if there is a chance of high winds! 

At the end of the day it is your decision. Some people have strong views about pitching on gravel and will never be pursuaded otherwise. Others will opt for gravel every time, especially if you are not a fair weather camper - we are in England after all so things can get pretty wet and muddy at certain times of the year!