Cornwall's beaches (From This is The West Country)

Cornwall's beaches

12:40pm Thursday 8th February 2007 in Beaches

A selection of Cornwall's beaches Five Cornish beaches were named on the list of Europe's finest last summer, entitling them to fly the coveted Blue Flag.

The beaches were: Gyllyngvase, Falmouth, Polzeath, Porthmeor, St Ives, Porthminster, St Ives and Sennen Cove in the far west of the county.

Good beaches to seek out include: NORTH COAST Bude area: Crackington Haven Crooklets Sandymouth Summerleaze Padstow area: Constantine Bay Harlyn Bay Newquay area: Towan Crantock Fistral Holywell Bay Lusty Glaze Porth Watergate Bay Mawgan Porth Perranporth - Hayle area: Perran Sands Porthtowan Portreath Hayle Towans St Ives area: Porthminster Porth Gwidden Porthmeor Carbis Bay Station Beach SOUTH COAST Penzance - Porthleven area: Mount's Bay Porthcurno Tolcarne Praa Sands Porthleven The Lizard: Poldhu Cove Porthoustock Porthallow Kennack Sands Coverack Falmouth area: Maenporth Gyllyngvase Swanpool Fowey area: Readymoney Crinnis Duporth St Austell area: Pentewan Gorran Haven Good surfing beaches: Porthleven - a dangerous reef break for experts only but well worth going along just to see the fantastic waves.

Praa Sands - a beautiful beach with the best waves up at the north end of the beach, near the caf.

Porthmeor Beach, St Ives - a perfect small wave for beginners, with plenty of places to rent a board.

Gwithian - a beautiful long stretch of beach at low tide, with fun waves all the way along, but at high tide watch for the rocks.

Portreath - next to the harbour wall is a short powerful wave that breaks over rocks and is for experts only.

Porthtowan - a beachbreak that gets notoriously crowded with both experts and beginners alike.

Mawgan Porth on Cornwall's north coast Perranporth - a long walk down the dunes to the waves and what feels like an even longer walk up - though many think it is worth the hike.

Newquay - the so -called surfing capital of England provides a wide variety of breaks and there are plenty of places to rent a board if you fancy a go.

Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth - this rarely breaking reef break is always crowded with locals when it works and can get very shallow.

Sennen - Surfing within view of Lands End and some Cornwall's most beautiful countryside is never bad - whatever the waves are doing.