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"The sleepy sound of a tea-time tide"

Crinnis Beach

Cornwall, England


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Crinnis Beach, located in Cornwall, is a popular sandy beach over a mile long, backed by cliffs and ideal for families.

Crinnis Beach is part of Carlyon Bay, a nearly two-mile stretch of coastline on the south coast of Cornwall. The beach is approximately 760 metres wide and is backed by sand dunes. It was previously known as Crinnis Leisure Centre beach. Carlyon Bay is comprised of three distinct beaches: Crinnis, Shorthorn, and Polgaver, with Crinnis being the main beach.

The beach offers a range of amenities, including car parking above the beach with steps or a steep road down to the beach. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities, such as jet skiing, "Wave Runner Safaris", and wild swimming in the clear waters. The beach also features a bar open from noon until late during the summer months, as well as music and a water sports rental.

The sand on Crinnis Beach is a coarse mixture of grey quartz and occasional tourmaline grains, known as "stent", which is a remnant of Cornwall's tin and china clay industries. The beach has a lively atmosphere during the summer months, but is more tranquil outside of peak season.

The South West Coast Path runs along the cliff top and golf course surrounding the bay, offering stunning views of the coastline. The beach also features an interesting rock formation with rock pools at its base, providing a natural playground for children to discover small crabs and other marine life.

Dog restrictions apply from Easter Sunday to September 30th, so visitors are advised to plan accordingly if they are bringing their pets. The beach is located just outside St Austell, and there have been several proposed developments in the area over the years, although none have come to fruition.

Crinnis Beach is adjacent to the South West Coast Path.

Sand

Weather and tides for Thursday 17 July

Today
Chance of rain 12%
Max temp. 21°C
(feels like 20°C)
Wind 11mph
Max UV Index
Tonight
Chance of rain 47%
Min temp. 16°C
(feels like 17°C)
Wind 4mph

The tide at Crinnis Beach is currently rising. High tide will be at approximately 10:52 AM, and the next low tide will be at approximately 4:59 PM.

Today's air pollution levels are forecast to be Low

Approximate sea surface temperature:   18.6°C  

Detailed weather and tides »
  • Facilities

    Campsite Food available Litter bins
  • Popular Activities

    Fishing Sunbathing Swimming Walking
  • Parking

    Follow Beach Road to the car park.

  • Dogs

    Dogs not allowed.

  • Beach Cleaning

    Beach manually cleaned daily.

  • Lifeguard

    No lifeguard cover at this beach

  • Awards

    Marine Conservation Society Recommended

  • Water Quality

    Excellent water quality

    Excellent water quality

Recommended holiday cottages near Crinnis Beach

Things to do and see in the area

Pinetum Gardens (0.8 miles)
Cornwall Football Golf (1.1 miles)
Historic Port of Charlestown (1.2 miles)
St Austell Brewery (2.5 miles)
Wheal Martyn (3.8 miles)
Pentewan Valley Cycle Hire (3.9 miles)
Fowey Aquarium (4.3 miles)
Fowey Town Tours (4.3 miles)
Fowey Estuary (4.3 miles)

All distances are approximate

Other beaches nearby

Location: Carlyon Bay

Location type: Urban

OS Grid: SX056520

Country: England

Local Authority: Cornwall

Parish: Carlyon

Nearest postcode: PL25 3RG

(for sat-nav purposes only, a beach does not have a postal address!)

Important! Beach information is compiled from a variety of different sources and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of compilation. However, information may be incorrectly supplied by our sources or go out of date after publication. BritishBeaches.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy of any information on this page.

Stuff you might want for the beach!

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Visitor information for Crinnis Beach, Cornwall, England. Weather, tides, visitor comments, beach facilities, photos, nearest postcode, beach information and nearby accommodation.

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18.97.14.84 Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:54:29 +0100