Gwithian Towans

The middle section of the three-mile Hayle-to-Godrevy sands, backed by extensive dunes, popular with surfers and joined to Hayle Towans and Godrevy at low tide.

Beach & safety

Water quality: Excellent

Lifeguard: Seasonal RNLI patrol in the main summer season — confirm current dates

Hazards: Serious rip currents are a recognised hazard here, particularly for surfers; two emergency/storm overflows discharge into the Red River upstream and can affect water quality after heavy rain.

Amenities: toilets · car-park

Dogs

Official source: View the rule at source →

Family

Big, open dune-backed beach, good for a full day out, though the surf and rip currents mean closer supervision than a sheltered cove.

Fishing

Gwithian is a classic moving surf beach with shifting bars and gutters. Bass and small-eyed ray are the principal warm-season targets, with turbot and other flatfish in calmer water and whiting after autumn. Pollack and wrasse belong to the rocky Godrevy-side patches rather than the central clean sand.

Species reported: Bass, Small-eyed ray, Turbot and flatfish, Whiting, Pollack and ballan wrasse

Crabbing

rock pooling only — Official destination and RNLI information supports family rock-pool exploration. No stable permitted line-crabbing edge was verified.

Access & parking

Cornwall Council pay-and-display car park with dune-path access to the beach. Sat-nav: TR27 5BT. Get directions →