Shorthorn Beach

BeachCornwall Council🐾 Dog rule not verified

The middle of three linked sandy beaches at Carlyon Bay near St Austell (Crinnis to the west, Polgaver to the east), backed by dunes, with the small Sandy River reaching the sea here.

📍 View on the map

Beach & safety

Water quality: Not confirmed — public summaries of the Environment Agency profile conflict on whether this site is currently designated or has been de-designated

Lifeguard: Not confirmed for this specific section — Carlyon Bay/Crinnis has seasonal RNLI cover, unclear if it extends to Shorthorn

Hazards: Open, exposed sandy bay; verify current bathing water classification before relying on it for water quality.

Amenities: car-park

Dogs

No site-specific rule was verified. Public sources conflict — some describe the whole Carlyon Bay frontage (Crinnis/Shorthorn/Polgaver) as dog-friendly all year, others report a dog ban specifically at Crinnis Beach, and Cornwall Council's official beach-restrictions list does not name Crinnis, Shorthorn or Carlyon Bay at all. Given the contradictory reporting for this exact stretch, treat as unconfirmed and check current signage.

No verified source. Check current signage and the relevant authority.

Family

Wide, dune-backed sandy beach with plenty of space, part of the popular Carlyon Bay stretch, though facilities are mainly at the western (Crinnis) end.

Fishing

No adequate exact-location fishing evidence was found. Do not transfer Crinnis, Porthpean or Fishing Point species and tactics into this record.

Crabbing

unknown — No exact family crabbing area was verified.

Access & parking

Beach Road car park at Carlyon Bay, short walk to the beach. Sat-nav: PL25 3SQ. Get directions →

Researched 2026-07-24 — sources & disclaimer

http://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/profile.html?site=ukk3106-27400

https://mypawfectplace.com/places/united-kingdom/cornwall/carlyon-bay/

https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/beaches

https://wheresthefish.uk/south-west/cornwall/town/carlyon-bay

Rules and conditions change, so always check current signage and tides before you go. We do our best to keep this accurate but can't promise it's error-free.