Harlyn

Harlyn Bay is one of the most reliable family beaches on Cornwall’s north coast. Tucked into a wide, sheltered cove just west of Padstow, the beach faces north-west and is protected from the prevailing south-westerly winds, which means it often stays calm when nearby beaches are being battered by surf. The sand is firm and golden, the water shallow at the edges, and there’s plenty of space even on busy summer days.

The beach has a car park right behind it, a small shop and a surf school — enough to be practical without feeling over-developed. At low tide, the rock pools on either side of the bay are some of the best in the area for kids to explore. The waves here tend to be smaller and more forgiving than at Constantine or Booby’s Bay next door, making it a good spot for beginner surfers and bodyboarders.

Padstow is only a couple of miles away, so you’re close to Rick Stein’s restaurants, the harbour, and the Camel Trail for cycling. But Harlyn itself has a laid-back, no-fuss atmosphere that suits families who just want sand, sea and simplicity. The coast path in both directions offers dramatic cliff walks, and the Iron Age burial site discovered in the dunes here is a reminder that people have been drawn to this bay for thousands of years.