Harlyn
Hamlet beside a sheltered family beach west of Padstow
Harlyn is a hamlet on Cornwall’s north coast, 2 miles west of Padstow, grouped around the sheltered bay of the same name. Harlyn Bay is one of the calmer beaches on this stretch of the north coast - protected from prevailing south-westerly winds, it tends to stay swimmable when neighbouring beaches like Constantine Bay and Booby’s Bay are rougher. The bay has a surf school, a small beach shop, and a car park close to the water.
An Iron Age burial site was excavated in the sand dunes in the late 19th century, yielding over 130 skeletons along with pottery and personal ornaments, now mostly held by Truro Museum. The settlement at the top of the lane is small - a few houses and farm buildings - with no pub or shop in the hamlet itself. Padstow’s harbour, restaurants, and services are a short drive east. Constantine Bay is about a mile north, and Trevone Bay is about a mile south-east.
Properties listed under the “harlyn-cornwall” slug cover the hamlet and the beach area immediately west of Padstow. This slug is distinct from “harlyn” (which refers specifically to the beach) and “harlyn-bay” - all three cover broadly the same geographic area around the bay.
Places to Stay in Harlyn
Hand-picked accommodation from cottages to boutique hotels.
