An expanse of golden sand, great for sandcastles and surfing
We want you to enjoy a fabulous and most of all safe visit to Crantock Beach. The river, that runs alongside and sometimes across the beach, as well as the dune system have changed profile and continue to do so. Please look out for steep drops from the edge of dunes and follow the advice of the RNLI and only swim in designated areas when the lifeguards are present.
Close to Newquay, this feels like a different Cornwall: Crantock Beach is a long stretch of golden sand sitting at the mouth of the Gannel estuary.
The beach is backed by dunes, with the wildlife-rich grasslands of Rushy Green rising up behind them. At the far end of the beach is the headland of Pentire Point West. This small stretch of coast and the slopes above Polly Joke beach are popular in early summer for their amazingly vibrant displays of wildflowers.
There are walks to enjoy taking in the Gannel and Crantock village, or you could follow the South West Coast Path for far-reaching views along the coast beyond West Pentire.
Once busy with sailing ships carrying supplies, the Gannel estuary is now a haven for wildlife and a ruined limekiln can be seen at Penpol Creek. At the southern end of the beach the deep cleft of Piper's Hole is a sanctuary for seabirds. At low tide you can explore the cave and see if you can spot the rock carvings that are more than 100 years old.
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Whole day (1 March - 31 October) | N/A | £8.00 |
Most of our places run the Gift Aid on Entry scheme at their admission points.
Under this scheme, if you're not a member you have the choice of two entry tickets:
If the place runs Gift Aid on Entry, we'll offer you a clear choice between the Gift Aid Admission prices and the Standard Admission prices at the admission point. It's entirely up to you which ticket you choose.
Gift Aid Admission includes a 10 per cent or more voluntary donation. Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
An extra £1 paid under the scheme can be worth over £3 to the National Trust as shown below:
| Gift Aid | Standard | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount paid by visitor | £11.00 | £10.00 |
| Tax refund from Government* | £2.75 | £0.00 |
| Total received by the National Trust | £13.75 | £10.00 |
*Gift Aid Admissions let us reclaim tax on the whole amount paid - an extra 25 per cent - potentially a very significant boost to our places' funds.
National Trust members and Blue Badge holders park for free. Members please scan for a ticket.
Parking charges (1 March to 31 October)
£2 up to 1hr
£4 up to 4hrs
£8 all day
Winter charges (1 November to 28 February)
£1 up to 1hr
£2 up to 4hrs
£4 all day
The pay and display machines only accept cash (no notes) and exact change is needed.
You can also pay using PayByPhone (location code: 803547). We suggest downloading the App before you visit as mobile reception can be patchy here.
Car park height restriction barrier (2.1m) in place. Barrier open April to October, 9am until 5pm. Sorry, no out of hours opening service.
