Poldhu - What you need to know

Tucked away on the west side of the Lizard, Poldhu is a favourite spot for visitors and local families. With plenty to offer we've compiled the following information to help you plan your day.

The beach

Poldhu, meaning “black pool” in Cornish, is situated on the west coast of the Lizard about a mile north of Mullion.  Poldhu’s large sandy beach is a favourite with visitors and locals alike, offering all the fun of a day on the coast. The beach is backed by sand dunes, which have grown in size since parking on the beach was stopped by the National Trust in the 1970s, and a stream trickles across the cove. In the summer months the low soft cliffs are home to sand martins. These acrobatic birds raise their young in holes in the cliffs, before they head off in October for some winter warmth in Africa. 

Facilities

The café at Poldhu is owned and run by Ross and his family, and they are open nearly every day of the year which makes Poldhu a great spot for a winter walk with the dog, or for watching storm waves crash in.

Poldhu is popular with surfers and there is a small surf school that operates every day in the summer and on demand in the colder months. Former professional surfer Dan Joel offers lessons from £25 with £1.00 of each booking coming back to the National Trust to help us with our local conservation work.

Surfing at Poldhu
Surfing at Poldhu, Helston
Surfing at Poldhu

There are toilets on the beach that are open through the summer and RNLI lifeguards on duty every day from May to September. 

There is a council operated pay and display car park oppostie the beach where a bus serving Mullion and Helston also stops.

There is a council enforced dog ban at Poldhu between 7am and 7pm from Easter Sunday to 30th September. To find out more about which beaches are dog friendly please click here.