Gwithian Towans

Gwithian Towans is part of the magnificent stretch of sand running from Hayle to Godrevy on Cornwall's north coast, backed by rolling dunes — the towans — and open Atlantic coastline. The beach is vast, and while summer restrictions apply at the Hayle and Gwithian ends, the central section around Mexico Towans remains fully dog-friendly all year round. The dunes provide excellent walking terrain and natural shelter on windy days, and the scale of the whole beach system means you can walk for miles on sand without retracing your steps.

During July and August, dogs are banned between 10am and 6pm at the Hayle Towans and near Gwithian, but the Mexico Towans central section remains unrestricted — making it the go-to area for this dog friendly beach in peak summer. Outside those hours and in all other months, the whole beach is accessible. The Atlantic salt smell is strong and briny, and the dune grass adds a dry, almost sweet edge when the wind drops. The sand is loose on the dune faces and compact near the waterline, and the shallow shelf makes paddling easy. The surf draws confident dogs to the water's edge. Sunset Surf cafe at Gwithian and the Godrevy Cafe are both dog-friendly. The dunes can make navigating between restricted and unrestricted sections tricky at low tide, so know your section before setting out.