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North Cornwall

Porthtowan surf guide

St Agnes, Cornwall

Porthtowan is a steep-sided village beach with straightforward access. At low water the sand extends towards Lushington Cove and Chapel Porth.

A surfer tucked under the turquoise lip of a breaking wave at Porthtowan
Photo by Dave Barnwell
Break
Beach break
Exposure
Exposed north-west coast
Can suit
Improvers and experienced surfers; learners on suitable patrolled days

How the beach surfs

This is an exposed, often punchy beach break. The banks can give short, strong rides, while the shelving beach and confined high-water cove make size and tide especially noticeable.

Access and orientation

A public car park and village facilities sit close to the beach. Do not assume the low-water route along the sand will remain open as the tide returns.

Check before entering

  • Steeply shelving shorebreak
  • Rip currents and shifting banks
  • Cut-off risk beneath the cliffs
RNLI Porthtowan beach information, opens in a new tabCheck official bathing-water information, opens in a new tab

Check current advice and lifeguard cover before travelling. A bathing-water classification is not a real-time clearance.

Regional wave indicators

Selected for this side of Cornwall, rather than straight-line proximity across land. These regional measurements do not predict breaking wave height or arrival time at this beach. Check the observation time on each station.

  1. PerranporthNorth-coast inshore conditions at Perranporth5.4 miles
  2. SevenstonesOffshore Atlantic conditions west of Cornwall39.9 miles
View all wave buoys

Nearest webcams

Camera links open the provider's site in a new tab. Some services require paid access.

  1. Porthtowan - Blue Bar, opens in a new tab0.0 mile
  2. Porthtowan, opens in a new tab0.1 milePaid
  3. Portreath, opens in a new tab2.9 milesPaid
View all webcams

Sources and review

Guide reviewed 23 August 2026. Official information can change at short notice.