Dog-friendly campsites in Cornwall

Camping with a dog in Cornwall

Dog-friendly campsites in Cornwall are sites whose listed policies welcome dogs, and 212 currently qualify across the county. Cornwall repays a camping dog better than almost anywhere in England: the South West Coast Path passes close to most coastal sites, more than 150 beaches carry no dog restrictions at any time of year, and out of season the county effectively belongs to the off-lead morning walk.

Campsite dog policies

The policies matter more than the facilities. Most Cornish sites cap dogs at one to three per pitch, many charge a small nightly fee per dog and on-lead rules around the pitches are standard. The details sit on each listing on this page; confirm them with the site before booking, because policies change more often than facilities do.

Cornwall's beach rules for dogs

The restricted list is smaller than most visitors expect. Around 50 of Cornwall's beaches restrict dogs between 10am and 6pm from 1 July to 31 August, and Blue Flag and Seaside Award beaches (Carbis Bay, Crooklets and Gyllyngvase among them) extend that from 15 May to 30 September. Three wildlife areas around the Hayle estuary exclude dogs year-round.

That leaves more than 150 beaches with no restrictions at all, including Gwithian, Constantine Bay, Treyarnon Bay, Watergate Bay and Perranporth, and even restricted beaches open to dogs before 10am and after 6pm.

The dog-friendly year in Cornwall

From October to mid-May virtually every beach in Cornwall opens to dogs, the coast path empties and campsite prices drop. Dog owners drive most of Cornwall's out-of-season camping demand, and the sites that stay open through winter cater for it with hardstanding pitches, drying areas and enclosed dog fields; the campsites open all year in Cornwall filter lists them.

For the county-wide picture across all camping styles, see campsites in Cornwall; towing, the dog-friendly options among the 48 caravan parks in Cornwall carry the same beach rules.