Porth Kidney

Porth Kidney is a large expanse of sandy beach. You can walk at high tide, but it really comes into its own at low tide when the seemingly endless golden sands provide a chance to run and run and run and paddle and run and swim and really have a good time. The beach inspired more than one John Miller (1931-2002) painting.

Directions. From where you park find the path in front of the church which crosses the golf course. Go down this path, past the World War 2 Pill Box, under the railway line (St Ives branch) and down a set of steep steps. To the right you can see the town of Hayle. Turn left at the bottom. Please don't let your dog go into the water along the Hayle River - there are plenty of signs alerting you to strong and unpredictable currents. It's a couple of hundred yards seawards when you round a rock promontory and find the whole vitsa of St Ives Bay, from the lighthouse at Godrevy in the east to St Ives in the west. If it's your first time, stand and look and enjoy.

You can get down to the sea whatever the state of the tide, but it's best at low water as then, obviously, there's more beach on which to run. There are RNLI lifeguards stationed here during the summer months and so the safest place to be is close to where they have marked out safe bathing areas. Having said that at no time can it be said to be anywhere near crowded. There's dunes to the back of the beach.

If you are so minded then you can surf or swim, but bear in mind that there are no facilities at all, and that access is not at all suitable for people with significant mobility problems. Taking water for both yourself and your dogs is a necessity.