Mousehole is often called one of Cornwall’s prettiest fishing villages, and while it is not really known as a beach destination, it does have two small sandy beaches tucked inside its harbour walls, only exposed once the tide drops, plus a longer pebble beach stretching east toward Penlee Point. The harbour beaches are separated by the tide but can usually be walked between at lower water, and despite sitting inside a working harbour the water here stays notably clean thanks to the shelter of the granite piers.
One quirk worth knowing: the sand on the harbour beaches is not naturally occurring here, it has been brought in over the years to create the beach within the piers.
For swimmers, the Mousehole Rock Pool on the rocky stretch just north of the village offers a natural tidal pool for a proper wild sea swim, along with a scattering of smaller rock pools nearby, and it is also a reasonable spot to watch for seals out in the bay. There is no lifeguard cover at Mousehole, so this suits confident, experienced swimmers rather than families with young children looking for a supervised beach.
Dogs are welcome on the beach for most of the year, with a seasonal ban in place during July and August between 10am and 6pm.
Being a long established village, Mousehole has no shortage of cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops close to the beach, along with toilets at either end. Slipways lead down to the sand on both sides of the harbour, though the one on the main beach is fairly steep, while the slipway nearer the car park is easier going.
Parking is limited to a handful of car parks around the village, all of which fill quickly in summer given how narrow the surrounding streets are, and there is a good bus service in from Penzance as an alternative.
See Mousehole
Weather
Plan your visit
Places near this beach
Walks
- Lamorna to Marazion via Mousehole Walk Passes nearby
- Lamorna to Marazion Beach Walk Passes nearby
- Lamorna to Marazion via Penzance Walk Passes nearby
Places to stay
- The Ship Inn
- Morwenna’s Cottage
- The Old Coastguard
- The Ship Inn
Cafes
- No 2 Fore Street Restaurant
- Four Teas Cafe
- Jessie's Dairy
- The Old Coastguard
- Orange Cafe Bar
Shops
- Hole Foods
- The Ark
- Cat and Mouse
- Mousehole Farmers Market
- The Mousehole
- Just Lily
Benches
- Rest and be Thankful
- Geoffrey Pappin 1947 – 2022
- John Nicholls 1927 – 1997
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