Cornwall’s stunning beaches have been awarded Blue Flag

Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.

The coveted Blue Flag is only presented to beaches with water that has achieved the highest classification, as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive, and that have an environmental education programme.

Porthmeor Beach, St Ives has been awarded blue flag status (Image: Cornwall Council)

Seven beaches owned by Cornwall Council have been awarded both Blue Flag and Seaside Award status for 2024.

They are:

• Crooklets, Bude
• Gyllyngvase, Falmouth
• Polzeath Porthmeor, St Ives
• Porthtowan
• Porthmissen/Trevone, Padstow
• Widemouth Bay
• Carbis Bay in St Ives, which is privately owned, has also been awarded both Blue Flag and Seaside Award status.
• Porthmeor, St Ives

Porthtowan Beach has also been awarded blue flag status (Image: Paul Armstrong)

A further seven beaches owned by Cornwall Council have received Seaside Award status for 2024. They are:

• Crackington Haven, Bude
• Great Western, Newquay
• Porth Porthminster, St Ives
• Portreath
• Sennen Cove
• Summerleaze, Bude

Councillor Martyn Alvey, portfolio holder for Climate Change and Environment at Cornwall Council, said: “Cornwall has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and I’m delighted that we have received these much-deserved accolades.

"We are grateful to our tenants, our partners Biffa and Cormac, as well as the volunteers and beach clean groups for all their hard work and dedication in ensuring our coastline is kept clean. I'd also like to thank the RNLI who do such a fantastic job in keeping our beaches safe."

Cornwall Council commissions the RNLI to provide lifeguard cover on many of Cornwall’s beaches. Beachgoers are urged to visit beaches with RNLI patrols and to follow the RNLI’s beach safety advice.

The Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “These awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who have worked tirelessly to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches and we’d like to take this moment to recognise and applaud them.

“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.”