Your dog does not know that the summer beach ban exists. The dog knows the sand, the sea, and the stick you are about to throw, and the sign, the red circle, the dog on the lead, the date (the 1st of July to the 31st of August, the high season, the ban on dogs on the main beaches of Cornwall), is the only thing standing between your dog and the best day of the year. The summer beach ban is the reality of the Cornish summer: the main beaches (the Porthmeor, the Porthminster, the Carbis Bay) are dog-free between 10am and 6pm, and the enforcement, the council wardens, the fines of £100, and the disapproval of the families whose picnics your dog is not investigating, is real. The solution is the year-round dog-friendly beaches: the five beaches in and around St Ives that welcome dogs in every season, the early morning and the late evening swims (the ban applies only between 10am and 6pm, the dog can swim before breakfast and after tea), and the clifftop walks that are the best in Cornwall. Here are five dog-friendly beaches in and around St Ives.

1. Porthkidney Sands

Porthkidney Sands: The long, wide, and beautiful beach at the mouth of the Hayle Estuary, between St Ives and Carbis Bay. The beach is dog-friendly year-round (no restrictions, no bans, and the walk from the car park at the Lelant Saltings, the train station, the Park and Ride, and the best access to the beach), and the sand, the wide expanse, the estuary, and the view of the St Ives bay, is the best dog-walking beach in the area. The beach is never crowded (the walk from the nearest car park is 10–15 minutes, and the distance deters the bucket-and-spade families), and the swimming, the estuary, the shallow water, and the safe swimming for the dogs, is the best on the St Ives coast. Essential tip: check the tide, the beach disappears at high tide, and the walk along the estuary path (the alternative, the high-tide walk) is the best dog walk in the St Ives area. The essential café: the Lelant Saltings café (the coffee, the pasty, and the view of the estuary. ~£6 for the coffee and the pasty, and the best post-walk stop in the area). More UK →

2. Porthminster Beach (Before 10am and After 6pm)

Porthminster Beach (before 10am and after 6pm): Porthminster is the most beautiful beach in St Ives, the golden sand, the turquoise water (the most tropical colour of any Cornish beach), and the view of the town, the harbour, and the Godrevy lighthouse in the distance. The summer ban (the dogs banned between 10am and 6pm from the 1st of July to the 31st of August) is in force, and the early morning (the 7am walk, the sand, the sea, and the beach that is almost empty) and the late evening (the 7pm walk, the sunset, and the best hour of the day) are the essential dog-walking hours. The essential breakfast: the Porthminster Beach Café (the coffee, the croissant, and the view of the beach, the best breakfast in St Ives. The dog is welcome on the terrace, and the staff will bring the water bowl. ~£5 for the coffee and the croissant).

3. Bamaluz Beach

Bamaluz Beach: The tiny, hidden, and year-round dog-friendly beach in the centre of St Ives, at the foot of the Island (the headland, the chapel, and the best view in the town). The beach is small (the high tide covers the sand, and the best time is the low tide, the patch of golden sand, the rocks, and the swim in the clear water of the harbour), and the location, the centre of the town, the steps down from the Porthmeor, and the best secret beach in St Ives, is the dog-walking discovery of the trip. Essential tip: check the tide, bring the ball, and enjoy the beach that the tourists cannot find. The essential pub: the Sloop Inn (the 14th-century pub on the harbour, the dog is welcome, and the pint of Tribute, the St Austell ale, the taste of Cornwall, is the essential post-walk drink. ~£5).