Are you ready to rediscover a childhood favourite activity? Rockpooling is just as wonderful now as it always has been, and Cornwall continues to offer visitors the very best beaches for rockpool exploration. For kids and grown-ups alike, this family-friendly pastime still brings joy, allowing you to get up close and personal with small sea creatures.
In this guide, we’re going to talk about rockpooling, the best beaches in Cornwall for rockpooling, and how to ready yourself for some nostalgic fun.
What is a rockpool?
A rockpool is a pocket of seawater created by the sea retreating during low tide. When the water goes out, it gets caught in rocky areas and forms pools. The zone where this occurs is called the intertidal zone, which is the area of land between the high tide and low tide marks. Typically occurring on rocky coastlines, the terrain is perfect for trapping water, and the sealife in the water, in pools, forming a rockpool.
Rockpools are essentially small ecosystems, filled with creatures that have adapted to this unique way of living. These fish, crustaceans, anemones, barnacles, seaweed, and more are special in how adaptable and resilient they are; after all, they deal with changing water temperatures, levels, oxygen content and salinity every single day.
A firm favourite with children and adults alike, rockpools are an amazing way of seeing small sea creatures close up in their natural habitat. Across the UK and beyond, people gather to explore rockpools and the creatures within them. In Cornwall, we are lucky to have the largest length of coastline in England, meaning that we are surrounded by incredible rockpools! A holiday here simply isn’t complete without investigating at least a few and meeting the tiny critters within them.
Where is the best place to rockpool in Cornwall?
With 422 miles of coastline on our doorsteps, Cornwall is a must-visit destination for anyone ready for a bit of British rockpooling. But where to go? Here are just five of the best rockpool beaches in Cornwall.
Treyarnon Bay
This stunning bay draws visitors in with its large sandy beach, surrounded by dunes and low cliffs. This beach is a family favourite in North Cornwall, with enough space to relax and explore, and a sea with waves perfect for swimming and surfing. The rockpools are bursting with critters, and there’s even a large, 8-foot deep rockpool you can swim in! Look for beadlet anemones, common blennies, hermit crabs, sea gobies, wrasses, and tiny cushion stars thriving in the pools.
Polzeath Beach
A fantastic beach for both sunbathers and surfers alike, Polzeath is also one of the top spots in Cornwall for rockpooling. When the tide is out, you’ll discover many rockpools beneath the cliffs, teeming with sealife to discover. Keep your eyes peeled for orange starfish, common prawns, pipefish, green shore crabs, common blenny fish, and sea hares, which are a type of sea snail with unique upper tentacles that look like rabbit ears.
Gwithian Towans Beach
A big and beautiful beach, part of the Three Mile Beach within St Ives, Gwithian Towans is a stunning place of relaxation, fun, kite surfing, stunning strolls, and excellent rockpooling. Vast areas covered in rockpools are revealed at low tide, giving you and your family the chance to discover what Cornish creatures await in the shallows. Look for fish, crabs, anemones, starfish, shrimp, and other critters in the pools, and make sure to keep an eye on the sea for grey seals!
Duckpool Beach
For those looking for a slightly quieter rockpooling experience, Duckpool Beach is for you. This stunning area of coastline is more remote, but so worth it for the peace, tranquillity, and beauty it offers. It’s very important to keep an eye on tide times here because at high tide, the beach is almost entirely underwater. Sea snails, anemones, fish both big and small, prawns, and crabs can be spotted in these charming rockpool waters.
Mawgan Porth
This stunning beach of white sands and rugged cliffs offers a lot to families looking for the perfect place to rockpool. The rocky enclaves at Mawgan Porth mean that when the tide goes out, the most beautiful rockpool waters are left behind. Look for the usual suspects like green shore crabs and sand gobies, along with butterfish in the deeper pools, identified by the unique black spots on their backs.
What do you wear to go rockpooling?
Don’t worry, there’s no official uniform or kit for rockpooling. Your normal beachwear will work fine, but ensure you’ve got shoes on with a good grip so you don’t slip on wet rocks. We’d also recommend wearing something on your legs, just in case you do fall, to avoid any scrapes. As with any outdoor trip, make sure you’re wearing SPF and a sunhat.
What do you need for rockpooling?
Nothing! You don’t need any equipment to enjoy rockpools. If you’d like to get a little deeper into exploring, bring a clear bucket or a clear plastic tub to catch a critter, but please be gentle! Once you’re done taking a closer look, place the creature carefully back where it came from. If you’re a keen rockpooler or sealife enthusiast, you may wish to bring a camera or something to record your findings.
What should you avoid when rockpooling?
It is essential to be careful when both the sea and rocks are involved in an activity. Rockpooling is great fun when done safely.
- Don’t let the tide get the best of you. Keep an eye on the water and make sure you know when the tide is going in and out.
- Don’t let children out of your sight around rockpools. Water of any level can be dangerous, and rocks can be sharp.
- Avoid casting a shadow over the pool or splashing around – this can spook sealife into hiding, and you may not find as much as you wanted.
- Be careful with the sea creatures if you handle them. They are delicate and can be hurt, or worse, by rough handling.
- Don’t leave sealife in your bucket or tub for too long, as the temperature change can do them some damage.
As long as you are careful and respectful, rockpooling can be a fun and educational activity for the whole family.
What time of year is best for rockpooling?
You can rockpool at any time of the year when the tide is out, but spring and summer are best for it. Thanks to more hours of daylight and extended low tides, you get more time to explore rocky outcroppings for thriving pools.
Beach holidays in North Cornwall
Stay near the best beaches for rockpooling in Cornwall and choose a beautiful holiday rental home in Cornwall by CRW Holidays. We are North Cornwall locals, ready to help point you to the best spots for discovering sealife and recommend the perfect place to rest your head during your trip. Give us a call today and start planning your next Cornwall holiday.
