Just a short stroll down your private path from Curlew Bank, Flushing Cove is a small, sheltered beach of sand and shingle, perfect in its simplicity. Because there’s no car park it’s only ever got a few families even on the sunniest day.
At low tide, rock pools emerge along the edges – full of small wonders for children (and grown-ups) to explore.
The beach shelves more steeply near the top, making it a lovely place to swim from mid to high tide, especially when the sea is calm. On a still summer evening at high tide, the water laps gently against the stone wall in the far corner – a moment of quiet magic.
It’s the perfect spot for a beach BBQ, or just to sit on the wall with a glass of wine in the evening sun, or to settle into the chairs at the end of the Curlew Bank path and watch the comings and goings. Timeless, unspoilt, and right on your doorstep – it’s a corner of the world that’s hard to leave.
On either end of the beach, there are rock pools to explore – perfect for crabbing, paddling, and discovering all kinds of shoreline creatures. At spring low tides, there’s even the chance to go razor clam digging, or do a bit of gentle foraging for mussels and shrimps.
If you know what to look for, you can even hand-dive for scallops right here in the bay – the beardy little signs in the sand giving away some of the most delicious, juicy treats the sea has to offer.
A five-minute stroll along the coast path in either direction takes you to good casting spots for rod fishing, if you’d rather keep your feet on dry land than head out in a boat.
You can easily launch dinghies and kayaks straight from the beach – perfect for a paddle around the creek or a longer adventure on the Helford. For larger trailer boats or motor launches, the most straightforward option is Sailaway St Anthony, just across the water, which has good access from mid to high tide. The team there are incredibly helpful – it’s worth giving them a call ahead of time: sailawaystanthony.co.uk. They also have a small chandlery, they hire kayaks and boats and importantly they sell ice creams!
For those bringing their own boat, there’s also a private, maintained mooring just off the beach, available by prior arrangement. It was fitted with a new block and chain in September 2024, and is available at your own risk. Please note that the mooring dries at very low tides.
