Swimming at Kynance Cove

There’s no disputing that Kynance is a world class swimming location. The walk down to the beach alone is worth the visit! The only issue with Kynance Cove is the fact that it’s not a very well kept secret…and is usually quite busy. I’ve visited the beach before at 7am and there were a couple of kids on holiday body boarding! Get there early to ensure that you can park.

If you want a magical swim at Kynance Cove get there early. To be honest, once you start swimming you get away from the crowds anyway…but if you want a nice peaceful experience get there before the crowds. If you get there before the crowds be sensible! It is a remote beach, with very limited phone reception. So take precautions, take a friend, check the conditions….be SENSIBLE! At the time of writing lifeguards aren’t present at Kynance during any of the summer. Avoid obviously unfavourable conditions and big tide, particularly when the tide is going out.

Once at Kynance be careful getting down to the beach…it can be slippery and there is often loose gravel and stones under foot. There are 2 ways down, one an access road used for supplies (although the public can’t drive down it) and the second is the public footpath, at the back of the car park. This is steep in places and appropriate footwear is advisable.

Once on the beach there are lots of small stones and boulders to clamber over. I prefer swimming at Kynance at low tide, there’s more sand, better underwater views, easy access to the sandy beach side (far side of the beach) and more room in general.

Once in the water, there are a number of different swim routes. For the less adventurous swimmers I’d advise staying out the front, close to shore or popping through the gap at the far end of the beach (more picturesque on this side) and lots of rock features to swim around and explore. For the more adventurous you can swim around Asparagus Island. It’s around 2km in length. Be aware that you will be out of sight for some time on the swim. Stunning swim though and this swim should be on your bucket list!

If you are feeling adventurous and want to be safe get hold of a local guide.