We have had a number of guests who have stayed with us recently and have brought along their beautiful dogs. They’ve also been asking us are there any dog friendly beaches near you? Can you recommend any?

Well, yes we can!  We are situated between two quiet fishing villages Kingsand and Cawsand on the peaceful Rame Peninsula.  The area is popular with dog owners because of its many beautiful walks and stunning scenery.  The locals are very welcoming to dogs – many of the pubs and restaurants provide water bowls and most of the beaches are dog friendly.  We have compiled a list of our closest dog friendly beaches.

Kingsand Beach – A Dog friendly beach all year round

Turn left out of the front door of Blue Monkey and walk to the end of the street to find Kingsand Beach. Kingsand and its neighbouring beach at Cawsand are sheltered, east-facing beaches, making them great locations for walks throughout the year.

Top Tip: Dogs are allowed on the beach all year round.  Top of the list of Dog Friendly Beaches!

Cawsand Bay – A Dog friendly beach with Great Views

Dogs are allowed off their leads on the beach from 30 September through to Easter Sunday. Lovely views of Plymouth Sound.

Top Tip: The beach is made of sand and shingle so may not be as kind to your dog’s feet as sand.

Whitsand Bay – A Dog friendly beach that is great for surfers too

Whitsand Bay is just around the Rame Peninsula, about ten minutes’ drive from Blue Monkey.  It’s popular with surfers and families and it is a very dog friendly beach.  You can walk along the beach for miles and dogs are allowed all year round.  Good for surfing, walking or running with beautiful scenery and plenty of space.  Access is steep and there are not many facilities apart from a small café at the top of the cliffs so bring your own supplies.

Top Tip: Access from the car park near Tregantle Fort.

Wilcove – A dog friendly beach close to a pub

Close to Whitsand Bay and the National Trust property at St Anthony, up a creek at the foot of the River Tamar, you will find Wilcove Beach.  Wilcove is a very dog friendly beach as dogs are allowed here all year round.

Top Tip:  Look out for the beautiful varied birdlife and relax at the Wilcove Inn.

Freathy Beach

A dog friendly beach ten minutes’ drive from Blue Monkey. Part of Whitsand Bay, this long beach has a wide expanse at low tide, making it the perfect place to stretch all of your legs whilst admiring the stunning views along the coast towards Polhawn Fort.

Sharrow Beach

Ten minutes’ drive from Blue Monkey and part of Whitsand Bay.  This small, sandy, dog friendly beach with rocky outcrops is a great place to play in the surf together.

Top Tip: More beach to wander along at low tide.

Tregantle Beach

Whitsand Bay, 11 minutes’ drive from Blue Monkey.  On the cliffs above you will find Tregantle Fort.  Tregantle is a dog friendly beach that welcomes dogs all year round.

Top Tip: Visit at low tide as this beach can get cut off.

Seaton Beach

25 minutes’ drive from Blue Monkey, located at the foot of the wooded Hessenford valley near Looe.  Sheltered by the high cliffs to the east, the water is safe for swimmers of all ages and dogs are welcome, as long as they are cleaned up after.

Top Tip: Family friendly with places to eat, parking and toilets

ABOUT BLUEMONKEY CORNWALL

We are a 5 star luxury holiday home in Cornwall situated between two quiet fishing villages Kingsand and Cawsand. We offer dog-friendly accommodation all year round.  If you’d like to stay with us you can check out our availability or contact the House Manager, Annabel Herbert on 07813 070 269.

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There are many Gourmet Restaurants in Cornwall, and there are some fantastic gourmet restaurants near Blue Monkey, not to mention our own personal chef who can prepare a meal in advance of your arrival or even provide a catered dinner party during your stay.  But many of our guests are gourmet enthusiasts and so here is a list of some of the best local restaurants.

The Barbican Kitchen, Plymouth

One of my favourite gourmet restaurants near Blue Monkey.  Acclaimed chefs and restauranteurs Chris and James Tanner’s own this hugely successful and popular casual dining brasserie in the Plymouth Gin Distillery.  The Tanner brothers have won many an award for their high quality food and ethos of local sourcing and seasonal flavours.  The Barbican Kitchen state that their aim is to ‘deliver fresh local food at a realistic price’ and kids under 5 eat for free!  Have a look at the menu which you can see here.

Salumi Bar and Eatery

Another fabulous gourmet restaurant near Blue Monkey is the newly opened Salumi.  The owner and chef, Dave Jenkins recently won the Sharp’s Brewery Best Chef 2019 award – need I say more!  The Salumi has a beautiful interior and exterior seating for hot summer nights and a BBQ at the end of each month during summer.

Have a look at their menus here.

Top Tip: Vegan options

The Greedy Goose, Plymouth

This gourmet restaurant near Blue Monkey is owned by Ben and Francesca Palmer.  Ben has worked with many award winning chefs and was himself a quarter finalist in MasterChefs: The Professionals, in 2011.  The restaurant is in the beautiful and romantic Prysten House, one of Plymouth’s oldest buildings with its own well.  They have lots on offer to tempt you to visit: Taster Tuesdays, BYOB Wednesdays, family friendly Sunday brunches and a very reasonable price of £15 for 3 courses.

Have a look at the menu here.

Availability and Special Offers

30 March to 4th April reduced from £599 to £549
18 to 24 April reduced from £624 to £549
10 to 15 May reduced from £1,099 to £999

We still have 1 week available in July 18th to 25th
We still have the first week of August free

Book Now to avoid disappointment on our secure online booking page

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Blue Monkey Cornwall Interiors

Spring

According to the meteorological calendar, Spring will always start on 1st March, ending on 31st May, which means that winter is nearly over and here at Blue Monkey we can’t wait to take a huge lungfull of fresh spring seaside air. Sound appealing? Here are some very good reasons to take a Spring Break at Blue Monkey in Cornwall:

Kingsand, Cawsand and Whitsand Bay Beaches

Beaches

We have many visiting dogs who like to take their annual Spring Break at Blue Monkey Cornwall. That’s because they are allowed off their leads during this time on the local beaches. Both Kingsand and Cawsand beaches are 5 minutes’ walk from the house and Whitsand Bay is 10 minutes’ drive around the headland. We have two kayaks and 2 paddle boards free for our guests to use so bring your wetsuit although our warm micro climate ensures that the sea is never too cold.

Coastal Path: Kingsand to Mount Edgcumbe

Walks

There are many beautiful walks around Blue Monkey but my favourite is the coastal path to Mount Edgcumbe. Not a walk for the faint hearted as it’s nearly 5.7 miles long but you don’t have to go all the way to Mount Edgcumbe to enjoy the wonderful views and scenery. If you manage to make it all the way, you will be rewarded with a cup of tea in the formal gardens or a dink in the Edgcumbe Arms. A great way to start your Spring Break at Blue Monkey Cornwall.

Local Restaurants

Local Pubs and Restaurants

The View is famous for… it’s view!! The Halfway House is just at the end of the street so a convenient place to book in for dinner on your arrival night and the Devenport Inn is the spot to enjoy people and boat watching. The Bay is a new restaurant on Cawsand Beach and you can check out the menu here – ideal for keeping an eye on your children playing on the beach.

Water Sports

We have two free kayaks and paddle boards for our guests to use, stored in the garden at Blue Monkey, SAVING YOU a local hire price of up to £1,000 for the week. Please remember to send us your pics to add to our gallery of intrepid Spring Break marine heroes!

Book Securely Online Here

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Three miles of sand stretch from Rame Head in the East to Portwrinkle in the West.  These are the beautiful beaches of Whitsand Bay with glistening white sand, rock pools and waves.  Great for paddle boarding, surfing, ideal for an early morning jog, peaceful to picnic on and exciting to explore.

Rame Peninsula’s beaches are bordered by high cliffs steeped in history and drama.  Whitsand Bay is overlooked by the ruins of a 14^th century chapel dedicated to St Michael at the pinnacle of the peninsula.

In 1874 a hermit called Lugger dug himself out a cave at Sharrow Point and inscribed secret verses on the ceiling to keep himself entertained.  It is also popular with divers: in 1914 a submarine sank it Whitsand Bay and in 2004 it was joined by HMS Scylla to provide an artificial underwater reef.

Defenders of the Realm!  Rame Peninsula’s beaches have played their part.  In 1859 the Polhawn Battery was built to shore up our shores as Plymouth was considered to be a weak point in our defences.  Polhawn Battery and Polhawn Fort now play a different role in our culture as their beautiful views have transformed the fort into a popular wedding venue.

Whitsand Bay is one of the many beautiful beaches close to Blue Monkey Cornwall.  Follow my blog to learn more.

Top Tips: Whitsand Bay is dog friendly and has 3 coastguards on duty between May and September.  Beware the strong currents and steep descent down rocky paths to the beach.

Useful Links:

Where to Eat

Surfing and Coasteering

Weddings

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Easter Fun!

The Rame Peninsula is the perfect place to spend an Easter Break in Cornwall.  There are beaches, coastal walks with breath-taking views and lots of family entertainments planned.  Here are three of our favourites right on Blue Monkey’s doorstep:

Easter at Eden

From the 6^th to 25^th of April the Eden Project is running a very special Easter event.  There are indoor and outdoor games and activities for families to try (phew no need to worry about the rain!).  Have fun herding farmyard animals into their pens, win some golden eggs and learn about growing crops with the Eden farmers.

Top Tip: Free with Eden Admission

Plymouth Easter Egg Hunt

Plymouth is full of exciting things to see and do and there’s always something happening to entertain all ages.  If you are planning an Easter break in Cornwall, your children will be delighted to hear that they can join the free chocolate mini egg hunt in Plymouth City Centre.  Follow a map to find the giant eggs and claim your eggs!

Top Tip: The best way to get to Plymouth is to take the ferry from Cawsand Beach to Barbican Landing Stage and spot dolphins on the way.

Mount Edgcumbe House

Five minutes from Blue Monkey is the ancestral home of the Earls of Mount Edgcumbe.  Full of history, art and three 16^th century tapestries, the house is well worth a visit and opens for the season from 1^st April to the end of September, Sunday through Thursday from 11am to 4.30pm.

If you don’t want to visit the house, the country park is free of charge and open every day from 8am to 8pm. This is a fun day out for the family, with Adventure Segway, Golf, cycles, archery and many more things to do and explore.

Top Tip: Dogs on leads are welcome.  Family Ticket price: £12.50

April Offer

6th to 13th April is still available and we are offering 15% off listed Price
Please enter code APR at checkout on our secure online payment page here.

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Autumn

…is an exciting time of year in Cornwall.  The windy weather creates opportunities for all kinds of exhilarating fun!  The crowds are gone, the sea is still warm, the summer is Indian and we have some great Autumn surf break offers to add a little spice to your life.

Whitsand Bay

Ten Minutes from Blue Monkey are the beautiful sands of Whistand Bay.  This is a great place to learn to surf with lessons from Adventure Bay surf schoolwho offer private lessons, group lessons, beginners, improvers, family, kids parties and 3 session courses.  You can also have your efforts captured on video to broadcast to the world and help you improve your technique.  An Autumn surf break is about the sea and if the board is not for you, Adventure Bay will take you coasteering in a kayak around the coves and beaches of the Rame Peninsula.  Once you’ve learned where to go, you can take advantage of Blue Monkey’s free kayaks and explore to your heart’s content.

Top Tip: Check the surfer’s Bible, Magic Seaweed, for surfing conditions.  Search for Whitsand Bay.

Cawsand Beach

Five minute’s walk from Blue Monkey is Cawsand Beach – an ideal place to start your own coasteering adventure in our free kayaks.  If you’re not ready to strike out on your own, then Cawsand Kayak and SUP Hire will take you around the beautiful sheltered local waters.  Lately we’ve been hearing that Paddle Boards are all the rage and Cawsand Beach is the perfect spot to get your balance as the bay is sheltered by the peninsula and the surf won’t knock you over.  You can hire a paddle board from SUP Rental.
 
Top Tip: This area is ideal for an Autumn surf break as you can hire everything you need including wet suits for just £3 from Cawsand Beach.  Email Annabel to organise for you at enquiries@bluemonkeycornwall.com.

Kitesurfing

Pasty Adventures Kitesurf Coaching Holidays

1h 28m from Blue Monkey you’ll find Gwithian Beach where you can spend a breath-taking day with the Pasty Adventures Kitesurf School.  Run by a former British champion, you will be in good hands here with all the latest equipment which Pasty replace every 6 months.  A mixture of surfing, flying and sailing, Kitesurfing will make you so excited and happy that you won’t even realise you’re doing a honing and toning full body workout – a good reason to feel great about taking an Autumn surf break!

Top tip: You can also kite surf at Whitsand Bay, only 10 minutes from Blue Monkey.

Watch Kite Surfing at Gwithian bay here.

Available Dates and Offers

8th November 2018 to 19th December 2018: 25% off online listed prices.  Please email Annabel for this special offer on enquiries@bluemonkeycornwall.com

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Summer’s over – hooray!  That means it’s time to take an Autumn break in Cornwall.  No crowds, lower prices, and still plenty to do and see.  Dogs are delighted – they’re allowed off lead from the 1^st October on the beaches around Blue Monkey, so you can all go for a bracing coastal walk, followed by supper in one of the many fabulous dog friendly pubs or restaurants.  As Halloween and Bonfire night approach the events calendar hots up with a fortnight of magical activities at The Eden Project.  Here are three recommendations for an unmissable Autumn Break in Cornwall:

POLPERRO

A day trip to Polperro, 30 minutes down the coast from Blue Monkey, is a must for the creative soul.  Situated in an area of ‘outstanding natural beauty’, the unspoilt harbour, is brimming with artists and you can admire their work in the many local galleries and browse through quirky independent shops.  Polperro is famous for its seafood restaurants serving fresh fish caught by the local fishermen.

This is the perfect place for a romantic walk as the coast either side of the harbour will blow both your mind and the cobwebs away.   If you’re feeling energetic, take the 5-mile path from Polperro to Looe – the spectacular views along this coast will be a highlight of your Autumn break in Cornwall.

THE LOOE VALLEY LINE

Talking of Looe… if you’re feeling less like walking but you’d still like to admire the views then catching a train along the Looe Valley Line may suit you better.  See the final stretch here.

If you’re taking an Autumn break in Cornwall then this is not to be missed.  Along the route from Liskeard to Looe you will travel through woodland valleys opening up to the estuary where the river meets the sea.  At low tide you’ll see all sorts of beautiful birds wading through the water: Herons, Oystercatchers and Curlews.

Top Tips: The train runs regularly throughout the day, dogs are welcome and a ticket costs just £4.60.

THE EDEN PROJECT

The Eden Project at St Austell is Cornwall’s most famous landmark, built to study the environment and conservation to find new ways to provide a cleaner and greener future for the world.  The bubble shaped biomes are the world’s largest greenhouses, each housing a miniature ecosystem that supports the appropriate climate for the wildlife living within it.  Younger children will be excited to explore a steamy rainforest biome with a tree top walkway winding through a jungle canopy.  Over the half term fortnight there will also be strange Halloween creatures wandering the biomes, pumpkin displays, and ice skating at the Little Monsters Halloween Ball.

Older children will enjoy England’s longest zip wire, a giant gravity swing, a 12m bungee drop and a 25m free-fall jump into an airbag (over 18s only).  Do something you’ll never forget on your Autumn break in Cornwall!

Top Tips: Dogs are allowed on the site but not inside the Biomes.

AUTUMN AVAILABILITY

We still have a few gaps to fill over the coming weeks:

29th September to 4th October
8th to 11th October

14th to 20th October
27th October to 1st November

Please email Annabel for a quote: enquiries@bluemonkeycornwall.com
Or book securely online here

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We’ve compiled just three of the best pram friendly walks in Cornwall, that are near to us at Blue Monkey Cornwall:

1. MOUNT EDGCUMBE HOUSE AND GARDENS

The waterside perimeter of the estate provides an uplifting  pram friendly walk, with spectacular views across Plymouth Sound and a host of eighteenth century follies, fountains, seats and shelters for you and your pram to rest along the path.  The route travels through the parkland and woodland of the historic family seat of the Earls of Edgcumbe, who built the house at the heart of the estate in the mid-sixteenth century.

The house, gardens, tea-room, restaurant and shop are open to the public during the summer season but the South West Coast Path, passing through the estate, is open throughout the year.  A pram friendly walk for all seasons!

Top Tip: An especially inspiring walk in early spring, when the National Camellia Collection is in full bloom, and in autumn, when the leaves in the woodland start to turn.

2. PLYMOUTH WATERFRONT WALKWAY

A gentle walk, mainly on pavement, this pram friendly walk is a breeze!  Walk around the Hoe, the Barbican and Mount Batten breakwater and enjoy the seaside views.  This unique section of the South West Coast Path is an entertaining and enlightening journey with plenty to learn along the route about the city’s history and heritage.

Top Tip: you will find toilets and a car park at Admiral’s Hard (postcode for sat navs PL1 3RJ) and refreshments dotted along the path.

3. PLYMBRIDGE WOODS

This pram friendly walk is also a must for cyclists as it follows the route of an old Great Western Railway track.  Leave Plymouth behind, push your way through glorious oak woods and emerge into peaceful open countryside.  Breathe!!  This exciting and pram friendly trail leads you past dramatic industrial remains, over towering quarry faces, and across breathtaking viaducts. 

Top Tip: Take your bird book!  In season these woods are famous for spotting nesting wild peregrines.

Are you looking for accommodation in Cornwall that caters for babies and young children? At Blue Monkey we have everything you will need to make your trip stress free! Find out more about our baby friendly holiday cottage in Cornwall.

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Kingsand in Cornwall is a really special place. Here at Blue Monkey we just love our local area, and we wanted to tell you why! So here goes:

1: The Local Beaches

The small pebbly beaches of Kingsand and Cawsand are typical of an old fishing village.  Kingsand Beach has rock pools for your children to explore with their shrimping nets and Cawsand beach has canoes and kayaks for the more adventures to hire during the summer.  There are three pubs near the beaches:

• The Devenport on The Cleave,
• The Rising Sun on The Green; and
• The Halfway House Inn on Fore Street
• The Cross Keys Inn, The Square, Cawsand

…and three cafes within five minutes walk:

• the Old BoatStore cafe on the cleave
• The Old Bakery on Garrett street; and
• The Shop in the Square

Top Tip: You can supervise older children playing on Kingsand beach whilst you relax at The Devonport. 

The villages of Kingsand and Cawsand are typically Cornish but not commercialised. 

2: The Coastal Path

Turn right out of the front door of Blue Monkey and you can follow the coastal path along the Rame Peninsula all the way to Pen Leigh Point and beyond!  Penn Leigh is Cornish for stone-slab headland and the point is a coastal headland southeast of the village of Rame in Southeast Cornwall at the entrance to Plymouth Sound.  Rame Head is part of a small Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty known as the “Rame Head Heritage Coast” that also includes Cawsand Bay and the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. 

Top Tip: Pack yourself a picnic and enjoy the amazing views over lunch.

3. The Plymouth Ferry

After a lovely walk from Kingsand through Mount Edgecombe, across the ferry at Cremyll and a walk into the city centre via the lovely Barbican, it is an absolute treat to catch this long serving ferry service and cross Plymouth sound back to the beach at Cawsand, step off the boat and be back at your accommodation, or nearest pub in 2 minutes.

Top Tip: The fare is very reasonable for the half hour trip, the view superb and if you’re lucky you may encounter dolphins.  (NJC, Trip Advisor)

Are you visiting this area and looking for accommodation in Kingsand, Cornwall? Blue Monkey Cornwall is luxury self catering accommodation perfect for your families next holiday in Cornwall. Find out more about our Kingsand accommodation or check out our availability here.

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