Talland Bay, Cornwall – Secluded Beaches Between Looe and Polperro

TALLAND BAY IN SOUTH EAST CORNWALL

Talland Bay lies midway between Looe and Polperro – a secluded bay of two small coves, Talland Sand and Rotterdam Beach, separated at high tide by a rocky outcrop and flanked by a rocky foreshore. It sits on the South West Coast Path within the Cornwall National Landscape, and makes a quiet, out-of-the-way spot for families who like rock pools more than crowds.

Talland Sand

The western and larger cove, where Bridals Lane crosses the little stream down to the shore, is the more popular with families. It has a pay-and-display car park between the stream and the Talland Bay Beach Café, whose seating alongside the coast path makes a fine spot to sit and enjoy the view.

There is sand at all states of the tide, though the best is on the lower beach at low water; the upper beach is a coarser mix of gravel and rock, and there is a slipway for launching small boats. As on many Cornish sandy beaches, weever fish can be found in the shallows in summer, so beach shoes are a good idea. Public toilets are on Bridals Lane, the main approach road, where it curves down towards the beach.

Rotterdam Beach

The smaller, rockier cove on the eastern side of the bay lies below the Grade I listed church of St Tallanus, whose bell tower was built as a separate structure and joined to the church in the 15th century. Rotterdam is quieter, with less sand but easier swimming at high tide; it is reached by steps from a small parking area opposite the Smugglers Rest café. There is also limited free parking along the lane between the two coves, with cars tucked in tightly against the Cornish hedge.

ROCK POOLS, GEOLOGY & THE WRECK OF THE MARGUERITE

Talland Bay is a beach for rock pooling. The cliffs and foreshore are made of the Meadfoot Group – Devonian slates, siltstones and sandstones around 400 million years old – tilted steeply so that the layers wear away at different rates, leaving rows of pools along both coves where children can hunt for crabs, shrimps, small fish, hermit crabs and beadlet anemones. Read more about the Meadfoot Beds and the geology of South East Cornwall → · The geology of Cornwall

Between the two coves is a long stretch of rocky shore, good for fishing and snorkelling. At very low tide you can see the boiler of the Marguerite, a French steam trawler that ran aground here in March 1922 – all twenty-one of her crew were saved.

The bay’s seclusion once made it a haven for smugglers. Today the coast path leads west around the headland to the Warren at Polperro, a little over a mile away, and east past Hannafore to Looe – both walks through superb coastal scenery.

Full Talland Bay beach guide →