The full guide
Read straight through, or use the planning notes above to shape an easier coastal day.
Church Cove
Church Cove at Gunwalloe is a pretty sandy beach with a little church situated below the cliff. The church has a separate bell tower.
Check the RNLI's current Church Cove patrol dates and local flags before visiting. Seasonal lifeguard cover does not make the water safe in every condition; supervise children closely and follow advice on the day.
Dollar Cove
Dollar Cove is part sandy and part rocky with the rocks forming some great rock pools.
Silver dollars are allegedly washed up following storms and are said to come from the wreck of a ship which sank in the 17th Century.
Fishing Cove
Fishing Cove is a sandy and pebbly beach. It has a small slipway at one end but has very little other facilities. The sea can be dangerous and it is therefore not a good beach for families.
Sea Fishing in Gunwalloe area
Good sized bass can be caught from the beaches and also from the headland behind the church. You should also be able to catch a variety of flat fish in this area.
Common questions
- Where is Gunwalloe?
- Gunwalloe is on the west coast of the Lizard Peninsula in West Cornwall, on the South West Coast Path between Poldhu and Penrose, a few miles from Porthleven.
- What is Gunwalloe known for?
- Gunwalloe is known for Church Cove, with its historic clifftop church and separate bell tower, and for neighbouring Dollar Cove, named after silver coins said to come from a 17th-century shipwreck.
- Why is Dollar Cove called that?
- Dollar Cove takes its name from the silver coins, or 'dollars', that are said to wash up after storms, reputedly from a ship lost nearby in the 17th century. Part of the cove is sandy and part rocky with good rock pools.
- What is there to do in Gunwalloe?
- You can relax on the sandy beach at Church Cove, visit the little Church of the Storms, explore Dollar Cove's rock pools and walk the coast path towards Poldhu and Mullion. The beaches are also good for bass fishing.
- Is Gunwalloe worth visiting?
- Yes. With its sandy coves, distinctive clifftop church and treasure-tinged legends, Gunwalloe is one of the most charming and characterful spots on the Lizard Peninsula.
