Many visitors to Falmouth will head straight to its most popular stretch of sand at Gyllyngvase Beach. But for an altogether different experience, it’s worth checking out Swanpool Beach, which is only just around the corner.
Swanpool Beach, which is just to the west of Gyllyngvase on the seafront of the town, adjoins the Swanpool Lake Nature Reserve. This is a fresh and saltwater pool just behind the beach that deserves to be explored before you lay your towel on the sand and have a dip in the inviting waters just off the shore. There’s a watersports centre here where you can hire dinghies or kayaks for some fun on the waves.
There’s no lifeguard service on Swanpool Beach but, hey, there is a crazy golf course next to the public car park that sits behind the sands. And the town centre is only about a 20-minute walk away. The stroll along the coast to Gyllyngvase obviously takes less time and it’s worth it if you want to spend a day taking in Falmouth’s two best-known beaches and its fantastic nature reserve.
Dogs can’t go on Swanpool Beach during the summer months, though. But this beach is worth it for the watersports, the decent sands and the fab views of houses, fields and woodlands up the slopes all around. Oh, and that special pond behind the beach. That’s definitely with exploring, especially if you’re into birds as it’s a hotspot for flying creatures, including ducks. And, of course, swans.