Sarah P
17 December 2020
A great opportunity to get up close and personal with the rugged coastline, coasteering in Cornwall is a thrill-seeker's dream activity! Not just for the most adventurous, coasteering is for beginners, families, and children too.
Scramble on cliff-tops, go rock-hopping, cave-exploring, swell-riding, and cliff-jumping in some of Cornwall’s most beautiful coastal locations. We’ve scoured the county to find the best coasteering in Cornwall, from destinations to experienced guides and activity centres.
Stay with us in Cornwall and enjoy the best coasteering in Cornwall.
Cottages in Cornwall
Bude with Outdoor Adventure, North Cornwall
Image credit: Outdoor Adventure on Instagram
With some of the best jumps in North Devon, Bude is a popular place to go coasteering in Cornwall, not just for families, but for groups of hen and stag parties too!
With a fantastic choice of places to stay, nightlife and attractions, Bude is a fantastic destination all round, so it’s no wonder you’ll find adventure-fuelled activities on tap here!
Based just south of Bude near Widemouth Bay, Outdoor Adventure provides a range of coasteering sessions led by experienced Cornish instructors who will choose a route and cliff jumps that will excite and challenge you.
Restrictions: Minimum age - 12 years old, and you need to be able to swim two lengths of a 25-metre pool.
Newquay with Newquay Activity Centre, North Cornwall
Image credit: Newquay Activity Centre on Instagram
Newquay’s nightlife and adventure activities attract young groups from far and wide to its craggy coastline, making it one of the UK’s top destinations for hen and stag dos.
Home to Newquay Activity Centre, you will find countless opportunities to traverse the craggy cliffs, natural rapids, smugglers caves, whirlpools and discover the fascinating wildlife of North Cornwall.
With an array of different sessions available, you'll be able to choose a coasteering adventure in Cornwall that's right for your group. From the advanced adrenaline-seeker to easier routes for beginners, there are sessions for families, beginners and the real daredevils among you.
You could even combine coasteering in Cornwall with snorkelling and stand up paddleboarding for the ultimate experience.
Restrictions: There are various sessions offering coasteering for a range of abilities. Children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult.
Port Gaverne with Cornish Rock Tors, North Cornwall
Image credit: Cornish Rock Tors on Instagram
This rocky stretch of coastline is a playground for thrill-seekers, taking water sports enthusiasts, families, and groups along otherwise inaccessible sections of the coast to offer a unique and exhilarating experience.
Cornish Rock Tors is backed by the National Trust and run all their activities off the beach in this quiet village of Port Gaverne, just along the coast from Port Isaac.
Priding themselves on maintaining small group sizes so as not to compromise the experience, each session is tailored to your abilities, with varying routes and levels to accommodate first-timers and the more advanced among you!
Restrictions: Minimum age - 10 years old.
St Agnes with Coastal Rush, North Cornwall
Image credit: Coastal Rush on Facebook. Run by enthusiastic instructors who are passionate about the Cornish coastline, Coastal Rush will ensure that your coasteering experience is one that you won't forget in a hurry.
Operating along the St Agnes Heritage Coast from a starting point at Blue Hills Tin Stream, you’ll not only be signing up for a thrilling adventure full of cliff jumps, wild swimming and rock scrambling, but for some of Cornwall’s most stunning scenery too!
Catering for all abilities, you can book small private sessions for just a few of you or arrange a large group of up to 20 people!
Restrictions: All participants must be able to swim at least 25 metres.
Port Quin with Cornish Coast Adventures
Image credit: j.c.ad on Instagram
This sheltered inlet is the perfect spot for water sports; even when the surf is big and the waters choppy around the bay at Polzeath, Port Quin is generally protected from high tide and safe to coasteer!
Cornish Coast Adventures allows groups of friends, families, stags, hens and corporates of all abilities the chance to challenge themselves and build confidence in this invigorating activity.
With cliff jumps ranging from 2 to 35ft, as well as fabulous swims, wave features, and climbing challenges, the experience will have the biggest adrenaline junkie buzzing all day long!
Restrictions: Minimum age - 8-years-old, under 13-year-olds should be accompanied by an adult and all participants need to be able to swim 50 metres unassisted.
St Austell Bay (Fowey, Pentewan and Gorran) with Vertical Descents
Image credit: Vertical Descents on Facebook
Coasteering in St Austell Bay with Vertical Descents allows daredevils to experience a completely different side to some of South Cornwall’s most popular destinations including Ready Money Cove in Fowey, the pretty bay of Pentewan and the unchartered waters of Gorran Haven. These stunning locations provide a variety of whirlpools, huge cliff jumps and high climbs, combined with a more mellow approach for families and children.
The three routes each offer something a little different, and you can tailor them to suit each one of you! As the only coasteering provider in the bay, Vertical Descents promises a unique and unforgettable coasteering adventure in Cornwall.
Restrictions: Minimum age – 8 years old.
The Lizard Peninsula with Lizard Adventure
Image credit: Lizard Adventure on Facebook
Coasteering in Cornwall allows adventurers to see the coast from a totally different perspective, and along the Lizard Peninsula, you’ll definitely be in for a treat.
With several coasteering sites, Lizard Adventure will pick a spot that best suits your group for ability, age and the sea conditions on the day, all starting off from the Lizard village.
As you scramble over rockfaces, plunge into deep waters and explore fascinating caves, you may be surprised to stumble across a variety of unique wildlife too like seals and cormorants!
Restrictions: Minimum age – 8 years old.
Coasteering in Cornwall
The great thing about coasteering in Cornwall is by booking with one of these providers you don’t have to worry about a thing; all specialist equipment from winter wetsuits and buoyancy aids will be provided!
All you’ll be asked to bring is some old clothes, trainers, and a sense of adventure! You’ll also book with the peace of mind that you’ll be in the hands of professional instructors who have a passion for the Cornwall coast.
Do you fancy giving another extreme water sport a go in Cornwall? Why not give paddleboarding, surfing or kite surfing a go?
Book a cottage in Cornwall
Ready to take on a coasteering adventure in Cornwall? Book a cottage in Cornwall and set yourself close to the beautiful Cornish coastline for a holiday full of excitement!
Cottages in Cornwall
Disclaimer: Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information at the time of writing,
please ensure you check carefully before making any decisions based on the contents within this article.