Controversially, at Rock Beach Cornwall, there is not a pebble in sight. And the golden stretch of sand along the banks of the Camel Estuary is the perfect place to while away an afternoon, either relaxing on the beach or taking part in all manner of water sports. Here’s why you need to visit Rock.
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How to get to Rock
If you’re driving to Rock Beach, park at the pay and display Rock Quarry Car Park. Drive all the way through the village (there’s pretty much one straight long road), and the car park is at the far end. However, on busy days a parking spot can be tricky to come by.
Most day trippers to Rock Beach arrive on the Black Tor ferry from Padstow. The ferry leaves every twenty minutes, crossing the River Camel in a mere ten minutes. Which is an absolutely barnstorming journey time, compared to the half an hour it’ll take you to drive.
Find ferry timetables here. The Black Tor ferry only accepts card payments, and adult tickets cost £3.00 each way.
Rock Beach, Cornwall: a very brief history
Rock started life as a fishing village in the 1300s. Originally it was called Blaketorre- or Black Tor, as the ferry is now named after. (Cornwall actually has its own language, in which Blaketorre means ‘black rock,’ don’cha know.) Eventually the name evolved into Black Rock, which over time was shortened to a sweet and simple Rock.
By the turn of the 19th century, Rock was a well-established holiday location and its popularity has grown massively since then- especially with the incredibly wealthy sorts. The Al Fayeds, Hugh Grant, Harry Enfield and Gordon Ramsay have all been spotted here (or live here permanently), earning Rock the nickname ‘Kensington-by-the-Sea.’ Put bluntly, this is definitely not a traditional olde world fishing town like Port Isaac or Boscastle; Rock has an air of the exclusive about it.
Rock on, Rock.
Rocking out in Cornwall
In fact, Rock has become so very rock and roll that the town’s annual Rock Oyster Festival has grown and grown to become kind of a big deal. The music and food festival takes place over a weekend at the end of July and is held at nearby Dinham House.
The festival has been getting bigger and bigger names in its music line-up across the various stages- in 2021 Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Nick Mulvey and Soul II Soul are amongst the performers. And festival-goers can visit the chef tipis for live food demos and mouthwatering food, or chill out with yoga, wild foraging walks and dance workshops. It’s all so very on-trend, you know?
The glorious beach
Rock Beach is- there’s no other way of describing it- beautiful. The sand is the perfect shade of golden yellow, and on a sunny day the brightly coloured windbreakers, buckets and spades and striped kites floating on the breeze are the epitome of an English seaside paradise.
Boats sit just off of the beach (and become grounded at low tide), and on the opposite side of the river banks is Padstow Harbour, from where the ferry trundles back and forth throughout the day. Add to that the soundtrack of children splashing in the water and the odd seagull’s caw, and you’ve got a scene straight from the glorious summer holidays of yesteryear.
An Enid Blyton picnic of cucumber sandwiches, boiled eggs and ginger beer would go down an absolute treat here.
The really great thing is that even at the height of Summer, there’s plenty of room to spread out and have your own little patch of beach-space. Rock Beach is over a mile long, with a backdrop of rugged grass-capped dunes which roll into actual hills; I loved exploring them and spying my pals way down below on the sand.
Water sports at Rock Beach
It goes without saying that Rock Beach is popular with the boating crowd. You can tell from the popularity of boat shoes and stripy jerseys, for one thing. (Not that your footwear choices necessarily reflect your ability to actually sail. Just saying.)
If you’re craving an adventurous excursion on the water in Rock, the Camel Ski School is your best bet. This is Britain’s largest waterskiing school, although they also give wakeboarding, wake surfing, paddle boarding and kayaking lessons. And if you know what you’re doing but need to hire some equipment, these guys have got your backs for that too!
Walks from Rock
Daymer Bay is a sheltered sandy cove only a short walk up the estuary (head towards the sea). If you want to keep going, head to Polzeath and St Enodoc Church– otherwise known as ‘Sinking Neddy.’
This legendary little church was built onto sand dunes, which clearly isn’t the greatest of architectural decisions. The church has been fully submerged in sand for years at a time, meaning that on some occasions the priest has needed to be lowered in through a hole in the roof in order to reach his congregation.
Find detailed routes of walks from Rock here.
Where to eat in Rock
In classic swanky Cornwall style, Rock has not one but two Michelin starred restaurants. The Mariners Public House and The Dining Room are both well-known Rock establishments. Don’t get me wrong, I’m yet to visit these restaurants, but you surely can’t write a post about Rock without mentioning these crown jewels of the culinary world?
We personally headed to the Rock Inn which might not be Michelin-starred but is in an amazing location. Sit outside on the terrace above the street and look out over the estuary on a sunny day. I felt as if I’d gone to Spain sitting in that warmth, and the food was delicious.
Other popular places to eat include the Blue Tomato Cafe and (mainly for all your takeaway picnic needs), the Malcolm Barnecutt Deli Bakery. Wherever you go, order whatever fresh seafood is on the menu and you’re almost guaranteed a delicious meal.
Where to Go Near Rock Beach Cornwall
Rock Beach is perfectly located near many an intriguing spot on the north Cornish coast. Padstow is just across the river, and slightly further afield are the pretty fishing villages of Port Isaac and Boscastle.
4 Days in Cornwall- an Itinerary
Looking for more inspiration for your explorations?