Your Beach. Found: Readymoney Cove
This summer, we’re exploring the Cornish shoreline with fortnightly beach takeovers — shining a light on beaches of every character. Join us in Fowey as we dip our toes in our next beach, Readymoney Cove.
Discover:
- A sheltered sandy cove, calm and safe for families
- A Tudor castle perched above the estuary
- One of Cornwall’s most characterful fishing towns
- Glittering river views, sailing boats, kayaks and pastel-painted streets
- Pizza on the estuary. A tidal paddling pool. Independent shops worth lingering in.
Fowey
Fowey — pronounced ‘Foy’, if you want to blend in — announces itself slowly. You arrive by a narrow road that winds down through trees until suddenly the estuary opens up in front of you: wide, glittering, full of boats. It stops you in your tracks every time.
Set at the mouth of the River Fowey on Cornwall’s south coast, it’s a chic seaside town with a fascinating maritime history, literary connections and picture-perfect fishermen’s cottages. Daphne du Maurier lived here; so, for a time, did Dawn French. Kenneth Grahame was a frequent visitor and many believe Fowey to be the inspiration for the river in The Wind in the Willows. It has that quality — somewhere that gets into writers and refuses to let go.
The town itself is made for wandering. The harbour is full of yachts, cruisers, canoeists and rowers in the summer months , and the narrow streets climbing away from the waterfront are lined with independent boutiques, galleries, bookshops and places to eat that punch well above the town’s modest size.
Start at the quay and work your way along. Brocante is full of design inspiration and the perfect place to browse for unique jewellery, quirky gifts and homeware , while Shrew Books offers a beautifully curated selection with a strong Cornish bent. Coastal Outfitters sells fashion perfect for a coastal life, whilst The Old Bank showcases contemporary art, runs creative workshops and serves coffee and cake.
When hunger calls, Fowey delivers. We had pizza on the estuary front deck at Bufala — sun on the water, boats drifting past, the kind of lunch that makes an afternoon feel generous.
Pintxo is a small but perfectly formed tapas and sherry bar tucked away on the Esplanade , bringing Basque-inspired flavours to the waterfront. And be sure to stop for coffee at the ever-stylish Salt Society.
Before you head to the beach, follow the Esplanade — the pretty seafront road that runs south from the town — and stop in at Red Rocket café for a drink. Just nearby you’ll find the Whitehouse children’s pool, a tidal paddling pool that keeps small people very happy indeed.
The walk to Readymoney
The Esplanade continues south from the town, past tall Victorian townhouses with river views. The estuary glitters to your left. Sailing boats tack quietly across the water; kayakers hug the bank; the odd passenger ferry putters between Fowey and Polruan on the opposite shore. It’s the kind of walk that makes you slow down without noticing.
Follow the Esplanade and soon you’ll arrive at Readymoney Cove — a small, sheltered beach with turquoise waters, perfect for a dip. The name, incidentally, comes from the Cornish Porth Mundy, thought to mean mineral house cove — a reminder that this pretty spot was once a working trading place, its beach stacked with pilchard cellars and limekilns rather than deckchairs.
The beach
Readymoney Cove is a charming, south-east facing sandy beach sheltered by cliffs close to the mouth of the River Fowey, bounded on one side by the medieval town and on the other by St Catherine’s Castle. It’s a beach that earns its reputation for calm: the water is clear, the cove is protected, and the sheltered waters make it ideal for swimmers of all ages, including families with young children.
At low tide the rockpools emerge at the edges of the cove, and the beach shop above the sand sells everything from Cornish ice cream and homemade cake to pasties and beach kit. It’s a small, well-run operation and entirely in keeping with the unspoilt character of the place.
Your Beach. Found.
Whether your beach is a place to swim, explore, eat well or simply sit and watch the river go by, Fowey has it.
Stay near Readymoney Cove
