Despite the lack of lifeguards, East Looe Beach in Cornwall is considered safe for swimming due to its protected location, calm water, and good water quality rating.
Where is East Looe Beach?
East Looe Beach is the main beach in Looe, Cornwall. It’s the one you reach after walking through the heart of the village, and is separated from the entrance to Looe Harbour by a man-made harbour wall.
Five great things to do while you’re in Cornwall
- 👻 Feel the chills in the abandoned cells on a hugely atmospheric tour of Bodmin Jail.
- 🌱 Explore the world’s largest indoor rainforest at the Eden Project.
- 🎬 Discover the Beyond Paradise filming locations around Looe on a specialised tour.
- 🐬 Spot dolphins, seals and porpoises on a RIB sealife safari from Padstow.
- 🏄 Hit the surf in Newquay with a two hour surfing lesson.
What does East Looe Beach look like?
Unlike many Cornish beaches, East Looe Beach isn’t a cliff-surrounded cove. It’s fairly wide, and there’s plenty of sand to play on, even if it’s a grey-brown colour rather than a sparkling white.
On the eastern side, a series of rocks known as Tom Barber’s Rocks jut out into the sea, providing a logical boundary to the swimming area.
But is it actually safe to swim at East Looe Beach?
Are there lifeguards at East Looe Beach?
When assessing the safety of swimming at East Looe Beach, the first thing you’ll notice is that there is no lifeguard service.
Ordinarily this would be a warning that the sea is quite treacherous. However, this is not the case at East Looe Beach. It is south-facing and reasonably well-protected, which means it doesn’t catch the biggest Atlantic swells.
Surfing in Looe
It’s notable that there is no surf school at East Looe Beach, unlike other spots in Cornwall including Poldhu Beach and Perranporth Beach on the west coast. That’s because the water is often calm and, despite the lack of lifeguards, relatively safe for swimming in.
East Looe Beach water quality
According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the bathing water quality at East Looe Beach is currently rated as good. Many others in Cornwall are rated as excellent, based on the bacteria levels.
However, the good rating means that East Looe Beach is not one you avoid because the water’s too dodgy.
Parking at East Looe Beach
One other thing to note about East Looe Beach is that you can’t park in the beachside car park. This is reserved for permit-holders only.
Most visitors end up parking in the 900-space Millpool car park, a 0.7 mile walk away in West Looe.
More Cornwall travel
Other Cornwall travel articles on Planet Whitley include:
- Can you park at the harbour in Polperro?
- Where can I hire a bodyboard at Perranporth Beach?
- Is it safe to swim at Lizard Point Beach?
- How much does the Fowey to Bodinnick ferry cost?
- How to get into the best bit of Tintagel Castle without paying.
