Where to swim near Porthevan, month by month
Four beaches and one cove within twenty minutes, which ones are safe at which tide, and how cold the water really is in each month of the year.
18 August 2026 · 5 min read
We swim all year, most of us, and so do a surprising number of guests. The bathhouse was built partly so there is somewhere warm to come back to. Here is where we go.
The cove below the house
Five minutes down the path. Sandy at low tide, a pebble shelf at high tide, and sheltered from anything but a north-westerly. There is no lifeguard, so swim along the shore rather than out, and never past the rocks at the mouth.
The long beach
Fifteen minutes by car. Lifeguarded from May to September, with flags to swim between. Surf most days, which is fun on a bodyboard and hard work for a swim.
The harbour pool
A tidal pool built into the rocks at the next village, refilled by every high tide. The calmest water on this coast, and the one we suggest for anyone nervous or swimming with children.
How cold is it?
| Month | Sea temperature | What to wear |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 9–10 °C | Wetsuit, gloves, a short dip |
| April to June | 11–15 °C | Wetsuit, or brave and brief |
| July to September | 16–18 °C | Swimsuit |
| October to December | 12–15 °C | Wetsuit for anything over ten minutes |
Coming back
Residents use the bathhouse free, and it opens at seven in the morning for exactly this reason. Wet towels go in the basket by the door; we swap them for dry ones.
