On a sunny day Mother Ivey's Bay looks like a tropical paradise. The water is spectacular - turquoise in the shallows and indigo further out. The golden sand is pristine and rugged headlands give the small coves a majestic backdrop.
The beaches are world class and reached via a short walk that is accessible on any tide, a rarity for these smaller coves in Cornwall. Happily, even that short walk is enough to keep the majority of people away.
However, if it’s ultimate seclusion you’re looking for, you can swim, paddle board, or kayak to a jaw-dropping beach which has no foot path. It’s here you can really live out all of your Robinson Crusoe fantasies!
Here’s what to expect when visiting Mother Ivey’s Bay.
The walk to Mother Ivey’s Bay
The stats
Distance: 620m each way
Elevation gain: 20m
Difficulty: Easy
Trailhead: National Trust Car Park, Booby’s Bay
Summary: The walk to Mother Ivey’s Bay is easy with a good track right up until the last few metres down to the beach. The path is gravel and pretty much entirely flat.
However, the final few metres are steeper and rocky. It’s not difficult or slippery if you don’t mind uneven terrain, but there is no manicured path down to the sand.
If you simply want to admire the beaches from above, the walk to the cliff edge is easy.
The trail: to the viewpoint
Unless you’re staying at the Mother Ivey’s Bay Holiday Park, the closest car park is at Booby’s Bay, which is run by the National Trust (full parking details below).
You’ll head briefly back down the gravel road you drove in on (heading north east) and then take the left fork 130m from the car park. You’ll almost immediately cross over the Trevose Head road (the paved road) and head through the gate.
The flat gravel path now heads inbetween fields before arriving at the headland 170m later, or 320m from the car park. This is where you’ll find a bench seat with one of the best views in Cornwall!
Trust me when I say you should save this walk for a sunny day because when you look down from the cliff top to the coves and water below you are guaranteed to be awe-struck.
We’ve spent most of the last 12 years living in Australia, surrounded by some of the world’s best beaches and we were still utterly spellbound by Mother Ivey’s Bay.
To the walkable beach
After taking in the sensational views, head right along the cliff top and then follow the path behind the hedges and away from the cliffs for 180m.
You’ll then come to the trail leading down to the beach on your left. It’s only 80m long, but it is rocky. Some of the rocks are quite smooth, but it wasn’t slippery when dry.
It’s a little steep in parts, but nothing like some of the routes down to other coves in the area which require ropes.
If you don’t mind a little uneven terrain you will have no trouble.
Mother Ivey’s Bay
The main beach you can walk to is a stunner and relatively large, so there’s room to spread out a bit if you are visiting on a busy day. Whilst there were people around, it was nothing like some of the other Cornish beaches which don’t require a walk to reach.
The cliff wall provides a bit of shade around the edges and there’s plenty of beach to be enjoyed even at high tide (our photos are all from our high tide visit).
The water was fresh in June, but not overly cold - though significantly colder than the nearby tidal pools.
It’s a beautiful spot, but if you’re up for a bit more of an adventure, you can swim, kayak, or paddle board your way over to the next cove along for ultimate seclusion.
Reaching the secluded cove
Although there are coves both sides of the beach, I couldn’t take my eyes off the one to the left when we were looking down on it from above.
I didn’t originally intend to try and get there - as I’m not a sea swimmer - but the water was incredibly calm and it was probably only a couple of hundred metres away, so I thought it was worth a shot.
You need to pick a day when the swell is slight to get there safely, but it takes less than 10 minutes (much less if you’re used to sea swimming) and was not difficult as the sea was very calm.
I took it very wide so as not to be anywhere near the rocks and cliff.
Even on a calm day there will be some waves, but overall it was quite easy and so worth it if you’re confident in the water.
You could bring an inflatable SUP or kayak and get round there in a flash too, although it’s a little wavy as you approach the sand which may be harder on a paddle board.
Once you’re there you can enjoy your own little piece of Cornish paradise. It’s small but perfectly formed and it even has it’s own sea cave - though it wasn’t accessible at high tide.
It is a magical cove and an experience I’ll remember for a long time.
There’s just something about being on your own little deserted spit of sand that is just so special. I imagine there’s a lot more beach at low tide, but I actually liked how tiny it was, so I’d still recommend a high tide visit.
Keep them wild
Please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep these places wild and pristine - as with anywhere in the outdoors. It’s important to leave them exactly as you found them so they will remain beautiful for generations to come.
Litter tends to breed litter, so if you do spot any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the area, it will go a long way to keeping the area clean.
Parking for Mother Ivey’s Bay
The nearest public car park is at Trevose Head, Cornwall, PL28 8SL. You can see it here on Google maps. It’s run by the National Trust and free for members. Otherwise you can see the up to date parking charges here. During the summer (and possibly other times) there is a hut here selling hot and cold drinks as well as cakes and limited sandwiches. There are no toilets at the car park.
There is a bit of free parking available at a layby opposite the holiday park (exact location here) but it fills up quickly in peak season and it’s a bit further away than the National Trust car park.
The main car park is 4 miles from Padstow and 13.5 miles from Newquay.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, that we will earn a small commission if you click through and decide to make a purchase. This helps towards the costs of running our website. Thanks for your support.
