Gunwalloe – Church Cove

Gunwalloe, Church Cove Beach

The tiny church of St Wynwallow, with a detached tower set into the solid rock of the headland, is located to the north side of the beach hence the name Church Cove.

There is a National Trust car park at the end of the lane that takes you through the small hamlet of Gunwalloe and on to Church Cove. It is about a mile past the Halzephron pub.

In the far right hand corner as you drive in, there is a small footpath entrance/exit.

As you exit turn left past the farm on your left. About 100 metres the lane splits. Take the path on your right hand side. This will take you to the beautiful church at Church Cove.

On the way you will pass Dollar Bay, a rocky, pebble beach but at low tide there is a small stretch of sand. Dogs are allowed on this beach all year around.

Continue along the path and after another 100 metres the church is on your right just past the graveyard. It is nestled into the cliff for protection. Once you have visited the church, come back out the door and look down onto Church cove. An absolutely stunning beach, especially on a sunny day at low tide. We love it all year around, however there are dog restrictions from Easter Day to October.

Dollar Cove next to Church Cove, Gunwalloe gets its name from the silver dollars washed ashore from a shipwreck just north of the beach at Loe Bar in the 16th century. Most of the coins have now been retrieved and can be seen in Charlestown’s Shipwreck Museum and the wreck site is protected. Today this beach with golden sand interspersed by rocks is dog friendly all year round.  There is a National Trust car park which also serves Church Cove which is adjacent and which has a dog ban in summer months.

St Winwaloe’s Church, Church cove, Gunwalloe

Church cove

Crashing waves at Church cove

View from Church cove, looking towards Mullion Island and Henscath

chill out watching the golfers at Mullion golf course

Little Jack as a GPS golf ball finder

Surfs up Little Jack

Stile/Steps to Dollar cove

Church of the storm

Headstone dated at 1804

Dollar cove, bring your metal detector as there’s rumoured to be treasure here. The cove is named after the silver dollars that have occasionally been found from the wreck of a 17th century ship.

The word Kneebone refers to the nickname of the person the bench was left in memory of.

Dollar cove