POLL: It has been voted third best beach in the UK... but is Porthminster even the best beach in Cornwall?
ST IVES's holiday hotspot Porthminster Beach has been voted in the top three beaches in the UK – and in the top ten in Europe – in a new poll by holiday website TripAdvisor.
Porthminster Beach is a half mile stretch of golden sand and calm water making it very family friendly, while still boasting the rugged looks and breathtaking views of many of west Cornwall's top beaches.
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Porthminster Beach - third best beach in the UK? Picture by Mark Stokes.
The news has been welcomed by the people of St Ives and Cornwall tourism chiefs but it has sparked plenty of debate about which are the best beaches in Cornwall.
Porthminster competes with Porthmeor and Carbis Bay on its own doorstep, but west Cornwall alone is also blessed with beaches like Sennen and Porthcurno and hidden gems like Porthgwarra and Nanjizal.
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The 2013 Traveller Choice Beach Awards were voted for by TripAdvisor's online reviewers and put Porthminster third in the UK behind Swansea's Rhossili Beach and Woolacombe in Devon.
Perhaps an even greater accolade is that Porthminster came ninth in Europe competing with beaches in Spain and Italy, including the winner, Rabbit Beach in Sicily.
In a great coup for Cornwall in this year's awards, the county celebrates the most award wins of any other county in the UK, with four beaches in the top 25.
Godrevy was ranked in 25th place and Perranporth 13th.
Emma Shaw from TripAdvisor said: "These awards recognise the best beaches in the UK and beyond, according to those that really matter – travellers that have visited these beaches and given them the highest levels of praise.
"It's great to see Cornwall coming up trumps against beaches in Spain, Italy and Greece."
Malcolm Bell, head of Tourism Cornwall, said the results were great for the county.
He said: "Cornwall is blessed with two magnificent coasts, wonderful fishing harbours as well as over 300 beaches and it is great news that TripAdvisor users have recognised not only the quantity of beaches but more importantly their quality."
Mayor of St Ives Ron Tulley said: "It's really good to hear this. Porthminster's facilities are excellent and it's a great asset to St Ives."
But which is your favourite Cornish beach? Vote in our poll to the right of this article.
Comments
by JimConnell
Tuesday, February 26 2013, 12:37PM
“But why are there only FIVE beaches in Cornwall with "Blue Flag" status, the international standard for cleanliness and beach facilities? And not even one in Scilly isles; why?”