Crabbing Spots in Cornwall

Cornwall is a small section on this site so far: three harbours, each with a different character. Fowey has the most going on and its own crabbing rules, Padstow is the easiest place to just turn up and crab, and St Ives is the prettiest, with water clear enough to watch the crabs below. All three are working harbours, so expect boats and open edges.

Which Cornish spot suits you?

  • The easiest day: Padstow. Park close by, walk a short way to a flat quay and start crabbing.
  • The most choice of spots: Fowey. There are pontoons, a quieter slipway and a riverside option at Caffa Mill, but you’ll have to plan your parking.
  • The best views and atmosphere: St Ives. Crab behind Smeaton’s Pier, then spend the rest of the day on the beach.
  • A bit of extra protection at the edge: Padstow has a small section with metal railings around the side of the harbour, and St Ives has a low wall. Neither is fenced all the way along.

The spots

Fowey Town Quay & Caffa Mill

Crabbing is officially allowed from the shore-linked pontoons at Town Quay and Albert Quay. They’re the busiest spots, and the pontoon by the lifeboat mooring is generally reckoned to be the best. When the pontoons are rammed, Passage Street Slipway is much quieter. I’ve crabbed there myself and had a few decent catches rather than a bucketful. Caffa Mill, a short walk upriver, is another option. Fowey Harbour publishes its own crabbing code, and boats take priority. Parking is the hard part: the main car park on Hanson Drive is a 5–10 minute walk downhill into town, and uphill on the way back, though a shuttle runs in the main holiday season. There’s baby changing at both Town Quay and Caffa Mill.

Padstow Harbour

The simplest of the three. Park at Padstow Harbour Car Park or North Quay Car Park and you’re a short stroll from a flat quay with plenty of shore crabs. The best spots are just off the boats. The water is deep off the open edge, but there’s a small railed section around the side of the harbour where you can still crab with a little throw. Tourist shops around the harbour sell gear and bait, or you can bring an eco hessian net to avoid plastic ones. Finish with fish and chips by the harbour.

St Ives – Smeaton’s Pier

Drop a line from the pier wall or the edge of the quay. The water is often clear and shallow enough to watch shore crabs scrambling below, which children love. The pier is level and pushchair-friendly but can be damp, and there’s only a low wall, so keep a hand on anyone who likes to lean. Parking is the catch, because St Ives is all tight, winding streets. A good plan is a morning on the beach and then crabbing as the tide comes in. There are cafés, seafood shacks and public toilets right behind the pier.

Planning a Cornwall crabbing trip

  • Tides: Check the tide before you set off. Tide tables are linked from the Padstow and St Ives guides, and our crabbing safety guide covers timing.
  • Harbour rules: These are working harbours. In Fowey, read the crabbing code before you go so you know where lines are welcome.
  • Gear: You don’t need to bring anything. Shops around all three harbours sell lines, buckets and bait.
  • Parking: Padstow is straightforward. In Fowey and St Ives, arrive early in peak season or expect a walk.
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