By Richard Whitehouse LDR.

Just like their human carers, dogs like few things more than feeling the sand beneath their feet in the summer and having a splash at the edge of the shore. However, whilst dogs are welcome on many beaches in Cornwall there are some restrictions, many which start this week.

Whether you want to just take your four-legged friend for a stroll or let them chase after a ball on your favourite beach it's important to note when you are not allowed to take them. Cornwall Council has a number of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in place which put restrictions on when dogs can go on beaches.

The majority of these start (July 1) and then run until the end of August and the restrictions are in force from 10am to 6pm every day. The penalty for breaching a PSPO can be a maximum of £1,000 although, in most cases, the council will use its discretion to issue a fixed penalty notice of £100 to anyone who commits an offence.

Here is the list of beaches where restrictions run from July 1 to August 31 from 10am to 6pm:

• Cadgwith Cove
• Castle Beach, Falmouth
• Cawsand Beach
• Chapel Porth Beach, St Agnes
• Church Cove, Gunwalloe
• Harveys Towans to Godrevy Point, Hayle
• Housel Bay
• Kennack Sands Beach
• Kynance Cove
• Maenporth Beach, Falmouth
• Mousehole Beach to Skilly Beach
• Wherry Town to Battery Rocks
• Long Rock level crossing to Marazion
• Perranuthnoe
• Poldhu Beach, Mullion
• Polurrian Cove Beach, Mullion
• Porthcurno Beach
• Porthgwarra Beach, St Levan
• Porthgwidden Beach, St Ives
• Porthleven West
• Porthpean Beach, St Austell
• Portmellon Cove, Mevagissey
• Portreath Beach, including the harbour
• Praa Sands
• Readmoney Cove, Fowey
• St George's Well, Padstow
• St Ives Harbour Beach
• Summer's Beach, St Mawes
• Swanpool Beach, Falmouth
• Tattam's Beach, Portscatho
• Tunnel Beach, Falmouth

For beaches which have Blue Flag status the restrictions come into force in May and run until the end of September. These restrictions again operate from 10am to 6pm each day.

The following beaches all have the longer period of restrictions for dogs:

• Carbis Bay Beach, Carbis Bay
• Crackington Haven
• Crooklets Beach, Bude
• Gyllyngvase Beach, Falmouth
• Polzeath Beach
• Porth Beach
• Porthmeor Beach, St Ives
• Porthminster Beach, St Ives
• Porthtowan Beach
• Sennen Beach
• Trevone Beach, Padstow
• Widemouth Beach, Bude

And, lastly, there are some beaches which have all year round bans for dogs which are also 24 hours. Those are:

• Carnsew Pool
• Copperhouse Pool
• Hayle Estuary

Please note that these restrictions only apply to those beaches which are covered by Cornwall Council's PSPOs. Private beaches may also have their own restrictions in place which are not covered by these orders.