Monthly Archives: July 2014

Maenporth beach

Season: spring A blustery east wind brought a short sea onto the beach for this visit to Maenporth beach.  Tankers sheltering in Falmouth Bay lined the horizon.  On an ebb tide, the arc of the beach here became apparent, bordered by the strong granite headlands which give Maenporth an intimate, enclosed feel. Spring visit photo […]

Tenby

Season: autumn Perched on a headland at one end of Carmarthen Bay, Tenby features three sandy beaches, North, Castle and South, which are laid out either side of the Castle Hill headland.  The vibe fluctuates between sleepy and boisterous in nature, depending on the season, with a quaint old town bounded to the west by […]

Ardnamurchan Point

Season: summer Located seven miles south of the Small Isle of Muck, Ardnamurchan Point and its Alan Stevenson lighthouse constitute the most westerly point in mainland Britain.  As you can imagine, this is an isolated spot, forming the southern edge of Sanna Bay and approached by a long single track road.  The beach is pristine […]

Sands of Morar

Season: summer The Silver Sands of Morar make up the most northern of a string of beautiful beaches that stretch south from below Mallaig to Arisaig, the other two being Camusdarach and Arisaig itself.  Testimony to the wild, natural beauty here is the fact that Morar beach was used in the films “Local Hero” and […]

Calgary Bay

Season: summer Located in the north western corner of Mull, Calgary Bay has one of the finest beaches in Scotland.  The dunes behind the beach are home to varied flora and fauna.  The Friends of Calgary Bay offer guidance and information on topics such as wild camping and how to protect the sensitive natural balance […]

Pentewan beach

Season: summer The small Village Beach is the part of Pentewan Sands that locals and the sailing club seek out for recreation.  This morning, kayaks and tents on the beach were part of an expedition from Falmouth to Fowey along this wonderful stretch of coastline, which has generally safe waters and outstanding natural beauty.  The […]

Swanpool beach

Season: spring A shimmering sun over a high tide lit the morning at Swanpool beach.  This town beach was already a hive of activity, with children being picked up for a school trip from the adjacent car park, plus runners, swimmers and kayakers already in action.  Kayaks were laid out ready for the visitors and commuting […]

South Milton Sands

Season: summer South Milton Sands is one of the most popular beaches in Devon’s South Hams.  If you’re rambling, it can be reached by walking east along the South West Coast Path from Bantham Sand, but there’s also excellent access straight onto this National Trust beach from behind it.  Many leisure activities are pursued here, from […]

Beesands beach

Season: summer Beesands has long been one of Devon’s most popular visitor destinations.  It has a long pebble beach that looks out into Start Bay.  There are all the facilities that you might want to hand. Among its attractions is its proximity to the lost village of Hallsands, claimed by the sea and now an atmospheric […]

Slapton Sands

Season: summer Located in close proximity to neighbouring Beesands, Slapton Sands is also a long, east-facing beach, looking out into Start Bay and towards the lighthouse.  At the southern end of this three mile long beach is Torcross, but you can also access the beach half way up the strand via the memorial car park, or […]

Torre Abbey Sands

Season: autumn Bright sunshine greeted me for this visit to Torre Abbey Sands, the walk to the beach via Abbey Park always a pleasure.  A silver sea lit the view over to Brixham and Paignton as visitors promenaded by the beach.  This is an affluent area of Torquay, with fine restaurants and hotels at hand. […]

Dawlish Warren

Season: autumn The sun was shining and the beach still attracted visitors, despite it being the end of the school holidays.  Fine views across a silver sea towards Exmouth featured in the east, while ancient desert sand cliffs framed the main railway line towards Teignmouth to the west.  I enjoyed a last view of the […]

Exmouth

Season: summer Exmouth has an excellent sandy beach that stretches for two miles to the west of the harbour. The backdrop to the beach comprises a long promenade and the town itself has gardens and parks to enjoy.  Access is straightforward and there’s always marine traffic to watch as you walk along.  This is a good […]

Budleigh Salterton beach

Season: summer The surface of the beach at Budleigh Salterton comprises rounded pebbles, which make for a pleasant, crunching walk. The town behind the beach has all the facilities that a visitor might need.  The eastern end of the beach gives access to a fine walk up the Otter Estuary, whereas the quieter western end of […]