Season: spring

Gorran Haven basked in warm sunshine for this spring visit.  The recent storms had torn all of the sand from the top of the beach, but the sea was now as calm as a mill pond.  The low spring tide allowed easy access to Little Perhaver beach.  The headland between the two beaches had lost a good twenty metres of topsoil into the sea over the winter, exposing more hard granite and widening the view between the two beaches.

A chance for Helen to reflect on the timeless appeal of this beach.

A beach panorama, as seen from outside Cliff Cottage.

Season: summer

Although it was warm, a turbulent scene greeted me at Gorran Haven.  The beach was fairly deserted on a falling tide, but one or two mesmerised people looked out from the harbour wall at the rolling breakers that pounded in relentlessly.  It was intoxicating.  Out at sea, grey clouds blended into the horizon.  The whole scene was at once rejuvenating and energising.

Ernie’s association with the beach through time and tide.

Season: winter

I filmed the scene-setting piece at high tide in the morning and returned to interview Dave six hours later at low tide.  The high tide framed the harbour wall, with the sea lapping over the lower reaches of the wall.  At the other end of the beach the usually expansive flat beach assumed the nature of a bay, with still water lapping the sea defences.  Changes, often daily, in the mood of all these wonderful beaches are among the varied pleasures of return visits.

A vital part of Dave’s leisure time.

The beach at high tide.

Season: autumn

It was a blisteringly hot Sunday at Gorran Haven.  The beach was packed, but there was a tranquil, contented atmosphere, with a lot of children playing in the river and making sandcastles.  It felt like a family beach, used by locals and visitors alike.  The harbour is scenic, with a car park in the village and plenty of shops, toilets etc.  This is an ideal choice for a day out, with everything at hand and located in a breathtaking setting.

Looking down to Gorran Haven beach from the South West Coast Path.

By the water in Gorran Haven at low tide.

Season: spring

This was a chance to enjoy Gorran Haven in bright sunshine, with a high tide and a blue sea that filled the harbour.  It was a welcome change from the recent inclement easterlies and had restored the usual benign character to this little harbour, as weekending visitors enjoyed the sunshine once more.  This beach has a timeless quality, as testified by Jane, below.  It feels like time has stood still in Gorran Haven and it’s always a sheer pleasure to visit.

Jane’s appreciation of the beach and the village.

A view from the harbour wall at Gorran Haven.

Season: winter

This was a mild, wet return to Gorran Haven in January.  The beach was peaceful and quiet, with a fishing boat bobbing in the bay.  This is an unspoilt village, retaining a strong sense of community and belonging, as you can hear in the interview with Elaine.

Chatting to Elaine behind the Sail Loft at Gorran Haven beach.

A January morning at Gorran Haven.