Author Archives: manonabeach

About manonabeach

On a beach…welcome to manonabeach.com, where I’ll regularly add video of my beach visits, so you can enjoy a flavour of the beach, even when you’re not there.

Trebarwith Strand

Season: autumn

This was a great surprise, after an aborted trip to Tintagel. I caught Trebarwith Strand at high tide in the sunshine, with a stark and dramatic distinction between the black rocks and white surf crashing in on clean sets of waves. It was a relentless and mesmerising experience to witness, as you can see by the reaction of my interviewee. There are toilets, a café and a shop here, as well as parking at hand. Although it’s a fine beach at all tide levels, try to get there at high tide to see what I mean.

Pippa’s natural high.

High tide at Trebarwith Strand, white surf and black rocks.

Season: winter

There was bright sunshine for the last day of the manonabeach® winter season. I re-visited Trebarwith Strand, a breathtakingly beautiful cove, just round from Tintagel. Clean Atlantic breakers rolled relentlessly against the black rock, the white spray framed in a bright blue sky.

Trebarwith Strand from above, outside the Port William pub.

John explains his profound affinity for the creative side of nature at the beach.

Season: summer

It was high tide again on this occasion. There’s a magical atmosphere at Trebarwith Strand, harmonious and inclusive. The setting for this small cove and the expansive beach is without pretension, so natural beauty is at the front of people’s minds. There’s outstanding walking here on the cliffs above the strand.

A clash of sea and rock at Trebarwith Strand.

Castle beach

Season: spring

With a welcome return to high pressure, blue skies and sunshine was the order of the day at Castle beach in Falmouth. It was early morning, with Pendennis Castle backlit on its headland and the sun bathing Castle and Gyllyngvase beaches. The tide was rising. This is a wonderful natural resource for the busy townsfolk of Falmouth, offering a flavour of the natural environment right on their doorsteps, plus fine views out to Falmouth Bay and beyond.

A resourceful morning routine for John.

A bright start to the day at Castle beach.

Season: autumn

Falmouth is a great town. It has beautiful nature on its doorstep and a vibrant cultural centre. This intoxicating blend attracts creative and innovative young people to this part of the county, often via the popular Falmouth University. It’s interesting that the enhancing effect of the beach is complementary to the lively social scene on offer here, as articulated by Hannah, below.

How the beach fits into Hannah’s life.

The beach as a reference point for Dan in a transient world.

Looking down on Castle beach from just below Pendennis Castle.

Season: summer

Dark, foreboding clouds loomed over Falmouth and Castle beach. After a spell of sunshine and high pressure, there was a sense of change in the air. On a low tide, families were rock pooling with nets, while others enjoyed an evening tipple, some chatting and some gazing questioningly out to the horizon, a familiar sight on any beach.

Adam expounds his dreamworld in company at the beach.

Season: winter

This beach is a long sliver of sand, running from under Henry VIII’s Pendennis Castle round towards Gyllyngvase beach. You can park immediately above the beach on the sea front and there are easy steps down to the beach. You’ll find shops and all that Falmouth has to offer right next to the beach. It’s a good beach to visit for a quiet view of Falmouth Bay and across to the Helford Estuary. On this occasion cormorants were hanging their wings out to dry on a wet, grey day. Falmouth is a fine choice for a meal and a night out too.

A brief but illuminating testimony from Michael on the beach below Pendennis Castle.

Looe beach

Season: spring

I encountered a sharp, clear dawn during this early spring visit to Looe. The tide was high and there was a fine view back to the beach and town from the end of the Banjo Pier, with occasional waves breaking over its surface. As the town started to wake up, the fish processors, wholesalers and retailers were well under way with their working days.

With Mick from the Harbour Commission at Looe.

The scene at dawn, as seen from the end of the Banjo Pier.

Season: winter

The sea was flat calm on this winter visit to Looe on Cornwall’s south east coast. There were many visitors in the town, enjoying the independent shops and the twisting streets. The harbour was a picture at high tide and I was struck by the clarity of the water, with the seabed clearly visible through ten feet of water at the harbour entrance. This town feels go-ahead and energetic, with due deference paid to the fishing community and its roots.

With Ernie, who runs the ferry across the harbour in Looe.

Season: autumn

Looe is a top tourist destination on Cornwall’s south coast, but I found it to be a thriving working harbour too during my early morning visit in December. You can park right in the centre of town and easily walk down through attractive shops and restaurants to the beach on the east side of town. The beach is surprisingly large, looking out to the bay and across to Looe Island. There are convenient facilities immediately to hand, as well as fine walks on the South West Coast Path in both directions. This is a great place to visit for nature, shopping and a proper Cornish atmosphere.

At Nippers shellfish shop in Looe.