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.

Treen Cove

Season: summer

Just after high tide, Treen Cove and its beach were engulfed by the Atlantic. There was a tranquil atmosphere down by the water. You sense the great distance to the west as you look out from the rocks here, all the way to America.

Rupert’s enduring reference point, the beach, wherever he is.

Enjoying the beauty of Treen Cove in the morning.

Season: autumn

Treen Cove is exactly half way between St Ives and St Just, six miles each way on the scenic coast road. With no facilities and a long and at times tricky path to negotiate from behind the Gurnard’s Head Hotel, access takes a bit of effort, but it’s well worth it. When here, you feel very close to a big ocean and its motions and you can walk even closer to it via the Gurnard’s Head itself.

With Lucy and Andy at Treen Cove, across from the Gurnard’s Head.

Seals in the water at Treen Cove in Penwith.

A first view of Treen Cove and across to the Gurnard’s Head.

Season: spring

The low tide at Treen Cove revealed a pristine sandy beach, backed by rounded, dense stones, fashioned by the Atlantic. The cove’s cliffs feature waterfalls that shower the beach, through lime and limpet green foliage. This is an inaccessible beach and you need to keep an eye on the tide here. The compensation is a totally unspoilt wonderland of textures and colour, with the Gurnard’s Head rocks to the south, plus Zennor and Morvah in close attendance. It’s a taste of wild Cornwall.

On a brand new beach at Treen Cove.

Season: spring

This visit was an outstanding sensory experience, via the beauty of an exposed sandy beach.

Treen Cove, as seen from the back of the beach at low tide.

St Cyrus beach

Season: summer

Blue skies and warm weather were the order of the day at St Cyrus Nature Reserve and at the beach. The languid sea lapped the shore at low tide, making a waterside stroll a real pleasure. This beach is wide and flat, with a pleasing arc and backed by dunes, wetland and sheer cliffs, from which various hawks hunt the plentiful wildlife. The rocks at the northern end of the beach are revealed at low tide and are an ideal spot for rockpooling.

The beach as an escape for Ann.

A fine morning at St Cyrus.

Season: spring

This beach runs south from the cliffs and weird rock formations below the village of St Cyrus to the mouth of the North Esk River. You access the beach either by a winding path down the cliffs, or by a more straightforward route from the Visitor Centre. This is now two hundred metres behind the beach, despite once being the lifeboat station. The setting is spectacular, with the cliffs hosting peregrine falcons and other wildlife that thrives where the North Esk River used to run, just behind the beach.

The scene is set by Thérèse from Scottish Natural Heritage, followed by Susan and Nicola.

By the water at St Cyrus beach.

Portmellon beach

Season: winter

For this winter visit, coinciding with high tide, I walked up along Portmellon’s southern headland, towards Colona beach. From the grassy bank above the sea, the panoramic view from Portmellon itself round to Chapel Point was breathtaking, serene and calm, taking in Mevagissey, Par Sands and out towards Fowey. It was well worth the walk.

The joy of the beach for Mary.

A walk out to Chapel Point above Portmellon.

Season: autumn

The easterly aspect at Portmellon makes it a fine beach to visit in the morning. It sits in an inlet between Mevagissey to the north and Colona beach to the south, just beyond Chapel Point. On this occasion the tide had brought kelp up onto the sand from the recent storms, its colours and textures glistening in the morning sun.

Kate runs an artist’s eye over the terrain.

Portmellon in the morning

Season: summer

In the morning, facing east, Portmellon greets the dawn every day. Colona House guards the northern edge of the inlet, with the idyllic Chapel Point to the south. Here’s the start of the day, in all its glory:

Season: spring

If you can avoid an easterly wind, this beach reflects the gentler side of Cornwall, as it sits in the lea of the prevailing winds. Today, it was mild and calm, with the tide falling away from the substantial sea defences. As Portmellon village woke up, the sun shimmered on a grey blue sea.

The changing appeal of the beach.

Portmellon on a falling tide.

Season: winter

It was a gentle, grey blue morning for my return to Portmellon. There was a high tide with a modest swell. Nevertheless, the seaweed and sand strewn along the road bore witness to the power of nature at work here earlier. The hamlet faces east and has a changing demeanour, as explained by Rod, below:

With Rod by the water at Portmellon.

Evidence of a recent spring tide at Portmellon.

Season: autumn

This quiet village sits between Gorran Haven and Mevagissey. Most people here live on a hill behind the beach and road, which is just as well, because any easterly storm will cross the road and bombard the beach-side houses, spreading seaweed over the road and any passing cars. There is ample parking, a pub (The Rising Sun) and toilets, but no shop.

The view from outside the entrance to The Rising Sun pub.

A view from the boatyard end of the village.