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.

Whitsand Bay

Season: autumn

Whitsand Bay runs north from Rame Head in Cornwall’s south east corner. It’s a long beach that faces west and actually comprises several smaller beaches, each with its own character and its own patrons. This time, on a falling tide, I visited the most popular section of beach in front of the Eddystone café, which itself sits right on the beach. The beach is staggeringly beautiful and wild. It has chalets and beach houses that cling to the steep cliffs above, one of which had been owned by my interviewee, Anne. Due to Plymouth’s proximity, this is also a much-visited beauty spot despite its steep access.

Anne’s love of this beach and its place in her life.

A view of Whitsand Bay from above.

Season: spring

A wild morning was the order of the day at Whitsand Bay. The low tide made the pristine beach accessible, including the chance to see the Eddystone café and to get close to a warship, cruising close by the shore.

With Sadie on the beach at Whitsand Bay.

Porthtowan beach

Season: spring

It was like the curtains had been drawn open at Porthtowan on the first clear day after a spell of low pressure and misty beaches. The beach was alive with people enjoying the sunshine at the weekend. The weather was mild and the breakers were spectacular, making fine surf for those in the sea. This beach here is a social hub with a great sense of community, all generations enjoying time together in a wonderful environment.

With lifeguard John, who explains this beach’s place in the local community.

A thriving local beach at Porthtowan on Cornwall’s north coast.

Season: autumn

What a place to celebrate the first year of manonabeach®, so thank you all for watching. Porthtowan was wild and exuberant in the morning, the power of the sea awesome. The sky reflected the cathartic nature of the moment. It’s a kind of magic, like all your hopes and fears are encapsulated in a shaft of light through black clouds, a backdrop to the racing sea and the sky against the beach.

Glynis, at home on the beach.

The magic of Porthtowan on a stormy morning.

Season: summer

The sea was wild on this occasion. Porthtowan beach is a geological treasure, the fractured rocks testimony to the relentless motion of the Atlantic against this shore. Its scale is grand, as the coastline stretches away to the west from the shoreline. The beach feels expansive on a low, ebb tide. This is a great place to reconnect with nature and our place within it.

Sarah’s perennial love of the beach.

Another Sarah, with her son Wilbur, also enjoying the natural side of the beach.

Porthtowan beach on an ebb tide.

Portloe

Season: spring

In the interview below, Steve describes the water as “mesmerising”, an impression I got from all of Portloe on this visit. To wander through the early morning village was to be in a dream. The still morning, with a misty air quality, was soporific and enchanting. At low tide the inshore fishing boats, Jasmine and Katie Lil, were safely harboured. I passed them on my way down to the shoreline to gaze back up the valley at this ancient village.

With Steve, early in a late spring morning.

The harbour and village, as seen from above at low tide.

Season: autumn

This was an early favourite visit from the manonabeach® series. I arrived before dawn to enjoy the attractive fishing village waking up at high tide. Portloe is a quaint, upmarket holiday destination now, yet I will never forget my experience of seeing the other Cornwall of fishing still thriving here.

Chris and Dave launch their two fishing boats at Portloe.

Season: winter

It was mild and peaceful at Portloe for this winter visit. The village was waking up and one fishing boat was already at sea. The water was calm and crystal clear, lapping the harbour wall at high tide.

The harbour at high tide.