Season: summer
This morning Boscastle’s harbour was cloaked in shades of grey on a full tide. Contrast was offered by the bright white of the breaking waves against the black rock walls of the natural harbour entrance, as the sea is turned right by the rugged geology. Further up the channel, calm water provided a gentle backdrop to my chat with Ruth, who lives above the harbour and fishes from it.
With Ruth, who explains her love for the sea.
With visitor Neville, expounding the virtues of New Zealand’s beaches and their uses.
At the entrance to Boscastle’s natural harbour.
Season: autumn
It was a bright, sunny morning at Boscastle for this visit. On a high tide, the harbour looked splendid. The town has been fully renovated since the floods and has convenient shops, accommodation and plenty of parking.
Interviewee Jack was a font of historical knowledge about Boscastle, explaining the reciprocal trade between Cornwall and South Wales (tin for coal) and Cornwall’s historical trade with the Phoenicians (tin for saffron from India).
The harbour at Boscastle, seen from above at high tide.
Offering immeasurable space, the beach stirs the mind, body and soul unlike any other location. The freedom it provides to run, play or just meander can be found nowhere else.
The sights, smells and sounds are unique. They are held in the memories of any child who has dipped their toes in the lapping waves, skimmed a pebble across the surf, or encountered the joy of melting, sand covered ice cream, dripping down their chin.
Proposals are written in the sand by hopeful young men, dogs leap like racehorses across the dunes. The day’s worries are washed away like the broken shells caught in the swell. The beach gives us time to reflect, to be inspired, to enjoy.
We love Boscastle beach, because it is the epitome of Cornish beauty. We love the stunning natural harbour that encompasses the scents and sounds of the Atlantic Ocean. Boscastle can also boast some of the finest views in the British Isles. What more could you wish for?