Season: winter
There was half a rising tide at Gwithian for this visit. Messy seven foot high waves erupted randomly in a strong wind at this most elemental of beaches. Sand blew across the flat surface of the beach and kite surfers battled with the conditions in front of Godrevy lighthouse. The approach to Gwithian across the dunes, or Towans, offers panoramic views right round from St Ives and Hayle to Godrevy.
Winter (December 2012) visit photo gallery
The joy of the beach for Faye.
A wild day at Gwithian on a rising tide.
Season: spring
If you want a taste of elemental Cornwall this is a fine beach to visit, as it forms the middle section of a long strand from Godrevy to Hayle Towans, comprising an unbroken ribbon of golden sand and dunes that face the wild Atlantic, with views across to Carbis Bay and St Ives. The tide was almost out and a storm arrived from the west to showcase the wild nature of this popular surfing beach.
What the beach means to Anna.
On the beach at Gwithian, just as the weather turns.
Season: winter
The tide was high and the sea was wild. White breakers spanned the bay right round to St Ives. Storm watchers were out to record the action of the waves on the lighthouse at Godrevy. The soft cliffs here at Gwithian had been clawed away during the the recent spring tides. This was nature in the raw, elemental and spectacular.
Friends at the beach.
Season: summer
If I lived in a city and I wanted to slip away when my head hit the pillow, this is where I’d go. There is such a wide range of sensory experiences. Gwithian can be as wild as you like, especially down on the beach in the wind and next to the surf, but today it was benign, peace personified. There is a rich variety of perspectives, from the contours and hollows of the dunes to a razor sharp horizon on a clear day. The beach is long and flat, so the variety of water textures on this ebb tide was stunning.
With Georgina above the beach at Gwithian on a fine morning.
A sensory overload at Gwithian beach on the north coast of Cornwall.
Season: spring
Choosing your favourite beach is like choosing your top ten records, different every time. This beach is very special though, as it’s where, on my previous visit, it became clear to me that manonabeach® was worth pushing on with. So I suppose that’s one thing that the beach means to me. It was very mild and misty on this visit, with a lot of surfers in the sea. The ebb tide left the sand glistening. A wide expanse of sand was opening up as the tide fell away. Great place, highly recommended.
Bob’s affinity for water and the sea, always pulling him to the beach.
An ebb tide at Gwithian in North Cornwall.
Season: autumn
This magnificent north coast beach is long and wild when the wind’s up, which it was during this visit. There is parking above the beach, along with a vibrant café and toilets.
The exposed beach at Gwithian.
It was good to see my old diving mate Bob in your film. Now understand what drove him (and me) into diving. He was also a good octopush player as well!