This February we took a staycation, and thankfully got lucky with the weather. Basking in glorious sunshine, as an anticyclone swept across Cornwall, we were treated to clear blue skies aplenty and some fabulous beach days.
Here are some pictures of the fabulous beaches we visited in Cornwall…
Bude Beach and Sea Lock, Cornwall
We were staying near Bude, on the north coast of Cornwall, so took several trips in to the picturesque town and beach there. The dunes at Bude are fantastic with pristine near-white sand and there is a vast flat beach, for all to enjoy. At low tide you can amble along the beach, around the headland on to neighbouring beaches.
Bude is also home to a fabulous 1930’s sea pool, which has been conserved and refurbed thanks to a local community project. A team of dedicated local volunteers have raised hundreds of thousands of pounds to keep it useable. A fabulous feature, you can really imagine how in bygone days tourists would have flocked to the sea pool at Bude.
Bude is also home to a sea lock, and then upstream there is a navigable river. And if you’re in the mood for exploring there is a well maintained tow path, cycle path and also an excellent conservation project which has created a beautiful wetland environment for an array of bird species.
Newquay, a surfers paradise
We spent a day at Newquay and explored both Newquay and Fistral beaches. Both absolutely stunning. They are world known for offering fantastic sand, and perfect surf. All year round, surfers come in their droves to enjoy the adrenaline rush, that the waves of Newquay are guaranteed to throw at them.
Dorset, West Bay, the intriguing Jurassic Coast
On our way home, we stopped briefly at West Bay, Dorset. A completely different beach experience, West bay beach houses the finest pea shingle I’ve ever seen on a beach. Completely perfect and smooth the shingle would be more at home on a driveway!
The infamous cliffs were alluring. Formed of orangey yellow sandstone, these are the cliffs of the Jurassic era. Apparently full of fossils, these are a dinosaur hunters dream. Weathered well, and still undergoing heavy erosion in places, the formations in these cliffs are incredible. And they go on and on for as far as the eye can see. We were only able to stop for a few hours, but we will be back, there is much exploring to be had along this fabulous coast.
West Bay is a beautiful harbour town, with an active fishing community and a vibrant atmosphere.
Please share your Cornish beach recommendations and tips below.
Want to take to the water in Cornwall with a sailing holiday? Check out this blog post about my sailing holiday with Cornish Cruising.