Beach and Bays
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The natural landscape of Porthcurno is striking, with its dramatic
granite rock formations, white sand, turquoise sea and exotic plant
life. In 1870, Porthcurno began its life as an important centre of
international communications when a chain of
telegraph cables linking Britain with India was completed. The Telegraph Museum contains working relics of this glorious past, when Porthcurno was at the hub of a global network, the importance of which stretched well into the 20th century.
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There are a number of fine beaches on Colonsay with bleached white
sands and seas as turquoise and translucent as Caribbean waters. Kiloran Bay is one of the best of these beaches, its majestic sweep broken only by occasional
jagged rocks jutting upwards from the sands, and backed by undulating
green hills. The weather can change the mood of the shoreline completely, from
benign and gentle to isolated and menacing, with huge breakers crashing
in from the Atlantic.
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Murlough Bay is the most spectacular of all the bays along the coast of Northern Ireland. From the rugged cliff tops, the hillside curves down to the sea
in a series of wildflower meadows that soften an otherwise harsh
landscape. As much as anywhere else on the Irish coastline, this is a
place for just spending time and drinking it all in. From sandy beaches and grassy dunes to stunning heathland, the vast
array of habitats at Murlough National Nature Reserve are home to many
rare and uncommon plants and animals.
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Holkham Bay on the north Norfolk coast is a long windswept sandy beach, fringed by sand dunes and pine trees. Part of a large nature reserve, stretching from Wells in the west to
Holkham in the east, there are four main zones to the shore; the beach
itself, dunes, salt-marsh and pinewoods, each supporting different
types of plant and animal life. Wildlife fans may be lucky enough to spot seals, as well as oyster
catchers, curlews and terns.
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Situated in Bigbury Bay on the South Devon Coast, Bigbury on Sea offers safe sandy beaches and
beautiful countryside. 29 acre Burgh Island lies opposite, separated
from the mainland by a sand spit and accessable
by the unique Sea Tractor when the tide is in. Burgh Island Hotel is a fully restored Art-Deco building. One time bolt-hole of famous personalities such as
Noel Coward and Agatha Christie, the rooms are furnished to a high
standard with each one bearing the name of a jazz age guest.
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With 55 islands in total, 5 inhabited and 50 uninhabited, the Scilly
Isles have more than their fair share of beautiful sandy beaches – take
your pick! Sometimes there's nothing better than simply relaxing on the warm sand, and cooling off every now and again in the ocean. Although the Scilly’s are miles from the mainland, there are enough
sheltered spots to swim safely. It's best to use your common sense and pick sheltered spots, avoiding areas of water that are more exposed to winds and tides.
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Superbly situated beside the sparkling waters of Sandown Bay, the twin
resorts of Sandown and Shanklin have delighted generations of
holiday-makers for over 150 years. The Victorians laid out the broad
seafront promenades and beautiful parks and gardens and built fine town
and country villas, many of which have been converted into hotels and
apartments. A cliff-top path offers a wonderful walk, with panoramic
views of the bay.
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Morecambe Bay is the largest continuous intertidal area in Britain. The
Bay is fed by five rivers - the Leven, the Kent, the Keer, the Lune and
the Wyre. On the east and north of the Bay, the sandflats are bordered
by extensive areas of salt marsh, only ever covered by the very highest
tides. Crossing is only possible at low tides with the leadership of a
professional guide. Guides have been employed by the Duchy of Lancaster
since 1536 and the current oficial Queen's Guide is Cedric Robinson.
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Bamburgh has one of the finest beaches in Northumberland with a vast expanse of golden sands. Perched nearby on a basalt outcrop on the edge of the North Sea is the imposing Bamburgh Castle. A famous local resident is Grace Darling, who along with
her father saved many lives from the wreck of the SS Forfarshire in
1838, rowing out in a storm to rescue passengers and crew. Grace is buried at nearby St Aidan's Church and you can learn more about her in the Grace Darling Museum opposite.
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Looking out into the Irish Sea from the west coast of mid-Wales,
Ardudwy is widely acknowledged as one of the best beaches in the UK,
with eight miles of soft golden sands backed by extensive dunes and
grassland. The beach is good for swimming, with clean water and a gently
shelving shoreline. There are a number of camping and caravan sites
nearby which means it can get quite busy in summer.
In colder months, the beach is a great place to go for a long fresh walk.
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