Whitsand Bay

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Withnoe (Main) Beach portion of Whitsand Bay

Whitsand Bay, situated in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom (not to be confused with Whitesand Bay in West Cornwall) runs from Rame Head in the east to Portwrinkle in the west. It is characterised by sheer, high cliffs, dramatic scenery and long stretches of sandy beaches. The South West Coast Path runs the length of the bay.

1 General information
2 Parking
3 Safety
4 References
5 External links

[edit] General information

The bay is overlooked by Rame Head, a conical hill with the ruins of a 14th-century chapel dedicated to St Michael on top. ^[1] Polhawn Cove is a rough beach, consisting of sharp rocks, shingle and an area of open sand. West of Captain Blake's Point, long stretches of sand are interspersed with rocky headlands and small bays, many inaccessible at high tide. The holiday settlements of Freathy and Tregonhawke are built on terraces on the cliff faces.

A National Trust property at Sharrow Point preserves a small cave excavated by hand in 1874 by a hermit called Lugger, who inscribed verses on the ceiling to relieve his boredom. Lugger's Cave is fenced off to the public.^[2]

A UK Ministry of Defence firing range exists between Fort Tregantle at the western end of the bay and Trethill Cliffs near Portwrinkle, and this area is closed during Fort Tregantle firing range operations.^[3]

Whitsand Bay is popular with divers, and in 2004 the former Royal Navy frigate, HMS Scylla (F71), was scuppered to provide a new underwater reef.^[4]

The beach does not have any toilets and access to the beach is steep, narrow and slippery. Whitsand Bay is a popular surfing spot. The lifeguard service which previously operated in the summer was withdrawn by Caradon District Council to save money.

[edit] Parking

Caradon District Council operates pay and display car parks at Sharrow and Tregantle while at Withnoe (or Main Beach), car parking is operated by a farm owner.

[edit] Safety

There are dangerous rip currents. The western part of the beach is closed during firing range operation at Tregantle Fort, firing times are indicated by a red flag. The paths to the beaches at Sharrow Point, Withnoe, Tregonhawke and Freathy are steep, narrow and slippery and are not suitable for wheelchairs. There is a risk of being cut off at high tide, so keep close to beach access points.