Ventnor beach review, Isle of Wight

Posted on September 2, 2011 by BirdhouseChillies

Ventnor beach is a delightful cove positioned on the Southerly edge of the Isle of Wight. Set staggering down a steep cliff, with a zig zag path, tiers of shops and houses lead to golden sand and shingle. The beach has an esplanade that rolls round from The Spyglass Inn (west) to the recently built bandstand (east). Pretty little beach huts line neatly along the bottom of the cliff. High tide covers the sand and can leave you with little beach to sit on.

The town was built up in the Victorian era and sits on the side of St. Boniface Down. It is smaller than the nearby Sandown and Shanklin beaches and often much quieter on sunny beach days. Ventnor is filled with holiday makers and residents alike.

Ventnor is popular not only for the beach but for the coastal path that leads from Bonchurch (small beach to the north-east of Ventnor) through Ventnor and on to Steephill Cove (one of the best kept secrets on the Island, well, OK not so secret really but quite secluded as it can only be reached by foot).

Ventnor also has the famed Ventnor Botanical Gardens, home to many subtropical and exotic plants. Nannie rightbeach really enjoyed her stroll around them and even ventured onto the coastal path which is directly accessed from the gardens. Watch out for the ladders though! The beach is a good forty-five minutes’ walk from the gardens, along the costal path and then there’s the walk back!

rightbeach recommends Ventnor beach for all generations of the family, although the steep path and stronger currents suggest it would suit older children who can swim and carry their own lunch better than the pushchair brigade. It will be a real agile granny pleaser with the gardens and coastal walks. The Victorians believed Ventor’s suntrap micro-climate was ideal for restoring health-therefore rightbeach also recommends this beach if you are nursing a small hangover!

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: volunteer lifeguards
Water quality: recommended
Dogs: see signs at beach for details

See Ventnor beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

The road in and out of the esplanade is extremely steep and twisting so beware! Nannie rightbeach has warned you!
High tide steals most of the sand away so time it right or head up into the pretty town to souvenir shop.
When swimming there may be hidden rocks or strong currents-rightbeach suggests adult supervision at all times. A red flag indicates unsuitable swimming conditions.

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		Sand, shingle, beach huts and rock pools. Mostly gone at high tide. Litter picked daily during the summer.
Crowded (1=deserted)		Popular with locals and Grockles but not so that you are all piled on top of each other.
Surf		Strong tide means it’s not great for watersports but swimming is good.
Sand		Sand and shingle.
Parking		Car parking is on The Esplanade or at the medium-sized car park at the end behind The Spyglass Inn, all pay and display. You could also park in the Botanical Gardens if you were planning a visit there.
Toilets		Toilets clean and tidy.
Food		The Spyglass Inn, along Ventnor’s sea front, has a homely atmosphere that is filled with seafaring memorabilia that shows its history as a smugglers tavern. Local seafood specials mmmm! Fresh Ventnor crab and lobster may be purchased from a fisherman’s hut (Blake’s) located at the very start of the Esplanade.
Shopping		A Victorian town centre full of antique and knick-knack shops.

Review by Nannie rightbeach

Whitecliff Bay beach, Isle of Wight

Posted on August 29, 2011 by mtargettuk

Whitecliff Bay is a relatively small, golden sanded beach situated at the bottom of Culver Cliffs, on the south-east side of the island. It is 10 minutes walk from Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park and so is popular with families and couples. The holiday park is the only parking available near to the main concrete path down the cliff. The path ends in a steep, oh so very steep, final section. Not so much fun for tiny tots or tired daddies on the hike back up to the car!

The beach has a very shallow slope towards the sea, making it good for swimming and paddling with little children. High on the cliff top, Yarborough Monument (known as ‘the Obelisk’) can be seen presiding. Rock pools and mini coves, isolated by high tide, to ‘beach left’.

There are two beach cafes/shops to keep a ready supply of buckets, spades, ice-creams and cold drinks on the beach. rightbeach had breakfast at the ‘Tuppenny Cafe’ and basked in the glorious morning sun, watching the rightbeach kiddies and grandparents taking the first plunge of the day…ahh fond memories.

rightbeach recommends this beach for families with older children due to the tricky path down to the beach and lack of toilets.

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: None
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Are allowed without restriction

See Whitecliff Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

Get there early to nab a parking space and parking is limited (rightbeach warned you, 20-30 spaces max!)
Minimal kit or plenty of hands and arms to carry it to and from the top of the cliff.
turn ‘beach right’ at the bottom on the slope as it gets mighty windy to the left.
Rock pools galore to the left so pack your beach shoes, nets and buckets to nab all sorts of creatures of the deep.
Watch out for high tide, it can leave you with nowhere to run but back up the cliff!

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		What it lacks for in wide expanse of sand it makes up for in character.
Crowded (1=deserted)		It’s never too bad there although the car park and cafes can get busy. You can always head ‘beach left’ for seclusion.
Surf		Mini rollers but nothing too fancy.
Sand		Lovely golden sand but it is nearly completely covered at high tide.
Toilets		NONE! Not even for staff at the cafes or at the top of the cliff! NONE!
Parking		20-30 spaces within Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park.
Food		Two cafes (hot and cold food and drinks) with a small range of buckets and spades, postcards, etc
Shopping		The only shop nearby is the newly refurbished, reopened and fully stocked holiday park convenience store. Situated to the left of the driveway at the entrance to the holiday park.

Eastbourne beach, East Sussex

Posted on August 12, 2011 by mtargettuk

Eastbourne has been a noted seaside destination since the 1700s. It has the privileged title of Britain’s sunniest place, recording the highest hours of sunshine in a month for July 2011. It has a busy town is served by a well-connected railway station. The seafront has a pier, promenade, 1930s bandstand and the stunning Carpet Gardens.

The beach is a mix of shingle, pebbles and sandy stretches. It is a gentle slope down to the sea where there is sand at low tide and great rock pools and lots and lots of mussels. In fact low tide is really rather good for young children to play and be occupied by the pools. There can be a lot of seaweed. The water is quiet and safe with no surf. There are areas sectioned for swimming towards the town.

rightbeach recommends Eastbourne for day trippers from the Big Smoke and families with both young and older children. Plently of traditional seaside activites on and off the beach.

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: Lifeguard service May to September
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Dogs not allowed May 1st to September 30th

See Eastbourne beach on a map …

Tips to ensure your trip goes well:

Head past Eastbourne town, towards Beachey Head and The Grand Hotel. It is slightly quieter but beach is great and the promenade is wide and spacious to walk along. There are green areas just above to hang out on and play as well.
Toilets are signposted but there are some just in front of the Grand Hotel, in front of the turreted area.
Remember your nets and buckets for rock pooling as there are not many shops that sell this type of thing.

Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		Pebbles but sandy stretches at mid and low tide. Rock pools!
Crowded (1=deserted)		Busy and friendly promenade beach, head towards Beachey Head for a quieter stretch of beach.
Surf		No surf. Dedicated swimming areas.
Sand		Pebbles and wet sand when the tide is out.
Toilets		Not always easy to spot the signposts. Some directly outside The Grand Hotel.
Parking		Car parking along the sea front. Can get tricky on a hot Summer day.
Food		Bars and cafes by the pier and Harry Ramsden’s along the sea front. McDonald’s & Starbucks in the Arndale Centre.
Shopping		The Arndale Centre is 5-10 mins walk from the sea front. It has many high street faves, not many gift shops or beach paraphernalia for sale near the sea front.

reviewed by Kerry T

Pevensey Bay beach, East Sussex

Posted on August 9, 2011 by mtargettuk

Pevensey Bay is a narrow and steeply pebbled beach stretching for some way between Eastbourne and Bexhill. This historical fishing village is known as the landing-place for William the Conqueror. The beach is lined with a smattering of holiday cottages, benches and, occasionally, private marinas along its substantial length. There are also opportunities for windsurfing and kayaking.

To be honest there’s not a massive amount of family-friendly attractions here other than the lure of being by the sea itself. Even bathing can present a challenge as the beach shelves steeply into the water, making paddling awkward. rightbeach did see parents and children taking the plunge but close supervision would be advisable.

Having said that it’s within relatively easy reach from Greater London and is a pleasant enough environment to have an ice cream or tuck into some fish and chips while gazing over the water.

rightbeach recommends Pevensey Bay for romantic yet bracing walks along the sea edge or taking the dog for a long run (maybe even combine the two?!) Finish off your chosen walk with fish and chips, shared from the paper wrapping-ahhh!

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: No
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Dogs allowed

See Pevensey Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

Park in the main car park (pay and display) – there should be enough space.
The fish and chip shop on Eastbourne Road behind the beach (Rose Grill and Fry) serves pretty good fish and chips to take back to munch on the beach, if a bit on the expensive side.
It’s fairly exposed and so can get a bit on windy on the beach. Together with the pebble beach making wind breaks impractical, we’d advise setting yourselves up next to one of the breakwaters, in the lee of the prevailing wind.

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		Pebbles all along and a steep incline down into the sea
Crowded (1=deserted)		Plenty of space to spread out or stroll along in relative solitude.
Surf		Deep in the heart of the English Channel so not much in the wave department
Sand		Stones, pebbles and, if you’re lucky, a bit of shingle.
Toilets		Free, clean and located in the main car park.
Parking		One smallish pay-and-display close to the beach but there seems to be enough space to deal with demand.
Food		Bit of choice on the main road, plus plenty of pubs with beer gardens close to the beach.
Shopping		A couple of beach-type shops but their stock was pretty shabby and definitely over priced.

reviewed by The rightbeach Team

Sennen Cove beach, South Cornwall

Posted on August 5, 2011 by mtargettuk

Sennen Cove is a fabulous, wide, sandy beach at the south-west tip of Cornwall, with rock pools for exploring and perfect sand for building sand castles. It is exposed to the Atlantic and picks up any swell, particularly the northern area and Gwevner beach. As a result, the beach is popular with surfers and there is a surf school. It has designated swim areas and surf areas to allow fun in the sea without too many collisions!

Additional activities include walking to Lands End (just a 20 minute stroll away), buses to and from Penzance Town, or simply watching the tides as come in fast but safe.

There are plenty of ice-cream and snack facilities by the beach and along the promenade behind. There is also a restaurant , fish and chip shop and a surf shop, and a chance to attend surf school or hire equipment. Toilet facilities small but close by.

rightbeach recommends Sennen Cove for all things family, especially children who are confident swimmers and enjoy the water.

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: RNLI Lifeguard service April 29th – September 25th & Easter weekend
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Dogs not allowed May 1st to September 30th

See Sennen Cove beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

Safe for kids and great pasties!
Wet suits a must-cold waters and fashion sense tell us this so!
There are loads of places to eat or get food to bring back to the beach so no need to pack up that heavy cool bag/box to feed the family.

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		Rock pools, shallow pools for swimming, freshwater rivulets, big waves, shallow paddling in the sea. Pretty amazing really!
Crowded (1=deserted)
Surf		Surfing and body boarding are popular.
Sand		Flat and fine sand and there’s sand at all times despite the varying tide.
Toilets		Toilet facilities small but close by.
Parking		Two fairly small car parks close by and a larger one a short but steep walk, so it’s best to get there early.
Food		Plenty of ice-cream and snack facilities by the beach and along the promenade behind. Fish and Chips too! Maybe visit more than once this holiday to sample all the foodie delights!
Shopping		Well stocked with shops including craft and surf shops.

reviewed by Maria D

Harlyn Bay beach, North Cornwall

Posted on August 4, 2011 by mtargettuk

Harlyn Bay is a super beach for kids. It’s wide, sandy and rich in ice cream vans. But significantly it also has a couple of warm, shallow pools in the sand during low tide which are perfect for fledgling bathers. Large wide spaces even when reasonably busy. rightbeach took a super whizzy frisbee which was very popular with the kiddies.

It’s an old-fashioned classic beach. Lots of sand, wind breaks, and families (some with kites, some with grannies), probably influenced by the proximity of the Harlyn Sands Holiday Park.

It also has a pub/shop in the shape of the Harlyn Inn tucked behind the sand dunes which also hires out boards and wetsuits.

rightbeach recommends Harlyn beach for all generations of beach loving families (and the dog too!)

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: RNLI Lifeguard service April 29th – September 25th & Easter weekend
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Not known

See Harlyn Bay beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

The loos are a right trek, across a stoney overflow carpark, so plan your kids’ toilet trips for them!
The beach can get quite breezy of there’s an strong off shore wind, so taking a beach tent or wind breaks is advisable.

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		It’s an okay beach – it’s size and the kid-friendly tidal pools are it’s best features.
Crowded (1=deserted)		Can get busy in patches.
Surf		Pretty reliable North Cornish surf.
Sand
Toilets		An uber trek across two car parks.
Parking		Lots of parking over looking the beach. Expect to pay around £3-4 for the whole day in peak season.
Food		A pub and ice cream vans.
Shopping		A beach shop which doubles as an surf hire place.

review by The rightbeach Team

Crackington Haven beach review, North Cornwall

Posted on August 4, 2011 by mtargettuk

Crackington Haven is a little charmer of a beach. The winding road down eventually leads you out to the hamlet which contains a couple of cafes, a shop, a pub and a small pay and display car park (there is another overflow car park slight further up the hill). There are a surprising amount of good things crammed into this small beach.

The beach itself is a sequence of pebbles, shingle and sand as you get closer to the sea, with the sand covered by the tide as it draws in.

There’s some pretty robust surf, a nice collection of rock pools and impressive scenery formed by the steep hills and cliffs which is also why it’s popular with walkers.

rightbeach wholeheartedly recommends (and frequently uses) Crackington Haven for a crab sandwich lunch with the children followed by an ice cream on the beach hunting for interesting pebbles to plop into the pools.

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: RNLI Lifeguard service July 2nd – September 4th
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Dogs not allowed April 1st to September 30th

See Crackington Haven beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

Check the tide times – if sand is a must for your beach trip then there’s little point going if the tide is in.
In order to get a space in the closest car park, you should aim to get there for 10am at the latest (however there’s always the one up the road as a back up).
We always make a point of having fresh crab sandwiches at the excellent Haven Cafe, followed up by an ice cream from next door (rightbeach loves candy floss flavour, and hokeypokey, and rum and raisin…oh and raspberry pavlova, and good old-fashioned strawberry, you get the idea!).

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		What it lacks for in wide expanse of sand it makes up for in character.
Crowded (1=deserted)		It’s never too bad there although the car parks and cafes can get busy.
Surf		Body boarding is big on the beach.
Sand		There’s nothing wrong with the sand but it’s covered by the sea around high tide and at other times it remains wet.
Toilets		Nice and close to the beach.
Parking		One small (50 spaces) pay-and-display close to the beach which always seems to be on the full side. There’s an overflow car park somewhat up the hill.
Food		Two cafes – our favourite being the excellent Haven Cafe (not the cheapest but good food). Plus there’s a pub with its own car park for patrons.
Shopping		Two shops pretty well stocked with beach goodies.

reviewed by The rightbeach Team

Trebarwith Strand beach, North Cornwall

Posted on August 2, 2011 by mtargettuk

Trebarwith is, in rightbeach‘s opinion, the jewel of the North Cornish Coast. It’s a tidal beach – completely covered by the sea three hours before and after high tide, meaning that you have to time your visits right to get the maximum time to explore and enjoy the fab surroundings. It does have a tricky slipway entrance to the beach so take it easy and wear appropriate footwear!

Here’s a round up of its many attractions: golden sandcastle sand; decent surf; fabulous kid-friendly paddling pools of sea water with sandy bottoms; beautiful sheltering surrounding cliffs; cute gift shops and nice cafe choices. In past years, rightbeach has turned ‘beach left’ to set up camp by the freshwater stream flowing onto the beach, and also ‘beach right’ to find the more secluded and very safe sandy pools. rightbeach also likes to go climbing and see how high we can get (maybe not with the small children!)

rightbeach recommends Trebarwith Strand for families with young and/or older children (and the family dog!). Oh, and great for surfing if you manage to find a safe place to leave the children! Do check the tide times first though or there may be no beach at all.

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: RNLI Lifeguard service May 21st – September 25th
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: Allowed on this beach

See Trebarwith Strand beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

There are two car parks. If you’ve got young ones, you may want to get to the beach early in the day (tide permitting) and pay the extra charge for the closer car park to spare yourself the walk down to the beach.
To make a day of it, take plenty of supplies and head onto the rocks to sit out high tide; alternatively retire to the Port William pub (up on the cliffs) or cafes and munch through sandwiches and ice creams.
Seek out the secret tidal pools and explore the rocky protrusions – guaranteed to keep kids and grown ups occupied for at least an hour.
TIDE TIDE TIDE-check it out before you leave home!

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		Awesome when the tide times fit with your holiday dates but sadly that’s out of our control.
Crowded (1=deserted)		Lots of mini camps of groups of families together.
Surf		Pretty reliable rollers. Popular with body boarders and surfers alike.
Sand		Coarsish but good for digging and epic sandcastles.
Toilets		Pretty average – bit of a bind having to walk up the slipway from the beach.
Parking		Two car parks. The closest one is quite expensive (£6-ish for all day – price drops as tide comes in) and fills up quickly. Get their for 10am to ensure a space.
Food		Nice selection of hot, cold and ice cream vendors.
Shopping		A couple of art galleries and the usual beach shop offerings. We like the Crazy Mermaid for wacky prints and paintings.

review by The rightbeach Team

Polzeath beach, North Cornwall

Posted on August 2, 2011 by mtargettuk

Polzeath (also known as Hayle Bay) is a big lively wedge of sand ideal for active families and families with older children. It nestles nicely between rising cliffs on either side and is a popular part of the North Cornish coastal path for walkers.

It’s probably best known for its reliable surf credentials which draws in surfers and body boarders by the drove. In fact, rightbeach felt positively out of place in old skool swimming cossies as opposed to the much-in-evidence wetsuits. rightbeach‘s neice had her very first surf lesson there this Summer. Hopefully no real wipe outs!

Past the on-beach car park sporting SUVs galore, there’s a broad flat expanse of sand (especially huge at low tide) ideal for beach cricket although not all of it stays dry during tidal cycles.

The little town of Polzeath has grown into a mini resort over the years and now features a couple of “fairground rides” and a scattering of bars and cafes, taking advantage of the coolish/semi-bohemian vibe.

rightbeach recommends Polzeath for families of all shapes and sizes. Tiddlers will be catered for by easy parking and the opportunity to ‘pop back to the car’ for feeding or just quiet time out of the elements. Toddlers will love the sandy pools and digging channels to their moat. Teens will enjoy the beach life and surf lessons. The rest of us will be grateful the kids have got so much to do and can grab a quick coffee.

Beach blurb

Tide and weather »
Lifeguards: 29 Apr – 25 Sept (+ Easter and Oct half term)
Water quality: Recommended »
Dogs: No dogs from Easter to September

See Polzeath beach on a map …

Things to note to ensure your trip goes well:

Of the two car parks the one on the beach is the most convenient. You can usually get a car park space on the beach if you arrive just before 10am. Alternatively, do something else in the morning and arrive after 2pm and there’s a steady trickle of people leaving the car park.
You can easily hire wet suits and body boards for all ages and sizes. It’s so much easier than lugging them down in the car if you only plan on doing this once or twice during your holiday and the charges aren’t that extortionate.
If the weather is inclement and your little ones are in need of warming up, head over to the Galleon Beach Cafe for hot chocolates (with marshmallows) and fresh cooked doughnuts …

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Area	Rating	Observation
Beach		No rock pools, sand gets a bit soggy and there’s a fair amount of litter as it’s such a well-used beach.
Crowded (1=deserted)		It’s a busy beach, popular beach. On warm days the sea in particularly can be rammed with body boarders and surfers meaning that swimmers and splashers are forced into certain areas.
Surf		Reliable rollers, hence it’s popularity.
Sand		Sandy beach, although it can be a bit slimy in places due to the proximity of the car park to the rivulet running off into the beach.
Toilets		No problems.
Parking		Two car parks means you should always be in with a shout to get a space. One smaller pay and display on the beach (high tide can spill into this one!), and another larger one up on the cliff over looking the beach.
Food		The town is fairly lively, so there’s plenty of choice with pubs, beach cafes and shops.
Shopping		Again, lots of shops in the town.

Review by rightbeach, Tom v A and Sam T

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Tag Archives: pub

Ventnor beach review, Isle of Wight

Beach blurb

Whitecliff Bay beach, Isle of Wight

Beach blurb

Eastbourne beach, East Sussex

Pevensey Bay beach, East Sussex

Sennen Cove beach, South Cornwall

Harlyn Bay beach, North Cornwall

Crackington Haven beach review, North Cornwall

Trebarwith Strand beach, North Cornwall

Polzeath beach, North Cornwall

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