Tag Archives: walks

Pevensey Bay beach, East Sussex

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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

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

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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

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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Rock pools, shallow pools for swimming, freshwater rivulets, big waves, shallow paddling in the sea. Pretty amazing really!
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Surfing and body boarding are popular.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Flat and fine sand and there’s sand at all times despite the varying tide.
Toilets Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Toilet facilities small but close by.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Well stocked with shops including craft and surf shops.

reviewed by Maria D

Harlyn Bay beach, North Cornwall

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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

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

review by The rightbeach Team

Crackington Haven beach review, North Cornwall

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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

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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating What it lacks for in wide expanse of sand it makes up for in character.
Crowded
(1=deserted)		 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating It’s never too bad there although the car parks and cafes can get busy.
Surf Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Body boarding is big on the beach.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Nice and close to the beach.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Two shops pretty well stocked with beach goodies.

reviewed by The rightbeach Team

Polzeath beach, North Cornwall

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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

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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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) Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating  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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating  Reliable rollers, hence it’s popularity.
Sand Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating  No problems.
Parking Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating 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 Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating The town is fairly lively, so there’s plenty of choice with pubs, beach cafes and shops.
Shopping Sandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle ratingSandcastle rating Again, lots of shops in the town.

Review by rightbeach, Tom v A and Sam T