Holywell Bay

I'm not sure how many times I have visited this beach now.  I only discovered it last year..well..only visited it for the fist time last year after seeing it countless times on TV in Poldark as well it appearing numerous times in photography magazines and online social groups.

The beach is on the North Coast of Cornwall, not far from Newquay and is just a short detour from the A3075.

The beach is HUGE, regardless of tide, with open sand backed by 60ft grass covered dunes, it's own shipwreck visible at low tide, numerous caves to explore with one being home to the 'Holywell' 

The Holywell sits in St Cuthbert's Cave, accessible only at low tide at the far end of the beach.  

Take care if you venture to the cave, the beach is very flat and when the tide comes in it does so rapidly with waves rolling 50 ft up the beach.  Once inside you are treated to some oddly shaped rock deposits shaped by a natural spring that dissolves the calcite in the rocks above and deposits it as calcium in the floor below.  A natural bowl has formed where the water collects.  Don't be fooled though, when the tide comes in this cave is flooded and any spring water is washed away and replaced with sea water.

If you can time your visit right and catch an outgoing tide, this beach forms some of the best sand ripples on any Cornish Beach I have seen, along with numerous rivers that drain out from the higher dunes, no two visits are the same and there is always something to offer the photographer, or just the casual observer.

If you visit when the tide is at it's lowest, you will the remains of the SS Francia that ran aground here around 1917.  Very little remain of the ship with most of it being removed once it landed here and the sea taking care of the rest.

But the remaining structure makes for some great shots if you don't mind getting wet feet!

There's two car parks for the beach, one owned by National Trust (free to members) and a smaller pay and display beside the pub at the start of the beach.  Who also serve some great pasties!