Everyone knows that you can’t go to Cornwall without going to a beach. The region is home to 1,086km of coastline and countless bays that could easily be mistaken for beaches in places like Thailand or the Caribbean (were it not for the significantly colder weather, obviously). But as of last week, anyone hoping to see one of the region’s prettiest beaches for themselves will be disappointed – access to the famous Pedn Vounder has now been completely closed off.
Pedn Vounder played a starring role in BBC’s Poldark and was recently named one of the top 10 beaches in the world by EnjoyTravel.com. Though it’s a bit of a scramble to get to – you have to navigate down a narrow cliff path – Pedn Vounder gets particularly crowded during the summer months, with people often queuing up just to get down the final section of the path. That’s no longer the case, though.
RECOMMENDED: The best beaches in Cornwall.
Last week, a red sign from the National Trust appeared on the cliff path reading: ‘Danger. No access’. The sign explained that ‘the path has eroded in places, making it unstable, with steep drops and ending in a near vertical six metre climb down on to the beach below’. It added that swimming at the beach is ‘dangerous due to rip currents’ and that there have been ‘regular serious incidents involving the emergency services’.
Apparently, the closure is only temporary, but at the moment there’s no indication of when the beach will be made accessible again.
In a statement, the National Trust said that it had consulted with emergency services and other local partners before making its final decision. It said: ‘We understand this closure may disappoint visitors and the local community and have not taken the decision lightly. As a charity that promotes access to nature and culture we always try to maintain access wherever it’s possible to do so, but due to the increasing erosion undercutting the cliff we have made the difficult decision to close it.
‘In the meantime, we encourage visitors to use nearby Porthcurno beach and to follow all local signage and safety advice.’
The good news is that, with 1,086km of coastline Cornwall is absolutely packed with plenty of other beautiful beaches. Find out which ones are Time Out’s favourites here. And discover more of the most beautiful beaches in the UK here.
ICYMI: The British beach that has been slammed as one of the worst in the world.
Plus: The best seaside view in Britain.
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