The_Sunday_Times_Travel__21_July_2019

The Sunday Times July 21, 2019 13

GETTY; ALAMY

Jurby Beach,

Isle of Man

Mersea

Island,

Essex

Rushy Bay,

Bryher,

Isles of Scilly

Cobo Bay,

Guernsey

Stinky Bay,

Benbecula

100 miles

Ventnor,

Isle of

Wight

25

It’s likely

the only

other

visitors

will be

seals

for a few moments the sea is

brighter than the sky. Toast it with

a G&T from the terrace of the

Rockmount (www.therocky.gg).

Premier Holidays has three nights

at the Cobo Bay Hotel from

£632pp, B&B, including flights

(premierholidays.co.uk)

BEST FOR CASTAWAYS

Rushy Bay, Bryher, Isles of Scilly

We could have chosen any one

of half a dozen beaches on this

famously wild “off island” in the

Scilly archipelago. Rushy, in a

secluded bay near the southern

tip, takes the honours for its

rockpools and sheltered water,

with soothing aquamarine

hues offset by the creamy

smudge of the giant sidebar on

uninhabited Samson, just

offshore. It’s likely that the only

other visitors will be seals.

The Hell Bay hotel has doubles

from £140pp (hellbay.co.uk).

Fly from Exeter, Newquay or

Land’s End (from £160 return;

islesofscilly-travel.co.uk)

BEST FOR NOSTALGICS

Ventnor, Isle of Wight

Our favourite beach on the IoW

got the formula right sometime

between the wars and has seen

no reason to change much at all.

Backed by steep terraces of

Victorian villas and a ragtag

row of shops, cafes and fossil

emporiums, the beach is a sand

and shingle strip with the

Spyglass Inn at one end and the

fishing harbour at the other.

The Spyglass Inn has doubles

from £75, B&B (thespyglass.com).

Return car-ferry crossings from

Southampton start at £47.

(redfunnel.co.uk)

21 HOLYWELL BAY, CORNWALL

If the twin peaks of Carter’s (or Gull)

Rocks, a quarter of a mile off the southern

end of Holywell Beach, look familiar, it’s

because you saw them in Poldark. In other

screen roles, this sheltered, dune-backed

golden beach has played the part of

North Korea and California, the latter

done with particular élan. It’s a bit of a

schlep to reach from Holywell village —

the car park and lavatories are a good

quarter of a mile from the beach — and

there’s nothing when you get there but

a surf school, so come prepared. Or

retreat to St Pirans Inn, back in Holywell

(stpiransinn.com).

22 PORTH IAGO, GWYNEDD

When I first visited the Llyn Peninsula’s

prettiest beach, back in 1998, access was

along a muddy track to a clifftop field

with an honesty box. Twenty-one years

later, it’s a little more organised: in the

farmyard, there’s a ticket machine that

looks as though it’s been lifted from a

council car park, and a fenced roadway

leading to a field with a food truck. The

beach is still a great beauty, though: a

rectangular, southwest-facing suntrap

seemingly chiselled from the cliffs by a

giant. The swimming and snorkelling

are terrific, and I’ve seen dolphins

offshore. Just don’t expect to have the

place to yourself.

23 CAMUSDARACH, HIGHLANDS

Life as an SOE agent could be nasty,

brutish and short, but some at least

enjoyed a few weeks of beauty before

dropping into Nazi-occupied Europe.

Camusdarach House, aka STS 25b, was a

training facility for the Czech section,

including those who participated in

Operation Anthropoid — the 1942

assassination of the high-ranking Nazi

Reinhard Heydrich in Prague. Their

backyard remains a dazzling trio of

white-sand beaches, with magnificent

sunsets and views of Eigg, Rhum and the

southern tip of Skye. As for the training

facility, it’s now the Camusdarach Camp

Site, dedicated to a different kind of peace

(pitches from £22; camusdarach.co.uk).

24 GWITHIAN, CORNWALL

You’ll find all Cornwall’s beach types

within a 20-minute walk of the holiday

village of Gwithian, ranging from the

Sahara-like wastes of Hayle Towans, to

the south, through the dune-backed

wilds of Mexico Towans and the

beginner-friendly beach break at Sheep

Dips, right up to the cliff-bound coves

of Godrevy. But the best is Gwithian

Towans: acres of soft sand with a cracking

little campsite (pitches from £30;

gwithianfarm.co.uk), Ben and Kelly’s

Hungry Horsebox beach cafe and a top

beach bar, Sunset Surf.

25 DURDLE DOOR, DORSET

The best time to be at Durdle Door is in

mid-December, when the rising sun

comes straight through the eponymous

limestone arch. The worst time is on

summer weekends, when the hordes

defy the steep path down. But if you can

go midweek — as I did — the chances are

that you’ll have this spectacular spot all

to yourself. According to ancient legend,

if you swim through the “door” — pausing

to appreciate the shimmering reflection

Continued on page 14 →

(^21) £
£
Free
£7.
£9.
Water quality
Excellent
Good
Not rated
Other features
Car park
Toilets
Lifeguards
Refreshments
Shopping
Dogs allowed
Beach huts
Accessible
KEY