Take these three beach walks along the sea shore, as white rimmed waves dissolve at your feet and you will feel invigorated and renewed.
As the shortest day approaches, inevitably, there are dull days when it really doesn’t seem to get truly light at all. Those gloomy winter days of dull, half light and moody shadows. Cornwall has the perfect antidote to these days – an escape to the sea
Take a winter walk beside the sea because?
Winter brings the joy of a beach stripped of the bustle of summer. A place where the light is magnified as it bounces off of the water; the gulls’ wheal overhead in their eternal dance with the breeze. And the restorative gift for us of negative ions from the sea to lift the mood and soothe the soul.
There is nothing like the breath of the sea – the tang of salt water to blow the Christmas cobwebs away. A walk on the beach is the perfect antidote to the buzz of the commercial Christmas. Now we even rate the Christmas ads (John Lewis this year – really? My all time favourite has to be the oppositions Mog!)
So back to the sea it is, to follow the scatter of seaweed along the tide. Maybe pick up just a little of the plastic returned by the sea in silent reproach. Personally I always see this as my thank you to the beach for the heady escape it offers.
The awesome science (and I did look it up!) of negative ions
The tangy scent of the sea is produces by dimethylsulphide gas and just breathing it can help to improve sleep. This blissful air is laden with negative hydrogen ions in the sea spray. The ions improve our ability to absorb oxygen and balance serotonin (the feel good hormone)
So with this in mind a warm coat and cosseting thermos here are three local beach walks for you to try! And should you forget the thermos some cosy cafes nearby!
Three awesome Beach walks to try in West Cornwall
Marazion to Penzance
The honeyed arc of sands that frames St Michael’s Mount is right on our doorstep at Ednovean Farm. The beach stretches invitingly from Marazion to Penzance around Mounts bay. The sands lead away firm and crisp, imprinted by the rivulets of the departing tide and dotted with tiny casts of rag worms. There is usually a scatter a fishermen digging for bait on the shore to punctuate these walks or kite surfers passing with dizzying perfection on the sea.
Should you need a firmer surface suitable for disability access, there is a path above the coastal stoop. This path runs for two miles from just below the disused Marazion railway station all the way into Penzance.
Beach Café
The Godolphin Arms can’t claim to be a beach café but the terrace reaches out to touch the sea and the causeway to St Michael’s Mount stretches below the windows.
The Copper Spoon Forge further into Marazion, to this bright and breezy vegetarian café beside the alley leading to the harbour landing stage for Mount visitors.
Lelant to St Ives
St Ives bay is glorious filled with golden sand with a special quality to the light that is breathtaking.
Lelant is flanked by the RSPB preserve in the heart of the estuary. This walk is bordered by the wooded slopes where the little single track train can just be glimpsed creeping through the trees towards the former artist colony of St Ives.
Cafe culture
There is not a lot of options between The Badger Inn at Lelant the Porthminster beach cafe but beyond that St Ives really has this covered in spades!
Godrevy through Hayle Towans
The three miles of perfect sands are a surfer’s Mecca. Yet well supplied with car parks and beach cafes amongst the dunes of Hayle Towans. Ahaven reached after driving through the slightly less ambitious locality of Hayle. The Towans are divided into bite sized pieces with names like Hayle Towans, Mexico Towans and Black cliff beach. I tend to choose Godrevy at the far end, with the famous lighthouse mirroring its twin, set in St Ives, to start my walk.
Perfect sands backed by unspoilt dunes stretch away to a sandy landscape. A landcape laced with black clad surfers bounding towards the waves. And what waves there are here in winter – mountainous affairs that are a joy to the surfers but make me glad to be walking along the safety of the beach!
Cafe life?
Look out for the Sunset Surf café or the National Trust Godrevy café set amongst the dunes for delicious offerings. They are quite a foodie lot those surfers
Christmas antidote or winter tonic the sea has it all
So chose a beach to walk and let the exhilarating winds from the sea lift your spirits and calm your soul. Take a walk with the sunset and watch the colours refelct on the sea. Then choose a cosy warm café with an entire menu devoted to the making of hot chocolate amongst other things!
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