Crackington Beach

The cliffs here are almost vertical. Crackington Beach, a few miles south of Bude, has those dramatic dark rock formations that make you understand why this stretch of the Cornish coast earned its reputation. The beach itself is narrow - proper shale and pebbles rather than sand - and it fills up completely at high tide, which means you need to time your visit or risk being stranded.

Walkers will absolutely love this. The coastal path runs right along the top, and the views back towards Bude are excellent. The rock formations create interesting shapes as you descend, and there's real geology on display if you know what you're looking at - layers of slate and shale dipping at wild angles, evidence of ancient folding and pressure. Kids might find the scramble down a bit intense, and the shale can be slippery, so it's not one for very young children or anyone unsure on their feet.

There's no facilities directly at the beach, so bring everything you need from Bude - roughly 20 minutes' drive away. Parking is limited, which keeps crowds manageable but means visiting early matters. Summer weekends get busy; October to April is far quieter.

Stay at Pencuke Farm or Bude Camping and Caravanning Club Site and you're brilliantly positioned for exploring this section of coast. It's not a lounge-around-with-a-book beach - it's genuinely dramatic, and best suited to people who enjoy proper coastal walking and don't mind a bit of scrambling.