Wild places: Godrevy beach


Lighthouse on a small island just off Godrevy beach in Cornwall.

It’s 23 of the 30 Days Wild Challenge! The sun is shining and it looks as though it’s going to be a perfect beach day. Living here in Cornwall, we’re lucky to have dozens of incredible beaches on our doorstep. From rock pooling to wildlife watching and walks along the coast path, the beach is the perfect place for random acts of wildness.

Godrevy is one of our favourite beaches, sitting at the far end of St Ives Bay, near Hayle. Beloved by surfers for its consistently good surf, its sweeping golden sands and sheltered coves also make it popular with families. The iconic view of the lighthouse has been the source of inspiration for artists and writers, notably Virginia Woolf.

But there’s much more to Godrevy than the beach itself. There are spectacular walks along the coastal path through grasslands and heathland along the North Cliffs and towards Hell’s Mouth, and there are plenty of opportunities for wildlife spotting. Guillemots, razorbills, fulmars and cormorants nest on the steep cliffs.

seals

The highlight has to be the seal colony (walk towards the lighthouse, then follow the headland around to find them). The clifftop offers an excellent viewing point of the cove below where you can often see seals basking in the sunshine or playing in the shallows. It’s one of the few places in the UK that you’re likely to see so many seals all together.

Godrevy Cafe

Nestled in the sand dunes, Godrevy Cafe is a delight. Child friendly, dog friendly and eco friendly, it’s equally popular with the locals as with visitors. Their breakfasts have become legendary, with a range of options on offer including a classic full English breakfast or veggie alternative, French toast and waffles. There’s also a range of sandwiches, wraps, salads, special kids’ menu, great coffee and delicious homemade cakes!

On the eco front, they’re keen to reduce their carbon footprint by using local suppliers and produce whenever they can. All the packing for their takeaway food is bio degradable, and they even turn their waste oil into bio diesel fuel which they use to run their vintage Airstream catering trailer.

Getting there & useful information

Godrevy is approx 50 mins drive from Bosinver, on the way to St Ives (postcode for SatNavs TR27 5ED). The car park is operated by the National Trust (free parking for members).

There’s a seasonal dog ban on the beach from 1 May to 30 September (although you can still take dogs on the coast path).

Are you ready to go wild this June?

Visit the 30 Days Wild website to find out more, and follow #30DaysWild on Twitter.

You can read all about our wild adventures on Facebook, Twitter and our blog. Do come and join us and share your ideas for random acts of wildness.

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Action Nan and the rest of the team are always busy writing posts that we think you’ll like – from top tips on where to take the kids, to what’s likely to be going on in the local area when you stay – we’ve got it all in our blog!