Beach champion: Harbour Cove
Beach Retreats’ Head of Marketing, Katy Austin-Waters, on a beach that never fails to impress
Harbour Cove or Tregirls is an off-the-beaten-track beach that sits along the Camel Estuary with soft golden sands, lovely long sand dunes and calm waters.
I love the walk down to the beach that takes you through woodland, which is quite unusual so close to the beach. The ‘reveal’ as you come out of the shade of the trees never fails to impress.
The abundance of wildflowers throughout the length of the sand dunes in late spring is unique. And the view across the estuary always intrigues: you can see Daymer Bay and Rock Beach, as well as the stream of boats coming and going in the estuary.
It’s worth remembering the beauty of the cove is that it’s quite wild and there’s few facilities, so come prepared. That means some good walking footwear, particularly outside of the summer months.
It’s a wonderful headland for walking. The journey along the coast path to Stepper Point at the end of the headland reveals the impressive daymark stone tower and sweeping views out to sea – a fantastic spot to watch the sunset.
A day at the cove
If I’m at Harbour Cove, I’m with my husband and our sausage dog Luna. It’s a dog-friendly beach all year and one of her favourite beaches probably because it’s so nice and quiet and has lovely calm, shallow waters, perfect for little legs to paddle and swim! We also come here with my parents and their dog, as there’s lots of space for play.
The ideal day would include a stop at the Padstow Farm Shop on the way, to pick up some food and drink for a picnic. At low tide we would walk along to the equally picturesque Hawkers Cove and enjoy our picnic in the dunes, throw Luna’s ball in the water and probably have a dip ourselves.
ROAMING, RESCUE AND REFRESHMENT
We explore the beach community in Harbour Cove, from farms, rescues, roaming walkers and sea-view tea rooms.
Image credit: Padstow Farm Shop
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