The Strangles – ‘Secret’ Beach in Cornwall
If you’re not a fan of large crowded beaches and are happy to explore the local area and find a quieter beach, you’re likely to find one local to where you are located with a little bit of research. Whilst in Cornwall and following on from our day in Bude the previous day, where the beach was busier (although not heaving considering it was summer holidays) we decided we’d try out one of the many secret beaches that can be found in Cornwall (generally speaking a so-called secret beach is simply one that is hidden when the tide comes in). Having found an article which listed the top 10 best secret beaches in Cornwall, we found that The Strangles beach wasn’t too far away and so worth a shot.
The Strangles beach is located on the Northern side of Cornwall roughly 25 mins south of Bude using EX23 OLQ as your postcode reference. You’ll find on arrival a small layby (in busier times you can find a nearby field has been opened as an overflow for parking) where you can park your car free of charge, although there is a donation box at the beginning of the footpath should you wish to contribute. The route down to The Strangles actually runs through National Trust property and crosses over the South West Coast Path and at this point you can follow the coast path to reach High Cliff viewpoint and Cornwall’s highest point. There are no facilities at all around the layby or beach!
The footpath which runs from the layby to the beach is around 20-30 minutes’ walk, longer if you keep stopping to admire the views!, the path is well marked and has some large steps, there’s one section towards the end where there is a drop to one side but is wide enough so you can edge away (care obviously should be taken if wet) and the section onto the beach is onto some large rocks, which is easy enough to navigate and there is a rope should you need any help.
The Strangles beach is part pebbly and part sandy with lots of rock pool and larger rocks to climb on. It’s advised not to swim in this part of the sea as there is no lifeguard help and the waves / current can be quite strong, although we did see some people in the water.
Next to The Strangles beach is another smaller beach called Little Strand which involves climbing over the rocks between the two beaches… unbeknown to us at the time, this beach is popular with naturists, although none were about on our visit. At this point you’ll see a natural archway from the cliffs which is called Northern Door and worth a rock scramble over to investigate, the rock formations in this area are pretty epic.
The Strangles is well worth a visit if you’re in the area and would make a perfect sunset spot at the end of the day.
