Bright sunshine and high pressure greeted me for this spring re-visit to Falmouth’s Gyllyngvase beach. Morning beach visitors were enjoying a reminder of the sea air before work, sharing the beach with dog walkers and swimmers. The Gylly Beach Cafe was already open for breakfast and the town was coming alive for another day. Welcome sunshine lit the rising tide, a respite after recent winter storms.
The beach as a link to the sea and fishing for John, plus its place in the community. You can learn more about the Shark Trust here.
Bright sunshine and a rising tide at Gyllyngvase beach.
It’s always a pleasure to visit this high octane Falmouth beach, particularly on a bright weekend morning, when it’s a hive of activity. As a town beach, it holds a natural attraction for townspeople, with volleyball nets, a popular cafe and a safe swimming environment. The tide was low during this re-visit and there was plenty of space for everyone, in and out of the water. There are pleasant gardens by the beach too, with fine views to enjoy over Falmouth Bay, looking round from Pendennis Castle to the Helford Estuary.
Mary explains what it’s like to swim at Gyllyngvase (see Peter also, lower down on this page).
A view of the beach from the rocks at low tide.
A mountainous sea thundered against Gyllyngvase beach for this early spring re-visit. Icy winds and a morning chill set the tone. An ebb tide clawed at the sand, leaving thirty feet of trace on the sand before returning to the beach. Above the sea, an apocalytic sky, with clouds full of snow, threatened to add its contents to the elemental mix.
The attraction of the sea for Matt.
A wild morning on Gyllyngvase beach.
A bright morning, on a low tide, set the large ships in Falmouth Bay in relief, against an azure, flat sea. Early morning swimmers reminded me of paintings from the Alex Katz exhibition, showing at Tate St Ives this summer. I had filmed in the atrium there in the spring; here it is.
Sisters Victoria and Vanessa, enjoying nature’s bounty at Gyllyngvase beach.
Bright sunshine greeted me on this re-visit to Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth. The spring morning had attracted swimmers and walkers alike. The beach had its seasonal fixtures in place for the summer – volleyball pitch, sand pit, trestle tables and lifeguard viewing platform. As the tide fell away on the steep beach, the clean breakers crashed onto the sand, a raw energy to start the day.
John explains the release the beach gives him.
At the waterline in the morning, looking out across Falmouth Bay to start the day.
It was a mild January dawn return to Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth, the sea and sky grey blue against the sand. Being a town beach, there were plenty of people about. The atmosphere was one of routine and regularity, fitting a beach visit into a hectic schedule. Both interviews show the deep affection held by people for being at the beach. Falmouth is such a buzzing town at present. I highly recommend a visit.
Peter’s relationship with the water at the beach, from an aesthetic perspective.
Victoria, at Gyllyngvase beach early in the morning.
A mild, grey blue vista, on Gyllyngvase beach at dawn.
Another famous Cornish beach, this is the main Falmouth leisure beach, looking out to the South over Falmouth Bay and the tankers waiting for orders or bunkers. Gyllyngvase is popular all year round. Autumn is usually very mild in Cornwall and the weather was outstanding during this visit. The beach was at its best.
On the waterline at Gyllyngvase beach.
Watching the swimmers at Gyllyngvase beach.
Having not grown up by the beach the sea has always signified the beginning of a holiday for me. When going on our family trips we always screamed out and had a competition of who could see the sea first, probably a clever technique to keep your children quite when they’re getting a bit repetitive saying ‘are we there yet?’ Now I live on the coast I try to remember how lucky I am to have all the Cornish beaches to explore, though I often think I don’t make the most of it.
I grew up near the equator in Kenya and spent holidays on the beaches of the Indian Ocean with their warm white sands stranded with exotic shells and rock pools of brilliant fish, so I’m afraid I was spoiled for life where beaches are concerned. That’s not to say the Cornish beaches aren’t a delight, particularly in the low season when dogs may play and everyone smiles a greeting. Still, it’s the walks along the coast to the beaches with great vistas opening out and always something of interest on the horizon I find most exhilarating..