Us Brits are always on the lookout for new places to spend sunny days - and, here in Bristol, we're fortunate enough to sit not too far away from the glorious beaches of the south west. Award-winning beaches, vast stretches of golden sand and even some quirkier hidden gems lay waiting to be explored - and one of these is the stunning Ness Cove beach in Shaldon, not far from Teignmouth.
Just under a two-hour drive away, this hidden gem of a beach in Devon is accessed through a secret tunnel, said to have been used by smugglers, just around the corner from the picturesque fishing village of Shaldon, at the mouth of the Teign Estuary. Devon is an extremely popular holiday destination with us Bristolians, but just how was this tunnel created - and when?
Nobody's sure exactly how long ago the tunnel was dug through the cliffs above the beach, reports DevonLive, however legend has it that smugglers first created it as a secret passageway to transport their contraband inland. The beach is hidden out of sight from anywhere, bar the coast path and water, meaning the little bay would have been the perfect location for buccaneers and bootleggers wanting to offload their booty.
