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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
World
Bertie Adam

Incredibly beautiful West Country beach offers 'magical wilderness of caves, tunnels and islands'

The West Country is blessed with stunning coastlines across the area. Some have pebbly beaches, while others boast golden sands.

For those looking for something extra special though, Broadsands Beach in North Devon has been described as offering a 'magical wilderness of caves, tunnels and islands'. It takes two hours to reach by car from Bristol heading down the M5.

The beach is a small inlet situated between Combe Martin and the hamlet of Watermouth, in North Devon. You have to be quick when visiting though, as come high tide you will find yourself grabbing your towels and deckchairs to save them from a watery grave, reports Somerset Live.

READ MORE: The beautiful village described as the 'Venice of the Cotswolds' an hour from Bristol

It is a fantastic destination for anyone with an adventurous mind. The only route down is approximately 240 steps down steep cliffs that both protect the beach and offer some of the most awesome ground-level sights in the area. In stormy weather and times of spate, these steps will be closed off to the public for their safety.

Once you've made it down, you'll find yourself surrounded by all manner of nooks and crannies; caves to be explored, rockpools to browse and even an islet that you can swim out to. The isthmus is walkable when the tide is at its lowest, and provides a useful timestamp to judge the safety of your position on the ever-changing shoreline.

According to Best Western Hotels and Resorts, Broadsands beach has the "happiest view in the United Kingdom", what with its "magical wilderness of caves, tunnels and islands".

On a clear day, the cliffs that stretch down to the beach are stunning, and full of caves that any curious individual - be it adult or child - can explore (Lewis Clarke)

This is definitely a worthy title, and with only eight per cent of respondents having actually visited the place, it might be fair to say it's something of a South West secret.

Despite the name, the beach is mostly made of shingle, so it's perhaps not your premium destination if you're looking to build a sandcastle.

At this point of the Bristol channel, most of the mud has filtered out, meaning the water's brown hue that surrounds the towns of Weston-super-Mare and Minehead is gone. In its place is a beautiful blue sea, that on a sunny day can look almost turquoise.

Make sure to bring plenty of supplies as the beach is quite remote and, as mentioned earlier, requires a steep and somewhat challenging descent of a cliff face to reach. There are no ice-cream vans around here, so a cool box would no doubt be a satisfactory solution.

With the weather staying in the mid-twenties this week and soaring up to almost 30C come the weekend, there is no better time to find a new beach to enjoy.

Parking is a little difficult to find here, so ensure that you are not blocking the narrow lanes that take you towards the steps; according to the locals it's something that happens quite often: "We usually get a couple a year in that spot mainly sorted out by local farmers and a tractor," said Stephen Chivers.

A lack of bins means it is even more important to remember to take all belongings and litter with you. Any barbecues can be a hazard, as they are often buried.

This results in the residual heat warming the sand to dangerous levels, potentially injuring unsuspecting individuals who walk over the site.

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