Whitsand Bay (Sharrow) Beach

Whitsand Bay stretches from Polhawn Cove in the south east to Finnygook Beach at Portwrinkle. Along this route is Sharrow Point, also known as Grotto Beach. This is a sandy beach marked by outcrops of rock, which split the beach into small, cove-like sections. At high tide, many of these have little or no dry sand and visitors risk being cut off. Here, there is also a National Trust owned small cave which was excavated by hand in 1874 by a hermit known as Lugger, who scratched verses on the ceiling - the cave is not accessible to the public.

The access path is steep and narrow and may not be suitable for wheelchairs. There is a designated swimming area and some chance of surf at low water. There are also a few rock pools to explore. At low tide, it's possible to walk to neighbouring beaches.