Before you set off
Today's snapshot
Sandymouth is a low-tide beach. The sand runs for a long way at low water, but as the tide fills in you're pushed back onto boulders against the cliffs, and there is no escape route along the shore. Plan around the tide and swim between the flags while the lifeguards are on.
Plan your visit
Getting there
The National Trust car park sits on the clifftop above the beach at Stibb, north of Bude. It's free for National Trust members and pay and display for everyone else. Phone signal is poor, so download any parking app before you arrive.
- Parking: Use the National Trust car park above the beach. There is no parking at sea level and no road down to the sand.
- Dog rules: No seasonal restrictions. The National Trust asks that dogs are kept under close control at all times.
- Accessibility: The path down is steep and uneven, ends in steps, and crosses large pebbles before the sand. It isn't suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs. The café and toilets by the car park are the accessible part of the site.
- Lifeguards: RNLI lifeguards patrol through the main summer season. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
Why it's worth the walk
The cliffs
The cliffs behind Sandymouth are some of the most dramatic geology on this coast. The rock is folded and buckled into tight curves, laid down around 300 million years ago and squeezed into shape by the collision that built the mountains of southern Britain. It's a Site of Special Scientific Interest and appears in geology field guides. After heavy rain, small waterfalls drop onto the beach from the clifftop, and the South West Coast Path runs directly above.
After the beach
Eat, drink & stay
There's one café at the top of the beach path, and the nearest range of places to eat and stay is in Bude.
Sandymouth Café
A family-run seasonal café above the beach path, serving breakfast, lunch and cream teas.
Local perspective
Local notes
Sandymouth sits at the far southern end of this run of coast, just over the Cornish border near Bude, but it belongs with these beaches - same Atlantic, same swell, same big tidal range. It's undeveloped in a way most beaches aren't, with nothing at sea level but cliffs, sand and water.
Go two hours either side of low water. That's when the sand opens up, the rockpools appear at both ends and you can walk a long way along the shore. Leave early enough that the tide doesn't back you into the boulders, and take a jumper for the walk back up the path.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Is Sandymouth beach dog friendly?
No seasonal restrictions. The National Trust asks that dogs are kept under close control at all times.
What's the best tide for Sandymouth?
Low to mid tide. The beach is huge at low water, while high tide pushes you back onto boulders below the cliffs.
Is Sandymouth in Devon or Cornwall?
Cornwall. It's just south of the county border near Bude, at the southern end of this stretch of Atlantic coast.
Are there lifeguards at Sandymouth?
Yes. The RNLI patrols the beach through the main summer season. Swim between the red and yellow flags.
Is it safe to swim at Sandymouth today?
Check the Environment Agency Swimfo profile and Safer Seas & Rivers Service before swimming for the latest water-quality information.
Is there a café at Sandymouth?
Yes, a seasonal family-run café by the car park at the top of the beach path.
Is Sandymouth beach pram or buggy friendly?
No. The path down is steep and uneven, ends in steps, and crosses large pebbles before the sand. The café and toilets by the car park are the parts you can reach with a buggy.
What facilities are available at Sandymouth?
Sandymouth has seasonal toilets, including an accessible toilet, beside the National Trust car park and café above the beach. RNLI lifeguards patrol through the main summer season. The path to the beach is steep and uneven with steps.
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