Downderry Beach

Beach in Cornwall

England

Downderry Beach

Downderry Beach is a picturesque coastal destination located in Cornwall, England. Situated between the towns of Looe and Seaton, this sandy beach stretches along the southeastern coast of Cornwall, offering visitors a stunning view of the English Channel. Downderry Beach is known for its unspoiled beauty and tranquil atmosphere, making it a popular spot for both locals and tourists.

The beach itself boasts a wide expanse of golden sand, perfect for sunbathing, picnicking, and leisurely walks along the shore. At low tide, the beach reveals fascinating rock pools, allowing visitors to explore the area's diverse marine life. The clear waters of Downderry Beach are also ideal for swimming, paddleboarding, and kayaking, providing ample opportunities for water-based activities.

Surrounded by rugged cliffs and verdant hills, Downderry Beach offers breathtaking views of the surrounding natural landscape. The beach is backed by a small village, which provides convenient amenities such as parking, cafes, and public toilets. The village also offers a variety of accommodation options, ranging from charming bed and breakfasts to self-catering cottages, ensuring a comfortable stay for those who wish to explore the area.

Downderry Beach is not only a haven for beach enthusiasts but also a haven for nature lovers. The area is home to a wide range of wildlife, including seabirds, dolphins, and seals, making it a popular spot for birdwatching and wildlife spotting.

Overall, Downderry Beach offers a peaceful and idyllic seaside experience, combining natural beauty, recreational activities, and convenient amenities to create a memorable visit for all who come to enjoy its charms.

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Downderry Beach Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 50.361595/-4.3753789 or Grid Reference SX3153. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Downderry - Beach and view to Rame Head

Downderry's shingly beach is similar to that at nearby Seaton - if you want sand you have to travel a few miles further east to Whitsand Bay. Guarding the end of that bay is the peninsula of Rame Head, seen in the distance in this image. It has a little abandoned chapel on top which can be seen as a pimple in this image. (see SX4148 : Chapel, Rame Head)

Rob Farrow

Seaton Beach, Seaton, Cornwall

Colin Park

On coastal path, E of Downderry

Colin Park

Seaton from the beach

The River Seaton flows onto the beach at the western end of the bay.

Penny Mayes

Looking west from Seaton beach

Looe and Hannafore Point in the distance.

Penny Mayes

Downderry - east side, from Battern Cliffs

A zoomed shot from an adjacent grid square gives a view of Downderry which emphasises its location on a precarious platform of soft rock above the sea.

Tony Atkin

Farmhouse B&B, Downderry, Cornwall

On the road between Downderry and Trellidon. Marked with camp site symbol on the map

mike

Red sails on a misty morning, Downderry

Taken from the Coastguard Cottages, now converted into homes and holiday homes, on top of the low cliffs at Downderry. The foreshore lies below sandy cliffs near the slipway - flat rocks covered with seaweed. Looking south, out to sea. An old one, but the atmosphere is unchanged when the tourists are away.

Mike Harris

Seaton Beach

Taken on a bright February morning this view looks westwards across the beach to Looe Hill.

Tony Atkin

Sea Cliffs at Downderry

The problem with Downderry village is that much of it is built on this stuff. This cliff is made of 'Glacial Head Deposits'. During the ice age when the sea level dropped considerably and the shoreline retreated several kilometres, the high sea cliffs here were subject to a lot of erosion by repeated freeze-thaw action. The resulting rubble piled up at the bottom of the cliff and eventually slumped further down to form a nice fertile sloping plain in front of the cliff. A good place to put a village like Downderry. This deposit is very easily eroded by the sea and this low cliff at Downderry shows that it is in the process of being eroded. The only reason there is any of this left here at all is because the underlying hard rock platform over which the tide washes is slightly higher here and moderates the effects of the sea. Global warming however is slowly increasing sea levels making it more likely that winter storms will start to take much more of this land and put houses in danger.

Tony Atkin

Sea Cliffs at Downderry

See SX3153 : Sea Cliffs at Downderry for more information about these cliffs.

Tony Atkin

View from Batten Cliffs, Looe Bay

Downderry is in the foreground, from there the view takes in the sweep of the bay round to Looe Island.

Tony Atkin

New Houses at Downderry

These houses have been built high above the village on the steep cliff slope. Here the foundations are of hard Devonian slates and not the soft glacial head deposits found lower in the village.

Tony Atkin

Hairpin Bend

Near the bottom of Tregunnus Lane the road doubles back on itself as it looses height rapidly before entering Downderry. This is not a place to come off the road, there is nothing but a cliff beyond the edge.

Tony Atkin

Downderry

The village of Downderry is strung out along a road which parallels the coast. Here the road is quite wide but in many places it is a narrow single track road causing some traffic problems.

Tony Atkin

July on the Beach

Seaton Beach - popular with sun worshippers.

Tony Atkin

Downderry Church

The Church of St Nicolas Downderry began as a mission church to service the growing population of the village. The building dates from 1905. The bent-over shape of the tree in front of the church is interesting as it may indicate a response by the tree to being battered by strong southwesterly gales in the winter in this exposed coastal location.

Tony Atkin