By the Down The Cove editorial team in Cornwall
Sharrow is one of the sandy coves that make up the four-mile sweep of Whitsand Bay on Cornwall's south-east coast, backed by steep cliffs beneath Sharrow Point. At low tide its golden sand joins neighbouring coves, and it is famous for the Sharrow Grot, a small cave cut into the cliff in 1784 by James Lugger, a retired naval purser.
Read the guideBeach and cove guide
A simple guide to the feel of the place, how to arrive, and what to keep in mind before you go.
Sharrow Beach is the kind of place where the day is shaped by simple things: tide, weather, a picnic, and time to notice the coast properly.
Families, beach days, coast paths, rock pools and relaxed exploring.
Read straight through, or use the planning notes above to shape an easier coastal day.
Lifeguard cover changes by beach and season. Check the RNLI's current patrol dates before travelling, then follow local signs, flags and lifeguard advice on the day. Do not rely on a previous year's timetable.
Fresh air, good food and a bit of headspace. Here are two places to start.
Places and practical tips for days by the sea.
Ideas for preparing, cooking and enjoying seafood.
Editorial illustrations; explore the guides for place and recipe details.
Plan the final walk from the car park and check whether the beach is easy with pushchairs, tired legs or beach bags.
A useful read before visiting with children, especially for tides, paths, facilities and simple beach expectations.
Look up tide times, swimming guidance and weather before you go, especially on wilder beaches.
Sharrow is one of the string of sandy coves that make up Whitsand Bay, the long, cliff-backed sweep on Cornwall’s south-east coast between Looe and Plymouth. Reached by steep paths down from the clifftop, it sits beneath Sharrow Point, and at low tide its sand merges with the neighbouring coves to form a near-continuous run of beach below the cliffs.
What sets Sharrow apart is the Sharrow Grot, a curious chamber cut by hand into the soft rock of the headland by a retired seafarer in the late eighteenth century, complete with a stone bench and inscriptions carved into the walls. Now in the care of the National Trust, it is one of the bay’s most intriguing features and a destination in its own right for walkers exploring this stretch of coast.
The cove rewards those who make the effort of the descent with a quieter, wilder feel than the better-known beaches further west. It is a place for walking the tideline, poking about the rocks and grot, and taking in the wide sweep of Whitsand Bay, rather than for easy amenities.
