Hope Cove

Hope Cove is a very much underrated haven for all sorts of water activity, and not just in the summer when lines of boats crowd the shore on Harbour Beach.

Any time from Easter onwards Harbour beach begins to fill with boats, and generally as the weather improves and the sea calms down more and more boating enthusiasts make their way to the shores of Hope Cove.

The headland at Bolt Tail often provides some form of shelter from the winds, and this can result in perfectly calm waters. These usually occur between May and August, and the flat, glassy sea is perfect for a multitude of water sports such as waterskiing and wakeboarding, while several motorboats can also be seen with kneeboards and rubber rings in tow.

Salcombe-based waterski and wakeboard school Shoreboard sometimes make trips to Hope Cove in the height of summer – see their website for more details.

Diving has become increasingly popular in the area, with neoprene-clad individuals and groups exploring much of the spectacular coastline. The whole area from Bolt Head to Bolt Tail and even along towards Thurlestone provide some great scenery, with a number of shipwrecks and sea creatures to be seen.

A casual canoeing trip from Mouthwell beach towards Thurlestone can be the perfect way to spend a few hours, paddling amongst the rocky outcrops along the coast. It's well worth stopping at Beacon Beach along the way. This secret treasure can only be reached by foot at low tide, otherwise it requires a boat or a careful walk down the treacherously steep unofficial cliff path. There are times of the year when you can have the picturesque sandy cove all to yourself.

Half day fishing trips used to be available from Harbour beach, but now you have to have your own vessel to take to the surrounding waters. Mackerel fishing is popular in the summer, with a plentiful supply of fish just waiting to be caught. There are usually several folk trying their best with a line from the breakwater on Harbour too, but any decent catch is a rare occurrence.

Sailing is popular when the winds are right, and the gently sloping sandy bays of Hope Cove are an ideal launching area.

In the winter months the sea will often get unbearably rough and choppy. However, surfers can find some very decent waves when the swell and winds are right: September through to November usually brings some clean waves in relatively warm (for the UK at least) waters. Harbour beach does occasionally get some surfable waves, which are ideal for beginners because of the safer sandy shore. However, it is Mouthwell beach which is a more favoured spot for those brave enough to take on the elements and the jagged rocks.

High tide is usually the best time to go. The main break is a right which peels off the point back towards the slipway, and it breaks in about three sections, although it can be difficult to get past the first. Some surfers, particularly bodyboarders, prefer to stray just the other side of Mouthwell beach, where a left can be caught. Both breaks carry with them a risk of hitting the rocks, so it is worth wave watching or checking out the beach at low tide to get a feeling for the route you should surf.

Although Hope Cove does not get decent waves on a regular basis, it has been known to produce rideable waves with a face height of double overhead (about 12 ft), and on very rare occasions the waves barrel too.

When the waters are calm, both Harbour beach and Mouthwell beach are generally quite safe. However, it must be remembered that there is no lifeguard service operating, unlike some of the other beaches in Bantham, Bigbury and Blackpool Sands.

Nonetheless, the Harbour Master's hut at the top of the slipway on Harbour Beach is well placed to overlook the whole of the beach, and any queries or concerns can be addressed to the friendly Harbour Master himself.

The Hope Harbour Commissioner's launching fees currently stand at £6 per day, £25 per week, or £70 annually. Mooring lines are also procurable, depending on availability. Sailboards and canoes also incur launching fees, costing £1 a day.