Readymoney Cove, Sandy beach at the mouth of River Fowey, Cornwall, England.
Readymoney Cove is a sandy beach at the mouth of the River Fowey in Cornwall, England, tucked between steep cliffs with St Catherine's Castle standing on the headland above. The beach is fairly small and set inside a natural bay that shelters it from strong winds, with shallow water that slopes gently toward the sea.
The cove takes its name from a ship said to have sunk nearby in the 1600s while carrying gold, though the exact story remains uncertain. The castle on the headland above was built in the 1530s on the orders of Henry VIII to guard the river entrance against raids from the sea.
The cove sits just below the town of Fowey and is easy to reach on foot from the center, making it a natural gathering point on warm days. Along the edges of the sand, old stone boathouses are still visible, recalling the time when the spot was used by local fishermen.
The beach is easy to reach on foot from the center of Fowey, with a clear footpath leading down to the shore. Dogs are not allowed on the sand during July and August, but are welcome outside those months.
At spring tides, the water can rise high enough to cover the entire sandy area, leaving the cove with no visible beach at all. Checking a tide table before visiting is worth doing, as the difference between low and high tide changes the feel of the place completely.
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