Sharrow (The Grotto) Beach

Sharrow Beach, known as The Grotto, is a good sandy, dog-friendly beach with rock pools. The beach is divided into smaller coves due to small outcrops of rocks, which makes it necessary to keep an eye on the tides as high tide areas can be cut off.

The name Grotto comes from the National Trust property, which preserves a small cave overlooking the tip of Sharrow Point. The cave, 4.5m deep and about 2m high, was excavated by hand in 1874 by a hermit called Joseph Lugger, who inscribed verses on the ceiling to relieve his boredom. The cave is fenced off from the public.

The beach has lifeguards daily from the start of May to the end of September. The currents are very strong, and swimming is recommended only when lifeguards are on patrol.

You have a small car park on the coast road and then a walk involving some steep steps down to the beach. You can also access Freathy Beach from the car park.