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Apr 16, 2024

Gorgeous UK beach that 'looks like Greece' named one of the best in the world

Cornwall's Pedn Vounder has been judged to be the best in the country in a rundown of the best of the best globally by Big7, with White Beach in The Philippines coming out on top A tiny secluded

Cornwall's Pedn Vounder has been judged to be the best in the country in a rundown of the best of the best globally by Big7, with White Beach in The Philippines coming out on top

A tiny secluded Cornish cove which looks like a Greek island and has remarkably clear water has been ranked among the best beaches in the world.

Cornwall's Pedn Vounder is the best coastal spot in the country and the 25th best in the world according to a new ranking which looked at sustainable Blue Flag locations, their social media popularity and the views of those who have visited the sandy spots.

The top prize globally went to White Beach in The Philippines, a "pristine gem" that is filled with hammocks, powdery white sand, kayaks to rent, and, crystal-clear water. It is as close to the definition of beach paradise as one could hope to get in the real world.

While old Blighty couldn't quite compete with such sublime, sun-soaked shores, it very much holds its own, with Pedn Vounder judged to be the best of the pack.

What is your favourite beach? Let us know in the comments below.

"Cornwall has long been a summer getaway destination for local families, but its gorgeous coastline has caught the eye of international travellers. Despite the crowds, Pedn Vounder is still one of the UK’s most beautiful beaches," reviewers at Big7, which produced the ranking, wrote.

"Combining crystal clear blue water and white sand, it’s proof that you don’t need to hotfoot to the Caribbean for a tropical island-inspired getaway."

It is easy to see what all of the fuss is about. Despite its growing reputation Pedn Vounder has an air of seclusion and privacy that few others as beautiful as it can boast, due to the difficulty paddle enthusiasts have getting down to it.

Finding the route down to the beach is the first challenge, only for it to be superseded by the task of getting navigating a narrow track along the edge of the cliffs. The final challenging stretch of the journey is a descent down a rock face onto a beach that is often covered by strong tidal waters.

If you manage to make it along this slightly precarious route and time it so the sand hasn't been completely replaced by salt water, then you are in for a treat. The sheer rock arrangements that rise up from the back of the beach, coupled with the big tidal changes, mean it is impossible to build any facilities on Pedn Vounder.

As frustrating as this may be from a logistical perspective, it means that the beach is free from over-tourism and structures that could blemish its natural looks.

Still, if you are planning a trip the good news is that there are plenty of great cheap hotels on Expedia that are near to the beach, to make it a visit that little bit easier. Meanwhile Tripadvisor also has a round up of the closest hotels in the area, although there's a wider range of budgets depending on what you're after!

Anna, a lifestyle blogger who lives in Cornwall and writes about her adventures around the county, recently made a trip to the beach. "With the clearest water I’ve ever seen, it genuinely looks like somewhere on a Greek island, and in the heat it felt like that too," she wrote.

She advised those visiting Pedn Vounder work out where they're going to park, if driving, before getting there. The options are heading to Porthcurno to park in one of the car parks there for £5 a day before walking 15 minutes along the coast, or stopping in the village of Treen for £2 a day and making the ten minute walk.

Anna warned that taking kids to the beach might be a bad idea and that she didn't see any young children there.

"I actually don’t understand how people managed to get down to the beach with their children and dogs… so much stress! I didn’t actually see any kids younger than 8 or 9 on the beach though, so I would suggest if you have children younger than that or if you are an anxious parent, maybe stick to Porthcurno," she wrote.

A local told her during her visit that at least five people were airlifted off the beach each year due to injuring themselves on the way down or getting caught by the tide. Anna also noted that the beach is nudist friendly and that there were plenty walking around, so it may be one to avoid if you're unnerved by people with their trousers off.