How many beaches can we visit?

14th June 2018

At Beach Retreats we aim to set the record of most Cornish beaches visited in one day, while fundraising for the South West Coast Path.

The challenge will take place on the 21st June – the summer solstice and longest day, and will mark the beginning of our partnership with the South West Coast Path Association.

With more than 400 miles of Cornish coastline and over 300 beaches in Cornwall, we aim to be the first to visit a minimum of 40 of these beaches to raise money for the South West Coast Path’s “40for40” campaign – a bid to raise £40,000 by the end of October 2018 to celebrate its 40 year anniversary. We aim to raise a total of £5,000 and will be sponsoring the charity £2,500, asking for donations to match this amount via Virgin giving.

With 161 holiday properties located all along the coast, we want to do our bit to support the charity, which sees nearly nine million visitors enjoy the Path and the many beautiful beaches it overlooks each year. We know the coast path and the beautiful Cornish beaches are cherished by our guests and residents of Cornwall. Not only do we want to celebrate the amazing beaches and the breathtaking walks right on our properties’ doorsteps – we also want to ensure we’re raising awareness and supporting the maintenance of these areas, so they can continue to be enjoyed for many, many more years to come.

The £5,000 target raised by Beach Retreats could go towards the funding of 500 new wooden steps to provide safe access to hidden coves and along cliffs, or it could fund 10 educational activity days on the Path for youth groups.

The summer solstice, also known as midsummer, is the day of the year with the longest period of daylight – ideal for maximizing time spent at the beach! The team at Beach Retreats will begin at the crack of dawn at 5:00am in Cawsand overlooking Plymouth Sound, attempting to travel the entire length of the south to Sennen Cove then up the north coast. Can we make it to Bude by sunset at around 9:30pm?

Julian Gray, director of the South West Coast Path Association, commented: “We’re thrilled that Beach Retreats have chosen the South West Coast Path as the beneficiary for this brilliant day of solstice fundraising. I can’t think of a better way to showcase the stunning Cornish coastline than setting the record for the most beaches visited on the longest day of the year. Funds raised will support our vital conservation and improvement work along the National Trail, ensuring access to the much-loved beaches celebrated today. We wish them the best of luck and will be following their journey on social media!”

The epic journey will see our team stop and visit at as many beaches as possible, including Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth, Kynance Cove on the Lizard Peninsula, Porthcurno near Land’s End, Fistral Beach and Widemouth Bay near Bude. And while time will be of the essence, Beach Retreats will be documenting each beach visit on their social media channels, posting images of each beach using the #JoinUsOnTheBeach hashtag, as well as stopping by the best beach cafes for well-needed refreshments.

 

How to get involved

To help us reach our target of £5,000, please donate at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/BeachRetreats; follow our journey on Instagram and Facebook and help raise awareness by sharing your pictures of your favourite Cornish beaches using the hashtag #joinusatthebeach.