Quiety dramatic in winter, tourist hotspot in summer, this is a big, safe sandy beach shielded on one side by the wonderful Banjo Pier and on the other by Tommy and adjacent rocks. Unlike some of the other beaches on this stretch of coast, it kindly does not disappear at high tide. There are cafes overlooking the sea & ice cream parlours aplenty and during the high season, youll often find activities going on like singing on the promenades, dancing, live bands and fun bungees. Round the corner on the quayside there are numerous fishing/boat trips. Waves and tides are usually pretty mild so its quite safe for bathing but keep an eye on the inflatables because the wind can sweep you out. And though the RNLI lifeboat station is right by the beach and theyre all very skilled and friendly, its best not to use their services.
For Second Beach, follow the promenade east, passing the baskeball hoop and the stunt bikers, skateboarders, and parkour free runners over the rocks. No sand here, just rockpools, and a mysterious smugglers cave. Dogs allowed on second beach only.