Our Secret Spot, Talland Bay

Doublebois Lodge Escape is perfectly placed in central Cornwall, providing easy access to a beautiful stretch of the Cornish coast - which is designated as an Area of Outstanding Beauty, as well as a Heritage Coast.

Along this stunning stretch you’ll find thesecluded Talland bay, which lies in between the popular Cornish town of Looe and pretty fishing village of Polperro. A far cry from their bustling streets, Talland Bay is a real hidden gem with two unspoilt beaches ripe for exploring.

The most popular beach is also the main beach, Talland Sand. Here there are good facilities including toilets, a shop and a car park. There is also a pretty café with tables almost on the beach, bringing a whole new meaning to waterside dining!

If you’re travelling with little ones in tow then at low tide, there are plenty of rockpools to explore, each home to a startling array of marine life from anemones to hermit crabs and fish. The waters here are tranquil and calm, offering safe swimming conditions when you need to cool off too, making it the perfect spot for a family beach day.

Venture a little further along and you’ll soon arrive at the slightly quieter Rotterdam Beach, which lies at the other side of Talland Bay. Only accessible via steps, this cove is less sandy than Talland Sand, but it offers excellent snorkelling as well as fabulous rock pooling with sweeping coastal views.

Rising above the beach is the Grade I Listed St Tallanus’ Church. Originally built by Augustinian monks from Launceston in the 13th Century, the site is truly spectacular and well worth a visit. If you don’t fancy walking across, or if the tides aren’t favourable, then parking is available here and the Smugglers rest café rewards those who make the trip.

Thanks to its seclusion, Talland Bay was popular with smugglers, and the area is home to several shipwrecks. One such wreck is the French steam trawler, ‘Marguerite’, which struck the rocks in 1922, and she can be clearly seen in the middle of the bay at low tide!

Whether you’re looking for a lazy family beach day, shoreline fishing, snorkelling or rock pooling with the little ones, the sheltered coves of Talland bay are the ideal place and one of our favourite ‘secret spots’.