Tolcarne Beach is privately-owned. There’s plenty to eat as there is the Kahuna Restaurant and also the Venus Cafe, providing locally-produced, organic food in a takeaway format. You can dine in or out at the Kahuna, or at the Venus Cafe you’ll find trestle tables overlooking the beach.
Tolcarne Beach can be difficult to reach if you’re pushing a buggy/pram or wheelchair. There is an access road, but it’s quite steep to be pushing somebody along. Most people will use the steps to access Tolcarne Beach, although there are over 100 of them and they’re quite narrow.
Once you are on Tolcarne Beach, you will find you can hire beach huts by the day/week/month or the whole season, you can also hire surfboards and wetsuits. Just by the steps that lead from the beach to the services area there’s a cold water shower that’s ideal for washing down your surfboard or wetsuit, or even just to rinse your sandy feet.
Kahuna Restaurant and Venus Cafe, Tolcarne Beach
There are two restaurants and cafes at Tolcarne: The Venus Cafe which serves locally-sourced organic food, mostly daytimes. While the Kahuna serves high-quality restaurant meals in the evening and snacks and light meals during the day.
The Kahuna has some inside seating, as well as tables outside where you can enjoy the view. The Venus has a patio area with tables overlooking the beach.
There is a small beach shop at Tolcarne, selling flip flops, beachwear and gifts. There is no parking at Tolcarne Beach for beach-goers, the closest is the public car park that you can access behind the Bristol Hotel at the top of the steps/road. For those staying in accommodation at Tolcarne Beach, there’s limited parking at the bottom of the cliff. There are public toilets at one end of Tolcarne Beach.
Holiday Flats on Tolcarne Beach
There are a small selection of recently-built and upmarket holiday apartments you can book on Tolcarne Beach – these enjoy on-site parking and large balconies with panoramic sea views. As the beach is privately owned, the area is patrolled during the hours of darkness by security guards, who prevent any undesirables running riot and/or having parties on the beach. Although there is no parking at the beach, there is limited parking available for people who rent the holiday flats on Tolcarne Beach. These flats are in an enviable position, with wide french doors leading to balconies that overlook the beach … and Tolcarne Beach is just a few steps away. If I had to work from home while on holiday this would one of my preferred spots because you can work and not miss out!
Services on Tolcarne Beach
- Car Parking: No, park near the station or one of the nearby residential roads
- Public Lavatories: Yes
- Easy Access for Wheelchairs and Prams: Not easy, but it’s possible to push a buggy down the access road, almost impossible to push anything up the road if the occupant is heavier than yourself
- Food Available: Yes
Where to Stay Near Tolcarne Beach
Down on Tolcarne Beach there are some Surf Shacks, right at the front – and these are set up for sleeping in. Each surf shack accommodates 4 people, in bunks and you get to live in a Beach Hut, which I think is an absolutely fabulous idea.
As they’re luxury beach huts, but still beach hut style, the kitchen and bathroom facilities are in the main building, so you get the experience of camping out on the beach, but with all the luxuries of home to hand.
Imagine: no more getting up, getting ready, then walking or driving to the beach, simply throw open your door and you’re already right AT the beach. As there’s 24 hour security on this private beach, it’s even possible to sleep with your door open and listen to the surf just a few feet from your bed. No more waiting for your lazybones mate to show their face before you can hit the surf or the sand – it’s right there.
You can book yourself a Tolcarne Surf Shack through AlphaRooms – it’s really something a little bit different to the norm!
Photography by: Tony Atkin: Beach Huts on Tolcarne Beach
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