UK’s ‘best beach’ that looks like the Mediterranean is right here in Cornwall

A woman on a mission to discover the UK’s most breath-taking locations has recently highlighted a captivating Cornish beach. Throughout the summer season, millions of British holidaymakers flock to Cornwall for a seaside escape.

Approximately five million tourists visited in 202, and now travel influencer Lizzy Parkin has come down to see what all the fuss is about. The influencer, who resides in the Cotswolds, used TikTok to showcase her most recent coastal discovery in Cornwall.

She described the scenery en route to a particular beach as “absolutely unreal”, revealing that the destination in question is Pedn Vounder Beach, tucked away close to the hamlets of Treen and Porthcurno, reports the Express. You may recognise the cliffs and shore as the beach was used in a dream sequence in BBC’s Poldark.

Lizzy explained: “I’m on a mission to find places across the UK that make people say ‘I can’t believe this is the UK’ because as Brits, me included, we love to be negative about our own home but I’m trying to change that by sharing places that are undeniably beautiful and we’re starting strong with a spot near Penzance in Cornwall.”

She continued: “This gem of a beach looks straight out of Mallorca or Ibiza if you ask me, though the water is a little colder.”

While the beach is “located on the most beautiful coastal path”, Lizzy cautioned that the descent isn’t the easiest, involving a “short scramble” to reach the sands. She advised those eager to visit to be careful during their descent.

Nestled between the cliffs of Treryn Dinas, Pedn Vounder is renowned for its stunning turquoise waters and immaculate white sands. The name Pedn Vounder derives from the Cornish ‘pedn’, meaning head or end and ‘vounder’, signifying lane – hence, ‘end of lane’.

Cornwall Beaches highlighted the beach as a favourite spot for those who partake in naturism. Although Lizzy noted in her video comments that the majority of beachgoers were clad in swimwear as nudity is not obligatory.

Lizzy’s video showcasing the charm of Pedn Vounder Beach has made quite a splash online, garnering 412,000 views, 45,000 likes and over 200 comments. One user said: “Pedn Vounder is the best beach in the UK. Took my breath away when I first saw it recently. As good as any beach anywhere in the world!”.

Another drew parallels with foreign beaches: “Just got back from Thailand and Pedn Vounder was as beautiful as.”

One comment read, “I can’t believe this is the UK!!! Wow,” while another echoed the sentiment, “Okay but I can’t believe this is the UK.”

In 2023, Pedn Vounder was the sole UK beach to grace Big Travel 7’s list of the world’s best beaches, securing an impressive eighth place. Big 7 Travel praised the beach, noting that despite its popularity, it remains “still one of the UK’s most beautiful beaches”.

If you want ideas and inspiration to plan your next UK adventure plus selected offers and competitions, sign up for our 2Chill weekly newsletter here