Private Beaches - How do you know?

Q

Quigs

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 Sep 2006
Messages
93
Visit site
Since taking the opportunity to trial my friends new boat over the last couple of weeks (whilst mine is waiting for a part), we have been cruising close to the coast from Fowey to Dartmouth. With charts laid out and pencil in hand, I have been marking the attractive sandy type bays/beaches which seem almost impossible to reach by land in anticipation of making a few landings via my tender.

What I'd really like to know before I risk the chance of being shot at by some angry land owner, is how I can find out if any of these beaches are private. Is there a book which provides details or is there a symbol or something on my charts which I'm missing? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
 
I would have thought that if someone was vehemently opposed to you "landing" on a particular private beach, there would be signs that indicate as such.

However, if you contact the South West Tourist Board, I would imagine they would be able to help!
 
I don't think there is a simple answer to this. Lots of beaches are privately owned but nevertheless have a public right of way, and others are not privately owned but adjoining landowners pretend that they are, in order to keep the Hoi Polloi away. In any event, I think that everything below the MHW mark in tidal waters belongs to the Crown, except for the Beaulieu River /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.

Best bet is to ask the local council, I suspect.
 
[ QUOTE ]
everything below the MHW mark in tidal waters belongs to the Crown, /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif.



[/ QUOTE ]

Agreed, so all beaches are open to Tender landings and the Shore based Land Owner can only complain once you try to enter his land (assuming no public right of way).

Trespass in England is only a prosecutable offence if you cause damage so you would have to trample down corn fields or damage fences.

As to shot at -only if you worry sheep /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Thanks, that makes alot of sense. I'll give the local councils a call. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
trepass- yes, I beleive all those "trepassers will be prosecuted" signs, are meaningless. You cant prosecute for trespass. You can prosecute for damage, but can only get an injunction against further trespass. But phrasing that would need a rather large sign...
 
"Trespassers may, at the discretion of the landowner, be subject to legal proceedings of a civil nature and, following due process, if the case is proved on a balance of probabilities, made subject to an order against a repetition of the trespass or have damages awarded against them"
 
Yes, but if there are no damages the landowner will win the case but have the costs awarded against him for wasting the courts time.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Agreed, so all beaches are open to Tender landings and the Shore based Land Owner can only complain once you try to enter his land (assuming no public right of way).


[/ QUOTE ]
I seem to remember from my long distant past that there is one exception - The little beach in Osborne Bay - something to do with Queen Victoria's bathing beach.
May be wrong here as it may have been idle gossip a good few years ago.
 
I think the beach at Osborne Bay is still private, as Queen Victoria didn't like the idea of the paparazzi turning up at her holiday home. There's probably still some obscure byelaw that allows transgressors to be sunk by cannons.

dv.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Did they have paparazzi in Victorian times?

I'd stay clear of the beaches off the firing ranges near Lulworth or any others for that matter.

[/ QUOTE ]

NO don't - there are some great anchorages and stopovers all allong that bit of coast - Just make suer there is no firing scheduled!

Warbarrow bay even has some shelter from the SW.
 
I assumed all Private beaches were clearly marked by people wearing no clothing !!!! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Isn/t it true that in legal terms the firing ranges have no legal right to enforce any boat out of the firing area? OK - boats do obey and stay clear but the firing range control, in fact, have no legal right to enforce exclusion from the range?
 
I believe thats the case - but I bet if we all started charging through there saying "seeing as we've lost red diesel, its too expensive to go around" there would soon be a change in the law....

Rick
 
[ QUOTE ]
there would soon be a change in the law....

[/ QUOTE ] and it would probably be along the lines .....

any object within the firing area is deemed an appropriate target for firing practice unless it is an MOD vessel. .... /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
An army chum told me had once seen a fin round fired from a Challenger at Lulworth on an elevation suitable for a hesh round. Mindful of that, I would keep well clear.
 
However hard I try, I just can't imagine being approached or radioed by a range patrol boat who asks me to keep clear, and me saying "no" and steaming straight across.

It could be my very vivid imagination, or watching too many films...

dv.
 
not sure what date that was, but the 1994 act that was supposed to address squatters,raves etc indicates that senior police officers need to make a judgement etc etc../number of people/vehicles blah blah.. anyway, one may not want a heated confrontation if a stroll on the beach was the aim, but I dont think there is much in practice the landowner can do.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top