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Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach

Devon, England


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Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach, located on the north coast of Devon, is a unique and historic beach destination that offers a distinctive experience for visitors.

Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach is a sand and shingle beach, approximately 80 metres wide, backed by cliffs. The beach is accessed via a network of hand-carved tunnels, which were created in the early nineteenth century. These tunnels lead to sheltered sand and shingle beaches and a Victorian tidal swimming pool.

The tunnels, which are a notable feature of the beach, were hand-carved in the 1820s and provide access to two natural bathing pools, originally one for 'ladies' and one for 'gentlemen'. The left-hand tunnel leads to the 'Gent's Beach', while the right-hand tunnel leads to the 'Lady's Beach'. The beach also features top-class rock pools to explore and a tidal pool to enjoy.

Visitors to Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach can expect to find a range of amenities, including cafes and snack bars. The beach is dog-friendly, and parking is available for those driving to the area. To access the beach, visitors must pay an entrance fee, which helps to maintain the site and its facilities.

Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach is situated on the north coast of Devon and can be reached by driving to Ilfracombe and following the signs to the Seafront and Tunnels Beaches.

Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach is adjacent to the South West Coast Path.

Sand Shingle

Weather and tides for Wednesday 16 September

Today
Chance of rain 20%
Max temperature 16°C
feels like 17°C
Wind 16mph
Max UV Index
Tonight
Chance of rain 98%
Min temperature 16°C
feels like 15°C
Wind 21mph

The tide at Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach is currently rising. High tide will be at approximately 9:41 AM, and the next low tide will be at approximately 3:26 PM.

Today's air pollution levels are forecast to be Low

Detailed weather and tides »

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Location: Ilfracombe

Location type: Urban

OS Grid: SS514478

Coordinates: 51°12'36"N 4°7'40"W

Mapcode: GBR KN.4029

What 3 Words: replaying.reminds.arranges

Coordinates and location codes are for an approximate mid-point of the beach, and may not reflect the best access point or the most popular part of the beach.

County: Devon

Country: England

Local Authority: North Devon

Parish: Ilfracombe

Nearest postcode: EX34 8AX

(for sat-nav purposes only, a beach does not have a postal address!)

Important! Beach information is compiled from a variety of different sources and is correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of compilation. However, information may be incorrectly supplied by our sources or go out of date after publication. BritishBeaches.uk makes no warranty as to the accuracy of any information on this page.

Visitor information for Ilfracombe Tunnels Beach, Devon, England. Weather, tides, visitor comments, beach facilities, photos, nearest postcode, beach information and nearby accommodation.

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216.73.217.16 Wed, 16 Sep 2026 05:22:15 +0100