Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe descends through dark rock to a small sandy cove, where turquoise water and a solitary sea stack give the Devon coast a bright, dramatic edge.

Stone steps fall between steep cliff faces at Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe, arriving at a handrailed terrace built above the tide. Arched openings break the masonry, while pale surf reaches scattered boulders below. Beyond the cove, a sharply pointed offshore rock rises from clear water and the green headland curves away beneath tall summer clouds. Pink flowers and blade-like leaves soften the near slope.

The route down to Tunnels Beaches, Ilfracombe is part of the pleasure of arriving, with each turn revealing more of the enclosed shore. Residents and visitors may recognise the sudden shift from the town above to salt air, stone underfoot and the sheltered sand at the foot of the cliffs.