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Burgh Island

(32 Posts)
Tuliptree Thu 13-Aug-26 21:51:25

Has anyone ever visited this island or stayed at the hotel there? Is it worth the trip?

Greenfinch Thu 13-Aug-26 22:47:21

My nephew was married there but it was so expensive he couldn’t afford any guest!. He had a lovely time though.

Tuliptree Thu 13-Aug-26 22:48:58

Sounds romantic

Greenfinch Thu 13-Aug-26 23:03:14

Actually they had what is termed an elopement ( although they had been living together for more than ten years!! ) and with only two witnesses it wasn’t too expensive.

Tuliptree Thu 13-Aug-26 23:19:40

Even more romantic

Sago Thu 13-Aug-26 23:23:34

It’s a beautiful place, definitely worth a trip.

Tuliptree Thu 13-Aug-26 23:29:45

So there’s the hotel and a pub?

Mollygo Thu 13-Aug-26 23:32:43

It’s a lovely place. If you’re feeling fit you can walk across the bay at low tide.
Otherwise the carriage is great.
We’ve only ever had drinks or a meal at the hôtel and that was years ago.

TerriBull Fri 14-Aug-26 08:06:54

I've been vey close, we stayed in Bigbury on Sea which has a marvellous beach. Burgh Island is completely accessible when the tide is out. There are these contraprions that ferry people to and from when the tide is in. We went to the Pilchard Inn also on the island. The hotel looks very interesting. Expensive I believe

GrannyGravy13 Fri 14-Aug-26 08:12:03

What is even better than staying at the main hotel on Burgh is staying at The Pilchard Inn, supposedly haunted by smugglers.

25Avalon Fri 14-Aug-26 08:13:33

We walked across from Bigbury on a fine day in May when the tide was out. There is an ancient church on top of the steep hill and a small atmospheric pub next to the hotel. I’m sure the hotel is a lovely place to stay but not sure I’d want more than a long weekend there. It did feature in one of the Poirot stories with David Suchet.

TerriBull Fri 14-Aug-26 08:17:00

Some more of the fabulous beach

Tuliptree Fri 14-Aug-26 08:44:56

Thanks for all the replies and the lovely photos. I’ll put it on the list

Whitewavemark2 Fri 14-Aug-26 08:45:13

We lived near there.

The beaches are to die for particularly Bantham.

The Art Deco hotel is certainly worth a visit and stay if you find yourself down that part of the world.

The Nettlefold is in my opinion overpriced. You can get a better menu in a Michelin star for less.

Whitewavemark2 Fri 14-Aug-26 08:47:14

The children always liked to paddle around it at high tide in their canoes.

Basgetti Fri 14-Aug-26 08:51:54

Many years ago. It was so run down and disappointing that we left. I imagine it’s been significantly upgraded since.

JenniRen Fri 14-Aug-26 09:44:16

We lived not far away, this was a beach we went to regularly when the children were small. Bantham beach is even better but Bigbury and Burgh Island were more easily accessible for us then with more facilities.
There used to be a pub called the Tom Crocker Inn at Bigbury, now demolished I think.

The hotel is now very upmarket, not sure you can just wander in for coffee as we used to years ago.

JenniRen Fri 14-Aug-26 09:48:05

Mollygo

It’s a lovely place. If you’re feeling fit you can walk across the bay at low tide.
Otherwise the carriage is great.
We’ve only ever had drinks or a meal at the hôtel and that was years ago.

The tractor! 🙂

JenniRen Fri 14-Aug-26 09:50:05

Agatha Christie set two novels there: And Then There Were None and Evil Under The Sun.

Greenfinch Fri 14-Aug-26 09:51:42

I remember my nephew and his bride going across on the tractor and there was some delay coming back because of tractor problems.

Oreo Fri 14-Aug-26 09:55:29

I remember the episode of Poirot featuring the hotel but I didn’t like the look of it, I don’t know why but I really dislike anything of the Art Deco period, I find it sinister.
The beach nearby looks lovely tho.

JenniRen Fri 14-Aug-26 10:02:44

They filmed the TV adaptation from a very odd angle, didn't show it at its best.

TerriBull Fri 14-Aug-26 10:07:45

I'm mighty sorry I didn't visit Bantham Beach when I was down there, I feel I've missed something special given these recommendations, but there's always the next time, I do love Devon smile

I think it was an Agatha Christie that was filmed on the Bigbury beach, a scene with a couple of the characters sunbathing, I thought wow! that looks a great beach, inspiring me to want to go there.

Oreo I do love Art Deco, I think it's one of the iconic styles of the 20th century, but like everything in life how we perceive a design is subjective. Maybe subliminally you find it sinister because it's often a backdrop up in an Agatha Christie where the inevitable murder/s feature. obviously I can read your mind grin

Oreo Fri 14-Aug-26 10:13:02

That may be true TerriBull but I do find the geometric designs very ‘cold’.
Whereas Art Nouveau I find lovely😃

25Avalon Fri 14-Aug-26 10:14:13

Look out for adders in the sand dunes as you head for the beach at Bantham. There are warning signs where they are as you go on one of the lovely walks.
One other caution the “roads” here are very narrow.