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There's more to Praa Sands than just the beach although this award winning stretch of fine golden sand backed by acres of dunes (winner of an annual EU Blue Flag Award) is an annual Mecca for families and surfers alike. The Americans spent a considerable amount of time practising for the D-Day landings on the beach and you can still explore several bunkers, one on Castle Drive, one on the eastern end of Praa Sands and one on Rinsey Head. In 1943 a RAAF Sunderland plane crashed just offshore and this particular incident was famous because the crew of eleven men destroyed four, out of eight German fighters in 45 minutes of terrifying action. The RAF described the incident as "one of the finest instances in the war of the triumph of coolness, skill and determination against overwhelming odds".
There is also an 18thC wreck that's only exposed at low tide at the eastern end of the beach together with the remains of a prehistoric forest as the whole of the bay stretching out to St. Michael's Mount was once above sea level. Up until the late 1700s, smugglers openly landed their cargoes on beaches and in harbours in the area and Praa Sands was no exception.. At the west-end of the beach is a tunnel that once led to a house at Pengersick formerly the birthplace of the smuggler John Carter, the self-styled King of Prussia. Pengersick has a reputation for black magic, sorcery and wickedness and the ghost of a black-robed monk is regularly seen. The bedroom in the tower is said to be Britain's most haunted room and is still regularly visited by ghost hunters. There is a range of beach shops, a pub and several cafes, one of which is run by the ex England and Yorkshire Cricketer Chris Olds. Praa Sands is within the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is a Regionally Important Geological Site. |
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