Shell Island

Sandy Beach backed by large campsite and dune complex

Submitted by:
justal
Updated:
28th Apr 2004

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The large caravan-free campsite of Shell Island is reached via a causeway and provides a lovely place to stay. The beach itself is sandy and offers good windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions, especially in light summer breezes for beginners. I'm not sure how good it gets in stronger winds, but I can see no reason why it wouldn't be as good as most other long sandy beaches along this coastline. Facing NW it should also be fairly well protected from big SW swells and be cross-shore in a SW wind. Since writing this, I have heard stories of Shell Island absolutely going off in a southerly wind with a 2-3 foot swell, producing perfect cross-off shore down-the-line wave riding conditions.

The Shell Island complex itself has a cafe, restaurant and other facilities. Parking is plentiful, but you do have to pay to get onto the 'island'. It can also get very busy here in the summer with families of campers, but early or late in the season it can be a really nice place to camp as you'll be able to find a quiet corner amongst the dunes for some peace and solitude and a mouth watering BBQ... If you can keep the midges at bay.

Surf Conditions at Shell Island can be Good

Buggying Conditions at Shell Island can be OK

Windsurfing Conditions at Shell Island can be Excellent

Kitesurfing Conditions at Shell Island can be Excellent

Windsurfing at Shell Island

Kitesurfing at Shell Island

NW	N	NE

W		E

SW	S	SE

NW	N	NE

W		E

SW	S	SE

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Posted By: sjdl
Member

Member#: 3042
Location:
Registered: 27-11-2006
Last Visit: 27-11-2006

Shell Island

Shell Island has got to be the best camp site ever. It covers a massive area and is very diverse in its topography, from flat open area's to hidden alcoves in the trees to beech front paradise. The amenities are fairly good too.
HOWEVER, if you go during the Bank Holiday weeks or School Holiday weeks then be prepared for HELL. The site gets very crowded, over-crowded to be truthful, you will que for an hour just for a shower. The site is full of fat, bald headed scousers who swig copious amounts of beer, pwuek everywhere, play music loudly till the wee hours and have what can only be described as towering inferno's for BBQ's. You will never want to camp again - unless you are a 'chav' in which case you will be in your element. There is a 'no caravan' policy but they do let camper vans on site so long as they use a tent, which is a joke as I have never seen a camper van with tent, this is over looked by the site management.
Late September, especially if we have an Indian Summer, this is Shell Island at its best. Not many people, clean and tidy absolutely stunning, maybe a bit nippy at night but have a BBQ raised off the ground and listen to the sound of the waves as they crash over the rocks - perfect.