The strand was once used to land ships to export slate from the nearby quarries while sand from the beach was used for agricultural purposes.

The name Trebarwith was first associated with the village on the higher ground to the south of the valley which is the most southerly part of Tintagel parish.

Ships brought coal to Port William at the southern end of the beach where cranes and derricks would winch slate down the cliff to be taken away for export.

[5] A wide "road" has been cut through the rocks at the top of the beach to allow access for the donkeys and ponies bringing sand to the settlements inland.

[7] When the tide is at its lowest the sea recedes 300 yards (270 m) and an expanse of sand in excess of 1⁄2 mile (800 m) wide is uncovered.

Frequent strong swells coming in from the Atlantic Ocean make for excellent surfing and the sands are ideal for children, but the state of the tide has a major impact on the beach.

As the tide comes in, the sands are swiftly submerged by the incoming seas until all that is left of the beach is the rocks at the base of the cliffs.

The footpath, running through Access Land passes boreholes and other remnants of the cliff quarry workings which were in operation until 1937.