Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay on Gibraltar's eastern side had lost almost all its sand to erosion, and the beach reopened in June 2014 after a rebuild with about fifty thousand tons of imported sand, held by two curved groynes and a breakwater in front. The beach is small, enclosed by the Rock behind and the groynes at each end, and the water inside them is calm. Above the road, the slope of the Great Sand Dune once carried Gibraltar's water catchments of corrugated sheets; they were dismantled, and by 2006 the slope was back under native vegetation.

What you'll find

• The rebuilt beach - sand shipped in and held by new groynes.
• The groynes - the curved arms built out to stop the sand washing away.
• The Rock behind - the eastern face rising straight from the beach.
• The calm water - the sheltered conditions inside the arms.

When to go

June to September is the swimming season and when facilities operate. Levanter wind affects the eastern side. Weekends are crowded.

What to expect

The beach is entirely artificial in its current form. It is small and fills quickly in summer. Levanter conditions bring cloud and chop.

Nearby

Catalan Bay is north, and Europa Point is south.

Key facts