Beaches

Spinnakers closest beaches

Fistral Beach

The most famous and the one you can see out of your front window is Fistral Beach.  This wide sandy beach runs from Pentire where Spinnakers is and Towan headland where you can see the imposing building of the Headland Hotel.  

This west facing beach catches great surf and has been a venue for international surfing competitions and in August each year hosts the Boardmasters Festival.

At the northern end of the beach is a reef called the Cribbar which in the right sea conditions causes a large wave break which can create up to a 30 foot wave.

Crantock Beach

Behind Spinnakers is Crantock Beach with the River Gannel running through it.  This can make it a little awkward to walk to.  There is a footbridge across the Gannel which you can cross at low tide, and a ferry runs at high tide in season.  You can walk out to Pentire Penisula and down to Crantock beach by wading through the stream.  Do not attempt this at anything other than low tides, the river makes a channel for the waves to run back into the sea.  This is the definition of a rip current!

Crantock is very different from Newquay beaches, uncrowded and lots of sand and dunes.  It is well worth a day out, but watch out for the tides or you have a long walk back. The sand dunes have become very steep in recent years, so do not let children play near them.

Newquay beaches

Heading north from Spinnakers takes you through the rest of Newquay’s beaches.  Taking Pentire Avenue towards Newquay and heading for Beach Road will bring you down to Towan Beach

Towan Beach

Sitting in the lee of Towan Head next to the Harbour is the sheltered Towan Beach.  It is an ideal family beach as it is so sheltered in all but the stormiest conditions.  Check out the house on Jago’s Island. At low tides you can continue through many of Newquay’s beaches

Great Western Beach

Under the station which used to be the Great Western Railway and the Great Western Hotel is Great Western Beach.  The high cliffs that can shelter you from the wind can also cast a shadow later in the afternoon.

Tolcarne Beach

Continuing along the sand brings you to Tolcarne Beach.  As this beach begins to lose the protection of Towan Head you can get but safe surf here. Walking down from the top of the cliff involves some 200 steps

Lusty Glaze

When the tide is low you can walk around the rocks to Lusty Glaze.  This natural amphitheatre of 200ft high cliffs can give great shelter from the wind.  This privately owned beach is fully open to the public and has an adventure centre

Porth Beach

From Lusty Glaze cross the headland and you will arrive at Porth Beach.  This lovely sandy beach is popular with families is set in a deep inlet with a shallow sloping beach.  This means the tide comes in a long way giving many rock pools.

In the summer there is no surfing here.

Whipsiderry Beach

This gem of a beach was voted in the top 20 in Europe.  It is quiet and sheltered making it great for sunbathing.

At low tide you can walk around to Watergate Bay.  Watch the tides as you can be cut off here.

North from Newquay

Watergate Bay

The huge expanse of sand two miles north of Newqauy is Watergate Bay.

This popular location for watersports and kite flying is also the home of the Watergate Bay Hotel and Fifteen Cornwall

Mawgan Porth

Between Watergate and Bedruthan Steps is the great family beach of Mawgan Porth.  This beach is sheltered by high cliffs giving it a different feel from the two very large beaches either side.

Bedruthan Steps

From the National Trust car park next to the B3276 coast road you can walk down a flight of steps to the mile wide Bedruthan Steps beach.  There is lots of exploring can be done here but keep one eye of the tide.  The warning signs point out how easy it is to be cut off as the tide comes in. It looks magnicifcent with the towering walls.

Porthcothan

Heading towards Padstow from Newquay you find the family friendly beach of Porthcothan.  With a cafe and beach shop located next to the car park all easily accessed from the beach.

Treyarnon Bay

Still continueing towards Padstow and getting ever closer to the lighthouse at Trevose Head is the great beach of Treyarnon Bay.  This deep inlet of a beach gives it plenty of shelter with lots of great sand making it a fabulous family beach.  There is even a natural swimming pool to the north of the beach in the rocks.

Constantine Bay

This west facing beach can get some great surf, but with that comes the potential for strong currents so take head of the lifeguards in peak season and if it is too dangerous pop around the head to Harlyn.  At less than half tide this beach joins with Booby’s Bay creating a large expanse of sand almost half a mile long

Booby’s Bay

Above half tide Booby’s Bay becomes its own beach and you can only access it by foot by a path near the golf course.  If you want to get away from the crowds this is your place, but you also get away from cafes, car parks and toilets!

Mother Ivey’s Bay

Around Trevose Head you will come to Mother Ivy’s Bay.  This can be quiet as it is hard to get too, you have to walk there from Harlyn Bay or from Trevose Head.  The only people are likely to be from the nearby caravan park.  There are some great houses on the side of the beach heading towards Trevose Head

Harlyn Bay

Harlyn is a great family beach but if the sea is right, it faces more North, it can catch good surf when other beaches don’t.  There is a car park on the Padstow side of the beach and the walk around to Trevose, first across the beach then following the footpath is a must.

There are toilets at the back of the overflow car park.

Trevone

The small village of Trevone drops down to the sheltered beach.  The Round Hole, a collapsed cave, dominate the cliffs to the northern side of the beach and to the southern side is a rocky beach which makes for great fun for kids to explore.  For the more geology minded it is a perfect example of a wave cut platform.

Travelling from Newquay this brings you to the very pretty Camel Estuary guarded by the Headlands of Stepper Point and Pentire Point.  There are some very nice beaches in the estuary though.

Hawkers Cove

Tregirls or Hawkers Cove is a gem.  It will be quiet as you have to be “in the know” to go there and parking is a bit convoluted.  A farmer opens a field in the summer, otherwise the locals park on the road and walk down.

At low tide a huge expanse of sand is uncovered under some very nice sand dunes, with the old lifeboat station nestled next to a row of coastguard cottages.

But don’t expect facilities! Or a lifeguard.

Directly out from the beach is the Doom Bar, a sand bar which causes the waves to break at certain states of the tide or for which the beer is named. Be very careful of an incoming tide breaking over the sand bar.

St Georges Well

Towards Padstow is the little beach of St Georges Well.  You can walk out to here easily if you have had enough of the gift shops and ice creams of Padstow.  Don’t be surprised if plenty of others have had the same idea.  Better to walk a little further and get to Tregirls.

On the other side of the river are some more interesting beaches.  You will need to tale the ferry from Padstow to Rock or drive through Wadebridge and out the other side of the estuary.

Rock

This is the beach the ferry lands at.  The beach is a long strip of sand surrounded by some of the most exclusive property in Cornwall or the country.  You could run into some celebrities or even a royal or too! But you need very deep pockets to live here.

Daymer Bay

Around or through the gold course towards the open sea is Daymer Bay.  Towered over by Braey Hill this very quiet beach is very sheltered.  Walk up the hill for some stunning view and visit the bent spired church of St Enedoc where John Betjeman, the former Poet Laureate, is buried

Polzeath

Just before you get to the open sea again you come across Polzeath Beach (say Polzeth).  If you want to learn to surf this is one of the best places.  A very flat beach means not many currents and it faces out to sea although it is in the estuary so you have some protection.  This is your training beach before you graduate to Watergate, Constantine or the mighty Fistral Beaches.

If you do make the trip up here do the walk out the northern side of the beach to Pentire Point – the large headland to overlooking the estuary – and round to the spectacular Rumps Point, the home of many a film set.  Don’t get too confused, Spinnakers is on Pentire Pensinsula in Newquay, Pentire Point is the headland at the end of the Camel Estuary.  In Cornish Penntir comes from penn – Head and tir – land, there are others in the area too!

Heading back to Spinnakers to look at the beaches to the south of us.

Polly Joke or Porth joke

This beach will be quiet as it is hard to get to and you can walk to it!  But you will have to cross the Gannel and Crantock Beach to do so.  As we said above this is tide dependant and can mean a ferry across the Gannel at higher tides.  It is possible to drive around but you have to park a little distance from the beach.  This is why it is quiet.

Holywell Bay

Many locals will say Holywell is the best beach of them all!.  You can drive around and there is parking fairly close to the beach.  You will find a large amount of sand, sand dunes, rockpools and a stream running through the beach.  The kids will love it.

Perranporth

Perrnporth is a typical example of a beach town and the high street backs onto the beach.  At low tide Penhale sands are opened up and this creates one of the longest beaches around

St Agnes

The Beaches at St Agnes are overlooked by the remnants of the Cornish mining industry with picturesque engine houses dotted around.  Trevaunance Cove, to give it its proper name, is popular with surfers.  St Agnes has good amenities, local shops and inns.

Porthtowan

As a frequent winner of the Blue Flag award Porthtowan beach has all the qualities and amenities one would expect. Good food can be found at the beachside "Blue Bar" and there is a village shop a couple of minutes walk up the road.

The beach is well sheltered by the cliffs from the winds

Portreath

Yet another place popular with surfers!  This beach is quite renowned for body boarders

Carbis Bay

Just east of St Ives, Carbis Bay is a nice sandy beach that rarely has surf.  

St Ives

St Ives has two beaches, Harbour beach and Porthmeor.  I prefer Porthmeor, it is right in front of the Tate Gallery.