Cornwall Surfing Cornwall Beaches Newquay Surfing Cornwall UK

Newquay Surfing Beaches

Newquay's surfing culture, as is frequently warbled about, really exploded in the 1960s with the tourism boom, and the international lifeguard influx. No qualms about it, Newquay is Britain's surfing capital, with the British Surfing Association's head office and school based here adjacent to Fistral Beach, boosted by certainly one of the best surfing beaches in the country - Fistral Beach which faces the Atlantic head on west. Major Surfing competitions meet here at Newquay on Fistral Beach. For your introduction to Newquay surfing check out the Surf Newquay and BSA links to the right which have all the news on surfing competitions and events, surfing shops and schools and surfing culture.

Beginner surfers heading to Cornwall for the surf are best starting at Newquay which caters well for all surfing tastes from beginners of all ages from kids to seniors, and there are so many surfing schools at Newquay offering surfing lesson packages with all inclusive lodge accommodation but all with a different focus, with some women only, some stag and hen group favourites and some focusing on families and kids. Fistral Beach is where the experienced surfers head to, with beginners starting out on the mushier waves of centrally placed Great Western Beach. All surfer levels are catered for, which is part of Newquay's real surfing appeal. Safe surf is guaranteed with an army of lifeguards on patrol in peak season, and if you love the surfing gear and surfing music and scene then Newquay doesn't disappoint. All your favs are here in the many Newquay surfing shops including Roxy, Billabong, Ripcurl, Animal and all the rest.

The best surfing beach in Newquay is internationally renowned Fistral Beach. It's big and divided into three sections, North Fistral, South Fistral and Little Fistral. South Fistral beach is for the experienced surfers and beginners are advised to avoid this section! The waves are excellent and tend to break to the left and it's best here from mid to high tide. Submerged rocks to the right of South Fistral are often used by experienced surfers to jump in from. Definitely not for beginners, Fistral South has a South/South East offshore wind and tends to get rather crowded in the peak season.

The British Surfing Association is the National Governing Body for the sport of surfing in Great Britain and the Channel Islands. The British Surfing Association. The International Surfing Centre. Fistral Beach Newquay Cornwall. TR7 1HY. Tel: 01637 876474. Check the A1 surfing news weblink right too for the best reports on Newquay surf beaches, and other top Cornwall surfing beaches.

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North Cornwall Beaches & Surfing

Perranporth Beach is most certainly one of those special Cornwall beached, loved by surfers for years, the oldest surf school on the North Cornwall Coast is here. Perranporth beach is particularly recommended to beginner or intermediate surfers, and it's great length (3 miles) means it's much quieter here than the crowded Newquay surfing beaches.

St Agnes is renowned for it's four stunning beaches which offer a range of water sports including surfing, boating, diving, fishing/angling and hang gliding. With it's cliffs lined with historic mine ruins, plus it's many rock pools, the St Agnes stretch of the North Cornwall coast has an appeal to young and old alike offering a superb beach holiday, or a historic journey into Cornwall's mining history with some superb coastal walking thrown in! The two key surfing beaches are to the west of St Agnes at Chapel Porth and Porthtowan, whilst the family favourite beach with rock pools and caves is the stunning Trevaunance Cove which is the nearest beach to St Agnes centre.

Around Padstow Bay is some of the best Cornwall surfing beaches, and at the top of the surfing tree sits particularly Constantine Bay. Backed on by sand dunes and framed by a rocky reef on it's south side, this Cornwall surfing beach takes two different shapes at low and high tides. At low tide it connects with it's sister beach, Booby's Bay, creating a long sandy bay (over half a mile of sand) whereas at high tide it's a shelving beach. Access to Booby's to the north is from Constantine at low tide, or via a path near the golf course. Surfers can expect some serious rips at Constantine Bay.

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Bude Beaches & Surfing

Bude has the pick of the beaches in Cornwall, with two in particular - Crooklets Beach and Summerleaze Beach offering excellent family beach facilities and good surfing at Crooklets.

Crooklets beach sits just north of Bude, only about a 5 minute walk from the centre. A full lifeguard service is offered in peak summer season, and Crooklets beach has a superb range of facilities including ample parking, a cafe, beach huts for hire, a skate park, Bude Lifesavers club and toilets. Surf clothing shops and surf gear hire are conveniently situated near the beach, plus there's a good choice of surfing schools in the area including Shoreline Outdoor Pursuits (see weblink to the right), situated on Crooklets Beach and offering not just surfing but kayaking, abseiling, canoeing, archery and a choice of team working activities.

Families often prefer Bude's perfect family beach Summerleaze beach which is renowned for it's own natural made sea pool, one of three in the UK! A full lifeguard service operates on Summerleaze in peak season, and it's a very popular beach, but plenty of space for all on it's glorious expanse of golden sands! Summerleaze beach is particularly sheltered too by dunes to one side and Bude canal on the other. There's pleasant walking nearby too on the cliffs to the south, and joy of joys Summerleaze Beach is a dog friendly North Cornwall beach, but dogs need to be kept under control and all mess cleaned up! Disabled toilet facilities are also available on this beach, and it offers good surfing conditions when it's too wild on Crooklets.

If you're in Bude you're in one of the best areas for Cornwall Surfing. Move up towards Hartland Point and hit Sandymouth Beach, and idyllic beach actually owned by the National Trust. Superb clean water here too. Moving just outside of Bude up and down the North Cornwall Coast you'll discover stunning hidden beaches away from the crowds. Check out Northcott Mouth just North of Bude, a beautifully secluded spot with excellent surfing. Many of these small beaches though don't have lifeguards, so best for the experienced surfer! Just to the south is superb rock pool beach Widemouth Bay, with spectacular cliff walks here too and good surfing. Also on offer is a choice of small sandy beaches with rock pools galore - Crackington Haven beach is one of the best with a delightful inn situated right near the beach.

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Far West Cornwall Beaches

St Ives Bay belongs in the club of 'The World's Best Bay's, and there it certainly belongs. Carbis Bay and the Lelant area offer beautiful clean, golden sandy beaches - many of which are popular surfer haunts. Porthmeor beach is at the northern end of St Ives town centre and backed on by the Tate Gallery. Expect pretty good and consistent surfing conditions on this beach, with the St Ives Surf School based here. Lifeguards are on the beach, and some parking is adjacent and higher up above the beach. All your facilities are here, making Porthmeor Beach an excellent one for families. A restaurant and cafe are on the beach, with toilets and beach huts available.

Now for the beaches that surround St Ives. Pure paradise beach is to be found on Carbis Bay, a huge sandy beach popular with families and a favourite with the kids. Clean, safe, and great bathing are all here at Carbis Bay, which also has excellent parking (unlike St Ives!). You can also access sublime cliff walks to Porthkidney Sands from Carbis Bay. A cafe and toilets are on-site. The Porthkidney Lelant beach is again sublime - both Carbis and Porthkidney look more like Caribbean Beaches than typical UK ones! Porthkidney beach is three miles of sand offering lots of space. The sea is safe for bathing but visitors should avoid the river estuary which is dangerous for bathing. Porthkidney beach also has scenic sand dunes. Further up the coast towards Hayle there are more superb sandy beaches to choose from. See Hayle Tourist Information.

Hayle Towans, otherwise known as the Upton Towans beach is still one of the most beautiful beaches on the West Cornwall coast, despite recent controversy over the selling off of sand by harbour companies - which has ceased due to a very effective local resident's campaign. Towans is actually Cornish for dunes, and the sand dunes on Hayle's beach give it a distinctively sublime character. Holiday parks back onto the beach, so it's a good one for all-inclusive family holidays. It's a very safe bathing beach with a glorious expanse of sand, but swimming in the adjacent river estuary is dangerous and visitors should not swim in the estuary. Hayle Towans has lifeguard cover in peak summer season from May to September, 10am to 6pm.

One of the most stunning beaches in West Cornwall is Sennen Cove just north of Land's End. You can walk to it along the scenic coast path from the Land's End Experience. Many Penzance families flock here and to Porthcurno Beach on the opposite side of the headland near the Minack Theatre. It's popular for it's endless stretch of golden sands, and because it's particularly sheltered at the south east corner of Whitesand Bay and protected by the Pedn-men-du Headland. Between Penzance and Land's End sits Porthcurno Beach, one of the few sandy beaches on this stretch, and one of Cornwall's best beaches. Naturally formed, Porthcurno beach is dramatic indeed with it's granite rock formations framing this stunning bay beach of glorious golden sand which is made up completely of ground shell particles. Looking down at Porthcurno beach from the Minack theatre, the water takes on a beautiful clear turquoise colour. This effect is largely due to the shell fragments in the sand which run well under the waterline - the effect is magical indeed. Porthcurno beach is now owned by the National Trust - given to them by Cable and Wireless in May 1994.

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Looe & Polperro Beaches, East Cornwall

The range of family holiday beaches both to the east and west of Looe are one of the key attractions pulling holidaymakers towards the area. East Looe beach near the town centre is one of the most popular wide sandy family beaches in the area. It's framed by the Bango Pier to the west and a rocky outcrop to the east, making it nice and sheltered. Plenty of amenities close to hand in Looe town centre, plus toilets adjacent. A good all round Cornwall family holiday beach!

Visitors should note that Looe Harbour and river is out of bounds for swimming. Looe is a busy harbour and the river is well used by dinghy sailing and the like, so swimming in these areas is extremely dangerous. For East Looe Beach park up at the West Looe mammoth car park - the beach and harbour are within easy walking distance from here. No dogs are allowed on East Looe beach.

Over on the West side of Looe discover beautiful West Looe and Hannafore beach. This beach, also a great family haunt, is a shingle beach full of rock pools to keep the kids busy! Come to this beach for the best views of Looe Island. Marine Drive runs all the way along the coast, and at the far end there's a cafe, various hotels and access to the coast path and walks towards Talland Bay, Polperro and Polruan. Other glorious beaches in the area include Tolland Bay, Whitsand Bay, Lantivet Bay and Lantic bay and Plaidy Beach.

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Fowey & St Austell Bay Beaches

Although St Austell just west along the coast from Fowey often tends to get attention for it's superb family beaches, there are a superb selection of choice South Cornwall beaches on the Fowey coastline stretch. There are 9 spectacular beaches ranging from the sands at Par beach to little idyllic cove beaches at Polridmouth and Readymoney.

Sandy Cornish Riviera and St Austell Bay beaches abound, ranging from big bay beaches to small sandy coves. No rip roaring Atlantic waves here, just a gentle English Channel offering a choice of rock pools, and relaxing family holiday beaches - superb! No wonder families flock to this part of the Cornish coast for their holidays. You're conveniently placed in St Austell for more choice of beaches in Fowey Bay (see Fowey), but in St Austell Bay choose from Par Sands Beach. Par Sands Beach is popular, with a large flat sandy beach well equipped with facilities with a pub, cafe and sports facilities adjacent. Par Sands is dog friendly as well.

Heading down the west side of St Austell Bay brings you down into popular Mevagissey and Mevagissey Bay. Many holidaymakers, especially families, head to this stretch of the bay for the prime beaches. Polstreath beach is a particular favourite offering a good stretch of attractive sandy beach, accessed via some pretty steep steps to the north of Mevagissey town. Alternatively head for Pentewan and it's beach just a little further north.

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Isles of Scilly Beaches

Isles of Scilly beaches look more typical of a Caribbean coastline than a UK one! St Mary's, the largest of the Scilly Isles, offers a superb choice of beaches, many of which are situated close to the main hub - Hugh Town. Porthcressa Beach is Hugh Town's south facing beach, offering beautiful white fine sands, and perfect conditions for bathing. This beach is popular with families, has toilets adjacent and all the amenities of Hugh Town close to hand including ample pubs, cafes, restaurants and specialist arts and crafts shops.

Also on St Mary's check out also Porthmellon Beach in Hugh Town's 'old town' area - also an attractive family beach, and centre for the Isles of Scilly Sailing Centre where you can hire equipment for not just sailing, but also windsurfing.. Windsurfing fanatics should head north to the Bar Point area, after checking in for equipment hire at the Sailing Centre on Porthmellon Beach. For total seclusion head towards Pelistry Bay on the east side of the island. This area of St Mary's coast, including Toll Island is indeed an idyllic spot. Word of warning though, NO SWIMMING is allowed here beacus the sandbar can cause dangerous rip tides.

For the best beaches on Tresco head to Appletree beach and bay and Pentle Bay, both of which are covered in pretty shells. Stunning St Martin's, the most easterly of the inhabited islands offers some of the most beautiful beaches in the UK, as well as great conditions for diving. Many think it the most beautiful of all the islands. As flower growing is one of the main industries on the island you can see why. Lots of colour is on the menu here, plus beautiful beaches, dramatic landscapes and sublime views - for example from St Martin's Head to the north east. Clear waters around St Martin's offer excellent conditions for diving and snorkelling.

Coastal walking around St Agnes is made easy with the well marked, indented coastal path. St Agnes has some stunning sandy coves along the coast, as well as rugged granite outcrops, meadows, heath land and freshwater pools. A sand bar connects St Agnes to Gugh, and this can be walked across at low tide (careful not to get stranded!). Both Porth Conger and The Cove offer glorious sandy beaches for swimming. A trip to Bryher is highly recommended, taking in it's rugged and wild beauty. Fine bathing is to be had at Rushy Bay to the South, a beach which is considered to be one of the best on the Isles of Scilly! There's a campsite on Bryher too, near Norrard.

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Beaches around the Lizard & Mount's Bay

Praa Sands Beach is one of the most popular Cornwall beaches in this area. It's a blue flag beach, with fine golden sands and superb views across to Rinsey Head and the Lizard. A restaurant is adjacent, and ample facilities are available including parking, Gentler than Porthleven with it's Reef!, Praa Sands is popular with surfers and families alike. Check out the A1 surf link right for details.

Some of the best of Cornwall's beaches are around the Lizard Coast! South of Porthleven on the west coast of the Lizard there's a choice of beaches. Poldhu Cove is a most attractive little sandy beach, perfect for swimming with a handy cafe, a shop, toilets and parking all available. No dogs are allowed on Poldhu. Surfers head for Polurrian Cove, a glorious sandy beach. Watch the steep steps down to it though. No dogs allowed here either, At Mullion Cove there's a pretty beach, shops, toilets and amenities and you can access boat trips from here. Over on the east coast of the Lizard Peninsula find more picturesque fishing villages, such as Cadgwith and Coverack. Cadgwith has a charming little pebble beach and is a delightful scene.

For the jewel in the crown along this stretch of the Lizard coast head to the dramatic Kyance Cove. This idyllic white sandy cove, best for swimming at low tide, is popular and the jagged cliffs which back on the beach make for sublime viewing indeed! Walking the coastal path from Kyance all the way to Lizard Point is highly recommended. Wild flowers cover the cliffs in the summer months to great effect. Kynance Cove beach is reached again by some steep steps, and is equipped with basic amenities including a shop, cafe and toilets. No Dogs are allowed on this beach.

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