Category: Activities

Walk through Watergate Bay

Watergate Bay Resized

Surfing hub and stylish beach resort, Watergate Bay effortlessly flaunts the chic coastal lifestyle.

With two miles of golden, wave-lashed sands flanked by cliffs flecked with sea pinks and gorse, it’s little wonder that surfers, dog walkers and beach lovers flock here for the fusion of wild scenery, rolling waves and beachside restaurants.

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A true haven on the edge of the UK’s surfing capital, Watergate Bay was once a hot spot for dedicated surfers awaiting the Atlantic swells. But in recent years it’s stepped up to cater for the well-heeled wannabe surf gang, who can hit the waves and return to the creature comforts of swanky beachside accommodation, and dine in some of the region’s foodie hotspots.

Watergate Bay

View Watergate Bay in all its glory when you walk from neighbouring Porth beach. Fuel up on coffee and deck yourself out in the latest coastal style at Roo’s Beach, then strike out along the rugged promontory of Porth Island – where you can find the remains of an Iron Age castle and witness the sea spraying from the blow hole at mid tide.

Fancy staying in Watergate Bay? Check out our luxury holiday properties in Watergate Bay, Newquay.

At low tide you can descend the steep cliff staircase at Whipsiderry and make sandy footprints all the way to Watergate Bay (just be careful not to get cut off by the tides). However, the best views are captured from the coast path, which hugs the cliffs and boasts breath-taking views of Newquay and the North Cornish coast.

Once you get to Watergate Bay, there are plenty of places to pause and immerse yourself in the surfy vibe. Try an array of watersports – from surfing to hand planing – at the Extreme Academy, and pop into the Shop on the Beach to get all the kit you need for a day at the seaside.

You’re spoilt for choice when it comes down to places to eat with a sea view. Local food hero Emily Scott will be serving locally sourced produce in rustic dishes at Emily Scott Food. For something more laidback, grab a table at the Beach Hut for seafood and extreme hot chocolates with sandy toes. Or for a fusion of American cuisine and classic Cornish ingredients, opt for Zacry’s at Watergate Bay Hotel. Also in the hotel is the Living Space, which is a divine spot for coffee, sharing platters and classic dishes with expansive ocean views.

Hot chocolate at Watergate Bay

Keep your eye on the local events calendar during your visit, as Watergate Bay has become a buzzing venue for all sorts of events and entertainment. As well as being the site for Boardmasters – Europe’s largest surfing and music festival, it’s also host to a drive-in cinema, SUP championships, a speed hill climb and a pumping New Year’s Eve party.

Being a vast, dog-friendly beach there’s plenty of space to stretch your legs and get away from the crowds. Wait for the tide to ebb and walk to the North end, where you’ll find turquoise rock pools teeming with blennies, crabs and other sea critters. Take the South West Coast Path north and you can follow two miles of eye-popping scenery to the next sandy runway of Mawgan Porth. Keep your eyes peeled for rare seabirds and dolphins at Beacon Cove – coastal wildlife flocks to this pristine and inaccessible beach.

Experience the magic of the season and discover festive nights at Watergate Bay.

Book a self-catering holiday in Watergate Bay.

5 webcams to watch in Cornwall

Stay close to Cornwall wherever you are with some of our favourite beachside webcams

We appreciate you are missing our amazing Cornish beaches at the moment, so we’ve handpicked five webcams that allow you enjoy a sneak peek at some of your favourite locations.

To see more of your special place by the sea and to keep up to date with all things Beach Retreats follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Want to stay in a luxury holiday house with a view of the sea? Check out our cottages with sea views.

Watergate Bay

Home to many of our contemporary self-catering holiday homes, you’ll find plenty to watch at Watergate Bay no matter what the season. See the local surfers catch a morning wave, watch wild swimmers take the plunge and spot wind surfers and dog walkers in abundance. This webcam is positioned at The Beach Hut, one of our favourite go to places to grab a bite to eat as the sun sets.

Watch Watergate Bay webcam.

 

Whitsand Bay

With its dramatic scenery, craggy cliffs and long stretch of golden sand, Whitsand Bay is located in south east Cornwall and is home to six of our contemporary coastal cabins. Surf brand Magic Seaweed have placed a webcam here for locals to check the surf before heading down the winding paths and cliff. This beautiful stretch of Cornish coast is bound by the Lynher and Tamar rivers, the Hamoaze and the sea. Known as Cornwall’s ‘Forgotten Corner’, Whitsand Bay is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Watch Whitsand Bay webcam.

 

Fistral Beach

If you miss jumping from bed to board and need a quick surf fix, this Fistral beach webcam will certainly do the trick. Known as one of Cornwall’s top surfing spots, Fistral is home to countless surf festivals, Rick Stein’s Fistral, The Fish House, Fistral Surf School and our luxury beachside apartments and houses. Watch the surfers head in at sunrise or catch a famous Fistral sunset. This large beach is dog friendly all year round, so you’ll certainly see some wagging tails.

Watch Fistral Beach webcam.

Want to stay in Newquay? Have a look at our luxury holiday properties in Newquay.

Interested in finding out more about Newquay? Discover what to do in and around Newquay.

Rock Beach

From bobbing boats, to kayakers and stand up paddle boarders, Rock in north Cornwall is an exclusive watersports destination giving you plenty to follow when missing your Cornish slice of heaven. The beach provides a long expanse of golden sand at low tide, leading round to Brea Hill and the popular Daymer Bay. Watch the world go by and start planning your next adventure to one of our brand new Rock properties, Bijou and Ferrypoint.

Watch Rock Beach webcam.

 

Minack Theatre and Porthcurno

Take a peek at Cornwall, way down west and watch the waves crash against the cliffs at the famous open air Minack Theatre. Its backdrop can’t be beaten with Pedn Vounder and Porthcurno’s white Caribbean like sand and crystal clear water. Keep your eyes peeled between May and September and sit back whilst a live theatrical play takes place.

Watch Minack Theatre webcam.

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Cornwall’s Wild Larder

At a time when the seasonality and provenance of our food are becoming evermore important, people are opening their eyes to our edible landscape. Cornwall is a foodie haven renowned for its abundance of fresh ingredients plucked from the coast and countryside, so it’s little wonder that the shoreline and hedgerows are bursting with them. Cliff-tops are thriving with samphire, gorse flowers and wild garlic, boulders are strewn with edible seaweeds and hedgerows are bursting with all sorts of berries and herbs.

It’s not often that people compare Cornwall’s landscape with the shelves of a supermarket, but whether you want to make chutney or serve up a three-course feast, expert forager Caroline Davey can show you where to find an array of ingredients in nature’s larder. “It’s about using foraged foods like any other ingredients you would buy from the supermarket, and making interesting, delicious dishes with them,” says Caroline.

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A keen cook with a background in ecology and botany, Caroline started supplying local restaurants with foraged ingredients back in 2007, and by 2008 she had launched Fat Hen – her own foraging and wild cookery school. Caroline’s renovated barns tucked in the wilds of West Cornwall are the perfect base to bring people together to enjoy the Great Outdoors, go foraging and create fabulous feasts from nature’s bounty. This isn’t foraging for survival’s sake. Greens, herbs, salad, veg, seaweeds, flowers, seeds and roots are cooked up into restaurant-worthy dishes, sometimes topped up with seafood from the local fishermen. “People start identifying edible plants in a bunch of greenery or seaweed and realise not only that they can eat them, but that they actually taste really good,” says Caroline. “The profile of wild food is changing. It’s not just eating wild food that’s important; it’s the process of foraging for our own ingredients that is emphasising our connection with food and the landscape. When you get down to the beach and you’re out foraging you’re living so much in the moment and everything feels so good.”

SEASIDE FORAGING

Anyone can go out and forage for ingredients along the shoreline – seashore plants are very distinctive and quite easy to identify with the help of a guidebook to wild ingredients. Caroline recommends River Cottage’s Edible Seashore.
The coastline is a great place to find seaweed, samphire and sea beet, all delicious served up with line-caught mackerel or foraged mussels. Then you can scour the woodlands and hedgerows for berries, edible flowers, three-cornered leeks and nettles.

Six wild ingredients to forage for in Cornwall

ELDERFLOWER – the taste and scent of English summer. The sweet flavour of elderflower makes delicious cordial and non-alcoholic elderflower champagne’, and can also be used in salads and dressings.

NASTURTIUM
Part of the watercress family, nasturtiums grows so vigorously in Cornwall that some people consider them to be a weed. The leaves and petals have a peppery, tangy flavour and add wonderful colour and punch to a summer salad.

APPLE MINT
A versatile ingredient for cocktails and summer barbecues. Apple mint adds a zingy flavour to salad dishes, cocktails and meat. Or you can simply pour boiling water over a sprig for fresh mint tea.

BLACK MUSTARD
The strong and peppery leaves can be used for frittatas, salads or as a cooked green. Use the flowers in a salad or a Bloody Mary.

ROCK SAMPHIRE
Named after St Pierre (the patron saint of fishermen), samphire is delicious pickled, in a salsa verde, in fritters or alongside fresh fish.

MUSSELS
Our favourite food to forage for has to be mussels. Pick them off the rocks at the lowest tide and steam them in white wine with garlic and cream. Don’t pick them after rain or near a river-mouth and only from September to April.

FAT HEN – www.fathen.org, 01736 810156

Check out our holiday properties in Mousehole to experience everything Penzance and the area has to offer.

Unearth fascinating finds and foraging adventures with Beach Retreats’ insightful guide.

Things to do in Cornwall During February Half Term

10 Things to do in the Great Outdoors for February Half-Term

February half term is a fantastic time for a break in Cornwall. And while there are plenty of indoor attractions – from the Eden Project to the Blue Reef Aquarium – we prefer to immerse ourselves in nature, embrace the elements and be outside. Here are our top ten outdoor activities for February…

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Search February half term accommodation.

Hit the Surf

During winter the waves are more consistent and powerful, yet there are less surfers in the water – making it the perfect season to increase your wave count and work on your technique. Get lessons from the Extreme Academy in Watergate Bay, where the instructors promise to keep you as toasty during winter as they do during summer surf sessions. Using high-tech wetsuits, gloves, booties and hoods, you’ll barely even notice the cold air and water temperatures, so with expert tuition and no crowds to contend with, you’ll be riding waves like a pro in no time at all.

extremeacademy.co.uk/

Fancy staying in Watergate Bay? Check out our luxury holiday properties in Watergate Bay, Newquay.

Don your wellies and go down to the woods

For all-weather walking and biking trails, den building, a wildlife pond and plenty of trees to climb, head to Tehidy Woods. Whether you’re looking for an energetic stomp, a romantic stroll, or a family ramble, it’s a magical location come rain or shine. Follow the buggy-friendly routes, feed the squirrels and ducks, and tuck into cake and hearty Cornish food in the café. Dogs are welcome in much of the estate, except in the designated wildlife area.

Get moving on a Park Run

Get active on a 5km run in the stunning surroundings of Cornwall’s parkland. Join hundreds of other runners – and walkers – to kick-off the weekend on a fun run for all abilities and ages. Starting at 9am each Saturday, locations include the Penrose Estate (near Porthleven and Loe Bar), Trelissick (hemming the River Fal), Lanhydrock (close to Bodmin), the Eden Project, Heartlands and Mount Edgcumbe Country Park. There are also junior 2km events at some venues.

parkrun.org.uk

Follow the clues along a Treasure Trail

Who doesn’t love solving a mystery or searching for clues along a treasure trail? From a murder mystery trail through historic Hayle, to a secret spy mission in Mousehole, or hunting for buried treasure in Charlestown, there are lots of self-guided Treasure Trails that will take you under the skin of Cornwall’s heritage and landscapes. Simply choose your location, download your map and follow the clues – it’s a fun day out for the whole family.

treasuretrails.co.uk/things-to-do/cornwall

Slide down giant sand dunes

Six miles south of Newquay’s buzzing surf hub, Holywell Bay is the perfect setting for an active day in the Great Outdoors. Having scored a starring role in the BBC’s recent Poldark hit, its breath-taking beauty needs little introduction – with the iconic twin peaks of Gull Rock and towering sand dunes. We love exploring the sea caves and collecting shells, but our favourite thing to do is strap a sandboard to our feet and slide down the giant dunes as if we’re surfing a huge wave or snowboarding.

Encounter seals and sea life

Over winter there are large numbers of grey seal pups found stranded on the Cornish coast, unable to make it back into the wild due to injury or malnourishment. The Sea Life Trust offers a sanctuary for rehabilitation, nursing the seal pups until they are ready to head back into the ocean. On a visit to this picturesque setting on the edge of the Helford, you can see rescued seals dipping and diving their way to recovery, learn all about grey seals and other species, and encounter lots of marine wildlife including sea lions, otters, penguins, crabs and starfish.

visitsealife.com/gweek

Hike along the South West Coast Path

There’s nothing like a coastal walk to blow the cobwebs away and clap your eyes on Cornwall’s staggering scenery. Wherever you’re staying, you can pick a section of the South West Coast Path to suit your timescale and energy levels. For an easy-going two-hour stroll, wend through the woodland from Cawsand and trace the cliff path to the remains of the chapel perched on Rame Head. If you’re up for a challenge, some of the toughest sections of coastline await on the northern fringes of the Atlantic coast between Bude and Morwenstow, where calf-busting climbs etch the rise and fall of dramatic cliffs that collapse onto rocky beaches.

southwestcoastpath.org.uk

Get your skates on

While ice skating at the Eden Project isn’t entirely alfresco, we really recommend you visit this world famous attraction for a twirl around the ice rink before it melts on 23 February. While you’re there enjoy lots of outdoor attractions including gardens and a mini beast play tower. Throughout February half term you can explore the incredible world of colour, with craft workshops, a colour trail around the biomes, and get hands on with the creation of a giant collaborative art installation. If you need any more fresh air, fly half a mile along the SkyWire and take in the biomes from 100m above.

edenproject.com

Freewheel along the cycle trails

One of Cornwall’s most popular cycle routes is the Camel Trail, and February is one of the best months to enjoy it crowd-free. We love the easy section along estuary from Wadebridge to Padstow, stopping for fish and chips by the harbour of this foodie town. Our other favourite for off-road cycling is Lanhydrock, where a series of bike trails and skills areas are graded for all abilities. Plus, you can fuel up in the National Trust café, and take a twirl of the grand Victorian manor house on the sprawling country estate.

nationaltrust.org.uk/lanhydrock

Drop in on your skateboard

If you can’t face the freeze of the ocean’s waves in February, head to the world-class concrete waves of Newquay’s revolutionary new skate park. Cruise around the retro pool, race along the street run, get air on the stairs and drop into the bowl. Making skating fun for all ages and levels of board riders, this is the place to head for guaranteed waves. And if when you’ve had enough of board life, it’s located right next to Newquay Zoo, the Trampoline and Play Park, and Waterworld swimming centre.

Find a retreat in one of our beach locations, and look out for special offers for your February half term stay.

Visiting in Easter? Explore things to do in Cornwall this spring.

Top 5 places to see Christmas lights in Cornwall

Experience Cornwall’s twinkling harbours this Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas and Cornwall was filled with glistening lights! We give you our top 5 locations to visit over the festive season.

We are now offering 20% off 5 or 7 night breaks on selected properties this Christmas. Or stay at The Village for 7 nights and arrive to a festive Cornish hamper and decorated Christmas tree.

Mousehole Harbour

Described as Cornwall’s brightest star and the King of Christmas Lights, our Number 1 place to go is Mousehole Harbour. Celebrating its 56th year with its switch on 15 December 2019, visitors can expect over 7,000+ twinkling lights making up a variety of animals and objects across the harbour.

Check out our holiday properties in Mousehole to experience everything the area has to offer.

Christmas Lights at Mousehole Harbour

Padstow Harbour

Padstow Christmas Festival is a unique experience and certainly one not to be missed. Not only do they light up the harbour, they also light up the sky with a spectacular fireworks show. This Christmas festival takes place 5-9 December 2019 with top chefs making an appearance with foodie demos and the chance to stock up on Christmas presents in the market.

Angarrock

A small village located close to Hayle in west Cornwall, Angarrock and its small community come together to create  an animated 12 Days of Christmas in sparkles. You’ll find their Christmas glow along its rivers, streets and even rooftops.

Looe

Looe has a December calendar full of festive fun. The big switch on itself will take place the first week of December at the rivers edge prior to a traditional lantern parade. Make a day of it with shopping and dinner, finishing the night off with an evening stroll as you watch the Christmas lights reflect on the water.

Truro

Last and by no means least we give you Truro. Here, a ‘City of light’ parade and Christmas light switch on marks the start of Truro’s festivities with over 30,000 visitors expected each year. Visitors will be serenaded by at least 100 local musicians and dancers whilst showcasing over 600 lanterns, made by local artists, school children, college students and community members. Head here Wednesday 19th November 2019.

See more Christmas inspiration here.

Looking for restaurants to visit at Christmas time? Check out our 10 favourite restaurants for a Christmas dinner.

Rockpooling Checklist

Top tips for Rock Pooling in Cornwall.

Your Beach Retreats guide to all there is to know about rock pooling in Cornwall.

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When to go

You can rockpool all year round in Cornwall. Wrap up in winter and pick a sheltered shore, or visit in summer when marine life is flourishing.

Where to go

Watergate Bay, Porth and Whipsiderry, Newtrain Bay near Trevone and Trevaunance Cove in St Agnes are all great spots for rockpooling, but any beach with a rocky shoreline is good. Our harbours are also brilliant for crabbing.

Check the weather

The best rockpooling happens on calm, sunny days at low tide when parts of the shore normally covered in water are exposed. Plan your visit by checking a local tide table online and move inland as the tide pushes in.

What to pack

Many people think you need a net to go rockpooling, but you don’t. One of the best ways to enjoy the shore is to peer into a rockpool and wait. With patience you’ll be treated to a natural display of the fascinating and tough creatures that live here. If you do use a bucket be careful not to overcrowd it with creatures. They can overheat and run out of oxygen.

Walk to Watergate Bay

Follow the seashore code

    • Respect the seashore creatures, handle them as little as possible and always put them back where you find them.
    • Take photos home, not animals.
    • Put overturned rocks back carefully as you found them.
    • Take any rubbish home with you.
    • Keep safe on the seashore, check the tides and keep away from the cliffs and waves.

Top Tips

Look for a shore with small rocks covered in seaweed and start by investigating underneath the water’s surface. Lift the rocks carefully and you may find crabs, cushion starfish and even snake pipefish and Cornish sucker fish.

Watch your fingers

Take care when picking up crabs! If you do want to handle one, use your index finger and hold it down by pressing onto the center of its shell – you’ll have plenty of time to get your fingers around the sides behind the claws. Grip it firmly. You’re less likely to get pinched holding a crab like this. Don’t be tempted to pick up a crab by putting one finger underneath.

Once you have understood all the above, you’re ready to begin your rockpooling checklist. Here are 10 creatures to look out for.

    1. Cornish Sucker Fish -Look under rocks in pools close to the shore. It has modified fins that act like a suction pad.
    1. Broad Clawed Porcelain Crab – A small hairy crab that lives upside down beneath rocks on the low-tide shoreline.
    1. Worm Pipefish – Related to the seahorse this worm-like creature is actually a fish
    1. Snakelocks Anemome – Don’t be fooled by its pretty fluorescent-tipped stinging tentacles – it’s a carnivorous predator.
    1. Common Shore Crab – These small shore crabs have incredible colours which they lose as they grow older.
    1. Star Ascidian – Beautiful, small and squidgy star-shaped sea squirt colonies found on the rocks and seaweed.
    1. Montagu’s Blenny – A small warm-water fish with a cockatoo crest on its head.
    1. Celtic Sea Slug – Also known as a liquorice sea slug, it is often found on the rocks between Holywell and Polzeath.
    1. Blue Rayed Limpet – A tiny but beautiful limpet that only lives on seaweed – not rocks.
    1. Giant Goby – Only found in the south, they can grow up to 29cm in length. If you find one please put it back and report it to Cornwall Wildlife Trust – they are a protected species.

Dive into the fascinating world of marine life with our Rockpools Revealed guide, and discover the hidden wonders along the shoreline.

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School’s out and Surf’s Up

Hit the waves with a surf break in Cornwall…

So far this summer, Cornwall has been blessed with sunshine and swell – which means plenty of surfers are flocking here with their boards, ready to enjoy the waves from sunrise to sunset. Here are some of our favourite surfing beaches on the doorstep of our Beach Retreats:

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Watergate Bay

The home of Beach Retreats HQ and one of the most consistent beach breaks in Cornwall, Watergate Bay is one of the most popular surf spots on the outskirts of Newquay. When the swell forecast is good make sure you’re up at dawn if you want to beat the crowds, or stay in until the sun sets over the corduroy lines peeling in from the horizon. If you need to hone your surfing skills you can book a session with the experts at the Extreme Academy, or hire any kit you need if you don’t have your own. Check the waves from one of our apartments nudging the ocean.

View all properties in Watergate Bay.

 

Fistral Beach

Hailed as the surfing capital of Britain, Fistral is where many of Cornwall’s pro surfers cut their teeth. Its world-class waves lure surfers from far and wide, with plenty of peaks for all abilities to spread out across the bay. With a line-up of surf outlets and surf schools to get you looking the part and chasing your own surfing career down the line, it’s the place to become a bona fide surfer. Between sessions you can eat and drink in swanky beach bars, or escape the crowds and soak up the action from one of our apartments overlooking this legendary surfing location.

View all properties in Fistral.

 

Mawgan Porth

A short hop north of Newquay and much less crowded than the likes of Fistral, Mawgan Porth is home to a tight-knit surfing community. Its sandy runway is a swell magnet and the surf breaks on all tides, so whether you want to catch green waves or practise on the white water, there are always waves to be ridden. Get to your feet under the tutelage of one of Cornwall’s best-loved surf schools – Kingsurf – and grab any kit you need from the huddle of surfside hire shops and surf stores. When you’ve had enough of beach life, retreat to your beachside house, just minutes away and dry off in front of the log burner or bask on the balcony.

View all properties in Mawgan Porth.

 

Summerleaze, Bude

At the hub of Bude’s vibrant surfing community, Summerleaze beach offers a series of peaks to choose from and is a great location for beginners to hit the waves. In one of Cornwall’s top surf towns, it’s little surprise that it gets super crowded in summer, but if you opt for lessons with Bude Surfing Experience, Scott Marshall and his team will find the best peak for your ability, help you hone your surfing technique and offer you a hot shower at the end of your session. Veer just over mile inland from the crowds and enjoy the peace and quiet of your own family pile at Wychwood Lodge, where you can sink into the hot tub, curl up by the log burner and enjoy a luxurious lifestyle between surf sessions.

View all properties near Bude.

Perranporth

Choose a self-catering house, apartment or penthouse at The Dunes behind Perranporth beach, and enjoy easy access onto a two-mile stretch of dune-backed beach. From the northern end of Perran Sands, all the way to the more sheltered Droskyn, which is protected by the cliffs at the southern end, there are plenty of peaks so you can spread out from the crowds. Just be aware of rips and if you need some know-how get some lessons with Perranporth Surf School.

View all properties in Perranporth.

Porthtowan

With easy parking, beachside amenities and peaks that work on all tides, Porthtowan is a popular spot with all levels of surfers. It can be a punchy break, but as the tide drops you can shift onto the (sometimes) more mellow waves at Lushingtons at the southern end. Tris Surf Shop has been in town since ’72, so it’s our go-to for lessons, gear and advice. Once you’ve got spaghetti arms and can surf no more, head back to The Beach apartments and while away the day watching the waves from balcony, or head to the surfside Blue Bar for a pint and a legendary burger.

View all properties in Porthtowan.

Whitsand Bay

While the south coast isn’t renowned for its surf, when the swell wraps around the tip of the rugged Rame Peninsula, Whitsand Bay’s four miles of golden sands are blessed with plenty of peaks where surfers can get their fill. From the decking or living room of Alpha, a two-bedroom cabin perched on Freathy Cliff, you can check the surf and wait for the waves while you relax on a sun lounger or on the sofa. And when the surf’s up, simply grab your board from the surfboard storage area and skip down the steps to the sea. If you need equipment or lessons tap up the Adventure Bay surf school, and if the waves are flat you can take the plunge on a thrilling coasteering trip instead.

View all properties in Whitsand Bay.

Check out our other locations and other retreats across North Cornwall.

Sennen

A short hop from Land’s End, Sennen Cove is the breeding ground of a tribe of committed and talented surfers. A series of sand-bottomed peaks (watch out for rocks at the southern end) pick up any swell, so you can often find a wave here when no other spots on the north coast are working. Hit the surf with the British pros at Smart Surf School and kick back at Sea Salt, our new property perched above Sennen Cove, where you can eyeball the surf and the turquoise hues of the ocean from the comfort of your living room.

View all properties in Sennen.

 

Dive into the exciting world of alternative surf activities in Cornwall and discover new ways to enjoy the waves.

Surf Safely

    1. Use lifeguarded beaches and surf between the black and white flags, as this is where the lifeguards have designated as safe to use. A red flag indicates that it’s unsafe to enter the water.
    1. Be careful of rips – strong channels of water that can drag you quickly out to sea.
    1. Don’t drop-in on other surfers – if there is a surfer already on the wave, don’t try to catch it. The surfer who takes off closest to the peak (where the wave breaks) has the right of way.
    1. Don’t get in the way and don’t ditch your board – if you let go of your board to dive under a wave it may hit another surfer.
    1. Respect the locals and be friendly in the sea – it makes surfing much more fun.

View all self-catering holidays in Cornwall

10 Beach Activities for your holiday to Cornwall

Make the most of Cornwall’s natural playground, right on your doorstep.

Hunt for starfish in a Cornish rockpool, fly a kite on a golden beach and watch the sunset over the ocean. Our Beach Retreats beckon families to enjoy the simple pleasures of seaside life. Here are the top 10 activities to inspire you during your stay.

Want to stay in a luxury holiday house with a view of the sea? Check out our cottages with sea views.

Rockpooling

Head to many beaches in Cornwall at low tide and visitors will be pleasantly surprised with hundreds of rockpools just waiting to be explored. You’ll be treated to a natural display of fascinating and tough creatures, including the Cornish Sucker fish, Worm Pipefish and the Common Shore Crab.

See our full guide to rockpooling and where to go.

Run down a sand dune

There’s nothing quite like standing at the top of a sand dune and shouting ‘I’m the king of the castle’ whilst running down the golden sand. In Cornwall there are many beaches where you can do just that. Some of our favourites include Crantock, Holywell Bay and Fistral beach.

Want to stay in Fistral? Have a look at our luxury holiday cottages in Fistral.

Feast on a BBQ

After a full day of exploring Cornwall’s fantastic beaches, it’s time to bring the family back together and refuel with a Cornish BBQ. From locally caught mackerel to homemade buns and burgers, you’ll be in for a treat if you buy local. See our guide to eating local in Cornwall.

 

Go caving

There’s something quite enchanting about a secret cave in Cornwall, and luckily, we have many of them for you to explore. Our must visit cave is in Tintagel. Merlin’s Cave is steeped in history and perhaps the most magical of them all. Located beneath Tintagel Castle, it is 100 metres long passing completely through Tintagel Island from Tintagel Haven.

 

Build a sandcastle

Bring back those childhood memories and create new ones with a sandcastle competition for the whole family. If you’re really competitive, we love this article by the Telegraph on how to build the perfect sandcastle.

 

Jump the waves

If you’re not quite brave enough to go wild swimming or take up a surf lesson, or if you have little ones in tow, then jumping over the shallow waves is the one for you. Hold hands, count 1,2,3 and you’re off. (Be sure to stay in between the red and yellow flags and watch the tides).

Read our blog on the best things to do in the sea in every season!

Go surfing

Surfing should be on everyone’s checklist when holidaying in Cornwall. Get suited and booted and ride with the locals for a feeling like no other. Will you stand up on the board on your first try? Hire your wetsuit and board from a local surf school with lessons included for all abilities.

 

View the beach from a different angle

With panoramic views from all angles, we highly recommend walking part of the south west coast path during your beach day.  Visitors are spoilt for choice on which direction to take with its 300-mile trail. Head to north Cornwall for the rugged cliff top walks or if you prefer, visit tropical South Cornwall and its hidden coves. Whatever path you take, you’ll find something different and exciting each turn you take.

 

Family Super SUP

New to the Newquay Activity Centre collection is the Super Stand Up Paddleboarding. Fun for the whole family, you’ll take on your fellow shipmates in a myriad of fun games including ‘King of the SUP’ and ‘Sumo SUP’. In addition to the guaranteed giggles, you’ll learn how to kneel and stand up paddle, perfect paddle strokes, navigate the coastline, and negotiate the swell and waves back to the beach. Find out more about Super SUP.

 

Go fishing

Fishing has enjoyed a long history in Cornwall and remains central to our local culture. Before you choose your rocky outcrop or traditional fishing boat to throw your line from, why not take some tips from the locals and see which spot suits you best. If you prefer a guided tour, there are many fishermen that take out both small and large groups.

 

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Yoga on a Cornish beach

yoga

We invited Next Wave Yoga to be our latest guest blogger, to give you plenty of inspiration for a relaxing Beach Retreats stay…

Let’s set the scene:

It’s 8.30 am on a Monday morning with Next Wave Yoga. Instead of being near the end of your morning commute to work, or rushing the kids off to school, you are on a beach in Cornwall. Perhaps it is not just you, but the whole family is there with you. The beach is still quiet, there are only a few people walking their dogs. Instead of being sat on a train or in traffic you are sat on a yoga mat with sand between your toes and the sound of the sea and birds. Your yoga teacher asks you to close your eyes and for a few minutes just allow yourself to really listen to everything going on around you, to be ‘present’ and enjoy where you are in that moment.

Visiting Cornwall with an electric car? Check out our holiday lets with electric car (EV) charging points.

It’s hard not to enjoy where you are when you are sitting on a beach with the sun on your back and listening to the sound of the waves. For the next hour you are guided through a yoga class that has been created specifically for you, with careful guidance and assistance when necessary. This ensures you have plenty of time to come back to ‘that place’ of just being still and listening to the world before rolling up your mat and heading off for breakfast.

What a great way to start the day.

We are exceptionally blessed in Cornwall to be surrounded by beautiful coastline, hidden coves and tucked away woodlands that are open for us to use as our ‘yoga studio’. Instead of four walls, air conditioning, false lighting and the person next to your mat being less than an inch away from yours, we want you to be able to experience space, the ability to move freely and breathe deeply. If you have never stood and intentionally taken lung fulls of fresh sea air before, you are in for a treat.

Fancy staying in Watergate Bay? Check out our luxury holiday properties in Watergate Bay, Newquay.

The outdoors is part of a Cornish lifestyle and our environment is our greatest asset. We want to share it with you.

Over the years we have received an abundance of research into the effects of our modern and indoor lifestyle on our physical and mental health. Studies have shown how positive just a simple walk in the park or stroll across the beach can be and the longer you spend outside the more positive those impacts are. Just a 20 minute walk can improve short term memory, boost creativity, reduce stress and anxiety, allow for clearer thoughts, lower blood pressure and even reduce inflammation in the body.

Yoga also helps with all of these things – combining the two is pretty magical and the beauty of the practise is, it can be done anywhere you have space to roll out a mat. A lot of the yoga classes that we do are actually within holiday homes like Beach Retreats’ making use of the wide terraces, private gardens and beautiful views from open plan sitting rooms. This makes it easier for the whole family to join in.

We understand that your time away is precious so we bring the yoga studio to you.

It may be that you want to have just one class to end your stay or daily classes to really reap the full benefits, create your own vinyasa flow, experience yin, yoga nidra or even just master your Downward Dog – the choice is yours. You could even turn a day of your stay into a mini yoga retreat to include a morning and afternoon class, massage treatments, sound baths and even a cookery class with a nutritionist.

We want you to feel free to create what you need to help you truly, relax, recharge and ultimately go home feeling like you have a new found love for ‘self care’ and can take on the world. Maybe after one more Savasana…

For more information visit nextwaveyoga.co.uk or bespokeretreats.com.

A little more about Next Wave Yoga

Next Wave Yoga was created to make the benefits of yoga and massage accessible to all. Founded by Amy Williams, an experienced level 3 massage therapist and passionate yogi, we are a truly holistic approach to relaxation and healing based in Cornwall offering group yoga classes, private yoga classes, massage treatments, unique bespoke retreats and much more.

Next Wave specialises in tailoring experiences to the individual. That means anything from creating a plan for dealing with stress and anxiety through yoga or helping your aches and pains with deep tissue massage or getting all f the family together for some yoga fun on the beach.

It’s no secret that we think massage is a little bit magic. Helping to alleviate aches and pains, improve circulation, aid the lymphatic system, helps the body recover for sporting activities and injuries quicker and creates more space and mobility in the body. For the ultimate treat let us turn your beautiful holiday home into your own private spa for some time to truly relax and unwind.

Want to learn more about how to make the most of your travel? Read our blog on how to do slow travel.

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Cornwall’s most Instagrammable locations

We predict that these Cornish spots will be popping up on our feeds…

Last year it was Pedn Vounder and Kynance Cove that captured the Insta crowds and went viral on social media. So what are the most Instagrammable locations of Cornwall in 2019?

Interested in staying in our most luxurious holiday cottages? Check out our luxury coastal cottages.

Port Isaac

The home of Doc Martin is a picture-postcard Cornish village flaunting cobbled streets, cream tea cafés and sublime sea views. We’re so used to seeing it on our TV screens that we half expect the Doc to come dashing down the winding streets to the harbour, where fishing boats putter in to deliver fresh catch to Nathan Outlaw’s restaurants. With wild Cornish cliffs that yawn in each direction, it’s little wonder that the Doc chose to live here, and less wonder that we’re so fixated by his appearance on our TV screens – who knows if it’s Doc Martin or Port Isaac that’s the real star of the show.

Find a self-catering holiday in Port Isaac.

Bedruthan Steps

Dubbed Britain’s equivalent of Australia’s Twelve Apostles, us mere mortals are dwarfed by the towering rock stacks rising from the sands of this craggy cove north of Newquay. Stand atop the cliffs and you can watch the waves carving the granite turrets, said to be the stepping-stones of a legendary giant. Or wait for low tide and descend the cliff steps to pad along the white sands, peering down into the rock pools and up to the peaks of these barnacle-clad skyscrapers. Don’t be content with taking in the view from the coast path with the rest of the camera-wielding visitors, plug on along the coast path to Park Head, passing ancient burial mounds and the ruins of a cliff fort, while keeping an eye out for seals and seabirds.

Find a self-catering holiday near Bedruthan.

Wheal Coates

Climb the rusty-red backs of the cliffs from Chapel Porth beach, to reach this iconic engine house that casts a shadow over the wild Atlantic waves. As you explore the coast path you’re setting foot in some of Cornwall’s richest mining history, while below the pumping surf breaks are known as the legendary ‘Badlands’. While the waves aren’t the territory of beginners, when you descend the pristine cove of Chapel Porth, you’ll discover the perfect spot for rock-pooling as the tide ebbs, and make sure you stop for a famous hedgehog ice cream in the National Trust car park.

Explore further from Chapel Porth & take a look and book our self-catering properties at Porthtowan, or talk to a member of our team on 01637 861 005.

Find a self-catering holiday in St Agnes.

Tintagel

Perched atop a sea-lashed promontory and swathed in Arthurian legend, Tintagel Castle has been a crowd-puller ever since tourism came to Cornwall. With its magnificent ruins and immense bronze statue of King Arthur looking out to sea, we expect the fortress to be high on our social media scrolls when it re-opens this summer, following the construction of a new footbridge. Touted as the birthplace of King Arthur, it’s impossible not to get swept away by local myths as you listen to your echo in the eerie Merlin’s Cave and step foot in the remains of a majestic fortress and a prosperous Dark Age settlement.

Find a self-catering holiday near Tintagel.

Jubilee Pool, Penzance

Cornwall’s art-deco lido has graced the screens of our social media feeds ever since it was renovated after storm damage in 2014. One of the world’s most scenic lidos, its eye-catching design and turquoise waters are hemmed by Mounts Bay. Re-opening again this summer after the development of a geo-thermal project, an area of the pool will be heated to a steaming 35C later in the year – so it’ll no longer be the territory of just hardy cold-water swimmers. In fact, you don’t even have to take a dip to enjoy the lido, simply bask on the terrace or take a seat in the year-round café and soak up the views.

Find a self-catering holiday near Jubilee Pool.

Find out about Sennen, near to Penzance, in our blog all about the area.

Holywell Bay

Having scored a starring role in the BBC’s recent Poldark hit, the breath-taking beauty of Holywell Bay needs little introduction. As soon as you clap eyes on the giant sand dunes and the twin peaks of Gull rock, you can imagine Ross Poldark galloping along the shoreline, searching for Demelza wistfully picking sea pinks on the cliff tops. Despite is fame, Holywell still keeps the crowds at bay, and makes the perfect beach for hitting the surf, collecting shells and exploring the sea caves in search of the ‘holy well’. You can also follow the coast path to Kelsey Head to spot seals and seabirds.

Find a self-catering holiday in Holywell Bay.

Huer’s Hut, Newquay

In the 19th century the town ‘huer’ would stand in this little stone hut on Towan Headland, crying, “Heva, Heva”, to alert the fishermen when shoals of pilchards were spotted in Newquay Bay. Having been restored in recent years to ensure Newquay’s history and heritage is not forgotten, this little whitewashed hut is a great spot to step back in time, gawp at the panoramic coastal views and see if you can spot shoals of dolphins of mackerel coming into the bay.

Find a self-catering holiday near the Huer’s Hut.

 

Search all Beach Retreats self-catering holidays in Cornwall.