Explore the North Cornish Coast - Newquay to Perranporth

7th October 2021

This week we have an exciting blog post written by our friends over at Duchy Holidays. They are a local company based in Perranporth, a beautiful Cornish town located just south of Newquay, and they wanted to tell you all about their favourite beaches from Newquay to Perranporth. Over to you, Duchy Holidays!     

Explore the North Cornish Coast

The coastline from Newquay to Perranporth is peppered with beautiful beaches, spectacular scenery, and lots for all the family to enjoy. Take a look at our handy guide on what you can find along this stunning stretch of coast, or if you’re feeling fit, you could walk the challenging 12.6 miles of it to really take it all in!

Towan Head

From Newquay Harbour, heading south, Towan Head is a great place to stop and look back at the fabulous views over Newquay’s beautiful beaches. Keep an eye out for Cornish choughs, and the kittiwake colony that has set up home here too. If you’re lucky you might catch a glimpse of the Harbour’s resident seal.

Fistral Beach

One of the best surfing beaches in Europe, Fistral Beach is a deservingly popular spot and very family (and dog!) friendly with seafront facilities, restaurants and shops. Backed by rocks and cliffs, children will love scrambling over the rocks and searching for pretty shells. 

The River Gannel

Separating Pentire from Crantock, the River Gannel is an active wildlife area with wading birds and lots of fish. It can be crossed by one of several foot bridges, however when the tide is in these become impassable so always check tide times before setting out for a walk. In the summer an on-demand foot ferry is provided by the Fern Pit Cafe.

Crantock Beach

A wonderfully wide beach boasting a vast expanse of golden sand, Crantock Beach is lifeguarded from May – end of September (10am – 6pm) making it a great place to take the family. Park in the National Trust car park just behind the dunes and bring your four-legged friends; Crantock is dog friendly all year round. Picnic in the high dunes, try paddle boarding in the sparkling blue water, and take buckets to go crabbing in the estuary.  

The West Pentire Headland

Recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, the traditionally farmed arable fields on the West Pentire headland are aglow with colour in early summer with bright red poppies and yellow corn marigolds radiant against the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Listen out for skylarks singing above the crash of the waves.

Porth Joke

Known locally as Polly Joke, this secluded bay is a little-known gem of a beach tucked away at the edge of the grassland of Cubert Common. The beach is reached along a lane lined with sloe bushes and hedgerows. A fair walk from the National Trust car park, it’s nevertheless well worth the ramble to enjoy the peace and quiet on this unspoilt sandy beach. Take a picnic, explore the rockpools and caves, and make a day of it.  

Holywell Bay

Surrounded by cliffs, the cove of Holywell Bay enjoys good swells for surfing and bodyboarding. National Trust managed with delightful dunes and lifeguarded from May to end of September (10am – 6pm), Holywell Bay is another dog friendly sandy haven. This picturesque place has often been used for filming: the Bond film Die Another Day had scenes set here, and more recently Poldark has used it as a stunning location too.

Penhale Sands

Just over the cliff from Holywell is Penhale Sands, the far end of Perranporth’s three-mile vast sandy beach. Dog friendly all year, this end of the beach enjoys a good surf break, but take care – it is not lifeguarded. If the tide is out, the length of the beach can be walked to reach Perranporth, alternatively walk along the impressive dune system and make the most of the views!

Perranporth Beach

Dog friendly (dogs on leads in the main season), golden sands, towering cliffs, natural rock arches, rock pools and a bar on the beach… Perranporth has it covered. Go for a dip in the salt water swimming pool built into the back of Chapel Rock in the middle of the beach, swim, body board and surf in safety on this family friendly lifeguarded beach (May to September 10am – 6pm), and enjoy a well-earned drink in the pub on the sands.

Extend the exploration…

If you fancy carrying on along the coast, Droskyn point above Perranporth has stunning views from the Perranzabuloe Millenium Sundial (which tells Cornish time rather than GMT: 20 mins later than London), and continue along the South West coast path to St Agnes, Porthtowan and beyond…!

Duchy Holidays is a family run lettings company based in Perranporth. Offering over 150 holiday properties, from cool, shoreside apartments to traditional Cornish cottages and modern family homes. All our properties are a short distance from the beaches of the North Cornwall coast. Duchy Holidays take the hassle out of booking, so you can get on with enjoying holiday countdown. Get in touch and we’ll find the prefect Cornish break for you.