Author: gloversure

Where to eat and drink by the sea

The teams at the National Lobster Hatchery and EW Wines share their recommendations for venues offering great food and drink in great coastline locations…

Across Cornwall, the list of places to enjoy the finest food and drink is eclectic and increasingly sustainable. We asked some Cornish residents working in the wider industry – with their own produce and drink credentials – to reveal recommended venues.

The National Lobster Hatchery (NLH) is a standout organisation in Cornwall’s dynamic seafood scene. Founded in 1998, the charity’s focus is education, research and conservation. Its key conservation project is a pioneering programme to enhance the Cornish lobster population, working closely with the local fishing community.

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Image credit: National Lobster Hatchery

The NLH expert team rears lobster babies through their most vulnerable life stages, to improve survival chances by approximately 1000% above survival rates in the wild. This supports a healthy and sustainable lobster stock, and the local fishing communities, both now and in the future.

“Another champion of the seafood scene on the South Coast is the beautiful Hooked on the Rocks. Located overlooking Swanpool beach near Falmouth, this restaurant is perfect for a long lazy lunch overlooking a spectacular vista.”

Chief Operating Officer Nicola O’Donnell says: “For an up-close look at marine conservation in Cornwall, including a peek at our lobster maternity ward and nursery, you can join us in Padstow at our main hatchery site. A centre for all ages to learn more about marine biology, sustainability and, of course, lobsters.”

Seafood with sea views

Nicola recommends The Lobster Shed at Harlyn Bay for great, sustainable seafood by the sea. The lobster served at The Lobster Shed is caught off the coast of Padstow by local fishing boats, and the whole menu is sourced within a 25-mile radius.

“The Lobster Shed are one of our incredible fundraising partners and run our scheme ‘Buy one set one free’ – a great way for organisations and their diners to support sustainability.”

Image credit: The Lobster Shed

Keeping it local but with the sound of something more exotic, the restaurant’s Lobster & Camel pairs Cornish lobster with a Pinot Noir Rosé Brut from the Camel Valley.

“Another champion of the seafood scene on the south coast is the beautiful Hooked on the Rocks. Located overlooking Swanpool beach near Falmouth, this restaurant is perfect for a long lazy lunch overlooking a spectacular vista,” says Nicola.

Bar on the beach

Molly Gardiner, Communications and Admin Officer at the NLH, says the Blue Bar in Porthtowan is a great seaside spot any time; a café by day, with a bar and live music for the evening. “Grab a coffee or a pint and sit back, right by the beach. Siting there recently I saw about 50 dolphins out in the Atlantic. It’s a perfect stop off on a coast path walk or post-surf,” says Molly.

The team also recommend the Cornish Cream Teams available at Berryfield Tea Room, on the road down to Porthcothan Beach.

And to drink?

EW Wines, based at Indian Queens near Newquay was voted the best regional wine shop in the South West last year by wine magazine Decanter. One reason for the accolade is probably that it offers more than a quality selection of fine vintages.

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The company is on the journey to becoming a B Corp – a certification scheme for more sustainable business. And as well as special tasting events, you can call in for free wine tasting from a selection of 16 wines, with Jim Bass – EW Wines’ WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) Diploma qualified lead educator – offering a guide to the wines in store too.

“For a picnic lunch, we’ll call in to Da Bara bakery for provisions and I’ll take along some of our new range of premium canned wine. We’ve got a dry Muscadet that is absolutely delicious.”

For anyone staying by the sea this summer, they’ve curated a coastal wine box which can be delivered to your door on arrival.

Image credit: EW Wines

When it comes to finding a great spot for a glass of wine with a view, Jim recommends packing a picnic and adding some cans of wine to the hamper.

Favourite spots for picnic lunch or dinner include Porth Island and Whipsiderry Beach, both north along the coast from Newquay. “We had a takeout dinner up on Porth Island recently and watched the setting sun, one of the best views I’ve had with dinner for a long time.”

“For a picnic lunch, we’ll call in to Da Bara bakery for provisions and I’ll take along some of our new range of premium canned wine,” says Jim. “We’ve got a dry Muscadet that is absolutely delicious; it’s the same quality as a bottle – light and crisp, with a little texture. And the canned Fleurie we stock is the first Beaujolais in a can I’ve tasted that I would recommend.”

For takeaway dinner, Jim recommends the filled homemade flatbreads and fried beignet potato sides served at Babu, tucked away on the Treloggan Industrial Estate in Newquay. For dinner out, The Secret Garden in the town isn’t to be missed, serving artisan pizza paired with organic and biodynamic wines. “You wouldn’t know it from the outside; the terrace is really cool and has an amazing view,” adds Jim.

Alternatively, want someone to cook for you? Check out our top 5 restaurants in Watergate Bay.

Found a favourite place by the sea for food and drink? Share your recommendation with us on social media, using @beachretreats and #bigreveal.

Huddle-up in a place for two, a walk from north Cornwall’s renowned beaches and eateries, or make the most of being together this summer, footsteps from picturesque picnic stop-offs. Where will you stay?

Fascinating finds and foraging

Seeking samphire beside the estuary and seaweed in rocky pools. Julia Bird of seaweed pressers Molesworth & Bird and Caroline Davey of Fat Hen reveal stories of coastal discovery…

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The oldest fossilised seaweed, discovered in 2020, was found in one-billion-year-old rocks in northern China, making seaweed millions of years older than the distant ancestors of our land plants. Today there are over 650 different species of seaweed around Britain’s coasts which have for centuries been a source of fascination for artists.

Anna Atkins’ British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions, published as a serial between 1843 and 1853 is a collection of cyanotype prints of seaweed. This early form of photography using paper treated with a light-sensitive solution that turns blue on exposure to light is thought to be the first published book illustrated with photography.

For Julia Bird, a Victorian collection of pressed seaweeds discovered by her business partner Melanie Molesworth in an antique shop over 20 years ago was the beginning of her journey to start foraging for seaweed along the Cornish coast, aiming to capture its ephemeral beauty through pressing.

Image credit: Matt Austin

I’m a lifelong collector of nature really,” says Julia. “I’ve always collected whether it’s flowers or lichen or stones. And my whole life has been sort of sea orientated; I’ve always been a sea swimmer.”

“The fine beautiful samples that we choose to press need water to support their form, so you only notice them if you’re in the water. I’m fascinated by the beauty and variety.”

After moving to Cornwall in the early 2000s, Julia started experimenting with pressing seaweed she had foraged when out swimming. “I started looking for seaweed and bringing it home and learning how to press, which of course back then there was nothing out there, you know, in those days. My first press was probably in 2004.”

Pressing ahead

After running a children’s shop in Fowey for 15 years, Melanie’s encouragement to start publishing her seaweed pressings finally came to fruition after Melanie moved, along with her collection of Victorian seaweed pressings, to Dorset. Discovering that the nine framed seaweeds in the collection were from the Dorset coast, the two long-term friends decided to team-up and created a calendar of prints from pressed seaweed for 2018.

And they haven’t looked back since. Molesworth and Bird can be found in Lyme Regis and online year round, and between April and the end of September in Fowey. Inside their shops hang limited edition prints and an ever-changing collection of unique pressed seaweed, gathered along the south west coastline.

Fascinating finds

“We can’t really see what’s beneath the sea surface. There’s a whole diverse and amazing world down there that we should all respect. Just walking along the beach you don’t see the beauty of seaweed because everything dries up really quickly,” says Julia.

Image credit: Matt Austin

“The fine beautiful samples that we choose to press need water to support their form, so you only notice them if you’re in the water. I’m fascinated by the beauty and variety,” says Julia. “And learning about what a superfood they are, how each species has its own combination of vitamins, minerals and proteins.”

For Julia, revealing the beauty of this “garden under the sea” has an important role to play in restoring and protecting it. “For me, it’s partly if you know there’s a beautiful world under there you can foster that respect and love we need to maintain it and look after it.”

Image credit: Matt Austin

Other water worlds

For Caroline Davey of Fat Hen, the wild cookery school, summer is all about the estuary and salt marshes. “This time of year is when marsh samphire is coming into season, that’s June to September. There’s also sea purslane, sea blight and sea arrowgrass, which is like coriander; these are all species that grow in estuaries and salt marshes.”

Image credit: The Fat Hen Cookery School

Caroline is running a number of coastal Fat Hen foraging courses this year, including a recent foraging walk along the coast path followed by a four-course lunch at the Gurnards Head near Zennor in west Cornwall, and a foraging walk, wild picnic and wild spa day near the Helford river on dates in June, July, September and October. All revealing hidden tastes and produce growing wild around the coastline.

She says it’s a time of abundance across the countryside beyond the sea: the plant fat hen – the vernacular name for chenopodium album – found across the country is in season, including its coastal relative spear-leaved orache, which can be used as a spinach alternative.

“I’ve just been picking hawthorn flowers and blossom for tea; they’ve been massively in bloom recently.”

In bloom

Caroline says wild cabbage – which grows on clifftops around the coast – is coming into flower now with the leaves and flowers able to be picked.

“And of course there’s plenty of flowers through the summer. The flowers of rosa rugosa or Japanese rose are absolutely fantastic. It’s not strictly wild: it’s planted as a coastal hedging plant and it escapes into the wild. You can also find black mustard flowers, sea radish flowers, sea cabbage flowers and elderflowers.

“I’ve just been picking hawthorn flowers and blossom for tea; they’ve been massively in bloom recently.”

And as the flowers fade, there are seeds to be scavenged. “Sea radish at some point soon will be forming seed pods and if you catch them early enough they’re like three or four bobbles in a row with the taste of a crunchy radish, perfect for scattering on salads.”

From estuary banks to clear blue pools, reveal fascinating finds along the coast.

Find your place by the sea, a walk from door to shore

Uncover the enchanting allure of Fowey’s no-drive delights, where every corner offers a new adventure and relaxation awaits just a stone’s throw away.

New Experiences in Cornwall

A visit to the unique county of Cornwall is the perfect chance to pick-up a new skill, learn something new, or try something different. It might be an old favourite in a new location, or an untested activity you’ve always hankered after. Here’s a round-up of what to do in Cornwall this year and what your stay by the sea could offer this year…

Discover new skies

Cornwall offers dramatic landscapes for night time adventures. In December 2021, West Penwith was recognised as an International Dark Sky Park, joining Bodmin Moor with this designation and the Dark Sky Discovery Site at Carnewas and Bedruthan Steps where you can see the Milky Way pass overhead.

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

Image credit: Graham Gaunt Photowork

Spend time on ocean time

Why not take some time out from the normal rhythm of life to follow the beat of the tides? From expansive beaches of golden sand and rocky pools teeming with hidden life to high-adrenaline coasteering and water sports at high water. Then there’s reading the waves as they come and go, learning the natural signs of the sea so you can decide what best suits the day’s conditions, from heading in for a swim to grabbing the surfboard.

Go to the ceramic source

China clay is synonymous with St Austell and its surrounding villages; a rich heritage that’s embarking on an artisan revival. Operating out of St Austell’s newly relaunched Market House, along with a host of other makers, Flookan runs a four-week introduction to ceramics course, in the home of china clay, where you can learn a range of skills for working with clay. There’s also one-off workshops and taster sessions running through the year, with private bookings on request.

Image credit: Flookan

Seek out supper from the sea

Foraging seaweed can be a sustainable, tasty, invigorating journey into a new cuisine. The Fat Hen offers a two-day course in identifying, gathering, preserving and cooking with 15 different seaweeds. You’ll also learn how seaweed can remineralise the body in baths and skincare products.

Find the vines

Cornwall’s relatively mild climate and long sunlight hours make it one of the finest regions for wine production in the UK. The Wild Wine School near Padstow has a commitment to sustainable viticulture, and deals in wine with distinctly untamed notes: its mission is to share wine knowledge and passion “in surroundings that enliven senses and expand minds, calling on nature to add a technicolour edge to your experience”. In its workshop on Organic and Biodynamic Viticulture, you’ll learn the basic concepts of organic and biodynamic viticulture, “from lunar cycles to the special alchemy of plants”, taste six sustainably produced wines, and have the chance to try making one of the Biodynamic preparations.

Fancy staying in Padstow? Check out our luxury holiday lets in Padstow.

Image Credit: Ingrid Pop

Ride the West Kernow Way

An 230km off-road route – funded by the European Regional Development Fund’s Experience project – exploring west Cornwall is now fully open. It takes in many of the highlights of the western half of the Cornish peninsula, including the Botallack tin mines, the Bronze Age monument Mên-an-Tol, Land’s End, St Michael’s Mount and Lizard Point. Expect spectacular coastal scenery, hedgerows bursting with wildflowers and ancient tracks across isolated moorland.

Image credit: The West Kernow Way

Explore sea life

Graceful and silent, take to a kayak to explore aquatic habitats and the chance to share secluded coves with seals and cormorants. Koru Kayaking offer North Coast kayaking around the caves and mining heritage of St Agnes, and the sheltered creeks and coves of the Helford River near Falmouth. For the more experienced, Sea Kayaking Cornwall run a week-long adventure island hopping by kayak around the Scilly Isles.

Image credit: Koru Kayaking

Apnea or freediving, descending under water on a single breath has a long history, with roots in yoga, meditation and breathing techniques. Explore the wilderness underwater with Aquacity, based in the sheltered Porthkerris Cove on the Lizard. Aquacity offer a half-day introduction to freediving from May. There’s also a more advanced course giving an entry-level qualification.

Image credit: Daan Verhoeven

Take the geothermal waters

Jubilee Pool, the striking Art Deco sea water pool on Penzance’s promenade now has its new geothermal pool up and running, heated to 30-35 degrees via its own 410m deep geothermal well. So the pool now offers Geo & Dine, where you can enjoy an evening dip under the moonlight in the steamy geothermal pool, followed by a specially selected, fresh locally-sourced three-course meal. Or try its Geo & Fizz sessions, where you can buy an alcoholic drink from the cafe and enjoy some bubbles in the water.

Find a discounted stay by the sea on our special offers page, and browse our various beach locations to explore a new place this year.

Vote for Beach Retreats in the 2023 British Travel Awards

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

VOTE IN THE BRITISH TRAVEL AWARDS

Time flies and it doesn’t feel like 2 minutes since we won Gold at the British Travel Awards at Battersea, London in November 2022.

We won with your help and vote for which we are so grateful. And now we want to retain the accolade in the ‘Best Company for UK Holiday Home Rentals’ category as voting opens for the 2023 awards.

Everyone who votes will be entered into a prize draw for some amazing holidays:

A £5,000 Greek island getaway.
A £4,000 European villa holiday.
A cruise around the fjords of Norway.
A European river cruise.
8 days at Lake Gard in Italy.
and many more…

Find out more

Vote now

We love and live by the coast; beach life and creating special memories for all of our guests is our driving force.

For you time on a special beach means many different things; adrenaline pumping surf sessions, wild swimming, long walks surrounded by the senses, family time exploring rockpools, or cocktails in a beach bar as the sun sets.

And these uncertain times, downtime surrounded by rolling surf, towering cliffs, or picture postcard bays takes on extra meaning.

We will always look after you before during and after your time with us. Your support gives us the motivation and passion to keep doing what we do, providing unforgettable beach holidays and sharing our love for the sea.

Please give us a few seconds of your time and vote for Beach Retreats as Best Company for UK Holiday Home Rentals.

Check out our locations and retreats across North Cornwall.

Find out more

Discover the Cornwall Business Awards, celebrating innovation, excellence, and success in the vibrant Cornwall business community.

Wild Cornwall – 5 places to spot wildlife

Summer is in the air and Cornwall’s coastline is teeming with birds and marine life…

Dolphins frolic in the bays, the call of seabirds echoes from the cliff ledges and seals hunt fish in the shallows, making it the perfect season for a wildlife walk.

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Check out some of our favourite places to spot some of Cornwall’s eye-catching indigenous wildlife:

Dolphins

Dolphins are resident year-round in Cornwall and – despite December’s stormy weather – as soon as the sun popped it’s head out in early January, a pod of dolphins were spotted playing in the waters of Mount’s Bay. A stroll along the coastline from Marazion to Mousehole is magical in any season, and if you cross the causeway to St Michael’s Mount, the turrets of this sea-bound fortress make a fantastic vantage point to spot dolphins in the bay.

WALK: Marazion to Mousehole
VISIT: St Michael’s Mount
STAY: Mousehole Accommodation

Seals

Head to Godrevy’s National Trust car park and strike out to the headland that nudges the iconic lighthouse immortalised by Virginia Woolf. On the far side of the promontory at Navax Point, you can peer down to an inaccessible cove to witness a colony of seals basking on the sand and fishing in the shallows. Or, take a spin along Newquay’s shoreline, stopping to watch the fishing boats puttering in and out of the harbour, often trailed by the whiskered noses of inquisitive seals hoping to share their catch.

WALK: Newquay Bay
VISIT: Blue Reef Aquarium
STAY: Fistral beach Accommodation

Seabirds

buzzard
Photo Credit Adrian Napper.

Park at the National Trust car park by Bedruthan Steps and take the walk from here to Porthcothan, listening out for the call of seabirds from the rugged cliff ledges. Bring a pair of binoculars and you might be able to spot skylarks, kestrels, buzzards and even the rare Cornish chough.

WALK: Bedruthan Steps to Porthcothan
VISIT: Carnewas Tearooms
STAY: Porthcothan Accommodation

Owls

owl pentire headland
Photo credit @djedge77 on Instagram.

First light is the perfect time for a peaceful stroll along Newquay’s wave-lashed Pentire Headland, from where you can see for miles along the coastline in both directions. As well as taking in the scenery, keep an eye out for the short-eared owl, often seen flying low on the hunt for small birds. Finish your walk with coffee at the stylish Lewinnick Lodge, where you might also be lucky enough to spot passing dolphins from your window table.

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

WALK: Pentire Headland, Newquay
VISIT: Lewnnick Lodge
STAY: Fistral Beach Accommodation

Egrets

Egret
Photo Credit Adrian Napper.

A walk along the banks of The Gannel often provides welcome shelter from the coastal breeze on an early spring day. So it’s little wonder that up to 5,000 species of birds have been spotted here, sheltering from the harsh northern winters. Keep an eye out for the distinctive yellow feet of the Little Egret, a white heron with a long black beak that it uses to forage for worms as it wades along the mudflats at low tide.

WALK: The Gannel
VISIT: Fistral Beach, dubbed the UK’s surfing capital
STAY: Holywell Bay Accommodation

To find out more about Cornwall’s wildlife, bag a seat for the award-winning film, Wild Cornwall – Out on the Edge, showing in cinemas across Cornwall throughout February and March. Shot by wildlife enthusiast, Ian McCarthy, the film features Cornwall’s wildlife from peregrine falcons, dolphins and seals, to bats and otters.

Discover what to do when encountering a seal pup in Cornwall, ensuring their safety and your enjoyment of this special coastal wildlife moment.

Book your stay with Beach Retreats.

The best surf cafes in Cornwall

No matter where you’ve jumped in the sea in Cornwall, you’ll find a laid-back joint to refuel and tell tales of the waves you caught afterwards. Here are our top five surf cafes in Cornwall. After all, you’ve earned it.

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Surf Beach Bar, Sennen Cove

This family-friendly, informal beachside eatery has all the laid-back vibes that we love, while the focus on food is on quality, local produce and seafood.

Check out our holiday properties in Mousehole to experience everything the area has to offer from a short drive away.

Blue Bar, Porthtowan

Few beat Porthtowan for punchy surfing waves and spectacular sunsets – and the Blue Bar has great views for both nestled on the edge of the beach’s sand dunes. Make sure you nab a window booth seat for the best in the house, but if the sun’s out you’ll want to be outside on the patio enjoying Blue Bar favourites; nachos and the blue burger with fries.

The Beach Hut, Watergate Bay

One of Cornwall’s original and favourite beachside hangouts overlooks the beach at Watergate Bay – perfect for checking the surf or warming up afterwards. While classics like burgers and moules frites are always winners, you’ll find apres-surf mac and cheese, loaded nachos and warming chana masala.

Porthmeor Beach Café in St Ives

Porthmeor Beach Café is the place to come for something special after your surf. For breakfast you’ll find homemade Cornish saffron bread and buttermilk pancakes, then come lunchtime its tapas with a twist. The heated outside booths, built into the old Victorian changing booths in the sea wall, are the perfect place to watch the surf and sunset.

Waterfront Bar and Grill, Polzeath

With panoramic views of Polzeath Beach and Pentire Point, The Waterfront’s restaurant, bar and terrace are the best places to enjoy a lazy lunch with a chilled glass of wine or dinner while the sun sets. On Sundays they do a traditional roast dinner (roast beef, Yorkshires and roasties of course). They are open all year round and have a variety of events and specials to keep you coming back.

Search for your holiday and book your stay with Beach Retreats today.

Check out our recommendations on the best places to go for breakfast in Cornwall.

Beach safety in Cornwall this summer

Here’s what you need to know if you’re planning a trip to the seaside…

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We hope you’re excited for your stay by the sea. While Cornwall is generally a safe place, each year there are accidents on our coastlines.

To ensure this doesn’t happen to you during your time with Beach Retreats, Newquay Activity Centre have produced some beach safety guidelines for you and your family to follow. Their instructors are fully trained lifeguards and work closely with the RNLI.

Save the image below to your phone and share with your loved ones ahead of your holiday to Cornwall.

Stay next to the sea with our other holiday lets in Perranporth!

You may see a flag with a red stripe on top and a yellow stripe underneath. There will be two of these red and yellow flags on the beach, and these mark out the area that it is safe to swim between. This area will be covered by lifeguards.

Mark Kelly is the Beach Lifeguard Trainer and Assessor at Newquay Activity Centre and says:

“The beaches are busy, and we’ve experienced a big swell recently that has already sadly caused fatalities and rescues. We urge surfers and swimmers to be aware, check the weather, tide and forecast.

For small children, there is also fun to be had in the rockpools and paddling in the shallows. We really hope that the RNLI are able to fully patrol the beaches soon, but we want people to understand how dangerous the sea can be and to stay safe at the beach”.

Discover more safety insights from the RNLI & stay safe at the beach with essential knowledge of natural signs at sea.

If you’d like to participate in a safe ocean activity this summer under the watchful eye of a trained lifeguard, or you would like to train as a lifeguard, please contact newquayactivitycentre.co.uk

Dine at your self-catered retreat with Lobster Box

Enjoy all the flavours of fine dining in the comfort of your retreat, without the hassle of food prep and cooking. Lobster Box does all the hard work for you and makes delicious dining easy.

Lobster Box is a small local company set up by Cam, who chefs up delicious hand-prepared seafood meals.

Lobster Box has an ethos of small-batch, hand-flavoured, fresh, tasty and super easy-to-enjoy food. The unique selling point is that the food is already prepped, requiring minimal fuss. The fish is locally caught and Cam’s main supplier works out of Padstow.

Fancy staying in Padstow? Check out our luxury holiday lets in Padstow.

Cam’s Seafood Adventures started at the age of 19 on a Deep Sea Trawler in New Zealand. Having grown up in Cornwall as an avid waterman, Cam left his home turf to seek experiences and found himself working at sea. Being around the freshest fish caused him to develop a passion for cooking, and his chef style draws on inspiration from his travels. From curry making tips and secret ingredients used in Sri Lanka, to rustic Boat tucca in Australia, working as a head chef at multiple locations at home and abroad, Cam has a wealth of invaluable experience. In 2016 – 2019 he put his heart and soul into his own restaurant on the Isles of Scilly, somewhat closer to his home of Cornwall.

Lobster Box recipes follow this journey, reflecting Cam’s love of cooking seafood with spice and fruit. Boxes come either ready to eat or ready to finish off at home, with hand flavoured sides and sauces, making them ideal if you don’t want to cook or want to take something out to the beach with you for some sundowners. The ethos is minimum effort, without compromising on texture and flavour.

Cam says “I do believe that it is possible to eat fine seafood without compromising on flavour, as easily as possible, from anywhere.”

And that’s why we love Lobster Box. Fuss free, full flavour food, ready to eat wherever.

Order your Lobster Box to your self-catered retreat and enjoy the best of Cornish cuisine at your leisure.

Looking for a fantastic restaurant in Cornwall? Check out some of our favourite restaurants with stunning sea views.

Cam from Lobster Box is now also running Kooked, a holiday arrival ready meal service. Beach Retreats guests get exclusive Kooked delivery from Thursday – Sunday, and can pre-order a delicious, exclusive fish pie, alongside other tasty options, to be waiting for you in your retreat on your arrival day.

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a swimming pool? Check out our cottages with a swimming pool for a relaxing getaway.

Board stories

From the far west to the overlooked south east, via the unmatched north, there’s a bay and a board for everyone. Keen board riders and paddlers reveal their chosen craft and coast…

Cornwall’s winding coastline reveals countless unmissable stops for enjoying and exploring the sea by board. Samantha Bruce and Georgia O’Carolan of Whitsand Bay Ladies Surf Club, Matt Hawken at Newquay Activity Centre, and Dan Bassett at Surf St Ives tell us which board they reach for and where they’re heading…

Fancy staying in a holiday retreat with a hot tub? Check out our cottages with a hot tub for a relaxing getaway.

Whitsand’s welcoming waves

Organised by the Adventure Bay Surf School, Whitsand Bay Ladies Surf Club was Georgia O’Carolan’s first surf experience. “Outrageously, I didn’t start any board sports in the water until joining the Club when I was 27 because I thought I was too old to learn, which I now think at nearly 30 is just beyond silly.

“Our swells might not come in as big and fierce as the north coast generally, but we’re a great surf destination when it’s in.”

“We have all ages, sizes and abilities in our club and it doesn’t matter how good you are, as long as you’re safe – which might mean a lesson or a lifeguarded beach – you belong there in the sea. My tip for a novice would be to just go out and do it!”

Image credit: Adventure Bay Surf School

Georgia – RNLI lifeguard – says her corner of Cornwall on the south east coast is a little quieter which can mean more choice and opportunities to catch waves out in the bay. “Our swells might not come in as big and fierce as the north coast generally, but we’re a great surf destination when it’s in, and great for beginners and intermediates.”

And when she is paddling out at Whitsand she opts for a Mick Fanning Sugar Glider, either 7ft 6in or 7ft. “It’s fast and fun, and the first time apart from a rescue board, I’ve used a single-fin board.”

Fancy staying in Whitsand Bay? Have a look at our Whitsand Bay holiday properties.

Image credit: Adventure Bay Surf School

Fellow Ladies Club member Samantha Bruce goes for the KORE 7ft 2 Fun board when she’s catching waves at Tregonhawke or northwards at Bude.

What makes a great surfing beach? “A long sandy beach, with minimal rocks, a short approach – so I’m not carrying my board for miles – and even better if there’s a coffee van or food shack for a refuel and hang after,” says Samantha.

Her preferred conditions are 3-4ft, slightly wild waves. “I enjoy the challenging conditions and having a laugh with the girls while navigating them,” she adds.

For first timers, Samantha recommends a small group or 1:1 lesson. “Speaking as someone who wanted to surf for years but was apprehensive, you’ll know instantly if it’s for you, then find a group to be part of.”

“At about mid-tide you can dot in and around Little Lusty through the rocks, and there’s even a secret cave to paddle through.”

Paddle north

“It’s beautiful and so peaceful – teaming with wildlife and amazing views. It can be difficult to find a good launch spot, if you don’t know the area, and it’s definitely worth knowing your tides, but it’s one of the best spots to paddleboard on the north coast.”

Matt Hawken, paddleboard instructor at Newquay Activity Centre, is talking about the River Gannel which meets the sea at Newquay. Staying with the whole family or all your best friends, everyone can enjoy stand-up paddleboarding along the Gannel.

Image credit: Newquay Activity Centre

“Because it’s so sheltered, it’s an awesome spot for all skill levels,” says Matt. “With the right tide and the best spots, the water barely moves and it’s great for enhancing your skills.”

Waterborne explorers can venture upriver to Trevemper or downriver to Crantock Beach, with a guided tour the best way to find the ideal launch spots and tidal conditions. A calm, laidback board choice, paddleboarding reveals views and coastline locations hidden when exploring on land.

Image credit: Newquay Activity Centre

As well as floating down isolated creeks along the Gannel, Matt recommends the expanse of Newquay Bay on a calm summer’s day. “It’s surprisingly sheltered for the north coast of Cornwall. At about mid-tide you can dot in and around Little Lusty through the rocks, and there’s even a secret cave to paddle through. And then down to Porth beach for a quick break and back towards the harbour. The water is crystal clear, the sun is shining, there might even be seals and dolphins enroute.”

Wood for waves

Surf St Ives’ Daniel Bassett chooses an Alaia, a fin-less style of wooden surfboard originating from Hawaii, for his board-based excursions.

Wooden surfboard crafters, Otter Surfboards, describe the Alaia as “a thin, narrow, solid wood surfboard with a round nose and square tail and, most importantly, no fins. They originated in pre-contact Hawaii where they were shaped from Koa wood left over from producing canoes and they were usually around 7-12 feet long. Modern Alaias usually come up between 5 and 8 feet long.”

Image credit: Daniel Bassett @surfstives

Daniel says he likes to be out on the Alaia at Godrevy, near Hayle, but is happy catching a wave along the coast as long as it is breaking on his left side as he glides towards the sand, known simply as a left.

Spacious beaches and September swells are the best conditions for Daniel who surfs to “escape the worries of everyday life and be at one with the elements.”

“I’d recommend spending time on a bellyboard for learning how to read the ocean and feel comfortable in the water, before progressing to surf-craft,” he says.

All along the coast, wooden bellyboards can be hired for free thanks to Surf Wood for Good. A bellyboard for acclimatising to the waves can be picked up for the day from just inland of St Ives Surf School at Little Goat Gruff. And there’s more than 10 locations across Cornwall to pick-up a borrowed bellyboard for wave-seeking elsewhere.

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

A secluded stay for two or a celebration pad for everyone, choose where you’ll stay for your chosen board time…

Large Self-Catering Family Holiday Lets for Summer

Gather the kids, extended family, and friends, and be together in a large holiday home on the coast.

From exploring hidden rockpools, playing in the sand, catching a wave, walking the cliff path, cycling, picnicking, and stargazing, fill your day with adventure. And when the sun has set, return to your spacious retreat for family dinner in the garden and movie night.

Tick-off your family holiday bucket list this summer in one of our large family retreats.

Visiting with a large group? Discover our large holiday homes perfect for big families or friend groups.

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From our blog

“Another champion of the seafood scene on the South Coast is the beautiful Hooked on the Rocks. Located overlooking Swanpool beach near Falmouth, this restaurant is perfect for a long lazy lunch overlooking a spectacular vista.”

“For a picnic lunch, we’ll call in to Da Bara bakery for provisions and I’ll take along some of our new range of premium canned wine. We’ve got a dry Muscadet that is absolutely delicious.”

“The fine beautiful samples that we choose to press need water to support their form, so you only notice them if you’re in the water. I’m fascinated by the beauty and variety.”

Pressing ahead

Fascinating finds

Other water worlds

“I’ve just been picking hawthorn flowers and blossom for tea; they’ve been massively in bloom recently.”

In bloom

VOTE IN THE BRITISH TRAVEL AWARDS

Dolphins

Seals

Seabirds

Owls

Egrets

Book your stay with Beach Retreats.

Whitsand’s welcoming waves

“Our swells might not come in as big and fierce as the north coast generally, but we’re a great surf destination when it’s in.”

“At about mid-tide you can dot in and around Little Lusty through the rocks, and there’s even a secret cave to paddle through.”

Paddle north

Wood for waves