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A hidden gem on the north coast
Lusty Glaze

Holiday cottages in Lusty Glaze

Halfway between Newquay and Watergate Bay, the beautiful horseshoe cove of Lusty Glaze, renowned for its soft, clean sand, brings in a sophisticated crowd to it’s lovely cafe and restaurant, and brilliant watersports and adventure centre, right on the sand. This award-winning beach, on the outskirts of bustling Newquay, is reached via steep steps, but it’s well worth the descent. By day, the popular dog-friendly beach cafe and restaurant serve up delicious food, and you can book onto paddleboard, surf, abseiling and even tightrope sessions with the adventure centre on the beach; by night, it transforms into one of the UK’s most picturesque music venues, with the popular ‘sundowner sessions’ in summer, and ‘woodburner sessions’ in winter.

View guide to Lusty Glaze

The lusty glaze guide

Beach near holiday accommodation in Newquay by Forever Cornwall

More than a beach

Lusty Glaze is a privately owned (but free to visit!) beach, and plays host to live music and adrenaline-filled adventure activities throughout the year. This sheltered cove welcomes top musicians, beach rugby, sunbathers, surfers, with plenty going on on the beach all year round. The white sand, sheltered waters and lifeguard patrols through summer are a far cry from its previous life as a working mine — rich in iron ore, this beach was mined until the late 1800s.

By the early twentieth century, Lusty Glaze had become a bathing beach for the well heeled, with brightly coloured beach huts, donkey rides and butlers on hand. Today, the beach huts remain, as does it’s sophisticated, luxurious atmosphere. The beach bar and restaurant offers amazing views and even better food and drink, with evening meals often accompanied by live acoustic music.

Lusty Glaze zip-wire

Action packed

Embrace your adventurous side at Lusty Glaze’s own activity and adventure centre, where you can abseil down the cliffs, walk a tightrope between them, jump onto jet skis or banana boats, or sign up for surf lessons. The coastal footpath stretches in either direction for as far as your legs can carry you; discover cove after secret cove (Polly Joke, further south, is a particularly beautiful one), or walk amongst the fields of scarlet poppies that bloom on the cliffs between Holywell Bay and Crantock in the summer.

Walk out to one of many of Newquay’s headlands for the chance to see blow holes, a particularly spectacular experience when the wind whips up the crashing waves below. Venture a little further and walk the coast path to the dramatic Bedruthan Steps — if you hang around until nightfall you’ll experience some exceptional dark skies.

Newquay restaurant near holiday cottages by Forever Cornwall

Eating out

Although Lusty Glaze has its own beachfront restaurant, it’s also only minutes’ walk from all the eateries in Newquay — you can even walk along the beach to the town when the tide’s out. As one of Cornwall’s largest coastal towns, it offers a huge choice of eateries from a multitude of cultures, with Australian, Indonesian, Italian, Thai and Portuguese restaurants strung along the winding streets.

There are plenty of fantastic seafood restaurants too, most sourcing their fish straight from the local harbour so you’ll be dining on the freshest ingredients. Whether you after a cosy roast or award-winning meal, classic fish and chips or handmade burgers,  you’ll find something to suit you in Newquay.

Beaches
Lusty Glaze beach

Lusty Glaze

Accessed by a flight of steep steps, this beautiful sandy beach is sheltered by high cliffs on three sides which keep it nice and calm throughout the year; it still gets decent surf as it faces west. The fabulous restaurant on the beach hosts music sessions throughout the year, and the brilliant Lusty Glaze Restaurant is a great place for delicious local food.

Lifeguarded? July-early September
Dog restrictions? Between June-Sept, 10am-6pm

Newquay Beach in vicinity of holiday cottages by Forever Cornwall

Porth Beach

East of Lusty Glaze and away from the busy beaches of Newquay, Porth Beach is a large, sheltered and shallow stretch of sand that’s brilliant for a bit of body boarding or paddeboarding (it’s a narrow cove so surfing is not permitted). There’s good access and a large carpark, with several cafes and pubs just off the beach.

Lifeguarded? Mid May-mid September
Dog restrictions? Between mid May-mid September, 10am-6pm

Watergate Bay

This vast, two-mile stretch of golden sand on the outskirts of Newquay is popular with surfers, sun seekers and dog walkers, and there’s plenty of room for everyone. A small village with the same name has formed around the beach, with three good restaurants and plenty of surf schools. There is a car park near the beach, making for easy access.

Lifeguarded? Early May-end September
Dog restrictions? Dog-friendly all year round

Beach near holiday cottages in Newquay by Forever Cornwall

Towan Beach

Towan Beach is right in the heart of Newquay, just moments from the town centre. With Newquay harbour to the west of the beach and the impressive ‘Island’ with its suspension bridge linking it to the mainland, this dog-friendly spot is a pretty amazing setting for a day at the beach. There are cafes and surf schools set back from the beach, and plenty of facilities a short walk.

Lifeguarded? Early May-end September
Dog restrictions? Dog-friendly all year round

Forever Cornwall Newquay Fistral 5

Fistral

What better place to get to grips with a surfboard than Fistral? This world class surfing beach often boasts perfect waves and its golden sands are a constant lure for families. There are masses of rockpools and a stream running down the centre of the sand for little ones to paddle in.

Lifeguarded? April-end October
Dog restrictions? Dog-friendly all year round

Beach near self-catering holiday accommodation in Newquay by Forever Cornwall

Crantock

The River Gannel flows from the approach to Newquay right around the outskirts of the town and out into the Gannel Estuary before reaching the sea. Here, there is an idyllic beach that sits either side of the river as it makes its way down the sand to meet the sea. Crantock is a great place for kids, who can play under the watchful eye of the lifeguards.

Lifeguarded? April-end October
Dog-friendly? Dogs are welcome all year round

Places to eat
Lustywine

Lusty Glaze Restaurant

This dog-friendly beach cafe and restaurant right on the sand is a perfect spot for lunch, dinner — their Sunday roasts are very popular so book ahead. Serving fresh seafood, beautiful steaks and woodfired pizzas, it’s the perfect place whatever the weather — hunker down by woodburner in winter or watch the sun sink into the horizon in summer, drink in hand. There are live music gigs throughout the year with the popular ‘sundowner sessions’ in summer and ‘woodburner sessions’ in winter.

 

Things to do
Lusty Glaze zip-wire

Lusty Glaze Adventure Centre

From adrenaline-fuelled cliff climbs to beach games on the sand, the friendly Lusty Glaze Adventure Centre has plenty of activities to keep the whole family entertained. Walk the tightrope between the cliffs, take a surf lesson or jump on a banana boat for a spin around the dramatic north coastline. If you’d prefer to stay on terra firma, battle it out on the beach dodgeball court or join a game of football or volleyball on the sand.

Newquay Wildlife

Less than ten minutes from Lusty Glaze you’ll find Blue Reef Aquarium and Newquay Zoo, perfect for animal lovers or families looking for entertainment on a rainy day. From reef sharks to giant octopi, the aquarium has plenty to see and much more to learn — they do a huge amount on local conservation, too. Newquay Zoo also has a brilliant conservation and breeding programmes. Spot lions, sloths and monkeys at this family-friendly attraction.

Trerice House & Gardens

Three miles east of Newquay, the Elizabethan manor house of Trerice is one of north Cornwall’s finest National Trust properties, A wander around the Tudor house (open from March) will take you through the history of the estate, while the tranquil gardens with wildflower gardens and an Elizabethan knot garden and are the perfect place to stroll around and try a game of the traditional Cornish game of kayles. Afterwards, try a Cornish cream tea in the cafe and peruse the shelves in the secondhand bookshop in the barn.

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