Watergate Bay
Watergate Bay is a long, surf-exposed beach on the north Cornish coast between Newquay and Padstow, a two-mile arc of Atlantic-facing sand that receives consistent swell from the open ocean and has developed into one of the most dynamic and fashionable beach destinations in Cornwall. The beach lies below dramatic red sandstone cliffs and benefits from a south-westerly aspect that catches the prevailing Atlantic swell reliably enough to have attracted a dedicated surfing community and a cluster of beach-focused businesses that have given the bay a reputation for combining high-quality food and accommodation with serious wave sports. The character of surfing at Watergate Bay tends toward the powerful and consistent end of the Cornish spectrum. The beach's exposure to open Atlantic swell and its relatively gradual profile produce reliable, shapely waves across a range of swell sizes, making it suitable for surfers of varying ability while retaining the character and energy that more experienced surfers seek. The Extreme Academy, based at the beach, offers tuition in surfing and a range of other wave and wind sports that have made Watergate a centre for adventure sports tourism. The beach is particularly associated with the Hotel and Extreme Academy beach venue that sits above the shore, which has become one of the most celebrated beach restaurants in the southwest, combining locally sourced Cornish produce with the casual, high-energy atmosphere appropriate to its surfing context. The model of quality food in an informal beach setting has influenced beach hospitality across Cornwall and beyond. The cliffs above the beach provide good walking with views along the coast in both directions, and the South West Coast Path runs along the clifftop. The walk between Watergate Bay and Newquay to the south follows dramatic cliffs above a succession of smaller coves that provide a good introduction to this section of the north Cornish coast.