Autumn is a great time to head for Cornwall and enjoy a weekend break. The months of September and October in Newquay are generally as warm as May and June, and the water temperature is even higher. The waves are also at their best, so don a wetsuit, hire a board, book some lessons and do something new and different!
Newquay beaches
Newquay has eight local beaches to choose from, so there is sure to be at least one to suit your needs. Fistral Beach is well known for its surfing beach breaks and regularly serves up hollow waves and a good size swell. It frequently hosts international surfing competitions. Experienced surfers may want to surf the challenging Cribbar reef which produces waves of up to 20 feet (6 metres).
Crantock Beach, to the west of Newquay, and Watergate Bay to the north, are also popular for surfing with high quality breaks. There is talk of a proposed Newquay Surfing Reef at Towan Beach which is a popular family beach next to the harbour. Other beaches close to Newquay town centre include Great Western and Tolcarne.
Lusty Glaze Beach is more out of the way, beyond Tolcarne, but offers some great sports activities from the Lusty Glaze Adventure Centre. Try your hand (and your head for heights) with some ziplining, abseiling, rock climbing and coasteering. Another hidden gem is Whipsiderry Beach. Heading out of town towards Watergate Bay it is just past the Mermaid Inn. There are lots of steps down to beach level where there are caves to explore and an old smugglers' tunnel, now sealed up.
All these destinations offer the chance to swim, scramble, dig, fish, surf, paddle and kayak on a nice autumn day. You should also keep an eye out for dolphins and seals that swim along this coastline. Birdwatchers will find plenty of birdlife at the nearby Gannel Estuary where standup paddle boarding is a new and popular sport.
Autumn is a great time for hiking and the South West Coast Path provides wonderful scenery as it follows the cliff contours towards Padstow in one direction and Holywell and Perranporth in the other. Alternatively, enjoy the hedgerows brimming with autumn foliage and berries as you cycle along the nearby Camel Trail.
Bars and bites in Newquay
At the end of the day, chill out and swap stories with old and new friends at one of the popular beach hangouts. The Cribbar, named after the big wave surfing reef, is a newly opened J.D.Wetherspoon pub with a minimalist surf-inspired décor. The Beach Bar at Fistral has long been a popular hangout for surfers with its laid-back atmosphere. Another great bar celebrating sun, sea, sand and sambucca is Belushi's, overlooking Towan Beach. Their gourmet burgers were a sensation in Covent Garden back in 1993 and continue to be a talking point in Newquay along with their rack of ribs and other British favourites.
If you're wondering how to get to Newquay for a short autumn break then consider flying into Newquay Airport with Flybe, either from London or Manchester. You can catch the train to Newquay Station via First Great Western Trains or even travel by bus with megabus.
Born in Cheshire, Gillian Birch moved to Cornwall at her earliest opportunity and never looked back. After 20 years, her ongoing discovery of popular attractions, quiet footpaths and local eateries has made her a fount of knowledge as she entertains readers with her informative articles on the hidden gems of Devon & Cornwall from a local point-of-view.