It is difficult to imagine
a lineage for NEWQUAY that extends more than a few decades,
but the "new quay" was built in the fifteenth century
in what was already a long-established fishing port. Up to then
it had been more colourfully known as Towan Blistra, and was
concentrated in the sheltered west end of the bay. The town was
given a boost in the nineteenth century when its harbour was
expanded for coal import and a railway was constructed across
the peninsula for china clay shipments. With the trains came
a swelling stream of seasonal visitors, drawn to the town's superb
position on a knuckle of cliffs overlooking fine golden sands
and Atlantic rollers, natural advantages which have made Newquay
the premier resort of north Cornwall.
The centre of town is a
somewhat tacky parade of shops and restaurants, partly pedestrianized,
from which lanes lead to ornamental gardens and sloping lawns
on the clifftops. Below, adjacent to the small harbour in the
crook of the massive Towan Head, Towan Beach is the most central
of the seven miles of firm sandy beaches that follow in an almost
unbroken succession. You can reach all of them on foot, though
for some of the farther ones, such as Porth Beach , with its
grassy headland, or the extensive Watergate Bay , you might prefer
to make use of local buses. The beaches can be unbearably crowded
in full season, and all are popular with surfers, particularly
Watergate and - west of Towan Head - Fistral Bay , the largest
of the town beaches. On the other side of East Pentire Head from
Fistral, Crantock Beach - reachable over the Gannel River by
ferry or upstream footbridge - is usually less crowded, and has
a lovely backdrop of dunes and undulating grassland. Try to coincide
your visit to Newquay with one of the surfing competitions and
events that run right through the summer - contact the tourist
office for details.
OTHER POPULAR
DESTINATION IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
ENGLAND
CHANNEL ISLANDS
GUERNSEY
JERSEY