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. |
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