The Beautiful Beaches of England and Wales

Watergate Bay, between Newquay and Padstow on the north coast of Cornwall, is a long, privately-owned beach resort, accessible to the public via the UK coastal path. The west facing beach, at the bottom of cliffs, is very popular with surfers - and the location of the well-known Extreme Academy. It is big enough and far enough from both Newquay and Padstow to offer lots of room, peace and quiet. There are emergency services and accommodations available as well as several very good restaurants nearby - one right on the beach.

Marine Conservation Society's annual Good Beach Guide 2009 Rating: Guideline(good water quality standard)

• Facilities
• Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) lifeguards and emergency rescue from May 19 to September 20. There is disabled access to the beach and deck chair rentals. Parking is available
• Hotel
• Beach shop
• Cafe
• Dog-friendly
• Directions
• Find another place to stay near Watergate Bay

Dining Near Watergate Bay

British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver runs Fifteen Cornwall on the beach at Watergate Bay. The restaurant was established to support, train and guide the young apprentices, who are disadvantaged young people from around Cornwall, to become world-class chefs.

There are several other restaurants that are part of the Watergate Bay resort complex. And not far away, in Padstow, the UK's seafood celebrity chef, Rick Stein, runs a veritable empire of restaurants, including:

• The Seafood Restaurant
• St. Petroc's Bistro
• Rick Stein's Fish and Chips
• Rick Stein's Cafe.