Crantock - Newquay

Courtesy of Crantock Bay

CRANTOCK BAY

St Ives | Carbis Bay | Hayle | Gwithian Towans | Godrevy Head | Portreath | Porthtowan | St Agnes | Trevaunance Cove | Perranporth | Holywell Bay | Crantock Bay | Newquay | Porth | Mawgan Porth | Harlyn Bay | Constantine Bay & Trevone | Padstow & The Camel Estuary


What's Available at Crantock Bay?

  • National Trust Car Park
  • Refreshments
  • Toilets
  • Lifeguard present during summer months
  • Dogs allowed

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CRANTOCK BAY

Latitude/Longitude: 50.406794, -5.120537
Postcode: TR8 5SA
(postcode is for sat-nav purposes only)

The beautiful Holiday Beach at Crantock Bay lies just to the south of Newquay -outside the charming village of Crantock.

Crantock Bay is a wonderful sandy cove and a tranquil family beach, where you can relax - away from the excitements of nearby, Newquay. The river Gannel also forms a natural boundary between the parishes of Newquay and Crantock. The bay and beach, is part of the River Gannel Estuary - with the small river carving out a sheltered sandy haven between, Newquay's East Pentire headland and the West Pentire headland.

Crantock Beach

Crantock Bay provides an ideal holiday destination for families. The beach at Crantock offers holiday makers and families over a mile of level high quality sand and sand dunes, with plenty of rock pools and caves to explore at low tide along the edges of the West Pentire and East Pentire Headlands. The cliff line along Crantock Bay's western edge provides a degree of shelter to the beach. The southern edge of the beach is lined by sand dunes and Marram grass- creating a nature haven for the local wildlife and a great place for the children to explore.

Crantock Bay looks out onto the Atlantic, making it a popular surfer's beach and is patrolled by the Lifeguards during the peak season. The Eastern edge of the beach, by the River Gannel, is not however suitable for swimming, due to the tidal nature of the river. Crantock's beach is a popular for swimming, fishing, snorkelling, surfing, wind surfing and canoeing. Safe, swimming and body boarding areas are designated by between the red and yellow flags on the main beach with all surfing and between the black and white chequered flags. Crantock Beach Facilities

 

Courtesy of Crantock Bay
Courtesy of Parkdean Crantock Bay

 

Facilities

The beach has a range of facilities, including cafes, surf hire, toilets and parking.

The Fern Pit Café lies just below the East Pentire Headland ( on the Eastern banks of the River Gannel - just across from the main beach). The picturesque Café and Boathouse has some stunning views of both the beach and the river. The café provides a range of sandwiches and light refreshments, as well as their own locally caught lobster and crab. Adjacent to the Fern Pit café is a small path leading to the Ferry - a small boat that runs across the river from East Pentire to Crantock Beach at high tide, when the small footbridge is not available.

On the main beach at Crantock, there is a small kiosk located at the River Gannel end of Crantock Beach . The Crantock Beach Kiosk operates during peak season, supplying a range of snacks, andwiches, beverages, ice creams, hot and cold drinks. Windbreaks, sun loungers, deckchairs, and sun parasols are also available to hire from the kiosk.

Surf Hire, (surf boards and wetsuits) is also available at the beach from a converted shipping container -located on the beach, at the edge of the sand dunes, just a little way down from the kiosk.

Dogs are allowed on Crantock Beach all year round

Parking at Crantock Beach

National Trust car parking (free to NT members) is available in Crantock village as well as a private overflow carpark. From the NT car Park in Crantock village there is a level route to the beach, which is signposted. Pay and Display Parking is also available at the end of both West and East Pentire Headlands.

River Gannel Ferry - East Pentire (Newquay) to Crantock Beach

During the summer the Fern Pit café runs a a regular ferry service between Crantock Beach and East Pentire headland, Newquay. The ferry service is available 3hours either side of high water. A small ferry boat (the 'Sunshine') will take people across the short stretch of river from East Pentire to Crantock a distance of about 200 yds - ( a small charge applies). At low tide, there is a small foot bridge which people can use free of charge.

Porth Joke Beach

Porthjoke, or Polly Joke, is a secluded sandy beach located in a narrow cove between the West Pentire and Kelsey Headlands- between its two well known neighbours, Holywell Bay and Crantock Bay.

Polly Joke is a small sandy beach is a quiet location, with no facilities or toilets. Access is via a footpath. Parking at porth Joke is limited, so the car parks at West Pentire are strongly recommended, requiring a walk to Porth joke of just under a mile. Polly Joke. This delightful cove, entirely surrounded by National Trust land and virtually unchanged over the centuries, obtained its name from the old Cornish words for 'Jackdaw Cove' ....'Pol-Lejouack'. The jackdaws are still there!

Crantock Village

Crantock's long history has made it a place of visual delight and rural charm, but it has much to offer today's visitor - not least the warm welcome you will receive - but there are also art and craft shops, a tea garden, restaurants, pubs, one of the most beautiful beaches on the north Cornish coast and miles and miles of wonderful paths along which you may walk in almost any direction.

The village of Crantock retains much of its original old fashioned charm and character. Large parts of the local parish are now in the ownership of the National Trust, including West Pentire headland which is now a Site of Special Scientific Interest - noted for its wonderful wild flowers and rare plants. The famous South West Coast Path follows the seaward side of the parish - along the edge of Crantock Bay and around West Pentire towards Holywell Bay. The older part of the village is situated around its church which is dedicated to St Carantoc, founder of the village. Crantock developed as a little hamlet, hidden from the sea by the sand dunes of Crantock Bay. Originally the village was known as Langurroc - 'The Dwelling of Monks'. The small isolated community dates back to 460 AD and was a major centre of religious activity before the Norman conquest and had its origins in the arrival of one of the Sixth Century Welsh Celtic saints ... Carantoc. The name 'Crantock' is thought to be a corruption of the name of Carantoc.

Legend has it that, when Carantoc, first arrived in the Gannel Estuary, he quickly realised that the bay offered a sheltered haven from the wrath of the sea on the north coast. Carantoc decided to build himself an oratory near to this sheltered location. However the dove that he had brought with him had other ideas and, picking tip a twig, flew inland a little way and then dropped the twig. Carantoc took this as a sign as to where to build his oratory and, in the passage of time, this grew to be of considerable stature and, by the Survey of 1294, the religious college enjoyed great revenues. The College at Crantock suffered at the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII, but the Norman St Carantoc's Church survived and, although suffering neglect over the centuries, was reconstructed in the 14th and 15th centuries and fully restored E. H. Sedding in 1899-1902. at the turn of the twentieth century and now boasts some of the finest wood carving in the West Country.

In the centre of the village is the Round Garden, now owned by the National Trust, but almost certainly the site of one of the seven Celtic chapels that would have surrounded the original church. The Round Garden, is in fact an orchard and one can sit there and enjoy the peace of this ancient place. Nearby is the village well - one of many in the parish - and opposite the village green is the little Memorial Hall, built to commemorate those who died in the two World Wars and which is now used for village events. Alongside are some of the picturesque thatched cottages and Water lane that leads to two of the village inns - one the ancient thatched Old Albion Inn, notorious as a centre for smuggling.

 

Courtesy of Crantock Bay
 

St Ives | Carbis Bay | Hayle | Gwithian Towans | Godrevy Head | Portreath | Porthtowan | St Agnes | Trevaunance Cove | Perranporth | Holywell Bay | Crantock Bay | Newquay | Porth | Mawgan Porth | Harlyn Bay | Constantine Bay & Trevone | Padstow & The Camel Estuary

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CRANTOCK BAY HOLIDAY RENTAL

Beach View Holiday Bungalows & Holiday Homes  Pets Allowed Parking Available Beach View Holiday Bungalows & Holiday Homes
Tel: 01637 830864.   Self-catering Holiday Caravan Rental in Cubert near Newquay with Sea Views- sleeps 6. Sat Changeover, Prices from £465 to £1320 Pets Welcome


Porth Raylen  Parking Available Porth Raylen
Tel: 01637 830031.   Self-catering Holiday Rental in Holywell Bay, near Newquay with Sea Views- sleeps 6. Sat Changeover, Prices from £465 to £1300


Atlantic View - Crantock  Pets Allowed Parking Available Atlantic View - Crantock
Tel: 01637 831168.   Self-catering Holiday Rental in Newquay with Sea Views- sleeps 6. Sat Changeover, Prices from £175 to £933 Pets Welcome


 

 

 


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