The Stein Guide: Beautiful Cornish Views
One of Cornwall’s greatest assets is its spectacular coastline. Being a narrow peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic, you’re never too far away from a beach, cliffs, estuary or cove which will gladden your heart with beauty.
1. Constantine Bay
Just outside of Padstow, Constantine Bay is a wide sandy beach welcoming dogs all year round. Sit amongst the dunes and watch the sun sink over the skyline. “I love going to Treyarnon Bay, near Constantine,” says Zoe, from The Seafood Restaurant, “it’s really open, with lots of cliffside benches looking out to sea. It’s very peaceful; such a lovely, hidden place to watch the world go by.” Benjamin from HR, says: “I love walking there in the evenings about an hour before sunset; you get the most amazing views.”
2. Port Quin
Roughly halfway between Polzeath and Port Isaac on the coast path, Port Quin is a tiny cove, managed by the National Trust. Once a pilchard fishing community, it now gives the sense of being forgotten by the hands of time. This really is a place to escape the everyday.
3. Fistral Beach
Newquay’s famous surfing beach serves up some of the best and most consistent waves in the country, the panoramic views bring visitors back year on year. Follow a surf by relaxing on the terrace at Rick Stein Fistral with an ice cold beer and warming Goan curry, taking in, in our opinion, one of Cornwall’s most beautiful views.
4. Porthcurnick Beach
On the Roseland Peninsula, tucked away below high cliffs lies Porthcurnick Beach, an isolated and sandy cove just a stone’s throw from Portscatho. End the evening at The Hidden Hut, a small café just off the coast path that hosts outdoor dining events throughout the summer.
5. Lizard Point
The most southerly point in Britain, Lizard Point is famous for its dramatic clifftop walks and the crystal clear waters of Kynance Cove. There are ample places to park and enjoy a pasty whilst watching the sun or rain. Away from any large towns, the brightness of the stars in the night sky on the Lizard is truly incredible – the feeling here is one of being at the edge of the world.
6. Pendennis Point
This is a spectacular vantage point near Pendennis Castle in Falmouth, looking over the end of the Carrick Roads where the snaking riverways of the Fal estuary meet the deep blue sea. Gaze across Falmouth Bay, from St Anthony Lighthouse to the east all the way down to the Lizard in the west. From here, walk down to the Gylly Beach Café for fresh seafood, often accompanied by live music, watching ships pass in the distance.
7. Godrevy
At the far east end of St Ives Bay lies Godrevy, a popular haunt for both swimmers and surfers (a great beach for beginners). Park at the National Trust car park, where a café serves things like Cornish sardines on toast, bacon sandwiches and good cakes. Scale the grassy dunes to arrive at a golden stretch of sand, and look across to the lighthouse on Godrevy Island, the scene of Virginia Woolf’s most famous novel.
Explore more of Cornwall here.