Coffee with a View
The Fern Pit Café - Pentire
How To Get There
By Car – Head for Pentire, which is the headland that runs along the south end of Fistral Beach. Follow road down the hill, which is Pentire Road then continue straight on don’t turn off at the bottom of the hill. You are now on Pentire Avenue; continue on the Pentire Hotel, which is the big hotel on top of the hill. Take the next left into Riverside Crescent. Follow the dog leg around where The Fern Pit Café is 80 yards on your left. It has ample off road parking. For satellite navigation use the postcode TR7 1PJ.
By Bus – Take the Western Greyhound Bus route 588. This is the Newquay Circular route. It takes about 11 minutes from the town centre to Pentire Head. When you get off at the end of the route take Riverside Crescent, which is the road heading directly south from the bus stop. The Fern Pit Café is 2 minutes walk.
By Foot – Follow the signs to Fistral Beach from the town centre. When you arrive at Fistral walk to the south end of the beach and up the steps. You are now on Esplanade Road. If you follow the road down past the hotels (out toward the sea) and long the rough road, this road take you on a lovely walk out along the headland and brings you up to the ice cream hut at the pitch and putt. From here take Riverside Crescent, which is the road heading directly south from the bus stop. The Fern Pit Café is 2 minutes walk. The walk from the town will take you 25 – 30 minutes.
What you will find
Now if you know about the “treasure” that is the Fern Pit Café, you are defiantly a Newquay fan or a local. If you don’t know about it then I am likely to get killed for “letting on” but if you are discerning enough to be a customer of Blue Chip Newquay …you need to be ”in the know”. This is the best bit of Newquay, no question!
The Fern Pit is a bit of yesteryear caught in time. Established in 1910 it has been a family run business for 90 years. The Fern Pit looks south across Crantock Beach and east with mind-blowing views of the River Gannel estuary. At the bottom of the steep steps, there is a Boat House and a ferry over the river to Crantock beach and village. At low tide the owners set a bridge in place, most people time it to get the bridge over and then ferry back. The Fern Pit’s specialty is its crab, caught fresh each day off Pentire Head and brought back to be used for the cafes customers. You can’t get a fresher crab sandwich or salad anywhere, nothing tastes quite like it.
Address – Fern Pit, Riverside Crescent, Pentire, Newquay, Cornwall, TR7 1PJ
Tel – 01637 873181
Website – www.fernpit.co.uk
The Bay Hotel - South Fistral
How To Get There
By Car – Head to Pentire, which is the headland that runs along the south end of Fistral Beach. Follow road down the hill, which is Pentire Road; at the bottom of the hill take the first right into Esplanade Road. Carry straight on The Bay Hotel is at the far end of this road. It has ample off road parking. For satellite navigation use the postcode TR7 1PT.
By Bus – Take the Western Greyhound Bus route 588. This is the Newquay Circular route. It takes about 11 minutes from the town centre to Pentire Road. When you get off at the bottom of Pentire Hill. Esplanade runs along side the beach in front of you.
By Foot – Follow the signs to Fistral Beach from the town centre. When you arrive at Fistral walk to the south end of the beach and up the steps. You are now on Esplanade Road. The Bay Hotel is the furthest end of the road toward the sea. The walk from the town will take you 20 – 30 minutes.
What you will find
The Bay Bar is set within the Bay Hotel Complex on Esplanade Road over looking Fistral Beach. The Bay has recently been renovated and The Bay Bar one of the most stylist interiors in Cornwall. The Bay Bar offers truly great food, from coffee to snacks to its amazing trademark fish specialities. The view is breath taking over looking the classic “A” frame surf peak at South Fistral. There is a great webcam that allows you to focus the wide screen monitors on to the action happening right outside your window whilst you chill out with a coffee and take it all in from the comfort of your chair.
Address – The Bay Bar, The Bay Hotel, Esplanade Rd, Newquay TR7 1PT
The Beach Shack – Watergate Beach
How To Get There
By Car – Take the B3276 out of Newquay and head north. Watergate is clearly sign posted and is about 10 minutes drive from the centre of town. There are three car parks to choose from, the most popular is the beach car itself. There are alternatives at the top of the hill as you come in from Newquay and opposite the Beachcomber Apartments. Both are paid for car parks.
By Bus – Take the Western Greyhound route 556 from the centre of Newquay; the journey takes about 20 minutes. There is a bus stop right next to the entrance to the beach.
By Foot – You can walk to Watergate Bay from the centre of Newquay heading out along the Barrowfields, past Lusty Glaze Beach, down the hill past Porth beach and up the other side to pick up the Cliff path. This will take you directly to Watergate with the most incredible views that the Cornish coast has to offer.
Watergate Bay is a privately owned beach. Well-behaved dogs are allowed throughout the year.
What you will find
Perfectly placed for either summer or winter the Beach Shack is a real gem anytime if year, Take the coast road north out of Newquay to Watergate Bay, you will find ample parking in the two car parks just above the beach.
My advice would be to arrive at low tide and have a walk to the North end of the beach, in a word - breathtaking! Ok that’s two words but you will see what I mean. Rock pools, caves, sea hawks there is so much to see.
After a long walk the classic is a Beach Shack hot chocolate..with all the trimmings!
The great thing about the Beach Shack is the staff who are always helpful and polite. The Shack offers a very chilled out atmosphere, so take your time over a board game or a book and make the most of your visit and before you know it… the tide will back in again!