Great Western Beach

Great Western is one of Newquay's town beaches, tucked below the cliffs a couple of minutes' walk from the town centre. It sits between Towan to the west and Tolcarne to the east. At high tide it feels like a set of small sandy coves backed by high cliffs and rocky inlets, but as the tide drops the sand opens out and joins its neighbours, so you can walk along the shore to Towan or Tolcarne.

Getting down is on foot only. A sloping road leads to the beach but there's no parking on it, and a tarmac path also runs down beside the Great Western Hotel. That makes it one of the easiest Cornish surf beaches to reach without a car, because Newquay station, at the end of the branch line from Par, is close to the town centre. Just be ready for a steep walk back up with a board under your arm.

Low tide is the time for exploring, with caves and rock pools along the foot of the cliffs. Keep an eye on the tide while you do: warning signs around Newquay's beaches mention the risk of being cut off at high tide, along with strong undercurrents, large breaking waves and rockfalls. The RNLI patrols the beach daily through the main summer season, so check this year's dates before you plan a swim or a session.