As far as we’re concerned, the best days out are all about three simple things: fresh air, great views and yummy food. Many of these you might not have heard of, so here’s our insiders guide to our favourites:
1.) Hedgehog Ice cream on Chapel Porth Beach
Take in the glorious view – a large expanse of golden sand with a turquoise sea beyond – while tucking in to the café’s legendary ‘hedgehog’ ice creams: a concoction of Cornish ice cream covered in clotted cream and topped with crushed hazelnuts.
2.) Pizza Overlooking Fistral Beach
The Stable restaurant has just opened overlooking Fistral Beach in Newquay, serving home baked pies, Italian-style pizzas, panoramic beach views and tasting board of five different ciders. The atmosphere is hip but friendly, with trestle-style tables and lots of wood. Ceiling-to-floor glass windows and a terrace mean you can feast your eyes on uninterrupted views of Fistral while you feast yourself on the food. The children’s menu includes a pizza, salad bites and apple juice £7.50. Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diets catered to.
3.) Crab Sandwiches or Freshly-Cooked Lobster at The Fern Pit Café
One bay down the coast from Fistral, you’ll find Pentire Headland and the picturesque Fern Pit Café. They’ll serve you up a crab sandwich at the drop of a sun hat, or call them an hour in advance and they’ll cook your own lobster (£18) or crab (£5.50) caught by The Fern Pit cafe’s own fishing boat, Zarvan. For smaller people and those not so fond of shellfish, there are sandwiches, milkshakes and crisps. After you’ve eaten, you can take the ferry across the River Gannel to beautiful Crantock beach at high tide in summer (March-October, adult £1.20/ child £0.60). And at low tide you can walk over the wooden bridge. Check the tide times first!
4.) The Park Cafe, Mawgan Porth
Another hip but friendly place to eat, chat and relax, here you can sit on the indoor terrace or dine alfresco atop a spacious sun-deck on funky seating that’s sheltered by trees. The Park offers freshly-baked breads, cakes, pies, quiches and puddings, family menus including dippy boiled eggs laid by their own chickens and home-made fish fingers with tomato sauce.
5.) Kite Flying Picnic at Mawgan Porth
Ask us for one of our Wild Café packed lunches, grab one of our kites from reception and head down to Mawgan Porth Beach just below the hotel. Here you can fly your kite, investigate mussel encrusted rocks, find the little waterfall and damn the shallow, wide river that runs down to the sea.
