Wedged between the surf crowds of Fistral and the wide sands of Perranporth, Holywell Bay somehow still feels like the coast's quiet cousin - a mile of dune-backed beach, a smuggler's cave, one of the county's best links courses, and a handful of genuinely brilliant places to stay. Here's why it's worth the detour, and exactly where to book.
1. The beach itself is the main event
Holywell Bay's beach runs for the best part of a mile, backed by some of the biggest dune systems on Cornwall's north coast. It sits neatly between Perranporth and Fistral, six miles west of Newquay, which means you get all the drama of the Atlantic without any of the Newquay crowds. Half a kilometre offshore, the jagged Gull Rocks rise out of the water - you'll recognise them if you've ever watched Poldark, since the BBC filmed them for the series.
2. There's a genuine hidden sea cave
At the northern end of the beach, accessible only at very low tide, sits St Cuthbert's (or St Cubert's) cave and its Holy Well - a natural cave carved by centuries of wave erosion, with rock walls streaked white, blue, red and purple from mineral-rich water dripping through the stone. It's the kind of thing most visitors never find. Wear proper shoes; the rocks are slippery.
Check tide times before you go looking for the cave or attempt the full beach-and-dune circular walk - there's a genuine chance of being cut off by the incoming tide. At low tide you can also spot the remains of a wrecked Argentinian coaster on the sand.
3. It has one of Cornwall's best links courses (and a very good pub)
Holywell Bay Golf Club is an 18-hole links course with sea views over the Gull Rocks, plus a pitch & putt and a 16-hole mini golf course for anyone who'd rather not bring their clubs on holiday. Afterwards, Woody's Bar at the clubhouse does proper burgers and a daily specials board with a view worth lingering over. Down at the beach, the 13th-century Treguth Inn is famous locally for its Sunday roast; the thatched, 16th-century Smugglers Den Inn sits a short walk inland at Cubert.
4. The walking is genuinely excellent
Holywell sits directly on the South West Coast Path, with two standout routes on the doorstep. The Holywell & Bay Circular takes you over farmland, across the beach and back through the dunes past the golf course. The Porth Joke & Holywell Beach Circular heads to Polly Joke (also known as Porth Joke) - a quieter, wildflower-strewn cove about 15 minutes' drive or a good coastal walk away, and one of the best spots on this stretch for birdwatching and seal-spotting off West Pentire Headland.
5. It's about as dog-friendly as Cornwall gets
Between Holywell and neighbouring Crantock, there's a genuine trio of dog-friendly beaches, and Crantock itself permits dogs off-lead all year round. Combined with the dune walks and farmland circulars, it's a proper base for a four-legged holiday, not just a beach that tolerates them.
The Cottages: Where to Actually Stay
Luxury Coastal's Holywell Bay collection is small and well chosen rather than sprawling - four properties, each with a distinct personality. Here's how they stack up.
6. Beachcomber - for the "steps from the sand" holiday
Set into the dunes and just a few steps from the beach, Beachcomber is the pick if proximity to the water is non-negotiable. It's architecturally designed over two floors, with three of the four bedrooms and the open-plan living area all looking out over the dunes to the sea. A large balcony catches the morning sun, the kitchen is properly equipped for a full house, and there's a football table for rainy-day entertainment. Guest reviews consistently mention the sunsets and the "away from it all" feel, despite being metres from the sand.
7. Sandyford - for the design-led beach house feel
Part of The Rocks, an award-winning development of just ten homes tucked behind the dunes, Sandyford puts all four bedrooms on the ground floor and the living, kitchen and dining space upstairs - so the sea view is reserved for the room you'll spend the most time in. The master bedroom opens onto its own patio, and the whole place is styled with a sharp, contemporary hand rather than generic holiday-let neutrals. It's an easy walk to Holywell Bay's surf school for anyone keen to try bodyboarding or surfing lessons.
8. Old Pear Tree Barn - for a quieter, countryside version of the same holiday
A converted piggery and hay barn in the village of Cubert, a short drive from the beach, this one trades sea views for exposed timber beams, underfloor heating and a genuinely peaceful setting at the end of a private lane. The first-floor living room opens onto a decked balcony looking over the Cornish countryside, and it's a short walk through an orchard garden to the thatched, 16th-century Smugglers Den Inn. Smaller and quieter than the beachfront options, but still only minutes from the sand.
9. The Mews, Tresean - for a cosy, character-filled hideaway
A former cowshed turned luxury cottage, hidden down a country lane in the hamlet of Tresean, roughly ten minutes from both Holywell Bay and Crantock beach. The ground floor holds the bedrooms and bathroom; upstairs is all high-apex ceilings, a huge sofa and a log burner for evenings in. The enclosed garden has a private terrace, BBQ and even a pizza stone, and there's an EV charger for guest use. Repeat guests - some coming back year after year - say it best: this is the kind of place that starts to feel like a second home.
Making the Most of Holywell Bay
- Check tide times before beach walks. The cave, the causeway sections and the full beach-and-dune circular are all tide-dependent - don't get caught out.
- Bring the dog, properly. With multiple nearby beaches allowing dogs (Crantock all year), this is one of the more genuinely dog-friendly patches of the Cornish coast.
- Book the surf school if you're new to it. Holywell Bay School of Surf runs lessons and equipment hire for all ages and abilities, right on the beach.
- Don't skip Polly Joke. It's quieter than Holywell itself, especially good for wildflowers and birdwatching in spring, and an easy addition to a coastal walk.
- A car helps. Several of the best cottages sit just inland in Cubert or Tresean - a five-to-ten-minute drive from the sand, not a walk.
Holywell Bay doesn't shout about itself the way some of Cornwall's bigger names do - no crowds fighting for a patch of sand, no queue for the car park by 9am. It just quietly gets on with being one of the best stretches of coastline in the county, dunes, sea cave, links course and all. Pick the right cottage and you'll wonder why you hadn't found it sooner.