What do you look for in a beach? Stunning views looking out to sea? Fine white sand?
Maybe you want some decent surf, or rock pools and caves to explore? Or perhaps a restaurant and bar, so that you can take in your surroundings with a drink and some food?
Well, whatever you want from a beach, I’m pretty sure Lusty Glaze beach has it.
It’s Newquay’s worst kept secret.
Staying Near Lusty Glaze Beach
Perfect For Couples – Gwynn Lodge (sleeps 2) click here to view
Great For Families – The Beach House (sleeps 6) click here to view
Stunning Views – Driftwood (sleeps 4) click here to view
About Lusty Glaze
The winner of Britain’s Best Beach according to the Sunday Times, plus it was named Cornwall’s Most Instagrammable Wedding Venue, which may be a pretty obscure sounding award, but it goes some way to illustrate what Lusty Glaze has to offer – it’s a truly stunning beach.
The ever-growing reputation means that this is often a busy beach, particularly during the peak summer period.
But that shouldn’t put you off, in fact, the number of people on a busy day just seems to add to the wonderful atmosphere – the laughter of children and the satisfying hum of chatter from holiday makers.
A quintessentially British experience, but on a beach packed full of modern amenities – what’s not to like?
I was lucky enough to have family living around the corner from Lusty when I was growing up, so this is a beach with many happy memories attached to it – and it is one that I love taking my children to now.
Allow me to guide you through everything that you need to know for a perfect day at Lusty Glaze beach and walk you through exactly why it is such a special place.


How To Get To Lusty Glaze
The beach is located under a mile outside of Newquay Town Centre, around a 15 minute walk from the train station, just the other side of the Barrowfields.
It is tucked away behind residential roads, which I think adds to the charm of the place – it’s not difficult to find, but you need to know that it is there in the first place.
There is a large main car park on Lusty Glaze Road, which can get busy in high season, but you should find space there whatever time of day you arrive. You can expect to pay around £12 for a full day’s parking, which is pretty standard for a beach car park. The good news is that you don’t need cash to pay – you can use your phone.
There is plenty of street parking nearby, but just be aware that many of the roads will require residential permits to park on – so make sure you have a look around before you abandon your car! For this reason, it’s probably less hassle and stress to use the main car park which is very close to the entrance to the beach.
That’s the main appeal of that car park – its proximity to the beach. You see, the main challenge you’ll face is not finding your way to Lusty Glaze Beach, but finding your way onto Lusty Glaze Beach.
There are 133 steps that you’ll need to negotiate to find yourself down on the sand, and the stairway is pretty narrow along the way, so you often find yourself having to step to one side to let people pass. As a kid, this was all part of the adventure, but it is important to be aware of when you plan what to take down there – pack light, and be aware that small children and the elderly might struggle.
Trust me, though, it is more than worth the effort, even if you need to take a few minutes to catch your breath when you get down there (and when you come up again!)
Staying Near Lusty Glaze Beach
Perfect For Couples – Gwynn Lodge (sleeps 2) click here to view
Great For Families – The Beach House (sleeps 6) click here to view
Stunning Views – Driftwood (sleeps 4) click here to view
Lusty Glaze Beach Facilities
Lusty Glaze is a privately owned beach, and has been for centuries. It was actually originally an iron ore mine – which made it an attractive proposition for investors and ownership was transferred from the Crown to its first owner for the princely sum of £100.
This decision, way back in the 19th century, has given Lusty Glaze a fairly unique history, turning to focus on tourism in 1921 as a ‘bathing resort’ – and this classic British seaside feel is still felt today with the purpose-built wooden huts that line the top of the beach.
By 1999, the beach had become run-down, but it was purchased by its current owner – Tracy Griffiths – who has transformed the beach into the integral part of the local community and tourism industry that it is today.
Hospitality has become the main focus for the beach. The café is open daily from 9.30am-4.30pm, and it offers incredible waffles, pizza and drinks. There is a wood-burner in there, so it is a really cosy place to go in the winter months – just sit in the warm and watch the waves crash into the rocks. It’s mesmerising.
The café is just the start, though – they host The Pickled Chef. This is a pop-up dining experience with incredible seafood and inventive dishes. It’s more than you probably expect from a beach-side restaurant, but it really works. It’s a proper ‘foodie’ experience, and one I would urge you to give a go.
There is a bar there as well, which is the perfect setting for a beer in the sun, or a glass of wine before you head back up into the real world! They manage to get the vibe just right – it’s a nice, stylish place, but with a chilled-out beach atmosphere. The sort of place you could sit and enjoy for hours.
If you don’t want to tear yourself away from the beach at the end of the day, they do have a couple of accommodation options – The Cottage and The Chalet. These are both situated right there on the beach – you wake up in the morning and you’re greeted by nothing but sea and sand (maybe sun too if you are lucky).
These aren’t cheap options, but they are really special little hideaways – you don’t get many chances to stay on a beach like this in the UK.
These accommodation options are ideal to compliment the wedding packages that they offer. Getting married on Lusty Glaze Beach has become incredibly popular in recent years, and you can see why. It’s a beautiful setting, with fantastic facilities. Unfortunately, it was out of our budget when I married my wife!
Staying Near Lusty Glaze Beach
Perfect For Couples – Gwynn Lodge (sleeps 2) click here to view
Great For Families – The Beach House (sleeps 6) click here to view
Stunning Views – Driftwood (sleeps 4) click here to view
Why We Love Lusty Glaze
I went back to Lusty Glaze for the first time in a long time a few years ago. I had such fond memories of going there when I was young, that I was bracing myself for some disappointment – things rarely live up to your childhood recollections of them.
Well, the opposite happened this time around. Lusty has transformed itself into so much more than I remembered. The bar, the café, the restaurant – it is more than I expected, and the key thing is that they do it so well – everything is pitched just right.
I have two boys, both under 6, and the entire family always has a great time at Lusty Glaze. There is so much to do, that we never seem to have the same day twice – whether we’re exploring rock pools, or playing football, or eating pizza, or paddling in the sea, or playing hide and seek in the caves, or watching the surfers, or staying down there for dinner – you get the picture!
And all of those steps on the way back up seem to make bedtime go a lot quicker than usual!

Alex is a full time writer who loves to travel. He has two young boys and as a family they love to explore all corners of the UK. Having spent a lot of time in his childhood in Cornwall and South West of England, Alex has a particular passion for travel writing about these sorts of destinations.