Porth Beach Webcam – Watch Newquay’s Cove and Porth Island

The Porth Beach Webcam looks over the rooftops of Porth to a sandy cove on the north coast of Cornwall, about 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) northeast of Newquay town centre. The beach sits in the middle of the frame, with the low green headland of Porth Island running out to sea on the right, a headland lined with houses on the left and the Atlantic stretching to the horizon. A slate roof and a cluster of palm trees fill the foreground. The width of the sand changes through the day as the tide comes and goes, and the line of white water along the shore shows how much swell is running. A second tab carries Newquay Weather’s Porth Island camera, a closer view that looks across the beach to the headland and the fields behind it.

About Porth Beach

Porth Beach sits at the eastern end of Newquay Bay, between the town and Porth Island. Despite the name, the island is the headland of Trevelgue Head, separated from the mainland by a natural gap in the rock that a narrow wooden footbridge crosses, possibly the spot where an ancient land bridge once stood.

Trevelgue Head is a scheduled monument. People used it from the Mesolithic period onward, and most of what survives is an Iron Age promontory fort. Its defences include three massive banks and ditches on the landward side of the gap. Two early Bronze Age round barrows stand inside them, the larger one at the summit 25 meters (82 feet) across and 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) high. Excavations turned up a roundhouse 14.5 meters (48 feet) in diameter, around 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of iron slag and more than 4,000 pieces of pottery.

Both cameras on this page belong to Newquay Weather, a private weather station in Newquay. The main camera stamps the station’s latest readings across the top of the picture: temperature, wind speed and direction, and rainfall. Newquay itself had 23,626 residents at the 2021 census.

Weather and Climate at Porth Beach

Porth has a mild maritime climate. At the Newquay Airport weather station, northeast of the town, January averages a high of 9 C (48 F) and a low of 4 C (40 F). April warms to 13 C (55 F) by day. July averages 19 C (66 F) with nights around 14 C (56 F), and October still reaches 15 C (58 F). The station records about 1,019 millimeters (40.1 inches) of rain and 1,758 hours of sunshine a year.

The camera shows those seasons plainly. Summer days can bring a crowded beach and calm, blue water. In autumn and winter the Atlantic swells roll into the bay, low cloud often hides the horizon, and the rain readout at the top of the frame starts to climb. Windy days at mid tide are the time to look for spray from the blowhole on Porth Island.

Things to Do Near Porth Beach

The obvious walk starts on the beach itself: cross the footbridge to Porth Island for an easy loop past the Iron Age ramparts and the barrows, with the blowhole on the seaward side. The South West Coast Path runs right past the beach. Heading south, it reaches Lusty Glaze, a privately owned cove, after 0.8 kilometers (0.5 miles) and carries on over the cliffs into Newquay. Heading north, it climbs past Whipsiderry to Watergate Bay and its long stretch of sand, about 4.8 kilometers (3 miles) away.

In Newquay, Fistral Beach lines the western edge of town, and Newquay Zoo has been in the Trenance Valley since 1969. Further up the coast, past Watergate Bay, Mawgan Porth has a camera of its own on this site. Porth Beach has a cafe and a pub close to the sand, and RNLI lifeguards patrol it during the summer season.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More live cameras from the Cornish coast:

• Mawgan Porth Webcam
• Perranporth Beach Webcam
• Boscastle Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

What can you see on the Porth Beach Webcam?

The main camera looks out over the rooftops of Porth to the beach, the sea and Porth Island on the right, with a headland of houses on the left. The Porth Island tab gives a closer view across the sand to the headland, its footpaths and the fields beyond.

Is there a Porth Beach webcam with sound?

No. Neither camera on this page carries live sound. The main stream has an audio channel, but it is silent, and the Porth Island camera has no audio at all.

How far is Porth Beach from Newquay?

Porth Beach is about 2 kilometers (1.3 miles) northeast of Newquay town centre in a straight line. On foot, the South West Coast Path links them by way of the cliffs above Lusty Glaze.

Are dogs allowed on Porth Beach in Newquay?

Yes, for most of the year. Dogs are banned from the beach between 10am and 6pm from 1 July to 31 August, and are allowed outside those hours and the rest of the year.

Is there parking at Porth Beach?

Yes. There is a pay-and-display car park across the road from the beach at Porth Beach Holiday Park, and another car park by the B3276 a few minutes’ walk away. Arrangements change from season to season, so check the signs on arrival.

What is Porth Island in Newquay?

Porth Island is the headland of Trevelgue Head on the north side of the beach, reached by a narrow footbridge. It holds the remains of an Iron Age cliff castle and two Bronze Age barrows, and its blowhole sends up spray at mid tide on windy days.

Why does the Porth Island camera stop after 10 minutes?

That player pauses itself after 10 minutes of viewing. Press play again and the live picture comes straight back.

What is the weather like at Porth Beach?

Mild and changeable. Average highs run from about 9 C (48 F) in January to 19 C (66 F) in July, with around 1,019 millimeters (40.1 inches) of rain a year. For the conditions right now, read the station figures at the top of the main camera or the weather bar under the player.

Source: Newquay Weather