Lake camping in Watergate Bay

Surf, sand, and sea cliffs draw beach lovers to this Cornish beach.

96% (112 reviews)
96% (112 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Watergate Bay

Under £50

12 top lakeside campsites in Watergate Bay

90%
(24)

The Enchanted Wilderness

6 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents22 acres · Yelverton, England
Simple riverside camping pitches in the Tamar Valley on the edge of Dartmoor
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£28
 / night
97%
(130)

Cornish Tipi Holidays & Camping

127 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents20 acres · Cornwall, South West England
Wake up to the sound of birdsong, go swimming before breakfast in the clear water of a secluded lake. Cook your bacon and eggs over an open fire while you plan your day, or just laze it away in the peace and quiet of your own personal tipi. You can always go fishing tomorrow, and walk along the cliffs the day after that… The site is a unique woodland valley folded around a clear, spring-fed lake created from the old Tregildrans Quarry. Our tipis and tent pitches are dotted about this secret 20 acres full of ferns, bluebells, oak and meadowsweet. Left in peace for many years there's been no modern chemicals or poisons on the land, meaning we've got bluebells, dormice, Red Admirals and shy woodland Jays for you to spot. It’s a place set apart from the rush and clutter of the modern holiday experience, with an atmosphere that makes you forget the world outside, and just lounge, ramble, or potter about in a boat. We're committed to giving you a genuinely individual service from first contact to your time staying with us. We established CTH in 1996. This was the first and we believe still is the best tipi holiday site in the UK. We know our area inside out and can always help with local knowledge or contacts if you need them. We want to offer our guests a sustainable holiday. A return to real camping means the lowest possible impact on the land and environment - our tipi poles don’t even break the surface of the earth. Your footprint while here could only be bettered by a survival expert. You don't have to fly! a major bonus, and we source all our wood, fish and canvas locally and work with local people wherever possible.
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£25
 / night
100%
(59)

Glamp or Camp at Magical Mena Farm

16 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents15 acres · Bodmin, Cornwall, South West England
Easily accessed camping on a 15-acre farm, with family facilities and a vast amount of wild space to explore
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£18
 / night
100%
(3)

Tregonetha Lake

18 units · Motorhomes, Tents2 acres · England
Open 19th July - 15th September 2024 Tregonetha Lake is a small, peaceful, off grid site surrounded by wild and natural, Cornish countryside and open farmland, including a beautiful 2 acre coarse fishing Lake. Fishing is an extra cost of £10 per adult day ticket, £5 per child day ticket. Just 9 miles from Mawgan Porth, 10 miles from Padstow, 11 miles from Newquay and 15 miles from Mevagissey it’s the perfect place to get away from it all, while still being within easy reach of some of the most popular holiday destinations on both the north and south coasts of Cornwall. Traditional Camping for tents and camper vans is available in our 2 acre field where you can choose where you want to pitch. Glamping in bell tents is also available. Tregonetha Lake is a small campsite with a big impact. Wild, natural and peaceful with pitches overlooking our beautiful 2 acre lake. Great for a summer holiday, a weekend break or overnight stop off.
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£10
 / night
91%
(67)

Pleasant Streams Farm Camping

67 units · Glamping, Tents9 acres · St Austell, England
Lakeside camping with streams, rope swings and farmyard animals in rural Cornwall
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£15
 / night
100%
(12)

Dragonfly Glamping

2 units · Glamping1 acre · Saundersfoot, Wales
An impeccably crafted shepherd's hut and a floating glamping cabin, set in scenic farmland just beyond the Daugleddau Estuary
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£100
 / night
100%
(6)

Seaview Tipis, Cornwall

9 units · Glamping, Tents5 acres · Padstow, England
Tipi glamping atop the cliffs, within strolling distance of Cornwall's famous Bedruthan Steps
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£121.50
 / night
100%
(1)

Wolf Meadows Farm

20 units · Motorhomes, Tents30 acres · Umberleigh, England
Relaxed camping in a riverside meadow in north Devon
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£38
 / night
Booked 3 times

Spring Lakes Campsite and Fisheries

16 units · Glamping, Motorhomes, Tents40 acres · Kilkhampton, England
Spring Lakes, 40 acres of beautiful and tranquil space with a large fishing lake, a natural woodland to enjoy and explore set within the hamlet of Eastcott, 6 miles North of the stunning coastal town of Bude, Cornwall. With easy access to some of the most beautiful parts that Cornwall has to offer as well as being a short drive into North and Central areas of Devon. With a drive towards environmental sustainability, our aim at Spring Lakes is to always consider our impact on the local environment wherever possible. As soon as the opportunities align to “going green” Spring Lakes will take the required steps to “do the right thing”, to help future generations of campers. We are passionate about green space and considered development, but also need to balance this with commercial realism. We have created a local business with an aim to creating local employment and supporting other local business in a sustainable way. Spring Lakes is not just for today, it’s a long-lasting leisure location that offers everyone who interacts with it the great benefits a UK local leisure business can offer. Visitor health and well-being, locally sourced supply chains, local employment, local skills training, use of renewables, recycling, green initiatives, management of woodlands and hedgerows, re-wilding … The list goes on … A stay or visit to Spring lakes is a stay or visit that contributes to its localised objectives and our success will filter into the local community it acts to enhance and serve. Spring lakes welcomes everyone with an outdoor enthusiasm be it a camper or glamper, a caravan or motorhome tourer, an angler, a hiker or rambler, mountain bike, gravel bike, road bike enthusiast, a day visitor, coffee connoisseur or wild ride surfer. You are all welcome and will be treated to a break and experience to remember. On Site facilities include, composite toilets, outdoor shower shack, dish washing area, Drinking Water Tap, Wash down tap/hose, Chemical disposal point. Refuse bins. (General & Mixed Waste) Dog waste bin. Non electric site. We allow off the ground BBQ’s and provide a communal campfire. We do not allow fires at the pitches, we have created a communal open fire zone where you can light a fire and congregate there as a social meeting point, this is open to all so please accept other people could join you when in this location. We sell camping basics onsite such as firelighters, matches, charcoal, and fresh free-range eggs to assist with provisions for you whilst with us, equally feel free to ask and we will be more than happy to accommodate for any reasonable requests.
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£20
 / night
100%
(34)

Dartmoor Domes

4 units · Glamping4 acres · Plymouth, England
Geodesic glamping domes with a ceiling that lets you stargaze and a dark-sky setting on the edge of Dartmoor
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£140
 / night
100%
(17)

Trecombe Lakes

8 units · Glamping9 acres · Falmouth, Cornwall, South West England
Self-contained luxury lodge and pods in a tranquil waterside setting close to Falmouth and the River Helford
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£155
 / night
60%
(5)

Elmar's Place

2 units · Tents1 acre · Bude, England
Nearly wild camping on the border of Devon and Cornwall
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£10
 / night

Dog-friendly getaways

Value Prop
Value Prop

Lake camping in Watergate Bay guide

Overview

For those looking to escape the crowds of Newquay, the golden sands of Watergate Bay lie just to the north. Life in Watergate Bay is all about the beach. Stroll along the sea cliffs, take to the water to swim or stand-up paddleboard, or enjoy kite-surfing along the 2-mile long sands, then grab dinner at a restaurant with views of the ocean. Summertime is peak season for swimmers and campers, with lifeguard patrols from May through September, and several campsites to choose from. For surfers, the biggest swells hit the shore in winter—just don’t forget your wetsuit!

Where to go

Northwest Coast

West of Watergate, Cornwall’s north coast is wild and windswept. The surf Mecca of Newquay is one of the region’s busiest hubs, while further south, St Ives is surrounded by sandy beaches and seaside holiday parks. Coastal hikes don’t come more spectacular than the South West Coast Path, which runs the entire length of the Cornish coast. 

Northeast Coast

Sweeping headlands and rocky coves line the coast east of Watergate Bay. Enjoy sea-cliff walks along the Trevose Head Heritage Coast, spot sea-birds swooping along the shore, or take in the views from Pentire Point. Further north, discover the legacy of King Arthur at Tintagel Castle or hike up the High Cliff, Cornwall’s highest point. 

South Coast

St Austell, Falmouth, and Fowey are the headline acts of the ‘Cornish Riviera’, a 30-minute drive south of Watergate Bay. Camping options range from family-friendly holiday parks to glamping in a luxury yurt, but whichever you choose, the beach is never far away. Don’t miss a visit to the Eden Project, famed for its giant rainforest biomes. 

Bodmin Moors

Misty moorlands and ancient standing stones tempt intrepid hikers away from the coast to the Bodmin Moors. Visit in the summertime to hike amid fields of purple heather, picnic by Golitha Falls, then pitch your tent at a hillside camping ground. Look out for native ponies grazing the hillsides along the way.

Top regions near Watergate Bay

Top counties in and near Watergate Bay

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