Watergate Bay

Watergate Bay sits around three miles north of Newquay on Cornwall’s Atlantic coast, where a broad beach opens beneath high, weathered cliffs. At low tide, around two miles of golden sand are revealed, with rock pools, small coves and long lines of surf stretching along the bay.

The beach is known for its open horizon, Atlantic swells and strong tidal change, creating a landscape that shifts between a vast sandy expanse and a more enclosed strip beneath the cliffs. Every photograph in this Watergate Bay collection was captured only after permission was granted by Newquay Airport to fly within the airport’s Flight Restriction Zone (FRZ).

These aerial photographs explore Watergate Bay from above, following the contrast between turquoise and deep green water, pale wet sand, white surf and dark cliff faces. The collection brings together wide coastal views, changing tides and the scale of one of north Cornwall’s most recognisable beaches.