Porth was originally a small port and farm settlement before Newquay existed.
The long sheltered bay has a drowned river mouth and in the 19C the tide reached the towns almost 2 miles away. Before Alexandra Road (the road around the bay) was built in 1902, all traffic crossed the beach and forded the river to Watergate Road.
Placed in such a central location on the North Cornwall coast, Porth is an amazing location to explore the beauty of the area, with Newquay beaches and Watergate Bay beach only a short drive or walk away. Mawgan Porth, Harlyn Bay and Constantine Bay beaches are all within a 15 – 20 minute drive away to the North and Crantock, Holywell Bay and Perranporth beaches an easy drive to the South. For traditional Cornish Harbour towns, Padstow and Port Isaac are not far.
