Festive Swims Near Newquay: Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Short answer: Boxing Day: Watergate Bay in the morning from the surf school end, and Newquay harbour's Dip for CLIC at 1:30pm — both organised, no wetsuits, arrive early. Christmas Day: informal dips at Fistral and Crantock late morning, no organiser, so judge the sea yourself. Perranporth's big 10:30 swim is 20 minutes away.

This is one of our town-by-town winter guides — the full county picture is in Christmas and New Year in Cornwall 2026.

Boxing Day: the organised ones

• Watergate Bay Beach, morning. Run from the Wavehunters surf school end with hot chocolate after. Big beach, easy to spectate, families welcome. Car park fills — arrive early.
• Newquay Harbour, 1:30pm — the Dip for CLIC. The town's own, off the harbour slip, fancy dress, raising money for Young Lives vs Cancer. The quayside is packed with spectators; be there by 1pm.
• Perranporth Beach, 10:30am. The biggest in the county, twenty minutes south. Full guide.

2026 dates: Boxing Day swims run every year; the harbour dip has been 1:30pm. Organisers confirm on social media in December. We update this line the moment organisers confirm.

Christmas Day: the informal ones

Fistral Beach and Crantock Beach both see Christmas morning dips — locals, no organiser, no lifeguard, late morning by convention. Without an organiser you're judging the sea yourself, and a December Atlantic swell at Fistral is not a swim. If it's big, don't. Crantock's river mouth has strong currents on the ebb; stay well away from the Gannel.

The rules, since nobody's in charge on the 25th

• Never alone; someone stays on the sand.
• Knees to waist, two minutes, out. Cold shock is the danger, not hypothermia.
• Warm layers laid out before you go in; hat on straight after.
• No alcohol before. Plenty after.

Warm up

Fistral Beach Bar and the Watergate Bay Hotel bar are open over Christmas; The Red Lion Newquay for the harbour dip. Our Newquay guide has the rest.