Spotlight on Newquay

If there's one UK tour destination which feels like being abroad, surely it's Newquay. Sam Jennings takes a look at what Cornwall's party capital has to offer adult groups for sports tours and stag weekends to Newquay.
I've been to a lot of touring destinations around the UK and Europe with our touring groups, and Newquay is one of my current favourites. It's got everything you need for an enjoyable tour: it boasts great natural beauty, has plenty to see and do in the daytime, throbs with activity in the evenings and a weekend here won't break the bank.
Firstly, it's in the UK. That isn't meant to sound narrow-minded, but I do think it's a valid point. Although the pound has seen a recent upturn against the Euro, your hard-earned English coin still doesn't buy you nearly as much in Europe as it did two or three years ago. Similarly, whilst the budget airlines remain competitive, the rock bottom fares for flights into European destinations that we saw until a couple of years ago seem to be petering out. Newquay, as we'll see below, often looks and feels like a European beach destination anyway, but carries a very British price tag.

You can fly, drive or arrive by train. A recent Newquay Stag Weekend which we ran had guys arriving by all three methods. The flights to Newquay are great, and often affordable. Jet2, Air Southwest, Flybe and BMI Baby all offer flights to Newquay from airports around the country, reducing what can be a long drive to around an hour in the air. We then organise coach or minibus transfers from Newquay airport into the town centre, a pleasant 20 minute journey past Watergate Bay. If you arrive by train, the station is at one end of the town, only 10 minutes walk back to the main area around Towan beach. Smaller groups often drive in cars, whilst for bigger groups - most of our Newquay rugby tours for example- we organise private coach hire with a driver to stay with the group throughout the trip. The drive can be a long one, but as long as you car share then it isn't too expensive; if you're on a coach then you don't need to worry as you can sit back and relax whilst the driver does all the work.

Right then, what to expect once you've arrived? Many people lump all the British coastal resorts into the same category, especially when talking about adult tours. Let's clear that up now: Newquay is much, much prettier than Blackpool, much livelier than Bournemouth and Scarborough, has more beaches than all of them and probably boasts the better climate as well.

The beaches are phenomenal, and are probably the main reason people say they feel like they're abroad when the sun is shining. There are 7 great sandy stretches around the town, offering both space and variety for sun bathers and thrill-seekers alike. The water is clean, although cold, as our recent stag party down there found: it cleared the hangovers in an instant! A game of touch rugby or football on the beach, followed by a quick dip is the perfect pick-me-up on your first morning in Newquay.

For those who want something a little more lively (or perhaps it's just the extra warmth offered by the wetsuit), we have links with some quality activity providers, and can organise outdoor activities as part of your trip at our discounted rates. My favourites are surfing and coasteering, and I've been lucky enough to try both of them out down in Newquay with our groups. Surfing is good fun, it keeps everyone in the same place and feels very safe as a beginner's activity as well. The instructors give good advice and look after your safety; most sporty types should be able to get onto their feet and ride a wave - briefly - by the end of your first session.

I actually preferred coasteering as a group activity, which was more exhilarating but required less skill, so was quite inclusive for everyone in your group. Basically you all get kitted out in wetsuits, slimline life jackets and helmets. With the gear - and your worst set of old trainers - on, you set off along a coastal path and work your way down to the water, then spend the next couple of hours hugging the coastline, swimming through narrow gullies, clambering up and scaling across rocks and jumping off again into the sea below. Jumps tend to start low, belly flopping onto your life jacket, and increase in height. Our group finished up jumping from 30 feet up, all under the watchful eye of the local guides who know the area like the back of their hand. Not for the faint-hearted then, and you shouldn't do this if you aren't prepared to accept the odd bump or graze. The serious danger-points have all been risk-assessed, but rocks can be jagged or covered in sharp shells so you have to be careful what you're grabbing onto when climbing, and when walking along rocks which have been recently submerged, there is obviously the chance that you slip over. Worth taking into account when choosing who takes part - our last group of rugby players left a couple of lads with recent knee injuries at home - but otherwise I wouldn't let it put you off. You get to see some beautiful coastline whilst doing some good exercise and getting a real adrenalin rush, plus it's an excellent team building exercise: groups tend to encourage each other through the higher jumps once the knees start knocking, and guide one another through hand and foot placement when climbing out of the water.

Kite-surfing, kite-buggying, kayaking and mountain biking are other pursuits which your tour group might want to try. Of course there are also options for quad-biking, paintball and go karting, popular with sports tours and stag parties everywhere which we are able to organise. There is also some good golf in the area: a challenging 18 hole course, plus an 18 hole par 3 course at Holywell Bay and a par 32, 9 hole course at Treloy Golf Club; these last two fit nicely into itineraries as you can do them in a couple of hours rather than sacrificing a full day of your Newquay tour.

Sports teams will also play fixtures against local clubs. Newquay is a great destination for both football tours and rugby tours, and we organise the games for you in advance. There are teams based in and around the town but also within easy driving distance elsewhere in Cornwall, where you get to play against local opposition and also socialise with them afterwards, often the highlight of many a rugby tour. One of our recent Newquay rugby tour groups remember matching their hosts on the field and in the drinking but being comprehensively out-sung; the hospitality down here is superb.

So it looks likely that after all this you'll deserve a drink by the time the evening comes around. The nightlife in Newquay is excellent, and well suited to groups. Over Spring and Summer 2010 there has been an increased police presence in the town at night, and the doorstaff are vigilant. This is all a good thing - you can have a cracking night out in the town, but that's no reason not to treat it with respect, and that is all you're required to do. Bars and clubs are well used to single-sex groups and those in fancy dress, so you don't get the same problems getting into places as can sometimes be the case in other city-centre venues. There is a lot of competition for your business, which keeps prices reasonable. A good route is to head up to the Wetherspoons on Cliff Road, The Towan Blystra, which is a popular starting point for groups due to the good prices and location at one end of the town. Work your way back up East Street and Bank Street with plenty of watering holes en-route: Buzios and Newquay Arms are both good fun, as is the busy Central Inn, which is close to two of the most popular late night venues, Walkabout and Sailors. Stag parties often end up in Divas, the strip joint in the same area which offers a range of 'stag packages' if the best-man hasn't drunk all the kitty money by this point!

Our usual accommodation venue is 2 minutes' away from those bars, overlooking Towan beach. From our experience of organising tours, we think we know what you need from your accommodation in Newquay: A1 location, great bar, comfortable bed at affordable rates. It's a phrase I hate, but this place ticks all the boxes. We put our groups in multi-bedded en-suite private rooms: typically there will be 4 to 6 of you in each room, in adult bunks. A light breakfast is included in the price, which comprises of cereals, toast, tea, coffee and juice, although on weekends you can also pay for cooked breakfasts served in the bar. The bar is outstanding: there are big screens showing the Sky Sports channels and a large outdoor terrace with amazing views back over Towan beach and beyond. The picture above is taken from the terrace bar, and here's some of a recent group 'climbing up Sunshine Mountain'! The bar prices here are amongst the cheapest in town, but as residents you get a further discount, perfect!

Newquay Sports Tours

Click below for prices and information on our sports tours to Newquay.

Newquay Rugby Tour - 2 nights - from £60 per person
Newquay Rugby Tour - 3 nights - from £85 per person

Newquay Football Tour - 2 nights - from £60 per person
Newquay Football Tour - 3 nights - from £85 per person

So would Newquay be suitable for your next sports tour or stag party? If you want an affordable tour with excellent nightlife and a wide selection of daytime activities then I'd recommend it. If you want guaranteed sunshine and warm weather then you might look at our European options in Spain and Portugal, but if you want something similar in a lower price bracket, Newquay is the answer. And what can we do for you? We can take the hassle out of the booking and save you money - we can organise your transport, your accommodation, can recommend and book the activities for you and point you in the direction of the most suitable bars and clubs in town. And because we do this for a lot of groups, we get good rates to allow you to benefit from all of our help and experience without costing you any more than if you tried to do it yourself. 2 night packages in 2011 are available from as little as £60 per person, get in touch with us today to find out more: 0800 043 3887 or email info@tours4.com