History uncovered

On Sunday 16 February 2014 Bill Brain and Ian Dearing discovered a large metal object buried in the sand at the south end of Watergate Bay that had been washed in due to the recent storms. After bringing it to the attention of the local authorities it was decided that further investigation was needed.

On 18 February 2014, the Southern Diving Unit bomb disposal team from Plymouth came to Watergate Bay to take a closer look. After x-raying the device it was confirmed as a bomb which they decided to destroy with a controlled explosion.

At approximately 1:15pm the bomb was destroyed with an almighty bang.

At first, the naval officers thought it was a WW1 bomb that may have been airdropped to aid the planes landing at St. Mawgan. However, whilst inspecting the pin they discovered it was in fact a WW2 British bomb made of brass. They estimated it was from 1944 and carrying around 500lbs of explosives.

We’d like to thank the three officers from Southern Diving Unit and Newquay Police Force for their assistance yesterday.

History of Watergate Bay

Liberator crash

On 28 December 1943 a Liberator plane named ‘Mucks Mauler’ got into difficulties.

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Our history

Watergate Bay hotel's history stretches back to 1990, it's undergone some changes since then.

Book to stay

Watergate Bay Hotel is so close to the sea you can watch the surfers from the pool.

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Visit for the day

Explore the beach and sit back in one of our restaurants.

Food & Drink

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How to photograph a sunset at Watergate Bay

Cornwall based filmmaker and photographer Ben Battell talks to us about capturing the perfect sunset. Discover Ben’s professional pointers for capturing shots that go beyond “what you see on everyone else's Instagram feeds”:

Get active with Wavehunters: Meet Andy

Carrying forward and developing what the Extreme Academy started in 1999, Wavehunters distills the surf lifestyle into lessons for all ages and abilities. We caught up with Wavehunters co-founder and director Andy Cameron.

Things to do in Cornwall

Step from the hotel straight onto the coastal path, hire a bike and explore some incredible landscapes. Walks through forgotten gardens and stepping stones for giants, there's plenty to do around Watergate and further afield.

25 years of Ski Resort on a Beach - your memories

Living for being outdoors. Feeling energetic and alive. Relaxed and social. Year round. Mountains or beach. Snow or waves. Then coming inside to good food, drink and conversation. A buzzing culture and unexpected experiences. We're celebrating 25 years of our 'Ski Resort on a Beach'.