The short answer is yes, there is a quiet cove in Newquay – with a choice of beach, depending on just how far from the madding crowd you really want to be and are prepared to go.
Watergate Bay’s going to be super busy – but the far ends of the beach are quiet. Whipsiderry is usually quiet simply because of the access issues. 
Porth Beach does get too busy to be described as a quiet cove, Lusty Glaze is an activity centre, so that won’t qualify as quiet. Tolcarne Beach, Great Western Beach, Towan Beach and the Harbour Beach are very busy, being so accessible from town.
So then we’re off to the Headland Hotel area – Little Fistral can be quiet, but it’s so small that it doesn’t really count as being quiet. Many people turn up just to look/leave, which can be doubly annoying if you want to snooze or read a book.
Then it’s the main Fistral Beach – nobody could call that quiet, although the far end from the Surf Centre is the quieter end.
But if you now leave the main Newquay beaches behind you and head for Crantock, then walk over West Pentire Head to Polly Joke (Porth Joke) you might find that quiet cove you’re after. It’s mostly inaccessible to people who don’t like to walk, or who have mobility issues. The car park’s about 1/4 of a mile from the beach, so it’s likely to be quiet.
The photo above is of Porth Joke, or Polly Joke – there’s plenty of sand, lots of water frontage and some great rocks to lean against on either side of the beach!
Image: Newquay Porth Joke
