We moved a little inland to try to get out of the coastal exposure and picked our way carefully through the lanes near Crackington. This one is amazingly flat. Others have gradients to 33%. It's a Land Rover so no worries.
The owners had two young children, live in a touring caravan tucked away out of sight, use the toliet block as the family bathroom and home-school the kids. Then in the winter they wander to Morocco and other places. The were very interested to hear about our travels on the European mainland.
The sky cleared for a few hours and we walked down to Crackington Haven and watched them lift the surf lifeguard cabin onto a low loader to take it away for the winter. The walk back along the cliffs in sunshine showed the coast again in all its beauty
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Heading to Polzeath, with (borrowed) wetsuits and boots and gloves (because we are old and feel the cold), we chose the site with a view. Wow, what a pitch. The weather was beautiful, the cheapest (😱) turn-up pitches were vacant and we were stocked with Crackington cider.
We felt cool. There were plenty VW T5s and 6s but no-one else in a Land Rover 110 with an elevating roof. "Pop-Top" doesn't do it justice! We got the wetsuits out, the music on and started to mix with the surroundings. It was bliss after the wet of the first few days.
Eventually the moment came. We would have to get the wetsuits on and then walk down to the beach and try not to look like a couple of "oldies". Getting the 'suits on is a job only for the experienced. No-one was watching the ordeal thankfully and eventually we were off, skipping across the grass with our bodyboards and only slowing down when we hit the gravel. Ouch!
It was great! The surf was up and powerful enough to pick-up the boards and we had some great rides down the front of the waves. It really is a great sensation when you are moving quickly enough and the wave is powerful enough to pick you up, not leave you behind, and you really do fall down the front and are powered on and on. There were so many people there that steering was important as you were washed onto the beach. Brilliant!
We had two or three sessions over a couple of days. The water was warm and we didn't need the gloves or boots. Plenty in the water were older than us. What a great place. It's no wonder that @MarkandJan still come here every year.
We moved on down the coast and went to Bedruthan Steps, between Padstow and Newquay. The timing was perfect as the tide was well out and the steps and beaches were accessible. There are many warnings about getting cut-off and it is clear that the beach nearer the steps is lower than other parts. So the tide is already "in" whilst further parts of the beaches are still exposed.
The steps down are very steep. In September it was busy. Goodness knows what the summer is like.
We walked north across all the accessible sand and then were attracted by a cliff scramble that we could just pick out that would allow for a nice circular walk back along the top. So we did what some would do and many would not. Scrambled up, didn't look back and got to the top. Phew!
This site is nice and simple; they even allow small campfires. There's two toilets and a washroom with a shower. Hot water is supplied from a gas boiler hung on the side. This is about the only time that one end of the field could be seen from the other. The north Cornish coast was getting its share of 100% humidity literally falling out of the sky.
The owners had two young children, live in a touring caravan tucked away out of sight, use the toliet block as the family bathroom and home-school the kids. Then in the winter they wander to Morocco and other places. The were very interested to hear about our travels on the European mainland.
The sky cleared for a few hours and we walked down to Crackington Haven and watched them lift the surf lifeguard cabin onto a low loader to take it away for the winter. The walk back along the cliffs in sunshine showed the coast again in all its beauty
.
Heading to Polzeath, with (borrowed) wetsuits and boots and gloves (because we are old and feel the cold), we chose the site with a view. Wow, what a pitch. The weather was beautiful, the cheapest (😱) turn-up pitches were vacant and we were stocked with Crackington cider.
We felt cool. There were plenty VW T5s and 6s but no-one else in a Land Rover 110 with an elevating roof. "Pop-Top" doesn't do it justice! We got the wetsuits out, the music on and started to mix with the surroundings. It was bliss after the wet of the first few days.
Eventually the moment came. We would have to get the wetsuits on and then walk down to the beach and try not to look like a couple of "oldies". Getting the 'suits on is a job only for the experienced. No-one was watching the ordeal thankfully and eventually we were off, skipping across the grass with our bodyboards and only slowing down when we hit the gravel. Ouch!
It was great! The surf was up and powerful enough to pick-up the boards and we had some great rides down the front of the waves. It really is a great sensation when you are moving quickly enough and the wave is powerful enough to pick you up, not leave you behind, and you really do fall down the front and are powered on and on. There were so many people there that steering was important as you were washed onto the beach. Brilliant!
We had two or three sessions over a couple of days. The water was warm and we didn't need the gloves or boots. Plenty in the water were older than us. What a great place. It's no wonder that @MarkandJan still come here every year.
We moved on down the coast and went to Bedruthan Steps, between Padstow and Newquay. The timing was perfect as the tide was well out and the steps and beaches were accessible. There are many warnings about getting cut-off and it is clear that the beach nearer the steps is lower than other parts. So the tide is already "in" whilst further parts of the beaches are still exposed.
The steps down are very steep. In September it was busy. Goodness knows what the summer is like.
We walked north across all the accessible sand and then were attracted by a cliff scramble that we could just pick out that would allow for a nice circular walk back along the top. So we did what some would do and many would not. Scrambled up, didn't look back and got to the top. Phew!
This is tempting project, especially as a guy next door said it was for sale. Well everything is 'for sale' of course. It would be a fantastic "restoration" although in this case, less would be most definitely more.
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