My thoughts on camping in Cornwall

This year (and the next year actually) my summer holidays are planned almost down to the minute. With my breaks being shorter than other students’ I do my best to make the most of the time I have off. I have spent last weekend in Cornwall with my friends and boyfriend and I wanted to share my thoughts on the trip. A couple of months ago we booked a campsite in Penhallow, not that much thought went into the process of choosing it, we just found one on tripadvisor with decent reviews and thought why not. By that point we were a little sick of looking for one as we have booked a space in a holiday park before that but apparently 2 couples camping together are a “group” and groups aren't allowed (that was Newquay View Resort by the way). In my opinion that's just them trying to get more money out of you because if two couples book two separate pitches then that's absolutely fine, but anyway I'm digressing. The campsite we ended up going to was called Higher Golla Touring Park and is situated about 2 miles inland from Perranporth. When we arrived the man in reception/shop was clearly organised and expecting our arrival even if there was a slight mix up with pitch numbers. Pitching up our four man tent was definitely a good teamwork exercise and I definitely felt like we've accomplished something when our temporary home was all set up. Our pitch was about a 2 minute walk from the shower block where the facilities were better than I was expecting for the price that we've paid. The facilities were kept very clean throughout our stay and the only two issues we thought might be worth mentioning is that there are only 4 showers for what I thought was a decent size campsite (we were pitch number 33 and that was only about half way up the campsite) and when all showers were in use there were definitely issues with the water pressure. But hey, that's part of the experience right? And it definitely didn't have an impact on our trip. Outside the bathrooms, on kind of a porch, were three sinks which were very useful for washing up the dishes. It's such a simple thing but I was pleasantly surprised by it as I was expecting to have to wash up in a bowl outside the tent. Although we did not use the shop, there was one on site and it looked like it had all the necessities excited campers may have forgotten to pack.

On the day we arrived we went to explore the nearby beach in Perranporth. Although the town was mildly touristy it had a quiet and calm feel to it. On the “high street” we found a couple of pubs, a pasty shop (a must in Cornwall right?), a chippy, surf shops and a variety of “tourist junk” shops. We only found one supermarket, a Co-Op which was obviously everyone’s evening stop before heading back to their hotels or campsites as the queues were ridiculous. The beach itself is great too – the main area close to the shops and toilets got quite crowded but if you're willing to walk a little further on there was a bit more space. The toilets and showers by the beach are clean and clearly newly refurbished. There is even a doggy shower and drier outside as the beach welcomes man’s best friends all year round. As I am very much a dog person this was a big plus for me as I may decide to take my dog with me when I go back there in the future. There is also a great-looking bar right on the beach called The Watering Hole. On a sunny day it made you feel like you were on a cool surfing beach abroad rather than in the UK with lots of tables and benches on the decking outside. 

On our second day we headed for Newquay which is about 9 miles from the campsite. To make the trip more fun we decided to ditch the boring sat nav and found our way the old-school way by just using road signs. Newquay definitely had a more commercial feel to it with lots of your usual high street shops however we did find what I thought was a hidden gem – Martha’s Tea Room. The café had a homely and traditional feel to it and served some of the British classics including cream teas. This is what I opted for and was surprised that for the price of £4.50 I had a pot of tea and 2 scones! This may be too much for some people but I didn't really struggle to finish it haha! After walking along the beach and visiting some of the shops we decided to head back to Perranporth.

 

 

Day three was all about the beach. After spotting a good deal in one of the surfing shops in Perranporth we treated ourselves to surfing lessons. Not one of us have surfed before but we were all excited to try it. The shop is called Piran Surf and is situated directly opposite the main entrance to the beach. On arrival we were all weighed and fitted with wetsuits and boots. After changing we sat together with the rest of the group (8 of us in total) in the shop’s outdoor area for a safety briefing with the instructor who appeared to be experienced and really knew what he was talking about. After that we picked up our soft boards and headed for the beach. The instructor talked us through the basics and encouraged us to just have a go which I thought was great. Once in the water the instructor went around the group and helped us to catch a good wave and gave us a little push to make sure we caught it. Two hours with the instructor was enough for us to feel comfortable enough to head back into the sea after lunch and carry on practicing. The currents were really strong and made it quite difficult to stay within the surfing zone so we were all knackered from having to keep moving back across however we had the equipment hired until 6pm so had plenty of time to rest in between surfing. Personally I had enough by 3pm and sunbathed on the beach for the rest of the afternoon. The lesson and the equipment hire for the day cost £25 which I thought was a bargain compared to what other shops in Perranporth offered. 

We spent our evenings barbecuing by our tent and playing cards. Having to be really organised with the cooking meant we were all involved. The being organised part didn't work 100% of the time and occasionally the odd fork had to be shared between two people but that just added to the experience. Apart from the odd Facebook scroll when I managed to catch a bit of 3G we all kept phone use to a minimum and it felt bliss to be away from it all. I felt like we were all present in the moment and enjoying spending time together which is what I loved most about this trip.   

That's enough of being soppy for today. Now time to start packing for the next trip this Friday.