Since I returned from Ireland, and before that as well, I have worked in a Bar in Polzeath, Cornwall. A pretty little village with a great surfing beach, this is one of the slightly less know gems of Cornwalls north coast.
Polzeath grew up as a fishing village, just like all of Cornwalls’ towns, but instead of the deep water harbour, it features a large sandy beach, not so good for the fish, but great for surfing and swimming. It’s because of this beach Polzeath has warped into the town it is now, a bi-polar affair that swaps between the summer rush, with a packed beach and long waits at most of the cafes and restaurants, to the opposite in winter, when the regular locals go into hibernation and the beach is empty but for the few surfers chasing waves up and down the coast.
While this might not sound the best, if you time it well, it’s possible to catch the end of summer period, where the sea and weather are still warm, while the crowds have all gone. The pubs will be able to serve you, and it’s easy to get an ice cream without a half hour wait (if the weather is nice enough that you want one) Guessing the exact week is a tricky one, and there are a couple weeks in the years (one before and one after summer) that the posh uni kids flood in and order huge rounds of made-up drinks for them and their 5 mates.
The beach is lovely, and depending on the tide, very big, or very small. There’s usually plenty of space for all the families to spread out though. The cliffs are well worth an explore, with some great views and nicely adventurous rocks and climbs for the younger ones, and of course easy cliff paths for the elder.
Along the coast just a short drive is the rather sweet village of Port Isaac, most famous these days for it’s featuring in the British series Doc Martin. Thankfully, while the village has embraced the commercial aspect of the TV show, it hasn’t blown it out of proportion, and in fact with the exception of a the odd mug in shops and a lot of people taking photos of a fairly innocuous looking house, you wouldn’t know there was anything filmed there at all.
If visiting, make sure you park at the top, there’s a couple places to choose from, but do not try to drive into the village. The tiny roads and incredibly limited parking will leave you stuck, and often with a fresh set of scratches down the side. The walk down is not hard, and well worth it for the clifftop views. The town itself isn’t cheap for food and drink, not crazy, but not cheap, and there are some great spots with views over the harbour. Make sure you take a stroll through some of the winding lanes that thread their way between the main road at the top, and the harbour at the bottom.
It would be a pleasantly easy day out to drive to both of these stops, allowing for food and tea along the way of course.
Benjamin Duff
Verses Travel 