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Arghhh

Can't decide where abouts in Cornwall we should go, it seems quite a few parks still have availability so we still appear to have a choice.  

We don't need much from a site - clean toilets, playing field for footie, play area and flat pitches, and maybe a kids disco, but location is probably the deciding factor. 

We would like to do some basic body boarding.  The kids tried it for the first time in the Vendee last year and loved it - but they are only 8 and 10 so we aren't looking for 15ft waves.  Not sure therefore whether to be guided by 'surfing' websites or not.

Where is the 'best' place to be situated?  I have looked at a couple of sites near Newquay which seem to be about right for us, and others further south.  I have never been to Cornwall and on my 'to do' list while we are there are Flambards, the Eden Project and if its not too far/fully booked the Minark theatre.

We are only going for a week so don't want to drive too much - a campsite where you can walk to the beach would be ideal, but I get the impression those don't really exist.  Everyone says you need to drive and to get there really early to get parked, so I guess we want somewhere close to a decent (cheap?) car park, or within an easy cycle ride (with body boards on our backs we wouldn't want to go too far LOL!)

I get the impression Newquay itself would be too touristy for us, we prefer smaller beaches with less facilities as I am too mean to pay out for 'entertainment' or meals out during the day anyway.  About as commercial as I like is an icecream van and a portaloo.

Thinking about Trevarrian or Treloy - but worried the beaches near those are more for building sandcastles?

Christine

Hey Christine.......check out Bude.  We have 'surfing' beaches with golden sands and plenty of nice campsites in the area.

Wodda Farm is a fab site but NOT within easy walking distance.

Upper Lynstone, however is.

Good luck!

Kernow Camper

Our kids loved Perranporth at that age (and still do!) big beach, very popular for bodyboarding and the waves only get really big if you swim out. The lifeguards keep all the boaders together in a bunch and the surfers seperate. We still found parking on the clifftop carpark at the left hand end of the beach even at lunchtime whereas other beaches can be full early in the morning.

Fistral beach is a must visit, however the waves can be scary (as i found out!!)

It sounds as if you would be going on holiday in the school holidays i.e. at the most crowded time of the year. All I know is that in August 1970 - yes that is 1970 - we stayed in a campsite at Newquay. The traffic jams were a real pain, and we swore never to return! However in the 1990's we did return - a cunning plan!!! Stay in Sennen - within a stone's throw of Lands End - and hopefully avoid all those traffic jams; and it worked. Sennen Cove is your beach. The campsite name eludes me - perhaps it is called Seaview - but it's just through Sennen village on the left hand side of the road. The Minack open air theatre is just a couple of miles away.around the corner. And there's plenty to explore in the Penwith peninsular - that is the part of Cornwall south of a line drawn between St Ives and Penzance.

As for body boarding ( I call it belly boarding) - all the Atlantic Coast beaches would work. But do make sure that there are lifeguards on the beach and if you go down in the evening when the guards have gone home make sure that you organise your own guarding; or have a rule for your kids - no guards no entering the sea. Even shallow water can be dangerous, particularly on the Atlantic Coast. Staying at Croyde (North Devon) one year, we went went down after the guards had finished work. Gentle surf, and just bellyboarding. I stood in the shallows whilst my teenage children enjoyed themselves. Suddenly, a tumble and my daughter has dislocated her knee!!!

Another move we made was to leave home on Friday night, so avoiding all those traffic jams en route to the South West. And it worked a treat. Getting to St Ives at about 6.30am. Killing time until we could move into the static we were hiring at Sennen. If we'd been under canvas we could have pitched much earlier.

Have a good holiday.

Thanks... we are going to do some checking out when we are there with a view to next year, but for now have gone with Treloy and will use the money saved on the pitch to pay for car parking at a variety of beaches.

Christine