A Literary Weekend (pt. 2)

When brainstorming ideas for UK holidays, my mind went straight to Padstow – Mother Ivey’s Bay to be exact. Nearly every year up to my late teens, we would make the 3-hour trip down to the beautiful South West Coast. Without sounding like a cliché, spending a week in Cornwall provided me with some of my best childhood memories – ones I can surprisingly still drag up 10 years later.

Beaches

The first of many beaches situated around Padstow is my personal favourite: Mother Ivey’s Bay. Looking back on pictures of it now, it seems like any other Cornwall beach with a steep climb down to the water, but for 12-year-old me, it was paradise. Cushioned between a series of rocks and coves, Mother Ivey’s Bay lies like a hidden gem framed by fascinating coastal scenery. One feature that really makes it shine is what we as kids used to call ‘The Secret Beach’ (only to later find out its real label ‘Long Cove’). The Secret Beach is like something you’d find in a children’s adventure book – only accessible when the tide is out, it proves as quite an entertaining game of chicken as you see how long you can stay there until you risk getting shipwrecked for the night.

(Fun fact: Ferne Britton and David Cameron have both been spotted there!)

Scattered further around either side of Mother Ivey’s is Harlyn Bay (home of the surfing school), Constantine Bay, and our family’s personal favourite, Booby’s Bay (we have a very sophisticated humour if you can’t guess!)

All beaches are within a short walking distance which proves perfect scope for those who want to explore beyond a single beach.

Activities

Whilst there’s surfing at Harlyn Bay, rock jumping at Booby’s and crabbing at Constantine, you can always count on Padstow Harbour to escape the sea and explore the land. After taking a walk around the bustling harbour, you can’t help but be drawn into the little trinket shops (and of course the customary Searock, Fatface and Whistlefish that make up every English seaside town). I remember getting a ‘Lifeguard’ hoodie which I genuinely thought gave me the power of 1000 lifeguards (who else remembers these?!). After purchasing a customary anklet or novelty shell, there’s a beautiful walk up to St Saviours Point which overlooks Rock – a neighbouring town across the water. This is a great spot to eat whatever baked good, pastry or ice cream you’ve managed to nab in town.

If you’re up for some exercise, Padstow is also home to the Camel Trail – a cycleway packed with various estrays, coastlines and woods – that leads all the way from Padstow to Bodmin!

Food

One of my favourite places for food is located just outside of Padstow in Porthcothan called Berryfields Tearoom. This is hands down the best place to get scones and some killer milkshakes topped with all the trimmings.

In Padstow itself, you can find Rick Steins Café and Seafood Restaurant, a classic Fish and Chip Takeaway, and enough sweet/fudge shops to make you feel slightly sick.

Sitting here now, I look back at the slightly dishevelled feeling of sand under my fingernails and a sea-crusted face with nostalgic fondness – a windy reminder that just because we can’t go abroad, we can still rely on good old England to reignite our 2020 summer dreams.

Abs xx