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OT: Paging the Devon-wards lot
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I'm off on a holiday to Devon at the end of the week, and quite fancy
some sporting activities including surfing/windsurfing. Can anyone
recommend anywhere that'll do a good beginners/intro session,
preferably nearish Bideford?
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The estuary just north of Bideford is one of my favourite windsurfing
places. The wind really screams up there through the sand dunes, but
the waves don't, making it nice & smooth.
There's a surf school at Croyd, or at least there used to be, but I
don't know of any on the Bideford side of the estuary.
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Croyd would be fine. Any personal recommendations? That sounds like
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Sorry no, I've never used any.
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just the thing we're after.
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Croyde. There is a surfing school just next to the main beach car park
(in town - not the one as you come into town)- think they're called
Surf South West) . I did a 'beginners' afternoon course with them last
year and they weren't bad - it's all reasonably obvious TBH. Price
included board (beginners foam thing :) ) and wet suit.
My suggestion though would be to try and get a session with them at
Saunton Sands (just round the corner from Croyde) - the beach is MUCH
bigger and altogether nicer IMO - especially if you intend to hang
around later after the course.
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Sounds even better. Thanks Dan.
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This time of year though it's going to be busy unfortunately (school
holidays).
If you need a camp site Lobb Fields just outside Braunton is
recommended - good facilities and a nice site.
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Camping? This is a holiday!
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Croyde has a great beach but is full of youth. Try The Little Link shop
for surf hire and lessons (good website) Consider buying a wetsuit as
they're only about £80 and £10/day to hire and hire one are 'not very nice'
Try Atlantic lodge (far right of bay looking out to sea) for B&B
Also consider horse riding on the moor
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Thank Nick, but this is probably going to be a one-off, so I'll leave
buying a suit until I know I'll do it again.
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Shouldn't that be Little PINK Shop? ALso it's now more than £8 a day...
I got £8 a day because I said "that's what the web site says" and the
guy in the shop went "oh - okay, but it's supposed to be more than
we'll have to update it".
2x wet suit hire (M/F and they were actually fine - very warm, clean,
didn't smell - no problems at all) and 2x body board hire for 4 days
cost us just over £100.
That was in June though. August could well be higher.
Personally I think Chris is absolutely mad to go this time of year :-)
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Noted. All the places I'd got were in Croyde (dwb's place is in the
list, so if I go there I'll go for that one), but I'll look into
Saunton.
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Any other "must-see" things in the area (county) would be also well
recieved. If it's cream-tea or cider related then doubly so.
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Cider:
There's Hancocks Cider at Clapworthy Mill just outside South Molton.
The tour can be a bit "basic" - there's not much to see if they aren't
actually "brewing", but their cider is, probably IMHO, the best there
is. Go with the medium or, preferably, the dry. And go for cider rather
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Righto - will do. Looks like it's just in the right place too. Thanks.
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than scrumpy.
There's also Inch's cider place at Winkleigh. Never actually been, but
they make some nice stuff.
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'snot Inch's anymore. That brand name was bought by Bulmers in 1996, and as
they always do, they closed down production at the traditional home.
Anything with the Inch's name will be made in the Hereford chemical
blending factory under the watchful eye of Scottish & Newcastle's bean
counters
In 1998, some of the former Inch's staff bought part of the site and have
traded as Winkleigh Cider Company. There won't be much to see apart from a
shop until the autumn.
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That, I did not know. Thangewe.
I should have searched the web for it first shouldn't I ?
And Hancock's is better stuff anyway.
They had some of it at Doncaster beer festival a couple of years ago.
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I'm not sure she'd take kindly to that moniker. As such there's not
enough luggage space on the 10R. In fact, there's not enough for the
cider that I plan to take home.
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Well, bring it anyway so I can look after it for the week. She can bring
the car, you get more room for scrumpy and pasties, everyone's a winner.
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That sounds nice for an evening. As for kids, there'll just be me and
her.
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Ah right oh. The South-West cycle route from Bristol to Padstow passes
that way, if you fancy cycling.
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Thanks for the suggestions.
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