Newquay - back in the water!

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United Kingdoms flagPublished: August 23rd 2009Europe » United Kingdom » England » Cornwall » Newquay
August 5th 2009

Fistral BeachFistral Beach
Fistral Beach

Overlooking Fistral Beach at Newquay
I had the intentions to head into the English countryside to see the real England, but everyone was advising different places so I couldn't make up my mind. Then someone dropped the magical word, surfing. So newquay it was, not for sight seeing but to scratch a massive itch of mine.

After booking a bus for 11 am Sunday morning I woke up at midday, clearly I wasn't going to male THAT bus. So I booked an overnight bus for same day at an extra 80bucks. But I was to pay even more for the sleep in. After a pretty rough night on the road I arrived in newquay just before 6 am and in classic English style it was pissing down. I made my way to the hostel and discovered that the place doesn't open until 9am so I had to do my best to stay dry until then, but I failed. I'd like to point out that the night out on the Saturday was still 100% worth it! Haha.

After falling asleep in the bar at the hostel for a few hours (couldn't check in until later) I ventured out to sort out a wettie and a
Newquay HouseNewquay House
Newquay House

This house is on an island (surrounded by water at high tide) with a suspension bridge connecting it to the mainland.
board. Prices weren't too bad but the weather was. I was frozen before I even entered the water. The water was the same tempterature as back at home during the late spring/early summer. I surfed at the well known fistral beach and amazingly the surf was actually quite good and even more shocking there are some incredibly good English surfers, who wouldve thought?! Over the 2 full days I was at newquay I got 3 sessions in (one with someone i met at the hostel (ash)) and saw no sunshine, but the waves were clean and reasonably sized. The beach was crowded, which led to plenty of people dropping in on me and others. Due to the crowdedness or the paranoid lifeguards, there were two sets of flags, one of which was for the surfers. And boy did the lifeguards make it known when you were out of the flags, they loved their megaphones!

The scenery at newquay is exactly what I expected of England. Rolling green hills with farmland that meets shear cliffs with a few beaches here and there. The hostel I had was on the edge of one of these cliffs and my room had a spectacular view of the coast. The town itself was incredibly touristy and it had a gr8 nightlife. I'm almost certain there were more bars/clubs than there are people.

Unfortunately I had to leave for London to get ready for Egypt, etc on the Wednesday. And shock horror when I woke up on the wednesday the sun was finally out, arrrgh!

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Matthias Schulz
Hi all, I am a 22 year old engineering student from Australia embarking on a journey to Europe.... full info
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Newquay PortNewquay Port
Newquay Port

At high tide the whole port is under water, at low tide there is no water inside the breakwaters!
Beginners beach in front of hostel at NewquayBeginners beach in front of hostel at Newquay
Beginners beach in front of hostel at Newquay

View from my hostel room window!






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