My Love Affair with Newquay and The Island

For a lot of people my age, their childhood holidays weren't spent in Spain they were spent on the coast of the UK, whether their parents' preference was Barmouth, Swanage or Skegness. My parents' loved Newquay.

As I was an only child until I was 10, and a very demanding and stroppy child at that, my very patient cousin Zandra was like a sister to me and would come on every single holiday. Whilst she was a tomboy, I was a girly girl. When at home she would climb in trees and I would sit inside and colour but when on holiday this all changed. Holidays were spent paddling in the sea today in our vests and shorts (the concept of swimwear abandoned in haste) and posing on the rocks for pictures pretending to be the Ariel from the Little Mermaid. (Well I did that, Zandra just grinned with a spade in her hand whilst building sandcastles.) The most memorable moments include Zandra reminding us to be careful when in the sea... "Don't go too far out the cherries will get you!" Currents Zandra, currents.

My mom and I paddling in the sea at Newquay

If you've been to Newquay recently you probably won't understand why I love it so much. For me its full of childhood memories but Newquay is now seen more as a place for getting drunk and failing in surf lessons when hungover the next day. My childhood holidays made me love being by the seaside, the sound of the waves, the squawk of seagulls waking me up and the feel of the sand between my toes. 

It's this that has always made me want to live by the sea. I know that if I did I probably wouldn't appreciate it any more but there is something so relaxing about the prospect I can't help but dream that's where I'll end up. Whenever I'd go to Newquay I'd dream of living on The Island House on Towan Beach. Fistral beach was always my favourite but Towan had THE house. There was something magical about the rickety bridge; despite the fact that when the house became a restaurant for a short period and people were finally allowed to cross the bridge I was too scared to get all the way across.

The Island on Towan beach

It just so turns out that house is now up for sale and I've been able to look around it - virtually of course. It's not as magical as I expected, there isn't all that much room, the design isn't all that good and the price is ridiculous considering The Island is no doubt slowly crumbling... but someday I'll live by the sea. I have to. Apparently it is currently a B&B so maybe in the meantime I should save up and venture back for the first time in over 10 years and stay in this perfect 'House in the Sea'.