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A Coastal Adventure: Exploring Newquay with Kids

Blog· Travel

26 Aug

We have had the most incredible summer of road trips, adventures and family time. I won’t lie… I have a heavy heart now that the kids are back to school and nursery and the days spent by the coast are a distant memory. When Parkdean Resorts recently got in touch to ask if we would like to work with them on their Coastal Adventures campaign – I didn’t hesitate. Planning a Coastal Adventure exploring Newquay with kids seemed a perfect idea, and perfect for the Bank Holiday weekend.

So with a campervan packed full to the brim, we headed down to Newquay in search of sunshine…. beautiful beaches….. rugged coastlines….. turquoise waters and a whole lot of fun.

#Ad paid collaboration

Exploring Newquay with kids

  • Exploring Newquay with kids
  • Fistral Beach
  • Harbour Beach
  • Holywell Bay Beach
  • Surfing with Holywell Bay School of Surf
  • Coffee and cake in Newquay
  • Sand dune sledging
  • Huer’s Hut
  • #CoastalAdventures 

Parkdean Resorts are looking to celebrate Britain’s unique and beautiful coastline.  As you probably already know, we have a real love for Cornwall…we headed to St Ives earlier in the year, falling in love with its rugged coastline and making some wonderful memories along the way.

We were looking forward to exploring Newquay to see what it has to offer families. Newquay is a town on the north coast of Cornwall, in southwest England. With its laid back vibe, trendy town, coastal scenery and stunning beaches, it is not hard to see why it is a great holiday destination for families.

With three very excited kids, and two adults fuelled with coffee, we headed to Newquay over the bank holiday weekend to see what there is to do in the area with kids around Parkdean Resort’s Newquay Holiday Park.

Fistral Beach

As soon as we landed in Newquay we headed straight to Fistral Beach. It was late afternoon, the surfers were out and the waves were crashing. Fistral Beach is one of the world’s top surfing destinations, a place where hundreds of surfers head  to catch the big waves.  Sitting wrapped up on a picnic blanket, coffee in hand, watching the kids play – it made my soul smile. Life is definitely better at the beach.

Harbour Beach

The following morning we woke to glorious blue skies and sunshine, so we headed out early to grab breakfast and explore Newquay. Wandering the streets, our first stop was Harbour Beach. Harbour Beach is the smallest beach in Newquay and is a working harbour. The beach is easily accessible, but only at low tide. We walked down the steep steps and the girls ran off in search of shells and crabs. The Harbour walls are beautiful and the views are spectacular.

Hello from Newquay 🙂 We are here with @parkdeanresorts working on their #coastaladventures campaign (#Ad) aiming to celebrate Britain’s unique coastline. We had an amazing day yesterday, visiting the beautiful beaches here. We had a surf lesson… the kids spent hours sliding down the sand dunes… oh and we ate cake.. lots of cake. I blooming love Cornwall 💕 . . . #newquay #cornwall #familytravel #harbourbeach #coastaladventure #coastalliving #beautifuldestinations #ukexplore #familytravel #travelwithkids #exploringbritain #britainsfinest #cornwallcoast #cornwalllife #roadtrip #campervanlife #fashionover30 #wiwt #ukftb #trips100 #snaphappybritmums #travelblog #traveldeeper #exploringuk

A post shared by Katy (@otisandus.blog) on Aug 26, 2018 at 12:16pm PDT

Holywell Bay Beach

We spent most of our afternoon here at Holywell Bay Beach – what a beautiful beach. With parking (free to National Trust members), equipment hire on site, a huge expanse of beach, sand dunes, and a lovely stream, I knew we wouldn’t need to move far. Holywell is owned and looked after by the National Trust and this beautiful beach has been used as a location for a number of movies and TV programmes including Poldark and the opening scenes of James Bond’s Die Another Day.

The beach is huge so even when it is busy it didn’t feel packed or crowded. The sea clear, clean and dare I say it warm. There is a lovely pub called the St Pirans Inn overlooking the beach and we headed there for an evening meal after a full day running up and down the sand dunes and surfing the waves.

Surfing with Holywell Bay School of Surf

We booked surf lessons with Holywell Bay School of Surf prior to our trip and I am so pleased we did. The surf school is located on Holywell Bay Beach, and caters for all abilities from complete novices to advanced surfers. I would definitely advise pre booking the surf lesson as the beach was busy. Wet suits and surf boards are provided and the two-hour surf lesson is provided by a skilled instructor. Our eldest daughter absolutely loves surfing and was so excited when she received a Holywell Bay School of Surf t-shirt at the end of the lesson. It is times like this that I wish I lived just a little closer to the beach.

Coffee and cake in Newquay

There are so many places to stop for a bite to eat, to grab a coffee, cake or to enjoy breakfast with a view. We tried out a few during the day including Box and Barber Coffeehouse which quickly became a favourite place to stop for breakfast or a coffee. So much so we headed here for breakfast again the following day. Wherever you go you will find somewhere to stop, refuel, enjoy five minutes peace and enjoy those stunning coastal views.

Sand dune sledging

Such a lovely sight to see at Holywell Bay Beach. Lots of little ones sliding down the sand dunes on sledges and surf boards. Our three kids loved it. We hired our board directly on the beach, and it provided hours of fun, running up the sand dunes and quickly surfing down again. There is also a wonderful little stream here for the kids to play in and not forgetting to mention, rock pools galore.

Huer’s Hut

Our last stop of the day was a visit to Huer’s Hut. Perched on a cliff top above the harbour, this white building has a staircase leading to a flat roof and a large chimney that can be made out from miles away. Huer’s Hut is thought to date back to the 14th century and was used a lookout for a Huer. The Huer’s job was to alert the fishermen when shoals of pilchards came into the bay. It is worth a visit here for the view alone.

#CoastalAdventures 

There is something so special about a visit to the coast. We love nothing more than a staycation and making precious memories with our tribe. With salty sea air, sandy toes and windswept hair, a coastal adventure is definitely good for the soul.

Have you any coastal adventures planned for 2018? We would love you to share pictures and videos of your coastal adventures on social media using the hashtag #CoastalAdventures.

 For more information and inspiration pop over to read Parkdean Resorts’ post on Celebrating Britain’s Coastline. 

**Disclosure – AD -This is a paid collaboration – all thoughts and opinions are my own**

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A Coastal Adventure: exploring Newquay with kids

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16 Comments

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Comments

  1. Claire at Tin Box Traveller says

    September 9, 2018 at 8:37 pm

    Last time we were in Newquay we only saw Fistral Beach at sunset which was spectacular but I wish we’d had time to go during the day. It looks like you crammed so much into your weekend – what great fun!

    Reply
  2. Erin Ek Rush says

    September 10, 2018 at 5:55 pm

    What an amazing weekend! We’ve never been to Newquay but I’d love to go – We love history and a seaside holiday and it looks like Newquay has both in spades! How much fun does sand dune sledging look?

    Reply
  3. Zena's Suitcase says

    September 12, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    I can’t think of a better place to visit with kids than Newquay and Cornwall. The UK has lots of wonderful destinations though and the trick is to immerse yourself in them

    Reply
  4. Ting says

    September 12, 2018 at 8:54 pm

    I have very fond memories of Newquay. I spent a lot of my youth there. I never did get to go surfing on Fistral though! Your lessons looked so much fun

    Reply
  5. Chloe: Picture Taker Memory Maker says

    September 13, 2018 at 8:05 pm

    As you know we love Cornwall too but we’ve not made it to Newquay yet. I’ve heard such good things about Fistral Beach and the sand dunes at Holywell Bay Beach look super fun too. I think we’re definitely going to need to explore there next time we’re in Cornwall.

    Reply
  6. Jenny - TraveLynn Family says

    September 17, 2018 at 6:46 am

    Summer really does seem like a lifetime ago now doesn’t it? Such a beautiful area of the world that I really need to explore more of. Surfing looks fun, though I would totally be all over that dune sledging! #MondayEscapes

    Reply
  7. Annabel says

    September 17, 2018 at 8:56 am

    Such lovely photos! I don’t think I’ve ever visited north Cornwall, only the south. Those beaches look fantastic and I think my kids would love to go to surf school! #mondayescapes

    Reply
  8. Tanja/The Red Phone Box travels says

    September 17, 2018 at 11:14 am

    beautiful coast, have you tried surfing? #mondayescapes

    Reply
  9. Sandra says

    September 17, 2018 at 11:59 am

    I totally agree with you – life really is better at the beach. The beach is never the same place twice and always beautiful.
    #MondayEscapes

    Reply
  10. Karen Beddow says

    September 17, 2018 at 1:03 pm

    Such fabulous photos, can’t believe the surfing shots. It really is a truly beautiful place and this summer has shown it so well. Thanks for hosting and taking over Monday Escapes.

    Reply
  11. Clare - Flip flops or Wellies says

    September 17, 2018 at 2:58 pm

    It’s such a lovely part of the world and living relatively nearby we should go more often! I’m keen to have a go at surfing again which I’ve not done for 10 years! Well done for taking on Monday Escapes, great to see it back.

    Reply
  12. Ella @ Typical Mummy says

    September 17, 2018 at 3:48 pm

    This sounds so amazing and I absolutely LOVE the photos! I haven’t been to Newquay since I was a teenager but would love to go back! #MondayEscapes

    Reply
  13. Lou Bielby says

    September 18, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Gorgeous photos Katy!! We really must Cornwall again, the beaches are simply stunning!! #mondayescapes

    Reply
  14. Keri | Ladies What Travel says

    September 18, 2018 at 5:43 pm

    I’ve only ever been to Newquay once but I can see why it’s a great place to go with kids. I wish I’d known sand dune surfing was a thing – big kids can do it too, right?! 😉 #MondayEscapes

    Reply
  15. Baby Loves Travel says

    September 18, 2018 at 8:53 pm

    Sounds like a great weekend – lovely looking beaches and sliding down the sand dunes sounds like fun! #MondayEscapes

    Reply
  16. Angharad Paull says

    October 1, 2018 at 8:34 am

    I haven’t been to Newquay since my uni days so it’s great to hear all these ideas of things to do with kids. I love Cornwall and your photos make it look particularly lovely #MondayEscapes

    Reply

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Vanlife • Camper Family • VWT5


Ad/ Oh the places we will go .......

I’m reall
Ad/ Oh the places we will go .......
 
I’m really hoping better days are coming for us all 🌈
 
Tonight I wanted to tell you about a wonderful campaign by @whsmithofficial and I’m honoured to have been asked to be a part of it. 

Their aim is to encourage people to try something new throughout 2021. @whsmithofficial have some wonderful products to help you plan your trips (products linked in stories).
 
I would really love you to join me on Friday at 6pm over on the @whsmithofficial account, chatting about why we love vanlife, our favourite road trips, and what vanlife means for us. Believe it or not before we purchased our camper, we had never camped before! 
 
If you have any questions for me, I would love you to send them my way via my stories and I will do my best to answer them on Friday. 
 
Look forward to seeing you over on the @whsmithofficial Instagram on Friday at 6pm! 

#bringiton2021 #vanlife #vanlifewithkids #vwt5


Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are y
Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are you all doing? How are you feeling about the announcements tomorrow?

I know so many are finding it all a bit ‘meh’ at the moment.

So this is a little Sunday reminder to keep doing what makes your soul a
smile, check in on each other often and look after yourselves..... and know that better days are coming 🌈🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 

(My usual Sunday campsite share will be a little late - I’ll post it tomorrow I promise - I’ve been painting the girls bedroom all weekend😆 )

🌈 💕

Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynn
Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynnfamily as part of her bongo convo series.

Did you catch it?

I think it is the first time I’ve ever chatted on a live, or chatted in front of a camera even 😆

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you  so much for all the messages and lovely comments after the live. I’ve had a few vanlife questions too so I will pop them in my stories for you.

Thank you  Jenny for inviting me to take part in your new live travel chat. Chatting about Van life and road trips .... It definitely made my soul smile :)

🏕Sunday share is back 🏕

My next campsite to
🏕Sunday share is back 🏕

My next campsite to share is a really lovely campsite in Llangollen. We were introduced to this lovely site by my beautiful friend @a_girl_on_the_crescent 

Abbey Farm Campsite

@abbeyfarmllangollen is a working farm set just outside the beautiful town of Llangollen in North Wales.

Suitable  for camping, touring caravans and motor homes and camping pods available.  There are three self-catering cottages to rent and also a static caravan site.

The camping fields are set next to the ruins of Valle Crusis Abbey, and what we loved the most - there is a small brook that runs across the bottom of the field that the kids absolutely loved.

Facilities

Hot showers/ toilets
Laundry room
Bistro/bar
Shop
Electric Hook Up
Dogs Welcome 

What we loved 💕

⭐️Family campsite 
⭐️The brook provided hours of fun
⭐️Picturesque Llangollen a walk away 
⭐️Beautiful location with lots of space and walks
⭐️An ideal base to explore North Wales 

Definitely one to bookmark 

🏡For now the message is to stay at home, but my Sunday share is to inspire and introduce you to new campsites for when the time is right xx


Camping with kids 🏕

I was going to share my ne
Camping with kids 🏕

I was going to share my next favourite campsite but thought I would mix it up a bit with a new topic. Campervan storage. So tell me... What is your favourite storage hack? 

As our Campervan conversion  isn’t quite fully finished we have had to be clever with storage. As a family of five in a T5 space is super tight! 

Our favourite hacks so far....

➡️ Using cushion covers / pillow cases to store items 

➡️ storage hooks on the back of the seats (I think I learned about this one from @daisy_thefamilycamper ) 

➡️ Using a pop up tent to store the large bulky items such as car seats and strollers etc 

➡️ Packing pods to organise the clothes!!! My absolutely favourite thing ever we have used them for years.

➡️ plastic storage bucket for the outside toys that we take to the beach (and can even double up as a baby/toddler bath 

 
 ➡️ Foldable items, folding table, folding scooters, folding chairs, the list goes on but helps with space 

➡️hamman towels. Absolutely wonderful. We were sent some towels to review a few years back and they are incredible. We haven’t looked back and we are fully converted. They don’t take up much space, dry really quickly, have multiple uses  and basically we just love them! 

🌈 I have linked my post in my stories - but would love to hear if you have any campervan storage ideas to share or add? 

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend whatever you have been up to ?


Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for
Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for the time when it is safe to travel again 😍🚐

 Sunnyside Croft Touring Site 

This is my next campsite to share... the beautiful Sunnyside Croft Touring Site - an award winning site located between the villages of Arisaig and Mallaig on the West Coast of the Scottish Highlands 

⭐️What we loved 🌈

Direct access to the most beautiful beach 
Family friendly, clean  and quiet 
Dogs allowed 
Eco friendly
Lovely touches - outside shower for wetsuits, infant and toddler washroom with a bath 
Pets allowed 

We loved staying here for two nights as part of our Scotland road trip with our beautiful friends. Mallaig is the nearest village  and we loved visiting Skye and Glenfinnan too. The campsite has direct access to the most spectacular beach - just a walk away along a dedicated path.  Definitely one to bookmark and a campsite we would definitely return to.

📸 Our first view of the beach from the campsite 
 
➡️ swipe for more photos of Arisaig and Mallaig

🌈 #stayathome and keep hoping for sunnier days☀️

#dreamingofvanlife #keepondreaming #arisaigbeach #scotlandphotography


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Ad/ Oh the places we will go ....... I’m reall Ad/ Oh the places we will go .......
 
I’m really hoping better days are coming for us all 🌈
 
Tonight I wanted to tell you about a wonderful campaign by @whsmithofficial and I’m honoured to have been asked to be a part of it. 

Their aim is to encourage people to try something new throughout 2021. @whsmithofficial have some wonderful products to help you plan your trips (products linked in stories).
 
I would really love you to join me on Friday at 6pm over on the @whsmithofficial account, chatting about why we love vanlife, our favourite road trips, and what vanlife means for us. Believe it or not before we purchased our camper, we had never camped before! 
 
If you have any questions for me, I would love you to send them my way via my stories and I will do my best to answer them on Friday. 
 
Look forward to seeing you over on the @whsmithofficial Instagram on Friday at 6pm! 

#bringiton2021 #vanlife #vanlifewithkids #vwt5
Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are y Just popping on to check in on everyone, how are you all doing? How are you feeling about the announcements tomorrow?

I know so many are finding it all a bit ‘meh’ at the moment.

So this is a little Sunday reminder to keep doing what makes your soul a
smile, check in on each other often and look after yourselves..... and know that better days are coming 🌈🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 

(My usual Sunday campsite share will be a little late - I’ll post it tomorrow I promise - I’ve been painting the girls bedroom all weekend😆 )

🌈 💕
Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynn Last week I chatted to the lovely Jenny @travelynnfamily as part of her bongo convo series.

Did you catch it?

I think it is the first time I’ve ever chatted on a live, or chatted in front of a camera even 😆

Anyway I just wanted to say thank you  so much for all the messages and lovely comments after the live. I’ve had a few vanlife questions too so I will pop them in my stories for you.

Thank you  Jenny for inviting me to take part in your new live travel chat. Chatting about Van life and road trips .... It definitely made my soul smile :)
🏕Sunday share is back 🏕 My next campsite to 🏕Sunday share is back 🏕

My next campsite to share is a really lovely campsite in Llangollen. We were introduced to this lovely site by my beautiful friend @a_girl_on_the_crescent 

Abbey Farm Campsite

@abbeyfarmllangollen is a working farm set just outside the beautiful town of Llangollen in North Wales.

Suitable  for camping, touring caravans and motor homes and camping pods available.  There are three self-catering cottages to rent and also a static caravan site.

The camping fields are set next to the ruins of Valle Crusis Abbey, and what we loved the most - there is a small brook that runs across the bottom of the field that the kids absolutely loved.

Facilities

Hot showers/ toilets
Laundry room
Bistro/bar
Shop
Electric Hook Up
Dogs Welcome 

What we loved 💕

⭐️Family campsite 
⭐️The brook provided hours of fun
⭐️Picturesque Llangollen a walk away 
⭐️Beautiful location with lots of space and walks
⭐️An ideal base to explore North Wales 

Definitely one to bookmark 

🏡For now the message is to stay at home, but my Sunday share is to inspire and introduce you to new campsites for when the time is right xx
Camping with kids 🏕 I was going to share my ne Camping with kids 🏕

I was going to share my next favourite campsite but thought I would mix it up a bit with a new topic. Campervan storage. So tell me... What is your favourite storage hack? 

As our Campervan conversion  isn’t quite fully finished we have had to be clever with storage. As a family of five in a T5 space is super tight! 

Our favourite hacks so far....

➡️ Using cushion covers / pillow cases to store items 

➡️ storage hooks on the back of the seats (I think I learned about this one from @daisy_thefamilycamper ) 

➡️ Using a pop up tent to store the large bulky items such as car seats and strollers etc 

➡️ Packing pods to organise the clothes!!! My absolutely favourite thing ever we have used them for years.

➡️ plastic storage bucket for the outside toys that we take to the beach (and can even double up as a baby/toddler bath 

 
 ➡️ Foldable items, folding table, folding scooters, folding chairs, the list goes on but helps with space 

➡️hamman towels. Absolutely wonderful. We were sent some towels to review a few years back and they are incredible. We haven’t looked back and we are fully converted. They don’t take up much space, dry really quickly, have multiple uses  and basically we just love them! 

🌈 I have linked my post in my stories - but would love to hear if you have any campervan storage ideas to share or add? 

Hope you have all had a lovely weekend whatever you have been up to ?
Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for Vanlife with kids - sharing our fave campsites for the time when it is safe to travel again 😍🚐

 Sunnyside Croft Touring Site 

This is my next campsite to share... the beautiful Sunnyside Croft Touring Site - an award winning site located between the villages of Arisaig and Mallaig on the West Coast of the Scottish Highlands 

⭐️What we loved 🌈

Direct access to the most beautiful beach 
Family friendly, clean  and quiet 
Dogs allowed 
Eco friendly
Lovely touches - outside shower for wetsuits, infant and toddler washroom with a bath 
Pets allowed 

We loved staying here for two nights as part of our Scotland road trip with our beautiful friends. Mallaig is the nearest village  and we loved visiting Skye and Glenfinnan too. The campsite has direct access to the most spectacular beach - just a walk away along a dedicated path.  Definitely one to bookmark and a campsite we would definitely return to.

📸 Our first view of the beach from the campsite 
 
➡️ swipe for more photos of Arisaig and Mallaig

🌈 #stayathome and keep hoping for sunnier days☀️

#dreamingofvanlife #keepondreaming #arisaigbeach #scotlandphotography
Happy Sunday!!! So I have decided on a Sunday fo Happy Sunday!!! 

So I have decided on a Sunday for the next few weeks I am going to do a little campsite share. Sharing our favourite campsites that we have stayed in our #t5camper over the last two or three years. I wanted to (hopefully) give you some inspiration for all those dreaming and planning for when we are able to hit the road in the future. 

My first campsite is @love2stay in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK. Set in 22 acres of grounds with touring and Glamping on-site. 

Love2stay is a beautiful resort and an absolute gem of a site. We have booked again for this year and have stayed more than once over the last two years.

Facilities

Love 2 Stay  has serviced pitches and a  glamping village. The toilet block is modern and clean.  There is so much to do on site you won’t want to venture far. 

➡️ swipe for pictures 

There is a natural swimming pool, restaurant and pizzeria, fitness suite and thermal bath, assault course, children’s adventure play zone, barefoot trails, mini and junior craft activities, cinedrome for movie nights, yoga and Pilates classes, paddle boarding and kayaking....... the list goes on 

What we loved 

⭐️So many activities on site for everyone 
⭐️restaurant/pizzeria on site 
⭐️Swimming pool 
⭐️Spa/gym on site 
⭐️Dogs allowed (with separate dog walking area and dog agility course )
⭐️Brilliant size serviced pitches
⭐️Glamping available 
⭐️Usually Open all year round (covid restriction dependent) 

Things to consider 
 
⭐️it gets booked up so book in advance 
⭐️No tents allowed 
⭐️No on-site grocery shop
⭐️it is the most expensive campsite we have ever stayed when you factor in all the additional activities that do -but it’s a wonderful experience and we absolutely love it here and it is a place that we will keep on returning to. 

Please do ask if you have any questions or if you have stayed here too? 

I’ll be back next Sunday with another gem !
Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟 Fairy lights dotted around a Ad🌟Top Tip 🌟

Fairy lights  dotted around a climbing frame
 
= A few more extra hours outside over the winter months 

Add in a flurry of snow ....

#1000hoursoutside 

#wickeyadventure #wickeyplaytime #lockdown3

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