Now I know we keep saying spring has sprung and all that, but it can’t be avoided – the weather is dismal at the moment. That being said, whilst it’s hardly time to bring out the sun cream just yet, compared to the rest of the snow ridden UK the West Country seems positively tropical at the moment.
It was with this in mind that, in classic British style, a group of us decided to head to the North Devon coast to do some surfing (and potentially catch hypothermia in the process). For those of you with cars this stretch of Devon’s coastline is extremely accessible, and for those of you who don’t the train connections are still pretty decent. Whatever the mode of transport it’s really worth the journey just to experience some of Britain’s most stunning coastlines, and apparently some of its best surf too!
After much deliberation amongst our supposed surfing experts we picked Saunton Sands as our destination. At just over an hour away this beach is obviously slightly further away than the seaside resorts of Exmouth and Sidmouth. However, the drive there was extremely picturesque, (all be it rather windy with all its country roads- not great after a Friday night in TP), and the long stretches of sand without a pebble in sight that greeted us were well worth the extra journey.
These Bays along the North Devon coast are renowned for their surf and, although the sea was relatively choppy, it didn’t disappoint. With surf hire being highly reasonable, £16 for a board and wetsuit, there really isn’t an excuse not to give it a go. Okay, I admit my excuse was the fact that I was rather attached to all my extremities and would rather not lose them to frost bite – but I do vow to find my inner surfer chick once temperatures hit double figures. So with wetsuits on and boards at the ready I waved goodbye to my more courageous peers, and settled in for an afternoon of entertainment watching them splash, flop, and actually managing to surf in the North Devon Sea.
For those of you who aren’t keen to wriggle you way in to a wetsuit for an afternoon of belly flopping in to the ocean Saunton Sands has plenty more to offer. Its three and a half miles of sandy coastline gives you plenty of scope to explore, and I can assure you a coastal walk works wonders on a hangover, and for those of you who like photography the scenery is gorgeous.
After working up quite an appetite and after a good hour was spent warming up with the car heaters on full blast, we decided to endorse the greatest tradition of the British seaside and head for the nearest fish and chip shop. The nearby town is awash with places to eat, drink and be merry, and depending on what you’re looking for the surrounding villages you pass on the drive home are packed with quaint country pubs.
All in all, although we headed slightly worse for wears, tired, salty and sandy our trip to North Devon was a great day out whether surfing or not. I would highly recommend whilst studying at Exeter that we all make sure we make the most of this beautiful part of the country we live in.