SUP Mag UK July 2018 issue 17 | Page 80

exists, there was little that tickled our fancy so we decided to move on. cottages, ancient history and waterside pub The Ship made it the perfect place to stop and explore the charming Newton Creek. The only place we had hoped to pass through was Croyde. Having both experienced the firing swells that grace the impressive horseshoe shaped beach during surf season along with the vibing evening charm, we were curious to see what was on offer during the more popular summer months. Polzeath Deciding to skip Lands’ End we crossed over to North Devon where, with an air of nostalgia and the evening closing in we decided to turn off to Polzeath, a minuscule Cornish town that plays lead role in my first childhood memories of sandy beaches and boogie boards. The weather was not in our favour as the imminent forecast of high winds and torrential downpours fast approached. Sensational sunset Eager to get there, we managed to find a replacement tent on route, as well as the favoured beachside campsite that we were so familiar with. There was just enough time for a dip in the sea before finding a spot on the cliff to watch that sensational sunset that Croyde is famous for. Manically pitching our tent as the drizzle turn to rain and intensified every second, our attempt to batten the hatches and settle in for the evening was smashed to pieces as the front zips blew off, quickly followed by the whole tent falling to the floor. If I didn’t laugh I would have cried, but in that moment I was proud to be British. There were a few things I learned on this trip. One was that last minute weekend getaways do not need to be planned in order to have a good time. The second was that the sport allows you to see places that you wouldn’t otherwise be able to reach. And the final thing was that SUPing will improve your fitness even when on holiday. A great success all-round! It was interesting to revisit a place so popular and see how it changes over the course of a few decades. I didn’t remember there being so little but with so many people! Although it was great to reminisce and see that the place still s t a n d u p p a d d l e m a g u k 80