New surfboard christened today

I took my new board out today, even though the surf is rubbish. I thought I might as well get it wet and paddle around a bit. I did try paddling into a few waves but I still suck at this. The conditions were not ideal but I just wasn’t getting enough speed. Practise, practise! […]

My first surfboard

Read my guide to buying your first surfboard here.
I am now the proud owner of a surfboard, which I bought second hand from Tunnel Vision. I wandered into the shop late afternoon; the board had been brought in at lunchtime and would probably have gone by the next day, so it was a ‘take it […]

Surfing at Perran Sands

Ever since I moved down here I have been keen to learn how to surf. I’m not after the full-on surfer lifestyle, it’s just that surfing looks so much fun. So far I have bought a wetsuit and had a few lessons. But the surf has been so inconsistent this summer that it has been […]

A trip down Blackberry Lane

I want to show you some of the countryside and views surrounding where I live. Today I went out blackberrying along a route that I also use for running. First up, this is where I live - in the sand-coloured block of flats on the right, above the beach. It used to be a hotel […]

Rip Curl Boardmasters Finals at Fistral beach

Newquay has been hosting its most high profile festival this week: the RipCurl Boardmasters, a heady mix of surf, skate, music and chicks in bikins. I’ve only popped my head round the door a couple of times this week but I thought I would go down to Fistral for the finals.

First up was the surfing […]

South West coast path hike (Newquay - St Merryn)

When I awoke this morning to warm sunshine and a brisk breeze it seemed the perfect opportunity to do some hiking along the South West coast path. I headed north towards Padstow which, although only a 13-mile drive away, is nearly twice as far via the cliff path because it meanders around each cove and […]

Buying my first wetsuit

Read my guide to buying your first wetsuit here.
I bought my first wetsuit a few days ago. At first I was a bit daunted by the variety of types and prices but after trying a few on and getting some detailed advice from the guys in the shops, I got an idea of what I […]

Running routes

I have been unable to bring you news of exciting outdoor pursuits like rock climbing or surfing because the weather has not favoured these activities of late, being mainly rainy and flat. Most of England seems to be under water right now. We have not had flooding here, although we have had our share of […]

Taking it easy

I have taken to wandering down to the beach of an evening. There is something very pleasant about feeling the sand between your toes and the water lapping around your legs. There’s always something to look at, whatever the weather, and the sea and sky are never the same two days running. Porth faces directly […]

Surfing and kitesurfing

Went down to Fistral Beach on Sunday to watch a surfing competition, held in memory of a local surfer, Adam “Spike” Goode, who died a few years ago in a mountain-boarding accident. It was a pretty chilled contest really. The waves weren’t much good but the surfers made the best of it. In surfing competitions […]

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