Family Holidays

A Memory of Polzeath.

We had many happy family holidays at Polzeath. We always stayed in a bungalow above Tristram Cliff and could walk down across the fields to the beach. In the early days cars were not confined to the area at the top of the beach and some were caught by the tide. The Kellys ice cream van used to drive around the whole beach at low tide. Surfing was popular in the 60s although plywood boards were used by surfers and wet suits were unheard of. Some people played a game which entailed hitting a small ball attached to an elastic line; I think it was called Jocari. Apart from that, the usual beach cricket was much in evidence as were the many wind breaks which were made from heavy canvas. Although people changed into bathing costumes when weather permitted, many wore formal clothes to the beach.