Ffrith Beach

I have such very fond memories of Ffrith Beach.
Our Summer holidays were spent at the Ffrith Beach Caravan Park. My Maternal Grandparents took my Mother there for the Summer Holidays & the tradition was passed down when my Sister & I were taken there for our Summer Holidays. This was throughout the 1970s.
I adored the place & had so much fun there.
We stayed in a friend's Static Caravan on Pen-Y-Ffrith Caravan Park & for me as a young child ( from the age of 1 until I was about 11 )
this was such fun. We were lucky to be staying in a beautiful new modern ( for the times ) Caravan on the site which was right next door to all the treasures excitements a child could want.
I remember exiting the rear of the Caravan site through a little gap in the back wall, which led onto some grassy waste ground which was used for playing Rounders or Football or just running around .
At the far side of this open area the Sand Dunes signalled the arrival of the Beach.
Many a morning was spent Picknicking in the Sand Dunes, not so much getting a tan, more being Sandblasted & cut to shreds by the evil sharp Dune Grass, how i hated that grass.
Wind-Breaks were hammered into the sand in the hope of getting some relief but the Dune Sand was so soft they never stayed up right for long. I have memories of Sand Sandwiches & Sandy Eggs 😊😊.
Sometimes we even ventured down onto the Beach & actually played in the Sea.
On the many not-so-sunny days we would either go into Prestatyn town or to the Markets that were held in the town centre twice a week. These were lively, busy, exciting places for me at that young age.
I have vague ( & provably not 100% correct ) memories of walking along Prestatyn Prom all the way to Rhyl .
I also have wonderful memories of playing in the Ffrith Beach Amusement Arcades, on the Penny & 2 Penny slot machines.
There were 2 arcades on either side of Beach Road, a blue & white fronted one & an orange fronted one.
I loved all those slot machines. We also had great fun in the Joke Shop next door to the Go Cart track.
I remember there being a sparse playground on the far side of the Car park in front of the Amusement Arcade, it contained a really high ( I would only have been about 3ft 😊😊) metal slide & a huge frame hung with swings & a miniature boating lake with remote controlled boats. The far side of this playground boardered Beach Road & I have very fond memories of a little stall at the side of the road that sold Shell ornaments, I can still smell the salty shells now ☺.
On the opposite pavement there was a Sovenier shop that sold everything from cuddly toys to keyrings buckets & spades, postcards & all the parafanalia anyone could need at the beach. Next door to this there was a Cafe & then an Ice-Cream shop, but it wasn't the sort of shop you could walk into, a person would appear at the permanently open window & take your order .
I also greatly remember the Continental playground, this was a hugely exciting place for a young child, it had the usual swings & slide but also climbing frames in the shape of a train engine & a boat. It also has a sort of huge round table top set on a angle & it spinned & you had to try & stay on whilst it tipped you at an angle. There was a massive wooden Harrell set on it's side on a frame & you could run in it just like a giant hampster wheel . But the best thing of all was the Zip-Wire, it was so thrillii to climb the ladder, step off the platform & whizzz across the wire at what felt like 50mph.
Such memories, such happy, happy memories, thank you Ffrith Beach for the happiest days of my childhood.