Posted on March 2, 2014
by Lynn
Well March is here, and everything crossed that this is the turning point for the weather. The weather is certainly a lot quieter, and there is a lot of lovely warmth in the sun when it is shining.
We are very well placed here at The Meadows Campsite, Pentewan for getting out and about, and no part of Cornwall is very far away. As we have had less than our fair share of sunshine recently, we like to ensure that on the occasions the sun is just with the North Coast, that we go in search of it and enjoy.
It is a half an hour drive over to the north coast, and of course the contrasting coastline is lovely to see any way. Camp Dog Harvey and I thought we would go and check out a particular area for our guests good for a day trip. It is always good to have someone do the research for you.
First stop – Crantock Beach. Camp Dog’s favourite beach in Norfolk was Holkham, and this beach did remind us of so much of the Holkham dunes. Crantock 
itself is a beautiful village, with lots of lovely little cottages, and a cafe, 2 pubs and a shop. For the beach there is a large NT car park right next to the beach itself. The beach is dog friendly, large, so great for a good run around, and absolutely gorgeous. Joining the SWCP there are then some lovely walks, and we set off in the direction of Holywell Bay, and the other direction would take in the River Gannel Estuary.
This walk was fantastic with lots of little diversions on the way, depending how close to the edge you like to get. It started over a grassy common area, with views over Crantock and passing by a nice bar and bistro which getting the timing right would make a good place for a stop off. On this occasion, we had taken our flask with us.
In the summer, there looks to be a super cafe accessed by a foot ferry. Check out www.fernpit.co.uk
En route we came across the most fantastic beach, and I have to say on a par with Caerhays and Hemmick. It is a much smaller beach than Crantock, dog friendly again, golden sands, rocks and caves. It was very quiet indeed, and Camp Dog had warmed up enough to appreciate a dip in the sea. We then sat on the hill at the top of the path out, and enjoyed coffee and chocolate biscuits (me) and water and boneo (CD). There is also a pub along the way, so more than one option for a stop off.
Holywell Bay was also very nice, and there is a pub, and also a car park next to the beach so the walk could be done the other way around, as Crantock is better for lunch (in my opinion). This walk is 3.5 miles, so a nice length. Returning, with the diversions on the path, you can make it a different walk, and as soon as we could, we dropped down on to Cranctock Beach, and so walked the last mile on the beach.
Marks for the walk – 10 out of 10 from both CD & I. Also CD had a bath in the sea, and then straight in the car, so no proper bath required.
Second Stop – Perranporth – lots of our guests last season talked about Perranporth. It came highly recommended as a sandy dog friendly beach with a dog
friendly pub right on the beach (The Watering Hole). We did not think that much to Perranporth itself, not for any particular reason, but yes the beach is good. The pub has lots of tables outside with great views, and so I enjoyed a proper coffee after our lovely walk on the beach, and took in those views. Yes, I can see why this beach is popular and worth a ride out to.
Third stop – St Agnes. This is now a bit further down and towards Truro. Lovely large picturesque village, and the best of both. Very nice little shops, choice of eateries, galleries, and also a lovely beach, (one of 4) with a pub, fish and chip shop and great walking. We did not spend long enough here, and indeed thought it a place that warranted a full day for a good explore. However, we did head off on the St Agnes Beacon Scenic drive, before our last stop which was
Fourth and final Stop – Chapel Porth – as members of the NT Love my Outdoors, I had seen this in the guide book, and as we were 
so near thought I would drive down. It is a very steep narrow drive down (not my favourite), but there is a lovely cove, and a very nice cafe. There was a stream running through, and this looked to be a good place for walking that part of the SWCP, which lots were doing. Again, another place to return to, as on googling Chapel Porth on my return, it looks for scenic walking, and this is now a walk on my list www.southwestcoastpath.com/walksdb/201
All in all a great day out, and CD snored loudly all the way back to camp, in the back of the Landy
Other Meadows News
The land drainage work is now complete on site for which we breathed a huge sigh of relief. The weather was very unkind for work of this type, but now onwards and upwards. The pitches are all now getting ready for guests, and we are “beautifying” the campsite. We still have lots to do, and one job I keep trying to get to the top of the list if Mabel Caravan’s garden. Mabel is having a pitch by the stream. For the gorgeous summer on order, there is to be al fresco dining, and lots of sitting in the sunshine.
Plants and the like are now starting to grow. Primroses are on their way on our pretty stream bank, and the yellow flag irises are starting to sprout too in the meadow and wooded area.
As there is still lots to do, we always do a list at the start of the week to keep us all focused and working hard.
STILL HOT NEWS – new for 2014 – Kernowforno will be visiting weekly through the season cooking delicious wood fired pizzas for our guests. We are indeed very excited about this, as you can never eat too many homemade pizzas.
It’s a camp dog’s life
News from Camp Dog Harvey – a little q & a, to give you a little more insight in to my world
Q – My favourite sleeping spot – A – On the back of the settee
Q – My favourite treat – A -prawn crackers
Q – My favourite walk – A – a round walk on the Pentewan Valley Trail to Mevagissey, and back on the SWCP.
Q -My favourite beach A – Hemmick Beach, closely followed by Crantock Beach just discovered.
Q My favourite pub – A The Polgooth Inn, very closely followed by the Roseland Inn
Q – My favourite haircut – A – short school boy style, and definitely not the woolly sheep look.
Bookings – we remain extremely surprised, and very pleased at the popularity of our change to “just for adults”. Indeed, my next job is to mark up some weeks where we now have limited availability for hook up pitches. If you are wanting to holiday with us here at The Meadows, especially in July and August, then please confirm your booking as early as possible so as not to be disappointed. You can book here, or by telephone – 01726 844383.
Posted in:
Adult only Campsite,
Attractions in the area,
Dog Friendly Pubs,
Harvey's Walking Journal,
Renovation Work
Tags:
Adult only campsite,
Dog friendly,
Dog friendly camp and caravan site in Cornwall,
dog friendly campsite,
Dog friendly pubs,
Dog friendly walks,
meadows campsite,
mevagissey,
Pentewan Valley,
south west coast path,
SWCP,
the meadows campsite
Posted on January 6, 2014
by Lynn
The Meadows Team spent their Christmas having lots of fun “up country”, with our families and friends. Camp Dog Harvey got to meet his new cousins, Boris the spanish water spaniel, Barney the Puggle and Malcolm a very handsome and playful Jack Russell cross. We enjoyed some fabulous old walks in the Leicestershire countryside, and lots of scrumptious food, wine and laughter. Christmas day afternoon we sat down with the “Bowler” extended family and watched Carry on Camping – that was never not going to happen at some point over the Christmas Break!!
The grass protecta when first laid last year (2013)
Prior to the big storms of the New Year, we had enjoyed a very dry November and early December, and so had achieved lots before our break. At least the first stage of our ditching, and the de-silting of the stream has been put to the test as we have had a stormy start to the New Year. The stream has been very high and flowing fast, but luckily the banks did not break. Unfortunately Fowey, and Mevagissey did not fair very well, but they were extremely well prepared for damage limitation. It seems the North Coast got the biggest battering.
Our existing customers will be familiar with our “hardstanding grass pitches”. In just one season the grass protecta became very well established with a full blown lawn grown through it, and the new grass seed was for strong camping site grass which is certainly is. For a lot of the work we are doing, it has been necessary to take up a lot of the grass protecta which will then be relaid. By the time we took up the final roll last Saturday, we had just about mastered the best technique, but once relaid this year it is not coming up again! Very tough stuff though, and it is now all in rolls and looking like new, and John and I should be standing up straight again by the time we open :).
Sam’s on the beach
It has not been just storms, and in between we have had some gorgeous sunny still dry days. This was one such day, when we enjoyed another helping of mussels and chips at Sams on the Beach in Polkeris which were once again delicious, and the view is as good.
This month is going to be a very busy month starting from today, and so the improving weather picture is just what we need. Our road (posh track) extension work starts tomorrow. This and other ground work has been carefully planned from what we have learned about the land during our first year, and about what our guests want from their campsite experience. 12 weeks from purchase to opening last year, did not give us time, though we did do well with what we achieved. Indeed this is what has given us the confidence about what we can achieve this year before opening, with 5 and a half months on our side. So far, so good, and we expect to even get in lots of outings in the county.
We are very excited about the work taking place and the changes being made, and we are already looking forward to the start of our second season.
Camp Dog’s recovery position
Stormy seas at Lizard Point
Yesterday, on stormy Sunday we took a trip out to the Lizard. It was mainly a driving tour as there was not much let up with the heavy rain, but we did walk down to the point which blew away a few cobwebs. This was Camp Dog in the back of the landy in his recovery position after his cobwebs were blown away. We did the trip via Portleven and Cadgwith, and both places looked a little battered with dramatic seas.
Changing to a site “just for grown ups” was for us a big change to make, and so we did wonder what effect this would have on our enquiries. This time last year, we were still planning our move to Cornwall, and our website was being created, and so we had no other January to compare it to. We have been very pleasantly surprised and encouraged for both December and January, and our booking numbers are very healthy. It is lovely to hear from old guests of 2013, and we also look forward to meeting new guests in 2014 visiting us for the first time. It seems there are lots of grown ups out there who want to be around grown ups, both young and mature and liking a traditional small campsite, in a beautiful area.
We continue to be very dog friendly, and indeed some of you on four legs are also ahead of the game with planning your 2014 camping trips. Camp Dog Harvey is feeling energised after his Christmas over indulgence, and is getting out and about checking out some new walks, and frequenting his very places.
News from Camp Dog
Oh so Royal King Charles
Fighting fit now, but this was me in December being chauffeured around whilst recovering from a minor op on my paw. It would be unfair not to every so often reminder my parents that I am after all a “King”. I have still not got over my name change from HRH to Camp Dog.
Storm watching – most of mine has been done from the back of the settee. However I did assist Camp Daddy with the rescue of a labrador from the River Winnick when the river was at it fiercest, and we were out following a storm. That was quite a scary sight, and I did not get the labrador’s name, but he or she looked very frightened and very relieved when the humans managed to catch up with it and haul it out from the bank. Lesson to self – stay away from the raging rivers, and the raging sea, and stick with the settee, and log burner!
Pentewan Sands
View on the return leg of our walk from Mevagissey on the SWCP
This was the calm before a storm. A beautiful calm sunny afternoon on Pentewan Sands. This was also the calm the day after a storm. My favourite circular walk from camp to Mevagissey on the Pentewan Trail and back on the south west coast path. Fabulous as always, and with a few plump pheasants to chase along the way.
Camping for dogs – just as a reminder for those thinking of booking a camping trip with us here. The Meadows Campsite is a very dog friendly campsite, and welcomes all well behaved dogs, together with their owners. There are excellent dog friendly walks for you from camp gates, though you can also take the bus, and the ferries as alternative means of transport. There are also some fabulous dog friendly pubs, foodie, and serving great beer.
Beaches – please take time to check out my page and whet your appetite for some fabulous beaches. My favourites are Caerhays and Hemmick Beach.
Bookings
We are opening the gates at Easter, in time for wild garlic pesto, Easter eggs laid by our girls, and Easter Sunshine. If you want to book in with us for 2014 for either a caravan, campervan, motorhome, or tent pitch please contact us here, or give us a call. Lottie and Mabel Caravans are also available to rent should you wish to enjoy a more hassle free camping experience. The Meadows is a great site for visiting the gardens of Cornwall, in particular Heligan, and the Eden Project, and for a Mevagissey camping holiday.
Finally
Happy New Year from me Lynn, (Camp Mother), John (Camp Daddy), and Camp Dog Harvey – The Meadows Team. We hope to see you during our second season here at The Meadows Campsite, Pentewan, Cornwall
Posted in:
Adult only Campsite,
Adult only caravan site,
Facilities At The Meadows,
New owners at The Meadows,
Renovation Work
Tags:
Adult only campsite,
Adult only caravan site,
Camping and Caravanning Pentewan,
Camping Mevagissey,
Dog friendly,
Dog friendly camp and caravan site in Cornwall,
Pentewan Valley,
SWCP,
The Meadows Camping & Caravan Site
Posted on November 11, 2013
by Lynn
Well the campsite gates are closed, and the bunting has been taken down and washed and ironed 😉 ready for next year. Lotttie and Mabel Caravans have been dressed up for photos, and now dressed down for winter, and our small campsite seems very quiet indeed.
To mark closing and surviving our first season I was treated to a new outfit – a green Boilersuit! It takes me back to when I was about 10 and my mum and dad bought me a Massey Fergi Boilersuit for Christmas. The new one has had lots of use already as we have been working very hard “down field”. It is now possible to see all the way down stream to our small wooded area. The view from what will be our new stream side pitches, is gorgeous over the hills with the sheep and cows grazing. The view is worth every one of the extra few paces to the showerblock in my opinion. We are certainly loving taking in the views working “down field”.
Not quite an “amazing space”
For making hay when the sun shines
Before the “big storm” lots of the trees over the stream had already received a drastic haircut. The mass of brambles have also been attacked with some vigour, which is what they needed. Unsurprisingly, our finds have included a haymaker, 15 old aliminum windows, 2 old trailers, and an “amazing spaces” horse box. These are in addition to our other recent finds, and our dumper truck has made life easier getting our finds up field.
The wood we have taken down, has been logged, and is now seasoning, for all next years campfires so we have wood a plenty. Our wood piles are huge, and there is no danger of us running out.
We have almost finished the clearing stage of the work, and the bank area is to be raised from what we take out when extending the road, and creating our wildlife pond.
Our next task which we start on Monday is to de-silt the stream, and we have already made our sandbags. We expect it is years since it has been done, and another task that is new to us, and for which our digger will make easier. Once done the stream will have a much better flow, the water table on site should be lowered and it will look a much nicer feature. For 2014 we will have some new perches for guests to sit by the stream, made by Camp Daddy out of some of our biggest logs.
News from Camp Dog Harvey
Boot-camp is well under way, and is great fun. We have been checking out lots of new dog friendly walks, beaches, and a few dog friendly pubs along the way.
The new SWCP walking book is getting lots of use, although the walks are never followed to the letter, and usually involve an extension or two.
What is amazing is how many fabulous walks there are so close to my home at The Meadows Campsite and which I can share with my guests. The beaches round here are all so lovely, and at the moment, Caerhays is my current joint favourite with Hemmick Beach.
Mevagissey harbour in November
My favourite walk from Camp Gates is the Mevagissey circular walk, especially on a Sunday morning. The walk there is on the Pentewan Trail skirting the edge of Heligan, stopping off at a nice little cafe in Mevagissey for coffee. There is usually a couple of old boys in there who enjoy a gossip! As the “pooch ban” is off now for Pentewan Sands, we return on the coast path, scrambling down to the cove that joins up with Pentewan Sands and finish the last section with a stroll on the beach, and a bath in the sea. We all like this walk, and I am off my lead for almost all of it, and the scenery and sniffs are just fab.
I was sent out on a mission to check out a few beaches close to Camp, and how good they are for those on four legs. We all like Duporth, and we parked in Charlestown and had a very lovely walk to both Duporth and Porthpean along the coastal path. The two beaches are very similar, and both very lovely indeed. The walk and views are lovely too, looking out to the Gribbin Head daymarker and around St Austell Bay.
Carylon Bay from its best side
Carlyon Bay, is a little bit odd. It could be fantastic, and if you look ahead out to sea and ignore the unfinished work it is. This is a great big beach, so great for a fun. Parking is also free, but there are a few steps to climb down. We walked the whole length, scrambled up at the end and walked back on the coast path dodging golf balls along the way.
One afternoon, we knocked off early, and took a lovely walk from the gorgeous Gorran Haven, along the SWCP to Vault Beach. I like this beach, and there were lots of sniffs, feathers, and best of all we had the beach to ourselves. There are lots of lovely walks to be done taking in this beach, and also my favourite Hemmick Beach.
Note to my four legged guests – Carlyon Bay, Duporth & Vault Beach are all year round
St Just in Roseland Church
Gorgeous Towan Beach
St Mawes
St Just in Roseland
Just a little bay along the way
In view of our busy time ahead, we took this weekend off to recharge our batteries. We have enjoyed two long, but fabulous walks around the St Mawes area. We visited Towan Beach, Porthscatho, Gerrans Bay, St Mawes itself, St Just in Roseland and Froe Creek. Here are just a few little pictures of our days out. St Mawes is gorgeous, The Royal Standard at Gerrans Bay made a lovely lunch stop, and the whole area which is really very close to Camp is fantastic.
My girls (our chucks) are laying very well indeed at the moment so must be happy hens. Its a good job we all like eggs, in one form or another and my favourite is softly boiled on top of a bit of Bakers. Keep up the good work girls.
Other Meadows news
The parts of the website, best left to the experts are currently being updated to reflect our 2014 changes. If this is not complete by the time you read this, then it will be so in the next few days. We are amazed how much thinking ahead everyone is doing, though the 2013 heatwave has no doubt helped everyone is doing for 2014. Great though to have a camping or caravanning trip already planned for 2014 to look forward to.
Mabel Caravan – has been treated to some gorgeous bits and bobs ready for her 2014 guests. Being on the classy side, I treated her to some gorgeous pearl fairy lights. I have also made some nice liners for her cupboards, and lots of other bits and bobs. One sunny day, I set up the table and took some pics for the website. Mabel Caravan’s garden will get completed in early Spring.
Mabel and Lottie Caravan are both lovely for a special stay away as rather “quirky accommodation”. If you want to book a stay in one of our vintage caravans, then please contact us by telephone or email.
Bookings – if you want to book in early at The Meadows Campsite, Pentewan, and have a holiday to look forward to, we of course are happy to book you in. Please either contact us here, or telephone 01726 844383 to make your booking. We are a small quirky campsite, close to Mevagissey, and great for Heligan Gardens and Eden. We are also dog friendly, a park for adults only, and cater for campervans, caravans, tents (all shapes and sizes), and motorhomes. The Meadows is ideal for a walking, or cycling holiday in South Cornwall.
Posted in:
Adult only Campsite,
Attractions in the area,
Dog Friendly Pubs,
Facilities At The Meadows,
Harvey's Walking Journal,
New owners at The Meadows,
Renovation Work
Tags:
Adult only campsite,
Camping and Caravanning Mevagissey,
Camping and Caravanning Pentewan,
Dog friendly,
dog friendly campsite,
Dog friendly pubs,
heligan gardens,
meadows campsite,
mevagissey,
Pentewan Valley,
Renovations at The Meadows,
SWCP 
We are very well placed here at The Meadows Campsite, Pentewan for getting out and about, and no part of Cornwall is very far away. As we have had less than our fair share of sunshine recently, we like to ensure that on the occasions the sun is just with the North Coast, that we go in search of it and enjoy.
itself is a beautiful village, with lots of lovely little cottages, and a cafe, 2 pubs and a shop. For the beach there is a large NT car park right next to the beach itself. The beach is dog friendly, large, so great for a good run around, and absolutely gorgeous. Joining the SWCP there are then some lovely walks, and we set off in the direction of Holywell Bay, and the other direction would take in the River Gannel Estuary.
En route we came across the most fantastic beach, and I have to say on a par with Caerhays and Hemmick. It is a much smaller beach than Crantock, dog friendly again, golden sands, rocks and caves. It was very quiet indeed, and Camp Dog had warmed up enough to appreciate a dip in the sea. We then sat on the hill at the top of the path out, and enjoyed coffee and chocolate biscuits (me) and water and boneo (CD). There is also a pub along the way, so more than one option for a stop off.
friendly pub right on the beach (The Watering Hole). We did not think that much to Perranporth itself, not for any particular reason, but yes the beach is good. The pub has lots of tables outside with great views, and so I enjoyed a proper coffee after our lovely walk on the beach, and took in those views. Yes, I can see why this beach is popular and worth a ride out to.
Third stop – St Agnes. This is now a bit further down and towards Truro. Lovely large picturesque village, and the best of both. Very nice little shops, choice of eateries, galleries, and also a lovely beach, (one of 4) with a pub, fish and chip shop and great walking. We did not spend long enough here, and indeed thought it a place that warranted a full day for a good explore. However, we did head off on the St Agnes Beacon Scenic drive, before our last stop which was
so near thought I would drive down. It is a very steep narrow drive down (not my favourite), but there is a lovely cove, and a very nice cafe. There was a stream running through, and this looked to be a good place for walking that part of the SWCP, which lots were doing. Again, another place to return to, as on googling Chapel Porth on my return, it looks for scenic walking, and this is now a walk on my list www.southwestcoastpath.com/walksdb/201
STILL HOT NEWS – new for 2014 – Kernowforno will be visiting weekly through the season cooking delicious wood fired pizzas for our guests. We are indeed very excited about this, as you can never eat too many homemade pizzas.
Bookings – we remain extremely surprised, and very pleased at the popularity of our change to “just for adults”. Indeed, my next job is to mark up some weeks where we now have limited availability for hook up pitches. If you are wanting to holiday with us here at The Meadows, especially in July and August, then please confirm your booking as early as possible so as not to be disappointed. You can book here, or by telephone – 01726 844383.
