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 Rock -
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Rock click here
Bed and breakfast in
Rock
Self catering in Rock
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Rock Tourist Information
Situated four miles northwest of
Wadebridge and across the
River Camel estuary
from the major tourist resort of
Padstow.
Rock, like so many other Cornish coast
villages is a former fishing village, the fishing has long
since disappeared but its nautical connections still remain.
It is a popular anchorage for numerous small craft from
rubber dinghies to luxury sailing boats, it also boasts a
sailing club and a water skiing school.
Rock is basically one long sandy beach following the estuary
all the way to
Daymer Bay. The sand, like most north
Cornish resorts is a golden yellow colour and soft. There
are excellent walks along the beach and sand dunes taking in
all the water activities that take place during the summer.
The village has a shop, a few tea rooms and bars. There is
also one of the two Michelin starred restaurants in Cornwall
to be found in Rock, ‘The
Black Pig’, and the other one is not too
far away. Perhaps an indication of how an expensive an area
this is, recent housing construction has attracted
millionaires like bees to honey, locally referred to as ‘Chelsea
by the sea’. It has been said that the
village is not particularly welcoming to those not in the
right set, by the right set we include certain members of
the royal family.
‘Rock’ does not seem a proper name for a place that consists
purely of sand. The name originates from a local quarry
where the rocks were used as ballast for sailing ships. The
quarry is now a car park.
There is a regular passenger ferry that runs to and from
Padstow which brings a considerable amount of tourist to
Rock, it is interesting to see how it wanders around the
hidden sand banks at low tide.
Just a mile down the beach towards the sea is ‘Daymer Bay’.
A nice place to sunbathe and have a swim. It is not a good
idea to swim at Rock, the currents can be extreme, having
said that, there is an annual swimming race across the
estuary. For those interested in surfing, Rock does not have
any, nearby
Portreath is the place to go, one of the
best surfing beaches in Cornwall.
Also close by is the
St
Enodock Parish Church with its distinctive
13th century crooked steeple. Probably better known for its
association with John Betjemen who is buried here.
At the mouth of the estuary there is the infamous ‘Doom
Bar’. A sand bank running across the
entire length of the estuary that can cause enormous sell
when conditions permit, and this is quite often.
Rock is also home to the ‘Sharps Brewery’, an independent
real ale established in the mid 1990’s.
Just across the river in Padstow there are numerous other
shops/restaurants/tea rooms/boat trips, a very busy place
during high season.
Local special events include:
Padstow May Day:
The village continues to celebrate May Day in a traditional
way that has its origins back in Pagon times. It begins at
midnight on the eve of May Day and lasts throughout the 1st
May. The locals sing in the new morning and then follow the
‘Obby-Oss’ (a man in a black frame wearing a mask) around
the narrow streets until late eveing. Needless to say, the
pubs are very busy and everyone has a good time.
Rock Accommodation:
The accommodation in Rock is extremely limited, it consists
of:
Rock guesthouses - Considering the
popularity of Rock these are not numerous, there are a
limited number on the approach road.
Rock self catering - this basically
consists of:
Cottages in Rock, these are quite
numerous, many are basically second homes being let out when
not in use by the owners. Unfortunately, like most popular
places in Cornwall this tends to increase the cost of
property putting it out of reach of the local population.
The
hotels in Rock are not numerous but they
tend to be of excellent quality, the price reflects this.
The
Rock camp sites and caravan parks are all
on the outskirts in the surrounding countryside. The size
and geography of Rock does not lend itself to this type of
accommodation.
For further information on Rock or any other area in
Cornwall.
Full details can be obtained from the Cornwall Tourist
Information office Tel. 0345 484950.
Rock News:
'Snob yob' parents could be prosecutedTelegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Apr 16, 2008The resort of Polzeath, near Padstow on Cornwall's north coast, and neighbouring villages including Rock, have been plagued by the unruly behaviour of ... |
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Daymer Bay
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Rock Ferry
Rock looking across to Padstow
Rock Estuary |