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Past Holidays In Woolacombe

Thanks for that no wonder Beat and Bob left Coventry to live there. Still can't find the photo's of Eastaway cottage. Bye. Jean.
 
My sister and her gentleman friend accompanied us over to France. The first holiday we have all spent together. We had a great time. She is 8 years older than me and I suppose I've always been considered as the irritating little sister stemming from our very youinger years. However we have been the best of friends for many years but...never spent a holiday period together. I couldn't have been too bad as three weeks after we all arrived back in England, my sister asked me if I fancied a four day break in...WOOLACOMBE!!!! The first time I've been on a coach holiday.
I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed the break. The views from our hotel window are those seen on the site. But...the best thing of all was I was in a group of people originating from my roots. I loved listening to the Birmingham and West Brom dialects, and I felt "back at home." The group were so happy and were a scream and I'd never laughed so much for a long time. I have been away for than half my life. Woolacmbe was my "back home" experience!
I liked Woolacombe very much - I think I have bypassed it on my way to other places at odd times. The sand sculptoring comp was on when we were there.We toured around visiting the very pretty villages of Lynmouth and Linton I vaguely remember the dreadful flooding way back in the 50's, you'd never guess that awful tragedy today. My sister and I were in Woolacombe August this year.
 
A gang of us lads went down to Woolacombe in the early 70's and worked in the Hotels. Narracott, Woolacombe Bay, The Sands, The Morethoe, Idle rock, Red Barn and the Puttsbourgh Sands. We would do the season and either come back to Brum or stay in winter- lets in Ilfracombe, Croyde or Brougnton. We used to have a ball and our mates used to come down from Brum Friday night till Sunday and stop with us in the staff quarters.I did 4 years of that and ended up going to Morrocco to sort myself out!!!!! And came back and went to Guernsey...Brilliant days and nights and Brilliant people ,Was you in Woolacombe from 72 till 76???
 
Woolacombe was our favourite holiday spot, went there from 1972 to as recent as 2003. Know all the places you mention, perhaps you served us in the Red Barn. Got lots of photos. You certainly get around to some places !
:)
 
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Roy c, This is WOOLACOMBE 2008 .We try to go at least once a year, some times may be for just a week.(Have done from the late 50s, Now with the grankids)LOVE THE PLACE.
This pic taken June 2008, RED BARN mid pic, NARRACOTT on the left, Spent our Honeymoon at the Coombe's just up the road from the Narracott way back in 1962.
 
I hope it hasn't changed much, I rememeber the Coombes hotel, we used to play football against them on the beach,I think most of them were "scousers". Needless to say we thrashed them all the time..Ha Ha . Do you remember the "Marisco" disco under the Woolacome Bay Hotel? That was a place where all the "locals" from Barnstable and the out lying areas used to come down in coaches on a Friday and Saturday night. We had quite a few of them stop in our "Staff quarters" when they missed their coaches!!!!!! A lot of the girls that we went down with in the seventies stayed on and most of them live in Ilfracombe now probably married to locals and have got 30 year old children now. I dont keep in touch but I have a friend who still goes down and relives the "Heady" days of the 70's that we enjoyed. I did once get dragged out by the tide at Barricane beach and couldn't get back in (To drunk on Natural Dry Cider "Natch") but when I stopped panicing I managed to get on the rocks. It was always a bit "Hairy" with the tides around there....Happy Days......Forgot to mention a friend who I used to work with in the Narracott took over running Twitchen Camp site, I think he might still be running it now, His name was Colin Ebsworth (A Scouser) Any body stopped there over the last few years?
 
G G Jean said:
Roy was that the site next to the lighthouse only my cousins cottage was in between?. Jean.
Click to expand...

I dont think so but my memory is playing tricks on me of where it actually was....Some one will know////
 
WHEN WE FIRST WENT TO TWITCHEN HOUSE CARAVAN PARK A MR PELLIN RAN IT THAT WAS BACK IN THE 50s.
This is the house June 2008, a far larger complex now, it takes in these other Parks EASTWELL,WOOLACOMBE BAY & GOLDEN COAST PARKS.
 
I think it would have been Woolacomb bay next to Beaties?. Still can't find Eastaway cottages photo's. Jean.
 
No Jean the caravan park you are thinking about is on the road down to LEE LIGHTHOUSE the road that goes from MORTEHOE.

*WOOLACOMBE BAY is at the top of the hill going out of MORTEHOE halfway between there & the old station just by by pool lane. That was to first *site my mom & dad took us to when we found WOOLACOMBE for the first time, I can remember its site shop was a drop down sided large van ( looked like a removal van), water was from one stand pipe in the middle of the field.
GREAT DAYS
Some folks think camping is hard today, it was more FUN THEN no Elec Hookup, Clubs or crazy golf then.
 
Three holiday pics from our 2 week camping holiday at Combe Martin 1954.
The 1st pic shows a 'camp table' made from branches. We had never thought about taking a table on the 6 hour train journey to get there.
The 2nd shows our campsite at Combe Martin, notice the table made from branches roped together, our meal on it, and our 'Larder and Cookers'.
The 3rd pic shows us landing on a trip to Lundy Island. A nice old Paddle Steamer took us from Ilfracombe, stopped to pick up from Clovelly and took us to Lundy.
Anyone remember the Steamers in the Bristol Channel ?
We had 2 weeks of continuous sunshine.
Camp_Table.jpg

Camp_Tea_Ready.jpg

Land_at_Lundy.jpg
 
Hi Phil, that steamer is the "WAVERLY" out of Ilfracombe we went to Lundy on that one around 1959.
When we off loaded at the jetty on Lundy would you beleive the guy thet helped us out of the ferry boat was one of my old school mate from UPPER THOMAS ST his mom owned the little shop just down from Cliffton Rd in Upper Thomas St over the road from the school.
Phil pic like your bring happy summer days back a nother world from today.
 
Just been looking at some of the pictures on this thread great holiday snaps thanks we have never had a holiday in woolacombe but love the area ilfracombe is a favourite place for our day trips when we stay at Butlins in somerset for the sixties nights ... we always tour the area as it is such a beautiful part of the country:) I did notice Barons MG magnette and the Number Plate thanks again for the pics:D
 
Hi Keith,
The name 'Waverly' rings a bell. One of those steamers nearly sank one year and they just about managed to run it on to a Welsh beach. In those days of strict licencing laws it was a novelty to be able to buy a beer any time on Lundy and also on the boats when they left shore. I remember a boat named Polar Bear in Ilfracombe harbour, never saw it actually move, but sometimes it wasn't there.
We (mostly from the Ice Rink) went on that 1954 hol by train, leaving Moor St station at midnight.
I remember the train seemed to do a 3 point turn in Barnstaple, but we got there eventually.
Here's a pic of 'happy campers' leaving Lundy.
Phil
Back_to_Boat_Lundy.jpg
 
I remember the " Polar Bear " in the harbour, a large red/white painted fishing vessel. This must have been in the late seventies.
The Waverley was refloated and fully refitted. She still struts her stuff in the Severn Estuary and sometimes further afield. A real sight to see compared with the massive container ships and car carriers that sail by
 
Oh yes Jean its a beautiful part of country, we used to almost every year when our
kids were small, I remember the first caravan were had was £14 a week,
that overlooking the bay, and the sands were wonderful for children.Perhaps its time I took my grandaughter down that way, being a
good swimmer she would love it. There used to be a NALGO holiday place
across the bay at Croyd I seem to remember?
Quote; When the Power of Love overcomes the Love of Power Then the world will know Peace Jimi Henrix Bye Bernard:cool:
 
That's a great idea Bernard. How old is she?. It is a long thread and a way back I said how my cousin spent many years living there till she passed away not too long ago. She lived at Mortehoe. Jean.
 
Just had a look at this thread again and its one of the best, I found photos on here I missed first time around, worth a second look.:)
 
It was just a couple of days ago that I was thinking about this thread when I came across a letter from cousin Beatie who lived the last half of her life there. Going to do what Alf did and go through the thread from the begining. Jean.
 
Don't start me on Woolacombe! My favourite holiday place in this country.:) After driving 180 miles, I always remember the view as I turned the corner at the top of the hill and I knew the holiday was about to start. In the 70's I often used to look at the Woolacombe Bay Hotel with 'Jags' and 'Rollers' parked outside it and wished I could have afforded to stay there, but we were happy in our chalet in the fields above the hotel. I have loads of photos and posted one some month's ago of an ice cream van in the sea.
I'll only post one more:D
 
Hi Phil great pic. That building jutting out of the hill on the left is what was the COMBES (now the THE ROYAL) HOTEL, Were my wife & I spent our Honeymoon back in 1992.
The walk down that valley to Barton Road & the beach is one we have walked many times from mortehoe railway station.
Hope to be back in Sept this year all being well.
 
Hi Keith,
Haven't seen you post lately. Yes good old Woolacombe, often wished I lived there, but I had to earn a living in Brum. These days, for family reasons, most of my trips are up north to Yorkshire, or to the Wash area of Lincolnshire.
All the best Phil
 
Phil,We have been down in St Ives Cornwall for a few weeks so have not been able to post, (MISSED YOU GUYS) this is another part of the country I love, BUT WOOLACOMBE WILL ALWAYS BE MY SECOND HOME.
Keith
 
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