Tourism returns to UK town after lockdown lifted

Newquay

Located on the north coast of Cornwall, Newquay is widely regarded as the UK's surfing capital. It has the only commercial airport in the region, with year-round services from London, Gatwick and Manchester airports taking around an hour.

Catching the waves first became popular in the 1960s, thanks to four young Australian lifesavers who hit the beach with the first fibreglass surfboards in 1962. By the 1970s, people were so "dead-keen" for a surf and boards were in such short supply that an enterprising local funeral home director modified coffin lids as surfing boards. Photos of locals proudly displaying their wooden "boards" on the beach can be seen at the Perranzabuloe Museum in Perranporth.

These days, foam boards have replaced their more macabre predecessors. Thick wet suits and boots can be seen hanging out to dry from balconies, car doors, and rearview mirrors. They're particularly necessary in Cornwall, where the water temperature is not quite as tepid as it is, for example, in Hainan province in China, but that does not stop anyone.

Newquay attracts people of all ages who surf at all levels. The sandy shores, lack of rocks, gentle waves and the abundance of instructors make it ideal for beginners and recreational surfers alike.

Fistral is one of the popular go-to places for surfing in Newquay, thanks to its geography. The area's main west-facing beach that draws in the predominant western swells and winds makes it a reliable spot to catch a wave.

In fact, some of its most frequent visitors often park their caravans along the Newquay Esplanade, overlooking Fistral beach, where they camp out for days and spend most of their time surfing and chilling. Catching a "dawnie", or a dawn surf, is a prized event for those keen to have the ocean all to themselves.

Dave Goodger, who is in his 40s and lives in Oxford, often takes his 11-year-old son to surf in Fistral beach whenever they visit family there. "Here you have got the consistent availability of surfable waves all year around, which is good for casual surfers like me. It does not matter whether you are an amateur or an expert, it is a fantastic feeling to charge into the sea and catch the waves."

Matthew from Perranporth, also in his 40s and who prefers not to give his surname, started surfing at the age of five and views himself as a die-hard surfer. He usually surfs two or three times a week. He said: "Surfing is a 100 percent addictive sports. It is like when you go to the beach, you see the kids playing in the water, they are always happy. Surfing is like adults getting the same feeling."