Godrevy lay by

fatbelly
fatbelly Forum Participant Posts: 438
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edited June 2020 in UK Campsites & Touring #1

Hi All,

On the glorious 4th, we start our 2 week summer holiday at a commercial close to Godrevy site in Hayle Cornwall. We've been given a 9am arrival slot & been asked to arrive as close to our given slot as possible. We are 350 miles away from Hayle, so does anyone know of a lay by or other safe (and free) rest area close ish to Godrevy that we can rest up and wait until our slot. I'm allowing a travel time of 10 hours so could arrive up to 3 hours early subject to traffic.

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  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #2

    There’s a small retail park (got an M&S) just off Loggans Moor roundabout as you reach Hayle on the A30, not sure if it has barriers, cameras etc... but might be worth investigating. The road up to Godrevy (Loggans Moor Road) is close by there. Once you are on that road, I cannot recall any obvious places to park up. There’s a couple of supermarket car parks as well, Lidl and Co op, but again not sure of barriers etc.....

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,387 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #3

    Just past the entrance to the Godrevy Club site on the left is a layby, you often see motorhomes parked in it. There is also one on the right and a smaller one on the left as you go up the hill towards the Clubs Godrevy site. The one on the right is best because it is easier to turn round if you have to go back on yourself.

    peedee

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #4

    Rather than find others doing the same on a busy day in those narrow lanes you could park up at Cornwall Services and check out the time and distance from there? Not too far to travel onwards.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #5

    The lay-by mentioned by PD has been occupied by MHs and vans all winter.

    However, immediately before that lay-by is the road to Gwithian car park. It’s single track with road humps but very doable with a MH. We often take ours there. You may have to pay, depending on time of day, but it’s a much better bet than trying to find a lay-by. Check it out on Google Earth.

    The retail park mentioned by TDA is patrolled by an attendant and they are quite strict as the car park is not big enough to serve the park. Likewise, supermarkets are a bit touchy and don’t want holidaymakers using their car parks for other than shopping.

     

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #6

    The pics below show the spaciousness of Gwithian car park and I've marked it in red on a screenshot from PD's view.

  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Forum Participant Posts: 438
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    edited June 2020 #7

    Thanks to all & thanks to PD & tinwheeler for the photos.

    As mentioned our slot is 9am & at a steady 55mph with a break I'm expecting it to take 7 hours so its a 2am start for us !!!

    Mrs FB has never driven & will never drive the MH so at 4am I'll need radio one blasting out foot-in-mouth

     

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited June 2020 #8

    Evening

    So, come off the A30 roundabout, then turn right at the 2 mini roundabouts next to Lidl supermarket (that's your nearest). Just past St.Ives Bay park on your left you'll see a large free layby on the right, big enough for 6 outfits.There used to be an old guy parked there fulltime in a hobby motorhome. That's about less than 5 minutes from your site. If you're heading For Gwithian Farm or Churchtown Farm, don't get there before you should!

    Good advice above regarding Cornwall services at Roche, loads of room and only 25 minutes to your site. I worked 4 years at Godrevy Park club site so spent lots of time advising folks where to stop and wait.

    Hope this helps you

    JK

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #9

    The Hobby, plus a caravan, was still in that lay-by a few weeks ago, JK, and the black bags of rubbish were multiplying rapidly.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited June 2020 #10

    Prepare yourself....the 4th July is going to be absolute carnage! We go from nothing to peak season almost overnight. That’s unprecedented. There is no way local infrastructure at tourist hot spots can cope with that. So far, all we’ve seen are the relatively local folks, on 4 July they’ll come out of the woodwork nationally en masse. Your chances of avoiding gridlock, covid 19 and finding a lay-by stopover are close to zero. Good luck (there are 60 ventilator beds in Cornwall).

  • JollyKernow
    JollyKernow Forum Participant Posts: 2,629
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    edited June 2020 #11

    Nice old guy TW, been there a good few years! Interesting though that it's been allowed for so long?

    I guess all those live in the lay by surfing dudes in the area will look forward to the sites opening so they can sneak in for a shower?! Many a happy hour spent giving them advicewink Happy Days.

    JK

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #12

    They so hate it when Gwithian car park charges start🤣. 

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #13

    Apologies re my suggestion, on retail park. It’s a while since we have been. 

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #14

    Tbh, it's a difficult place to park just a car most times 😄

    I see the seagulls are restless tonight 😉

  • RowenaBCAMC
    RowenaBCAMC Forum Participant Posts: 1,732 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #15

    Sorry to go off topic - there seems to be a glitch on the forum and your screen name isn't appearing. Can you please drop me an email coommunitymanager@camc.com to confirm your details, otherwise we will need to deactivate your account. Many thanks and apologies for the inconvenience. 

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited June 2020 #16

    Key pads on the toilet blocks thenwink

    But then they wait outside until someone with the code lets them in as they "have forgotten the number"undecided

  • dunelm
    dunelm Forum Participant Posts: 373
    edited June 2020 #17

    It seems obvious but have you contacted the site, mentioned how far you are travelling and asked for a later arrival slot?

    That surely is worth trying. If successful it may be a better and safer option than travelling at a time you obviously don't relish, especially if you are relying on the radio to keep you alert.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #18

    On July 4th the M ways will be heaving so although it's not much fun a very early start might be the best idea (a 7 hour drive might turn into a much longer one.)

  • Metheven
    Metheven Club Member Posts: 3,987 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #19

    Good advice above regarding Cornwall services at Roche, loads of room and only 25 minutes to your site. I worked 4 years at Godrevy Park club site so spent lots of time advising folks where to stop and wait.

    25 minutes to site is a bit ambitious when a further 33 miles approx to site is called for, plus heavy traffic that may well be present in July. 

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited June 2020 #20

    If I was booked anywhere for the 4th I suspect that I would amend to 5th,

  • Takethedogalong
    Takethedogalong Forum Participant Posts: 17,046 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #21

    Experience has taught us that anything late July/August heading to SW is going to be “interesting”. This year, it will all happen from early July.

    My advice is to take lots to drink, a portable loo, a well charged phone, snacks to stave off hunger, and double check vehicle is in perfect working order. Being able to opt for an alternative route will be beneficial as well. In the past, what looks like a seven, eight hour journey, has become double that if you get a major hold up on the way down. Bristol is usually a nightmare where all the roads from North, East and West converge. 

     

  • JVB66
    JVB66 Forum Participant Posts: 22,892
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    edited June 2020 #22

    South bound at Bristol on M5 is "interesting" most times of the year and a nightmare at this time of year,surprised

  • InaD
    InaD Club Member Posts: 1,701 ✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #23

    ....and resulting in people not arriving at their booked arrival time, giving the poor wardens an even bigger headache dealing with them arriving out of their timeslot.

    Really don't envy any wardens....

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited June 2020 #24

    TDA wrote "My advice is to take lots to drink, a portable loo, a well charged phone, snacks to stave off hunger,"

    to which, in the light of the vagaries of the English climate, should be added warm blanket and thermos of soup. A shovel may be considered a trifle OTT.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #25

    It's not unusual to spend more than 25mins sat in a queue on the A30 waiting to enter Loggans roundabout.

  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Forum Participant Posts: 438
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    edited June 2020 #26

    Hoping either Tinwheeler or Jolly Kernow sees this post.

    Is it possible to walk along the beach (at low tide) from Gwithian to St Ives? I intend to do the walk with my dog, I know some parts of St Ives beach's don't allow dogs so will do it early doors. If I get the train back to Hayle is it then far to walk back to the beach to get back on track to Gwithian. I will look this up on google but theres nothing like a bit of local knowledge. Any advice or tips would be great.

    Also at high tide how high does the tide get? I'm thinking will the tidal range be low enough to allow us to walk there and back if need be.

    Thanks

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #27

    The short answer for me is no. I consider it to be way too far and walking on sand can be slow going. Also, you have to strike inland to a certain extent at Hayle to cross the estuary of the River Hayle. The same would apply if you caught the park and ride train back. Check it out on Google Earth but remember it doesn’t show hills or steep cliffs. 

    Personally, FB, I’d not even contemplate it so my advice would be to hire a small car for tripping around which will allow you to visit the rugged areas of the far west such as Cape Cornwall, which is much more pleasant than the commercialised Land's End, and to cross to the south coast to take in the likes of The Lizard and surrounding area.

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,142 ✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #28

    FB, to add a bit of perspective, this rather poor photo was taken from Gwithian car park and you can make out St Ives in the distance on the far right. What you can’t see though, is the estuary of the River Hayle on the left or all the coves along the way.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited June 2020 #29

    That walk is only possible overall via the SW Coast Path interspersed if you wish by beach sections (will add to the distance). Distance is about 13 miles (Hayle is about half-way) with some moderate sections so allow several hours to complete. Low/high tidal range on the north coast is typically 1 to 7m which catches out the unwary on a regular basis.

    If you’re a serious walker it’s a great section to cover.

  • brue
    brue Forum Participant Posts: 21,176 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #30

    Fb, you'll probably enjoy the direct walks north of Gwithian more, especially around the Godrevy lighthouse area and northwards along the coastal path. Another good walk is the coastal path going south from St Ives towards Zennor. 

  • moulesy
    moulesy Forum Participant Posts: 9,402 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited June 2020 #31

    We walk to St Ives very often with the dogs - parking in the town itself is night on impossible at the best of times.

    A good option is to drive to Lelant and park near St Uny's church. From there you can follow the path across the golf course down to Porth Kidney Sands and walk on the beach as far as the headland before Carbis Bay. Some rough steps lead up the cliff to the coastal path all the way to St Ives. On the way back there are a couple of stiff climbs which can be avoided by taking the little train back to Carbis Bay for the princely sum of £1 and then walking from there. Depending on the tides you may have to do it the opposite way round. Look out for a couple of doddery old folk with 2 Setters on the way because we'll be down there too and doubtless doing the walK at least once! smile

    Another nice walk is to park at Godrevy NT car park, walk up to the cliffs where, if you're lucky, you can gaze down on the seals  (we saw almost 100 on one occasion last year) and then walk the coast path to Hell's Mouth where you can stop for refreshments at the little cafe before heading back the same way. (You can make it circular but it involves quite a bit of road walking. ) 

     

    Edit - just realised you're in a MH which would make that suggested parking pretty much impossible, but you can park near the big roundabout at the Lelant Saltings station end of the A30 and walk along the quiet lane to the church from there.