On the crest of a wave (From Echo)

On the crest of a wave

11:00pm Friday 20th March 2009 in

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DURING the summer Watergate Bay, on the northern coast of Cornwall, plays host to top surfing competitions.

But, apparently, surfing is not an activity exclusive to the warmer weather. So it was, that my bloke and I found ourselves wetsuit clad and about to catch some waves on a chilly February afternoon.

Most people opt for a winter break in warmer climes or a week or two on the slopes. But with the pound at an all-time low against the euro, a weekend away closer to home seemed to make sense.

The founders of the Extreme Academy, based at Watergate Bay, set up their surf school with a vision of creating a ski-style resort. But instead of hitting the slopes, guests can ride the waves all day before heading back to comfortable surroundings to unwind.

Working closely with the stylish Watergate Bay Hotel, nestled in the cliffs above the two-mile-long bay, the concept seems to work.

Obviously Cornwall in February does not have the hustle and bustle of Switzerland’s St Moritz and if you are looking for nightlife this is probably not the best break for you.

But for us, it only added to the feeling of getting away from it all.

Despite being just four miles from Newquay, out of season Watergate Bay has none of the brashness associated with the town.

The hotel is a family-run business. It is beautifully decorated in a bright and airy beach-house style that manages to be both smart and homely. The rooms range in size and luxury and vary in price accordingly.

We stayed in a superior front-facing room with a huge double bed, Sky television, and a cute, but smart, en suite.

The hotel also has a swimming pool and Jacuzzi, as well as a bar and a brasserie restaurant that offers a small, yet delicious, three-course menu for £27.50.

There is a second hotel-run restaurant called the Beach Hut, which sits almost right on the beach, while Jamie Oliver has a restaurant next door. The service throughout the hotel was friendly and professional without being overly formal.

But we couldn’t get out of it – after signing up for a surf lesson and insisting to bemused friends and family that we were going to go through with it, pride and self-respect were at stake.

So, braced to lose a few fingers to frostbite, we trooped down the hill to the Extreme Academy which, as well as regular surfing, offers instruction in a range of other activities, including kite surfing, wave skiing, and using a land board, kite buggy traction kite or stand up paddlesurf.

We need not have worried about the cold. With thick winter wetsuits, gloves, boots and a rather unattractive skull cap-style hat, glamorous we were not, but we were warm. Initial instruction from teacher Gemma on the beach helped us get off to a good start, despite being complete novices.

We had the sea to ourselves, not something likely to happen during high season, and ideal when you are quite literally still finding your feet.

We finished the lesson exhilarated, exhausted and complete converts. But, oh, it was nice to snuggle up in our sumptuous bed, and the Jacuzzi did wonders for my aching muscles the next day!

l Until April 1, the hotel is offering a three-night stay from £149 per person, including bed and breakfast, dinner at the Brasserie, dinner at Jamie Oliver’s restaurant, Fifteen Cornwall, and lunch at the Beach Hut. Normally prices start from £152 per room, per night. Surf lessons range from £30 for a half-day group lesson to £90 for one-to-one tuition.

For more information visit www.watergatebay.co.uk or call 01637 860543.