Connecting people to the coast
Speaking to people working right by and on the beach at Watergate Bay reveals a community working to connect people to the coastal environment in different ways…
Perched on the clifftop looking down at the rolling waves below is the Zen Den Yoga studio, a locally built yurt hewn from wood and assembled to withstand the powerful and ever shifting conditions met at the coastline.
“Growing up in Canada I spent most of my time living in log cabins, surrounded by nature. When I moved to Cornwall, surfing became my new focus, alongside an amazing community. I wanted to marry my deeply rooted love of nature and the outdoors with my passion for the ocean, surfing and yoga to help bring together a community based around these things.” says Jodi Hall, founder and teacher at the Zen Den.
“With all the external commotion of the rugged coastline, we experience the changing seasons, but with yoga we can find an internal stillness, and this space helps to create that.”
Teaming up with local craftsman Merlin, the yurt started to take shape four summers ago, and has been strengthened over the years to provide a space immersed in nature but protected from the Atlantic weather too.
RETREAT WITHIN
“In here, we are so exposed to the elements, but also protected from them. With all the external commotion of the rugged coastline, we experience the changing seasons, but with yoga we can find an internal stillness, and this space helps to create that,” says Jodi.
Jodi has been teaching yoga since 2013 and enjoys meeting people from all over the country that come to practice yoga on the cliff overlooking Watergate Bay. “We have a local community coming to classes and people coming back who have visited before. People from all over will come down for a week and book a set of yoga classes to create their own retreat.”
WELCOMED TO THE WAVES
Surf therapy charity The Wave Project started life 13 years ago at Watergate Bay and now provides access to its services across the country from six locations in Cornwall to north and south Devon, Dorset, Brighton, London – and up to Scarborough and Scotland.
Image credit: The Wave Project
“We run our core 6-week therapy courses, surf club and adaptive surfing sessions at Watergate Bay,” says Tina Beresford, Adaptive Coordinator and Project Assistant.
“Our adaptive surf sessions enable children and adults who wouldn’t normally get to surf the chance to experience catching waves. Each year in July, we hold our Summer Surf Sessions event where around 50 participants join us to experience surfing at Watergate Bay: these sessions are aimed at children new to surfing and people who need assistance to get in the sea.
“For some people we need to use our seated surfboard and extra volunteers to provide assistance to help them onto a board or into the sea. For example, this could be someone with movement restrictions or who is paralysed, or has cerebral palsy.”
The Wave Project surf therapy courses are accessed by children and young people with a range of different needs – referred by GPs, schools and other referral partners. “This could be a child who has lost a parent, struggling in school or currently on a long waiting list for an autism diagnosis. Our sessions help improve their confidence and provide the opportunity for new, positive connections through 1:1 work with our volunteers,” explains Tina.
Image credit: The Wave Project by Bella Bunce
ONE OF THE BEST
As well as the first beach to offer accessible surfing opportunities, Watergate Bay remains one of the best. “We can always find a quiet space; even when the surf is big there’s always some good whitewater and we rarely have to cancel any sessions, “ says Tina. “There’s also the slipway down, so you can avoid using stairs, which can be problematic for some people.”
Watergate Bay Hotel provides access to a studio where adaptive surfers can change so they don’t have to change on the sand or in a car park – a challenging space to change if you need assistance.
“We particularly enjoy Wednesday evening surf sessions at Watergate,” says Tina. “It’s a really ambient setting as the sun goes down. You have the view of the cliffs and it’s just a really nice place to be.”
From taking to waves with the right support to taking in the surroundings while finding an inner stillness, let the community at Watergate Bay help you connect with a captivating stretch of the Cornish coastline.
BEACH LIFESTYLES AT THE BAY
Surf, sauna, seafood lunch or timeless stroll… From getting there, to what to do, to breakfast, lunch and dinner options, there are any number of styles of beach life at Watergate Bay.
Sea moreBEACH CHAMPION: WATERGATE BAY
Head of Guest and Owner Services at Beach Retreats, Kat Beresford loves the endless feel of the beach at Watergate Bay
Sea moreYOUR BEACH. FOUND
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