CAFÉ SOCIETY STAN CULLIMORE
Water world
In which Stan catches more than a perfect wave at Bristol’s newest attraction. Akaw!
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on t know about you, but do like to be beside the seaside. What I’m less keen on is having to drive for hours and hours to get there. owever, these days it s hardly any distance at all. In fact, it only took me about ten minutes, door to door. ou can t miss it; slightly north of Bristol, just past Wild Place, in Easter Compton, where
there is now a massive great surfing lagoon called he Wave. Admittedly, it’s not your actual seaside; but when you re lying on a surfboard, having ust caught a wave, and the sun comes out over your shoulder, it comes close enough for me. ow, before you ask what all this has to do on a af ociety page, let me explain. I was there for a surf lesson. A try-out session for all ages; in this case, my
granddaughter, my son-in-law, and me. We went, we surfed (sort of, we re only beginners and we had a pretty amazing time. Refreshing, exciting and soul-boosting, all in one glorious hit. After which, we naturally needed a spot of refuelling; the sort that only hot food and coffee can provide. ne of the oys of wave-hopping is the hunger that builds up inside you afterwards, so expected there to be a caf on site; and there it was, right next to the water. What I was not expecting was to find a gorgeous little eatery, halfway between surf shack and ski lodge. Not only did it look good, it also had a menu to match. Although they had a tempting range of cakes, pastries and sweet surprises on offer, someone whispered in my ear that they did a fine line in burgers and pies. Now, if there is one thing guaranteed to fill the heart with gladness, it is a hot meal on a cool day; especially if it comes with chips. So we went ahead and ordered enough burgers to blast away the biggest wave. While we were waiting for them to arrive, we did the only decent thing to do on a day when the afternoon air is almost as fresh as the waves we ordered a round of hot chocolate, which arrived, as advertised, with all the
marshmallowy toppings that you could wish for. My companions, dad and daughter, were content to cuddle up, watch the world go surfing by while slurping their way through cups of chocolatey perfection, and just when we thought things couldn t get any better, the burgers arrived; including a spicy ackfruit burger that was worth the entire ourney all by itself. So, whether you fancy a go on a surfboard, or ust a pleasant snack
“If there is one thing that gladdens the heart on a cool day, it’s a hot meal; especially if it comes with chips” with a view to a wavy wet world, I can thoroughly recommend taking a trip to the wild side of Bristol. You know what the surf set say surfing is life; the rest is burgers. r something like that. n Former Housemartins guitarist Stan is now a journalist and travel writer www.stancullimore.com
www.mediaclash.co.uk I BRISTOL LIFE I 51
