Pearl Memories from Guests

To celebrate The Nare's pearl anniversary - 30 years under the current family - guests were asked to share their own "Pearl Memories" of:

The following anecdotes received elegant Pearl in Oyster Shell jewellery as a thank you, with the hope that they will pass them on to the next generation as their own pearls of wisdom.

Enjoy...

We first stumbled across the Nare on a family holiday some 30+ years ago. The Nare has since played a large part in our lives and represents a home from home, somewhere where we know we will always be happy and the stresses of life will become irrelevant for the duration of our stay. In 2011 my son (then aged 9 months) was introduced to the Nare in style having the privilege of staying in the Pendower Suite. My parents thought that we would be less likely to disturb everyone else's holiday if we were tucked up the furthest end of the hotel with our own private kitchen, perfect for warming milk at unsociable times of the morning and night without disturbing anyone.

One morning of that holiday has stuck with me in particular. My brothers, their wives and my husband and I all convened at breakfast with the children - the staff had kindly set a table for us all, which ran down one side of the dining room and afforded us beautiful views over the bay. We were all just debating where Mum and Dad were when we received a message on our phones with a picture of the most almighty sand castle (partly caught in the photo below)!

Mum and Dad had been down on the beach (for what must have been some considerable time!) with a garden spade, which they had brought with them from home suggesting that their masterpiece had been some time in the planning rather than a spontaneous act.

The 5 grandchildren were in awe of their grandparents - their new heroes! Needless to say we missed out on our relaxing breakfast that morning as we all dashed off to see their efforts in the flesh but what followed was hours of carefree fun on the beach including some 3-generation cricket. 

Throughout our visits Barbara has always remained a constant and whenever we see a flambé we can't help but smile and think of Barbara in the dining room at The Nare! Thank you for providing some of the best memories we have as a family.

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The favourite memory was sent in by Abbey Gough who received a set of Pearl in Oyster Shell jewellery as a thank you. 

[Ed - I'm not quite sure at what point the next generation were first introduced to The Nare...I'll let you make up your own mind!]

I believe it was in July 1963 when my now wife and I were about to become engaged and we stayed at The Nare for a couple of weeks. I hasten to add that we booked 2 single rooms. After dinner one evening we chatted in the bar for some time with other guests whom we had befriended then left them to it and retired to our rooms.

The following morning I was unable to open my bedroom door except by a few inches. Through the gap I could see that some string had been tied to the door handle locking me in. I managed to cut the string and discovered that it was also tied to the door handle of my girlfriend’s adjacent room effectively stopping either of us popping next door. What the pranksters (our bar friends) didn’t know was that our two rooms shared a common balcony. Had we made use of that facility? I couldn’t possibly say...

We had a lovely time at The Nare and returned many years later with our two children. I remember the outdoor swimming pool was unheated back then.

The then owner of the hotel was, so far as the staff were concerned, a somewhat formidable lady. She took dinner at a table in a corner of the dining room from where she could keep an eagle eye on the staff. The head waiter, Harris, was a great character. Dressed in his morning coat he would bring our wine to the table on a tray with 3 glasses into one of which he poured just a small amount. Standing with his back to the owner and when I indicated that all was clear he downed his drink with a thank you to us and removed the now empty glass. All great fun.

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The funniest memory was sent in by David and Anne Wimpenny who received a pair of Pearl in Oyster Shell earrings as a thank you.

When I stayed at The Nare with granny and grandad I remember some of the most fantastic memories as a family in the most gorgeous location. I remember the lovely walks along Carne Beach in all weathers, splashing in the sea in the hot summer and playing rounders, cowering our faces away from the cold and wet weather in the winter, clambering along part of the cliff as a means to get to the other side of the beach (bit risky, wouldn't recommend it)! 

I remember returning to The Nare on multiple occasions and cosying up to the roaring log fire and playing charades. And of course, we can’t forget the famous strawberries flambé my grandad loved having on every visit, which of course is made and served by the one and only Barbara. We are an adventurous family and remember a highlight in November when making our way to the hot tub we all thought it would be a laugh to do a length in the outdoor pool! This quickly became a one-off tradition. 

Sadly family have left us on the way and left us with some of these fantastic memories, however new generations start, it is now our 5th generation. There will never be a "last visit" at The Nare, this is going to be a lifelong tradition and with more generations to come!  

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The best 4 generation memory was sent in by Georgina Belt who received a pair of Pearl in Oyster Shell earrings as a thank you.

I started coming to The Nare back in 1989 with my husband James, father in law Jim and sister in law Margaret. Margaret had spent a summer holiday having seen an article in a Sunday newspaper and recommended we spend half term in February - we have not missed a year since! 

We spent many half term holidays at The Nare when Tommy & Bettye Gray were still alive along with their Tibetan Spaniel. Jim, my father in law talked to Mrs Gray about his time in Newquay during the war serving in the RAF, we even found a picture of him in uniform stood outside the hotel. Sadly Jim passed away in 2000 but by then we had introduced my parents, Anne & Geoff Roscoe, and our daughter, Chloe, who from that time try to come yearly if not twice a year.  

I remember well, the evening our daughter Chloe arrived in the dining room aged 5 in her pyjamas, the hotel staff were very kind and understanding. She kept reception fed with drawings whilst we enjoyed our dinner!

Another memory is the time my parents celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary with a special celebration dinner and 4 night stay at The Nare joined by 20 family members! A card from Buckingham Palace was delivered for the occasion. Parents, daughters, sons, granddaughters, and great granddaughters all enjoy the relaxed comfortable country house style of The Nare. 

Now our son Rory and his fiancée Gemma are regular visitors - they travel the world but still wouldn’t miss a stay at The Nare. They are all sure to continue our family tradition with at least a yearly visit and my parents Ann & Geoff can still come down - now the 3 hour drive is a bit too much for dad they book the hotel's door to door chauffeur. We agree with our granddaughter that it is ‘the best hotel in the world’ for multi-generational holidays!

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The most family members memory was sent in by Sharon Everett who received a pair of Pearl in Oyster Shell earrings as a thank you.

I found this recently, which was written by my granddaughter, Rosa, and refers to our lovely stay with you in July 2016 when all of my family came to celebrate our Golden wedding anniversary. Rosa was 6 at the time and I thought it might be suitable for your request for 3-generational memories of The Nare...

The image above reads:
"Over the holidays I went to stay in Cornwall and I made lots of sandcastles and went swimming and when we went to bed there was some presents and I played tennis and it was great." 

Rosa, aged 9

Every night I went to sleep listening to the waves lapping against the shore. A relaxing treat really. I was 6 at the time and the presents really excited me - I reached my room and on the bed was a bucket and spade, a book and a pack of pens.

Whilst staying there we made about one hundred sand castles that washed away every night. As it was my grandparents fiftieth anniversary I had my first cream tea (IT WAS DELICIOUS) I also had a swimming pool spree - going swimming about ten times a day was fun and made me hungry.

My final memory to share is calling the phone in the room about five times when my mum and dad were celebrating the anniversary, me and my sister really couldn't sleep.

Eliza, aged 11