Calstock Bike Show and Regatta

Calstock Bike Show and Regatta

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Well there’s a funny thing! Bikes and boats – and it’s not even near the sea! Calstock is a tiny village just inside the Cornish Border, which runs along the river Tamar. Starting to make sense now? The Cornish have a long tradition of rowing races and the Calstock regatta is part of that with teams from various villages competing, and the bike show is held at the same time.

The backdrop is a magnificent viaduct towering above the village which is surrounded by hills but the camping is on a level field beside the river, just off the village square – which isn’t square but hey, this is Cornwall! . There’s a marquee for the evening bands and in the afternoon they play in front of the village hall. With Real Ale and food at the Tamar Inn on the other side of the square, a beer tent on the field, and the Village club in between, as well as the chill-out tent with a coffee shop and a burger van on the field, all tastes are catered for and if you want to cook your own, there’s a shop in the village that sells everything you need – their organic bread is yummy!

It’s easy to get very involved in the rowing races on Saturday cos you’re all shouting for Calstock of course! The locals are pleased to welcome the bikers as profits from the bike weekend go to the Rowing Club so it’s all very laid-back and friendly. Loads of amazing bikes turn up for the show on Saturday afternoon and there are special awards for members of the Z Thou club as there’s some local connection.

Saturday night they do a spectacular fireworks display, the kind where you keep thinking ‘this must be the last one…’ . Then Sunday comes and the packing up bit…… But if like me you haven’t got too far to go you can hang around a while and watch the finals of some of the races, and have another pint of ‘Doom Bar’ and do all that bit about ‘best ever’ and ‘see you next year’ before pootling home in the sunshine.

I hope I’ll be there next year – but it’s a bit difficult to plan for as it might be in June, July, or August – it’s all because of the tides of course!

-Bobbi