Holidays Past

Wales is legendary for me when it comes to holiday in the 1980s. It all began with the North Wales Holiday Camp (sadly now demolished) , staying in small concrete chalets (pronounced shallee), where the beds were the couches you sat on in the day time.

Entertainment was provided by a club and competitions included 'yard of ale' which my mum won many times, knobbly knees, even back then and fancy dress for the kids.

It was also the time I began playing in 'arcades', space invaders, pac man etc.. and those 2p machines with the moving shelves. I set the alarms of many times trying to shake the bloody unit to get more cash.

We progressed to staying in caravans on The Robbin Hood Camp down the road, still there I think.

The we progressed onto Butlins and then Spain when I was 15.

Good times back then

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/3...8097c30d2e.jpg

Where did you used to go on holiday?

We did not have family holidays, but lots of days out to Southport, New Brighton Baths, Rhyl and Frith Beach.
Went to Sun Valley Holiday Camp just outside Rhyl for a week.
Fist Hoilday abroad was to Jersey with the boys, two weeks of highjinks as you can imagine.
Then aboard to Spain, France, and further afield to South Africa, and Russia.

Robin Hood Camp is still there between Rhyl and Frith Beach,

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Originally Posted by john

We did not have family holidays, but lots of days out to Southport, New Brighton Baths, Rhyl and Frith Beach.
Went to Sun Valley Holiday Camp just outside Rhyl for a week.
Fist Hoilday abroad was to Jersey with the boys, two weeks of highjinks as you can imagine.
Then aboard to Spain, France, and further afield to South Africa, and Russia.

Robin Hood Camp is still there between Rhyl and Frith Beach,

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Remember the Robin Hood well John,My Mam later had a Caravan in the late 60's on The Long Towyn Road and we spent a lot of time there..I've been tryin' t' remember the name of the place all afternoon and I give up !!..
Brought the Kids when they were Small to that big Haven site,Ty Mawr I think its called and the weather was Roasting everyday for 10 days and not a drop of Rain..Portugal is my place Now and I'd be there like a shot if I won the Lottery..I've drove around 3,000 miles along the Coast Rd to and From Cape St Vincent and all the Little inland Villages and to Seville in Spain,Loule Market is great on a Saturday for your Bargains !!..
Cyprus has got to be the Most Scenic place Ive been,Stayed in a Quiet little complex in Coral Bay and People were (Germans !!) claiming Sunbeds and using them at 9 in the Morning as it was that Hot (February ) and me and the Mrs would be off in the Car up Mount Olympus in the Troodos Mountain range about a 45 minute drive away and it would be Snowing and People Skiing...Off then Visiting Local Monasterys where you cant get in with Shorts on and you have to "Hire" long Keks..Absolutely Beautiful is Cyprus...not that Aya Nappa or what ever its called...Might as well go to Blackpool if the Booze and Clubs are all yer after !!

Benidorm Liverpool by the sea

On ITV later starting Johnny Vegas from St Helens

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Originally Posted by Gerard

Cyprus has got to be the Most Scenic place Ive been,Stayed in a Quiet little complex in Coral Bay and People were (Germans !!) claiming Sunbeds and using them at 9 in the Morning as it was that Hot (February ) and me and the Mrs would be off in the Car up Mount Olympus in the Troodos Mountain range about a 45 minute drive away and it would be Snowing and People Skiing...Off then Visiting Local Monasterys where you cant get in with Shorts on and you have to "Hire" long Keks..Absolutely Beautiful is Cyprus...not that Aya Nappa or what ever its called...Might as well go to Blackpool if the Booze and Clubs are all yer after !!

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Gerard, Cyprus is the one place I'd go back to, I was there about 12 years ago and loved it, The Troodos mountains are beautiful with the 360 degree view and Makarios's tomb, also the monastery where the woman had to have their shoulders covered, I loved every minute of it.
We even went on that cruise across to Egypt from there to see the pyramids.
All in all, that was one holiday to remember.

We did the whole Wales thing when we were kids... (Brendy, got any pics?)
Pwhelli, Rhyl etc
Then did the 10 hour drive in the Cortina to Devon... that was nice... :rolleyes:

Then when I was about 14 we got the coach (Dad was scared of flying) to Lorette De Mar in Spain, I think we did that for a couple of holidays... that was a swollen feet and sore backside experience :unibrow:

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Originally Posted by victorialush

(Brendy, got any pics?)
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I'll have a look and scan them.

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Originally Posted by Brenda

Gerard, Cyprus is the one place I'd go back to, I was there about 12 years ago and loved it, The Troodos mountains are beautiful with the 360 degree view and Makarios's tomb, also the monastery where the woman had to have their shoulders covered, I loved every minute of it.
We even went on that cruise across to Egypt from there to see the pyramids.
All in all, that was one holiday to remember.

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I agree 100% Brenda,,in Fact if I won the Lotto I'd buy a place there as well !!!..
Ive Got Photies stashed under the Bed or somewhere..lol...I'll have to dig em out and scan em and get them Monastery ones on with me squeezin into a pair of Hired Keks so I could get in..Not a pretty sight girl !!!..Im Sure we found this Chapel or it was Part of some Monastery and it was Made from Solid Gold and had a 24hr Armed Gaurd...Now where are thee !!!

I'll get the old cardboard shoe box out and see if I can find some as well. god this will be all our yesterdays ....:celb (6):

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Originally Posted by Brenda

I'll get the old cardboard shoe box out and see if I can find some as well. god this will be all our yesterdays ....:celb (6):

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I can't wait to see these... Kevs main picture up top there looks like so many of ours... the old chalets in the background... all the pictures had that pink hue on them too :D

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Originally Posted by victorialush

I can't wait to see these... Kevs main picture up top there looks like so many of ours... the old chalets in the background... all the pictures had that pink hue on them too :D

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Yeah am sure we have a pic the very same as Kevs, in that North Wales Holiday Camp.
*goes looking for shoebox*

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Originally Posted by victorialush

We did the whole Wales thing when we were kids... (Brendy, got any pics?)
Pwhelli, Rhyl etc
Then did the 10 hour drive in the Cortina to Devon... that was nice... :rolleyes:

Then when I was about 14 we got the coach (Dad was scared of flying) to Lorette De Mar in Spain, I think we did that for a couple of holidays... that was a swollen feet and sore backside experience :unibrow:

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I'd go to Wales (Snowdonia/Llanberis) every year Victoria if we had the weather..Remember taking me Mam to Anglesey where She was evacuated,Right to the Very House Under the Menai Bridge on the Waterfront and She remembered Everything and started Crying which kicked me off !!!..
So I knock on the Front Door and Explain to the Young Couple who Answer (They were Teachers in Liverpool University)..about me Mam being Evacuated there when She was a Little girl..Me Mam by the Way is standing at the Gate calling me Everything cause I'm disturbing them !!!..
Anyway..The Young girl who lived in the House went and said to me Mam "Come In"....They brought us in and looked after me Mam as if She was the Queen and me Mam never shut up about it for years!!!..
I'll never forget that Couple or the Look on My Mams face when they Showed Her around Their House..Wheres me Anky !!!!

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Originally Posted by Gerard

I'd go to Wales (Snowdonia/Llanberis) every year Victoria if we had the weather..Remember taking me Mam to Anglesey where She was evacuated,Right to the Very House Under the Menai Bridge on the Waterfront and She remembered Everything and started Crying which kicked me off !!!..
So I knock on the Front Door and Explain to the Young Couple who Answer (They were Teachers in Liverpool University)..about me Mam being Evacuated there when She was a Little girl..Me Mam by the Way is standing at the Gate calling me Everything cause I'm disturbing them !!!..
Anyway..The Young girl who lived in the House went and said to me Mam "Come In"....They brought us in and looked after me Mam as if She was the Queen and me Mam never shut up about it for years!!!..
I'll never forget that Couple or the Look on My Mams face when they Showed Her around Their House..Wheres me Anky !!!!

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oh god, that is such a lovely story :)

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Originally Posted by Gerard

I'd go to Wales (Snowdonia/Llanberis) every year Victoria if we had the weather..Remember taking me Mam to Anglesey where She was evacuated,Right to the Very House Under the Menai Bridge on the Waterfront and She remembered Everything and started Crying which kicked me off !!!..
So I knock on the Front Door and Explain to the Young Couple who Answer (They were Teachers in Liverpool University)..about me Mam being Evacuated there when She was a Little girl..Me Mam by the Way is standing at the Gate calling me Everything cause I'm disturbing them !!!..
Anyway..The Young girl who lived in the House went and said to me Mam "Come In"....They brought us in and looked after me Mam as if She was the Queen and me Mam never shut up about it for years!!!..
I'll never forget that Couple or the Look on My Mams face when they Showed Her around Their House..Wheres me Anky !!!!

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Thats a lovely story Gerard, thanks for sharing it with us.:PDT_Piratz_26:

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Originally Posted by Gerard

I'd go to Wales (Snowdonia/Llanberis) every year Victoria if we had the weather..Remember taking me Mam to Anglesey where She was evacuated,Right to the Very House Under the Menai Bridge on the Waterfront and She remembered Everything and started Crying which kicked me off !!!..
So I knock on the Front Door and Explain to the Young Couple who Answer (They were Teachers in Liverpool University)..about me Mam being Evacuated there when She was a Little girl..Me Mam by the Way is standing at the Gate calling me Everything cause I'm disturbing them !!!..
Anyway..The Young girl who lived in the House went and said to me Mam "Come In"....They brought us in and looked after me Mam as if She was the Queen and me Mam never shut up about it for years!!!..
I'll never forget that Couple or the Look on My Mams face when they Showed Her around Their House..Wheres me Anky !!!!

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I'm lucky enough to have a caravan in wales (Towyn) and have to admit I was sceptical about buying it initially but wouldnt be without it now. Towyn itself is a bit tacky but its a great base for exploring the coast and Snowdonia and having a four year old there's also the added advantage that there are lots of family pubs to go to in the evening. Despite that I wouldnt continue to have the caravan if it meant holidays to the sun had to be sacrificed.

As a kid, my grandparents had a caravan in Gronant and I had the usual Spanish costa holidays,although we always seemed to go in April when the weather wasnt all that good.

Thanks Victoria,Brenda..Glad you like it..

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Originally Posted by SteH

I'm lucky enough to have a caravan in wales (Towyn) and have to admit I was sceptical about buying it initially but wouldnt be without it now. Towyn itself is a bit tacky but its a great base for exploring the coast and Snowdonia and having a four year old there's also the added advantage that there are lots of family pubs to go to in the evening. Despite that I wouldnt continue to have the caravan if it meant holidays to the sun had to be sacrificed.

As a kid, my grandparents had a caravan in Gronant and I had the usual Spanish costa holidays,although we always seemed to go in April when the weather wasnt all that good.

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Thats all you need Ste isnt it...Somewhere as a base to Explore..Must have a Decent Club though and a Nice Pint of Draught Guinness !!

OMG Kev that picture of the North Wales Holiday camp. Me and m family have had a caravan in Towyn in North Wales for many many years(31). Our First caravans were in ty Gwyn right next to The North Wales Holiday camp.(Their building flash houses on it as we speak). I am around your age Kev and would bet money we would have met up one summer.
My Cousin and I used to bunkin there every single night.those spangly curtains on the stage, The freezin swimming pool next to the pub and Robs arcade with his revolutionary space invaders. 1942. kung Fu. olympic games and later on paper boys. I used to go in with 50p and I got so good on the games that i could be in their for 4 hours on a single machine as the other kids grunted behind me to get on.Oh the memories(I am filling up)
Like Ste H I still have a caravan in Towyn and I have travelled to many of the great cities and capitals around the world. But nothing will ever beat windy Towyn. :037:

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Originally Posted by lynee29

OMG Kev that picture of the North Wales Holiday camp. Me and m family have had a caravan in Towyn in North Wales for many many years(31). Our First caravans were in ty Gwyn right next to The North Wales Holiday camp.(Their building flash houses on it as we speak). I am around your age Kev and would bet money we would have met up one summer......

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For over 20 years now lynnee29, I've wondered about that place plus people we met whilst there. I do remember the pool, there were 2 of them? Freezing cold and full of insects.

The arcade was where I first got my taste for gaming and I'm proud to say I am a first generation gamer, still playing when I've got the time! Those air hockey games - I'd play against my dad and beat him of course!!

Rhos-on-Sea, that was our place. Me dad had a thing for this spot. Every Bloody Sunday when I was a kid, beef sarnys and Wilson's white pop and off we'd go.
Sometimes we'd take what he called 'the low rd.' thru Rhyl, stop at the chippy kitty corner to the fair ground and swill down grease and chips. lol.
The next week would be the 'High Rd. past the white church at St. Asaph. Then past the Castle to the I.C.I. entrance where we'd stop and consume the sarnys. Then the run by Old Colwyn, Colwyn to the 'jewel' of the coast Rhos-on-Sea. Every Sunday for years was this trip, I collect car plate numbers while driving along, I had books full of them. Jeese how boring it was. Lol.

BobbyMac here's a photo of the small chapel in Rhos on Sea as well as a strange statue thats appeared in the last few years

You know, I'd spend hours in that place, I once fell down the bank there, thru. all the nettles. Beautiful mems. Thanks for the pics. I think most of the rest of the time was spent at the baths, or forte's. lol. What's that strange statue?

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Originally Posted by bobbymac

You know, I'd spend hours in that place, I once fell down the bank there, thru. all the nettles. Beautiful mems. Thanks for the pics. I think most of the rest of the time was spent at the baths, or forte's. lol. What's that strange statue?

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Its a fisherman made out of wicker, representing the fact that fisherman there once used wicker weirs

Bobbymac, The white church isn't in St. Asaph, it is in Bodelwyddan west of St' Asaph. Sorry, just being picky again. :)

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Originally Posted by shytalk

Bobbymac, The white church isn't in St. Asaph, it is in Bodelwyddan west of St' Asaph. Sorry, just being picky again. :)

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Thats right the Marble Church in Bodelwyyddan, a beautiful sight from the A55

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Originally Posted by SteH

Thats right the Marble Church in Bodelwyyddan, a beautiful sight from the A55

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I was there in 2005, I am sorry we didn't go inside, I believe it is very impressive, we went inside St. Asaph cathedral, that was very interesting. Next time I am over there I will go inside.
My dads family are originally from that area, my grandparents and some aunts are buried in Tremechion.
:037:

Sorry 'bout that Shy. Of course you're right. Me dad went past so fast it was hard to tell what county it was in. lol. One beautiful building.

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Originally Posted by bobbymac

Sorry 'bout that Shy. Of course you're right. Me dad went past so fast it was hard to tell what county it was in. lol. One beautiful building.

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Well Bobby lah, I knew you were a hooligan, must be hereditary. :cha (5):

O'hooligan please:Colorz_Grey_PDT_16: :Colorz_Grey_PDT_16:

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Originally Posted by SteH

BobbyMac here's a photo of the small chapel in Rhos on Sea as well as a strange statue thats appeared in the last few years

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Some more Rhos On Sea pics from Easter Monday, which was sadly a cloudy and rainy day over there.

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Originally Posted by Gerard

Thats all you need Ste isnt it...Somewhere as a base to Explore..Must have a Decent Club though and a Nice Pint of Draught Guinness !!

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Yep Gerard, decent pubs is all thats needed. Had to walk past the church to get to them so thought I may as well get a quick shot of that as well.

WHen my kids were younger I had an old JU van which I used for work during the week.
At the weekend Anita and I would clear the back of the van of the builders rubbish and tools and throw in the three piece suite.
THe kids would be bouncing on the furniture all the way Rhyl or Blaenau Ffestiniog. and sleeping all the way home.
Wouldn't the Welsh police love that nowdays!

great memories,

I started off in Towyn too, Roberts caravan park I think it was called and then on to Winkups next door, which had a family bar called Winkies !

there was a great big pub with a sort of upsatirs terrace area called The Wendover where we used to have a couple of halves of lager before hitting the 'Downtown' nightclub in Rhyl,

it was just at the start of the punk era and I'll never forget seeing a girl with a pin in her nose for the first time, ansd she had a leccy kettle for a handbag !

if only I knew how to get my pic's on, I only came across them at the weekend when I was clearing out, I had dungarees and T shirt on and a dodgy perm !

Linda

The Wendover pub is still there. :)

I remember 'Winkies' too. :D .. Winkups was just along from 'Happy Days' and 'The Black Cat' .. another well known place in Towyn was 'Millers Cottage' - caravan site and social club.

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Originally Posted by lindylou

The Wendover pub is still there. :)

I remember 'Winkies' too. :D .. Winkups was just along from 'Happy Days' and 'The Black Cat' .. another well known place in Towyn was 'Millers Cottage' - caravan site and social club.

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Millers Cottage and the Black Cat are still there, don't know of Happy Days though

We started off in Tyn-y-Morfa, on the Warren, in an old wooden bungalow in Happy Valley (Anyone remember?) No inside loo and we had to get the water in a bucketfrom the tap at the end of the path but waht fabulous memories! Then we went up in the world to Talacre - mum and dad bought a right old-fashioned caravan on 'Taylor's Field' (one large field and 3 horses) There were 6 caravans on it, then they built some toilets, a little shop, a small club etc, etc. We progressed with bigger caravans till mum died in 1986. In all we went there for 30 years. Today it's called Talacre Beach Caravans and you need loads of money to be able to afford some of the vans there now. There's a big swimming pool & leisure club. It's still owned and managed by Mr. Taylor's daughter, Rosanna.

We used to walk up the 'Devil's Elbow' from the main road, up to Gwespyr where my brother and I would sit outside the Talacre Arms with a bag of Smith's crisps and a bottle of lemonade. No car in those days, we walked for miles and as kids we knew every inch of the Talacre/Gronant/Tyn-Y-Morfa area. I could go on and on but I'll save it for next time.

Nice holiday memories :)

I remember staying on a caravan site in Anglesey called Plas Coch. It was 1960s and the caravan we stayed in was the old fashioned type with gas lights and no running water or toilet. We had to go to the washrooms (a concrete block) and we had to carry water in one of those big plastic containers.

How times have changed though. Here is Plas Coch now rather more upmarket :
http://www.plascochholidayhomes.co.uk/history.html

it is advertised on tv now too.

Winkies is being taken over by Lyons Robin Hood.

When I was a baby we went to my grandparents caravan which was on Ferry Lane in Chester (took ages to get there from the Dingle !), then we started going to the Isle of Mann as my Dad had an Aunty there in Onchen, many happy days spent on the beach where the whole family Aunts Uncles cousins would all get deck chairs and sunbathe, wierd now though the men wore suits, long sleeved shirts which they would roll up !.

We also used to spend my childhood holidays in a caravan in Anglesey:unibrow:

Cant for the life of me remember the name....but it was always fun..dad used to hire a car for the two weeks and off we went ......

Then one yr we went up market and hired a yellow bungalow....I would have been nine yrs of age..the whole trip there we sang 'we all live in a yellow bungalow'..to the tune of 'we all live in a yellow submarine'


That sadly was to be our last family holiday as my mom died the following year....I was too young to know she was ill and this was dads way of making it a special holiday for her....