My favourite spots in Falmouth to hangout

This article was written by Costume Design for Film & Television BA(Hons) student Natalie.

During the summer, my friends and I enjoy going to Gylly beach.

We usually bring cards, a volleyball and a speaker, as well as swimming stuff to make a day of it. One great thing about hanging out at the beach is that it is completely free (except if you want to do extra activities, such as paddle boarding). Although, many water sports activities are subsidized by ResLife. We also enjoy having beach barbeques in the evenings when the beach is less busy.

Another place we like to go to is Chintz - a quirky, independent bar with very unique décor. They have a secret room inside a wardrobe, which has an arcade machine and, in the upstairs bar, they have a range of unique cocktails (and mocktails) if you’re feeling fancy. They also do a jazz night on Mondays, as well as creative networking events and quizzes for societies and courses. 

Falmouth is full of independent coffee shops to discover and choose your favourite. My go-to is “Above the Bookshop.” As hinted by the title, it is situated above “The Falmouth Bookseller”, hence the many books to discover inside. It has a really cosy atmosphere and they do amazing hot chocolates, making it a great place to go in the winter.

In the evenings, me and my friends often go to “The Games Room.” Inside, there are pool and snooker tables, as well as darts boards that calculate your scores for you (like when you go bowling) and lots of interactive games on-screen that you can play against your friends making it more competitive. As well as all that, they have table tennis, shuffle board, giant Jenga and many, many board games.

When I lived on-campus during my first year, one place me and my friends would spend lots of time at was the Stannary Bar. Being only a five-minute walk from my flat in Glasney Student Village, it was very convenient to get to (and back from). In addition, they have lots going on, such as quiz nights, bingo nights, open mic nights and a pool table. They also host events in the Stannary during Freshers’ Week and for special occasions, such as Falmouth Pride. 

A place where I have spent lots of time with my friends during the day is the gym. There is a gym on-campus, but I opted to go to “FPG” on Falmouth high street. It is a very affordable gym for Falmouth and Exeter students only. Whilst it is relatively compact, it was a great place to get into fitness with my friends. One benefit of exercise that is often overlooked is the social element that comes with encouraging and being encouraged by your friends. Plus, you tend to feel much better in the morning after an evening session at the gym than after a night out.

When my friends and I are feeling creative, we go to “Star Glazers” pottery painting cafe in town. They offer a student discount on Thursdays, which makes it a bit more affordable, plus they often do adult-only pottery painting sessions in the evenings, which tends to be a bit more of a relaxed atmosphere than going in the day with all the hustle and bustle. They have a big range of things to paint and it’s a good way to be creative outside of the pressure of your assignments.