Amazingly we managed to set off nearly on time! To say we were travelling through the daytime we had quite a good trip down, the traffic wasn’t too bad, even round Birmingham. A couple of stops for Fudgie and coffee got us to the Bodmin site by teatime. It looks nice but warden pitched us on a very steep slope so we had to use the chocks to get level. Paul was not happy with this but hey, gotta make the best of it.
Day one and it’s raining. I checked my emails to see if our temporary pass for the National Trust was there. No such luck! A few phone calls later we decided to call it a day and decided to go to Lanhydrock anyway. We told the ticket bods our dilemma and one phone call from them and we were in. It’s a fabulous house and we noticed that the NT is finally coming into the 21st century. Photography is now allowed and if you’re good enough or brave enough you can even play the grand piano. No, I didn’t, I’m not THAT good, never was! It was too wet to tour the gardens. We did try the walk I’d printed but gave up after only a quarter of a mile or so as we couldn’t find the way markers. Have to come back another day perhaps. We found a Morrisons on the way back to the site so stocked up. Then we spotted an Asda only minutes from the site.
Woke up to a sunny day so decided to go to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. The rhododendrons were still in bloom and looked fabulous. We had a good wander around and did the woodland walk, which nearly killed Paul – so he claims! So the necessary bite to eat in the little cafe was most welcome.
It was a little dull the next morning so we visited the Eden Project. By the time we got there the sun was shining and we had a fantastic day. The rain forest biome was the best for me, the perfect climate, hot and humid. Paul preferred the Mediterranean biome as it was cooler. We tried the Homity Pie for lunch, very tasty, must look up the recipe.
The sun had returned, so a walk to Polperro was in order. We parked in Talland Bay, a hidden gem at the bottom of a very narrow Cornish lane. We walked over to Polperro, with Paul doing his usual whinging, and stopped off at a doggie friendly pub for a beer and a scrumpy. Why is flat, cloudy scrumpy better than all the Irish bottled stuff? Took Fudgie for a play on the beach where we both got wet and covered in sand. Paul wouldn’t come down so sat on the harbour wall and watched us We returned to Talland along the Coastal path and sat on the little beach eating Cornish pasties.
Since we had another fine day we went over to Tintagel. King Arthur has always been my hero!! We did another walk I’d downloaded which took in the castle. Got some really nice pics of the bays and caves along the route. We spent an hour or so round the castle. Or more precisely, on the rock where the castle used to be!! There seemed to be loads of foreign tourists and noisy French school-kids. We took Fudgie for another play on the beach but don’t think he was too keen when a big wave broke over him. Had a really nice lunch in the cafe, yet another pastie, I could get hooked!! I had a minor argument with Paul as to where we were on the map and we ended up cutting the walk short as he thought we were farther along than we were!! Typical Paul. Or maybe it was his way of shortening the walk!!! Another enjoyable day.
More rain, that awful drizzle that lasts all day. We decided to go back to Lanhydrock to do the walk we didn’t do on Friday as weather twas oo bad for twalking on the moors. We set off and found where we had gone wrong the other day. We had started doing the walk in reverse, which is why we couldn’t see the way markers!! I got a few pics of the house in the mist as we passed it. Fudgie had a good time again….this time in the river. One very wet dog so he had a blow dry when we got in. He sat there like some prima-donna footie star, nose in the air, whilst he was groomed! Dinner out this evening so we didn’t have to cook, very nice.
The weather was still dull and misty but very warm and humid. We packed up in good time and set off about 11.50 taking an easy drive down to Sennen near Lands End. It took ages to get set up with Paul trying to get the caravan level on some little chocks by trying to jack it up high enough to get them under the wheel! Then he ended up re hooking it to the car and pulling it onto the blocks!! That done he set to trying to get the TV to work, not very successfully at first. Eventually I suggested we left it for a while and take Fudgie for a walk up the hill opposite the site, where he (Fudge, that is) promptly rolled in cow poo. Did the car stink on the way back to the site!!!! Bathed him in febreeze flavoured flash and cleaned the car out. Paul not pleased! But he did eventually get the TV working. Nothing on though!!!
We were going to visit the steam driven tin mine but there were blue skies and the sun was shining so we decided to go for a walk from Sennen to Lands End and up the coastal path back to Sennen. We had another pastie with beans and chips at Lands End. Walked the SWC path to Nanjizal Bay where we found a gorgeous secluded beach. The sea was an amazing colour, ranging from turquoise to a deep blue. Spent almost an hour there sunbathing before heading back up the cliff and back to Sennen. It was like walking through a giant rockery with all the spring flowers clinging to the rocks. And the gorse smelling just like coconut suncream! Called off at the local shop for beer and cider, which was much enjoyed back at the caravan! Paul has decided however, that although he enjoyed the day, we are not doing another walk tomorrow!!
Rudely awakened at 8.30 when the wind blew the TV arial down onto the car! No harm done. Thankfully! Another glorious morning. Everything I thought we might do today was closed on a Saturday! How bizarre! So Paul decided we might as well go on another walk. He chose the Mousehole walk of 4.5 miles. We drove round Mousehole’s narrow, twisty streets looking for somewhere to park and missed the car park so had to go around again. We had a pleasant walk over the fields to Lamorna cove. Paul had a moan about the amount of cow poo in the fields to which I answered that it was, after all, a cow field. Had discussions about which path to take on several occasions but we made it there. There was a cove with a tiny harbour, a row of cottages (probably holiday lets) and a cafe. Lunch then. Paul had yet another pastie and I had an £8.50 (yes, £8.50!) crab sandwich washed down with scrumpy.Yet another perfect little moment. Fully refreshed we set off back along the SWCoast path. More scrambling over rocks and edging along the side of the cliff. It was very warm in the sun, very quiet, pretty flowers, humming insects, Paul grumbling. One last uphill haul and we were heading back down into Mousehole just as the regatta raffle was being called. All in all another good day. Tired but in that relaxed feel-good way!!
Promised Paul we really, truly wouldn’t do any walking even though the sun was shining and it was another hot day. We decided to go to Trengwainton Gardens. Flashed the NT email on the iPhone, worked a treat! Had a nice leisurely stroll around the gardens. Must remember the King George rhododendron as it smelled absolutely gorgeous. Explained what a ha-ha was to Paul. Now that’s something I thought he’d have known! Sat enjoying the view from the terrace before heading for the walled garden. Apparently built to the dimensions of Noah’s Ark. In the last section they were demonstrating how you can use all sorts of things to make containers to grow just about anything you want. I liked the Wellington boots! And those hessian Tescos bags!! No need to buy expensive pots from the garden centre any more. I really feel I learned something !!! Another teashop lunch, very pleasant.From the gardens we meandered through the Cornish country lanes to the iron age settlement at Carn Euny which we eventually found after a brief contretemps about the right way to go and nearly turned back. Until a trio of aged strollers told us it was just through the gate ahead of us! It was well worth the effort as you could really see where the huts had been. And there was a neat underground ritual chamber and tunnel entrance. We spent longer there than we anticipated.
Still sunny and warm so off we went to St Michaels Mount. We had to get the boat across as the tide was in. Flashed the iPhone again….the bloke in the ticket office was well impressed! A gentle struggle uphill (Paul says why is everything up a steep hill??) and we found ourselves at the castle. Quite an interesting place . From the castle to the tearooms/tea-garden for lunch followed by a stroll around the gardens, which are on the lower slopes of the rock, where we sat in the sun for a while listening to the humming of the bees and the wash of the sea in the distance. A very easy day for Paul so he’d better not complain anymore. Back to the caravan in time for a bit of sunbathing before tea.
Another hot one! And they said it was supposed cool down. Went for another walk, this time from Treen to Minack but we only got as far as Porthcurno. No dogs allowed on the beach so decided not to stop there for lunch and had just set off up the path to Minack when Paul said he wanted a few minutes breather. We perched ourselves on a convenient rock, broke out the flask and had a cup of coffee. Whilst there we spotted another beach in a cove back towards Treen. And there were dogs. So we decided not to do the rest of the walk up to Minack and headed back towards the beach. We found the path and headed down to the cove. This ended in a 30ft scramble down the cliff onto the beach, which was stunning. A long sweep of white sand edging a perfectly clear, pale turquoise sea, all sheltered by the cliffs. A perfect little sun trap. It was also the “if you want to get your kit off, feel free” beach!! And no, I didn’t!!! Plenty were though. Spent a couple of hours soaking up the sun. Even went for a swim in the sea…..Exhilarating……or should I say…….bloody cold!! Following another scramble, up the cliff this time, heaving and shoving Fudgie between us, we made our way back to Treen where we just made it to the teashop before she closed up. A well earned pot of tea and a jam and cream scone for me and what Paul describes as the best slice of carrot cake he’s ever had, whilst watching a herd of cows wander round the village! There was even a bowl of water for Fudgie. Wended our way home via the chip shop.
Woke up to a cool and misty morning – how different from the rest of the week! Glad we decided to change our itinerary and go on our walk last Friday and leave the tin mine until today. Wasn’t expecting much but it turned out real cool. Once again flashed the iPhone and Bobs your Uncle we were in. Watched a semi informative film about the mine – about 10 minutes shorter and it might have been interesting!! From there we went to the steam engine which was all steamed up and running. I do love the smell of machine oil!! Looked around the main area then got Fudgie out of the car and wandered around the rest of the site. I didn’t know you mined arsenic! I do now!! Spent a good couple of hours there, which was a bit of a surprise. Then we decided to take a drive over to St Ives as it’s supposed to be a cool place to go. Drove straight through as it looked a bit like Cleethorpes crossed with Robin Hoods Bay! All pottery shops and art galleries charging a fortune for the mediocre to the rubbish!! Ended up in Penzance B&Q car park eating KFC surrounded by malevolent seagulls waiting for scraps!! Paul threw a chip out of his window and we were surrounded! Two were even fighting on the roof at one point – it was a bit like ” The Birds” !!!!! Back at the caravan we had every intention of getting the awning down but by the time I’d finished my cup of tea Paul had fallen asleep. Went to the First and Last Inn in England for a meal, the fresh that day mackerel was really nice. Oh well, home in the morning.