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St Ives and St Agnes

July 19, 2011 in General, south west uk 2011 by Stephen | No comments

It’s not looking promising as we drive to St. Ives with Luke (son number 2 of Helen and Chris). Parking outside town (there’s little choice), it’s a park and site into the centre.

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It’s not long until the skies clear though. St. Ives is lovely.

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We spend a considerable time walking around enjoying the dry weather … then walking around again finding somewhere to eat. The local Indian curiously is open … but only for takeaway. The local Chinese selection is pitiful. It’s pub grub … but good.

From there, it’s to St. Agnes. A bit less to see there, but a nice walk nevertheless town the cliffs to the beach and on to … what else … a beachside bar with tea and cake. The skies are filling with clouds and we make our way back to Newquay.

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Evening in Newquay

July 18, 2011 in General, twitter by Stephen | No comments

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Make it stop!!!!

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Newquay

July 18, 2011 in General, south west uk 2011 by Stephen | No comments

It’s raining lightly. The tent is quickly packed, the downside of which is it’s not optimally packed. A slightly stuffed car makes it’s way from the South Coast of Cornwall to the North, arriving in Newquay late morning.

We’re here for a couple of days at Porth Beach to catch up with Therese’s sister, Helen and family.  Large campsite – but with a certain continental efficiency. Though impersonal, from experience, any noise here will be quickly “eradicated”.

Helen’s boys (well, I say boys, they’re both 6” taller than me) help us erect the tent in a fairly gusty wind. The tent tries off and we hide in Helen’s static for a couple of hours and dry off.

A walk around Newquay follows. The town centre is geared for surfers and stag parties. The coastline and beach offer much more.

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The rain is back again. We eat back at the static and hope for an improvement. The forecast is “variable”.

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Stephen narrowly avoids being in trouble

July 16, 2011 in General, south west uk 2011 by Stephen | No comments

I shall start this entry by apologising for the lack of photographs early on. My phone was drenched in Polperro the following day and messed with my microSD card.

With that distraction in place … I was awake from around 4AM hoping for 6AM to arrive. Sloping from the tent, I drive to the local 24 hour shops, collect a birthday card for Therese, flowers and that essential … the birthday melon.

Disaster avoided,  I make breakfast and, given it’s raining, it’s to the Eden Project. £20 each for the year is good value. Even better if we’re back within the year. It’s appropriately impressive. More so if you take into account the positive impact it’s had on local job creation (around 500).

As mentioned earlier, no photos kids. They start later in the afternoon when we collect a taxi to Polkerris for Therese’s birthday meal. We’re eating here.

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Huge Pizzas arrive and are consumed quickly. The time has passed quickly and the solitary pub across from the restaurant it’s tempting. Too tempting to refuse. The Rashleigh Inn it is. We book a taxi for 90 minutes later.

We make friends with the bar staff (below, right), drink a bottle of wine too quickly, open a second and start on it. The staff advise that Cornwall is something of a cultural desert. I have to agree it’s a little sparse for long term living – but the locals are lovely.

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The taxi arrives, gets us back to the tent in time for a nightcab and a general falling asleep.

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Cornwall

July 13, 2011 in General, south west uk 2011 by Stephen | No comments

We’re packed just as the first rain appears on Dartmoor. This time we’re going to Doubletrees Farm in Par.

But not before a visit to Devon Chilli World!

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After an hour, we have a significant chilli buzz and have picked up some seeds to plant in 2012.

It’s a pleasant journey into Cornwall. We arrive at the site early afternoon. Great weather and view.

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We try the local pub, 300 metres away. Not good. A walk into St. Blazey just over a mile away follows. Also not good. From there, just over another mile down to Par. Somewhat better with a really friendly local pub.

Slightly worse for wear with the Cornish ale, it’s a stagger back to the tent and some food.

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The Glaswegian Lourdes

July 12, 2011 in General by Stephen | No comments

Around one third of the way from Torquay to the campsite is the tranquil retreat of Buckfast. Source of the tonic water for generations of Scots, caringly brewed by these local Devon Monks.

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Thanks to the kind donations of millions of Scots from both sides of the religious divide, this monastic order is able to restore the Abbey over the coming years. Praise be!

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The Abbey shop sells the miracle elixir. We opt for some chocolate fudge instead. And some nettle wine.

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