Dawn was pretty non-descript as it was so cloudy. Once we got past Okehampton and almost to Newquay, we stopped, stabilised the caravan and got in. We tried to sleep but we were in a layby alongside the A30 and the traffic was getting busier with the increasing light. The traffic was so busy and noisy that sleep didn't come. It was also rather cold. so we got up and made bacon butties and coffee.
We stayed there for a few hours then set off for our final destination - Church Town Farm CL. 
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| Blue skies at last |
Afterwards we set off and did some shopping at Morrisons in Pool near Camborne and then stopped off for a pint at the Red River Inn in Gwithian before returning to the caravan.. A bit of a kip then a read before a slow dinner of tapas. Mmmmm. and of course a glass or two of vino!
After dinner and before the light went, we walked around the local nature reserve. It wasn't that big and not much to see but good to get out. Washed up, bed up then early to bed. Zzzzzzzzzz
Sunday
A slow, lazy start to the morning. Thought about cycling to St. Ives but after looking at the map, we reckoned that it was about 10 miles one way. So we decided to take the car. Glad we did as there were quite a number of hills and we also saw a sign saying "Day visitors ignore satnav". We learnt why later in the day. The car park was right at the top of the hill behind the town. There were buses for a £1 to take you down into town but we decided to walk down and get the bus back. (in the end we walked both ways)
St. Ives has some interesting shops but also some run of the mill ones also. There is a beach and harbour there with small side streets to wander down.We did see a very large camper van get stuck down by the harbour so we bought a couple of ice creams and sat down and watched. Surprisingly, it was also towing a trailer with a jet-ski on it! We are still wondering whether it got out as the police have had to reverse lorries out of the town before when they've been following their satnavs.
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| Makes you think of Robinson Crusoe |
Back at the caravan, we had a bit of a relax. That's when the aching started, so glad that we didn't carry on walking.
Monday - Bank Holiday
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| Lobster pot making |
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| A proper Pirate of Penzance (Newlyn really) |
I ensured that I had a sardine roll whilst I was there and surprised myself that I enjoyed it! Mike 'saved himself' for a pasty later in the day. We went back to the car around 1pm and encountered cars waiting to get into the car park field. It was so full that it was 'one out then one in' The queue went on for around 2 miles. I think that there were a few frazzled tempers that day.
Again another full day but a good felling of exhaustion. Evenings are spent eating, drinking and generally playing games or chatting. We have some good evenings!
Tuesday
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| Hell's Mouth |
After breakfast, we took a short walk to the cliff edge and looked down into Hell's Mouth. Sheer cliffs make for impressive scenery.
We drove on to Portreath which had a lovely beach and some caves but apart from that, not very inviting at all. It's probably a working village. It even had some houses which fronted on to the sand but not the beach.Drove back to the caravan and then took the bikes out to Godrevy beach cafe and had tea & cake and read the papers.
Wednesday
We got off the bus at the top of the High Street and so walked downhill into town. It's a nice place with varied local shops. Had tea at Dolly's Tea rooms which I'd read about in the Cornwall Today magazine.
Mike spied a sale in a Millets shop and I got a new pair of walking boots. They were in the sale but found they were even cheaper at the till. Bargain!!! I wore them around the town and were probably comfier than the boots that I had been wearing.
We also found a pneumatic jockey wheel for the caravan - £18.95. Another bargain! We had actually gone into Trago Mills to find the games Yahtzee & Uno but couldn't find either only the electronic versions. What is the world coming to?
We then looked for somewhere to have lunch and fancied a water front pub. We eventually found one on Custom House Quay - the Front Bar and was the 2011 Cornwall Pub of the Year so we had to go there! They didn't serve food but did have a sign that read "We've got the Pub, you bring the grub!" So we got a pasty each from a family run shop opposite and went in for a pint. Well, I had a coffee. We walked up & down Falmouth looking for the games. Falmouth is quite spread out, so we were pretty exhausted when we finally found the Park & Ride stop to return. We were originally going to visit Penjerrick Gardens after Falmouth but decided against it as we were going to the Minack Theatre that evening.
We took sandwiches and wine to the theatre. It was a cold evening so we used the coats and rugs that we had taken. We quite toasty and could have stayed until the end, however the play 'Rosencratz & Guildenstein are dead' by Tom Stoppard was really boring! So we left at the interval. We weren't the only ones!
Thursday
Woke up to a surprise visitor on the front window, don't know how long he's been watching us?
It was a slow start to the day and set off for Penjerrick Gardens only to realise that it wasn't open that day. So we went to Geevor Tin Mine instead. It was very interesting and much larger above ground than you think. They extracted the tin from the ore on site so had crushing machines and shaker tables to separate larger particles from smaller.
We also went into part of the mine. We had to wear a very fetching overall coat (Mike wanted a kharki one like Arkwright's one) and it was good that we did. The mine tunnels were very narrow and not uniform so we were forever sliding against the rock and hitting our heads. Thank God that we had hard hats on. The shaft head was wooden and actually looked like something out of the wild west and the Klondike Gold Rush.
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| Shaker tables |
We also went into part of the mine. We had to wear a very fetching overall coat (Mike wanted a kharki one like Arkwright's one) and it was good that we did. The mine tunnels were very narrow and not uniform so we were forever sliding against the rock and hitting our heads. Thank God that we had hard hats on. The shaft head was wooden and actually looked like something out of the wild west and the Klondike Gold Rush.  |
| Mike wondering whether he could use these in the caravan |
We spoke at length with a retired miner and he said that the mine extended half a mile under the Atlantic! Other mines along the coast extend even further. He recommended that we go for a cup of tea and an oggie in the cafe. Both were very good.
We returned to the caravan via the coast road which had tight turns and high hedges. We did see some standing stones with some horses sheltering underneath - it wasn't raining just sunny. During the afternoon while Mike was having a rest and a beer, I took my bike for a ride. I ended up pushing it over the dunes and eventually down the rocks and onto the beach. Trouble was, the tide was on its way in and I couldn't stay long before my return was cut off. At least I proved to myself that I could do it although I expect that a few people were wondering what I was doing.
In the evening, we went to the Greek night at the Godrevy cafe. The food was excellent and they apologised for not having any squid for the mezes and would crawfish tails do instead. Of course we said Yes! We were sat in the window table so had a lovely view of the sunset and later of the lights of St. Ives. We were expecting a little more than just Greek food such as music or even dancing but was not to be. The food was very good though and we both ate too much! So much so, that it was uncomfortable to sleep.
Friday
Not much sleep so a late and lazy start to the day. We didn't want any breakfast but had coffee. We eventually left the caravan for Penjerrick Gardens at around midday. We stopped en route at Redruth to see if we could find the games. We actually found Uno so guess what we'll be playing later? We also found a shop that sold just about almost everything and anything. I got a 'The Best of Jackie' book which will later be a present for Jackie.
Not much sleep so a late and lazy start to the day. We didn't want any breakfast but had coffee. We eventually left the caravan for Penjerrick Gardens at around midday. We stopped en route at Redruth to see if we could find the games. We actually found Uno so guess what we'll be playing later? We also found a shop that sold just about almost everything and anything. I got a 'The Best of Jackie' book which will later be a present for Jackie.
Penjerrick Gardens were brilliant! We were the only ones there. It isn't advertised at all and they only ask for a donation in a honesty box! The gardens were established by John Were-Fox in the 1800's. It is not a formal garden but has many tropical and unusual plants including tree ferns, gunniers (like giant thorny rhubarbs), bamboos and others we don't know the names of. There were many established paths but many were so overgrown so you had to bend down on occasions. (Mike was expecting a Japanese soldier to appear out of the bamboo thinking that the 2nd World War was still on)
One time, there was a tunnel of overgrown bamboo and all I could think of was films where giant spiders attacking people in the jungle. I suppose wearing a skirt and sandals weren't really suitable but we eventually got around the whole gardens, ponds and bridge across the road.. Glad we eventually got back to the car.
On our return to the caravan, we had a well deserved rest then again, on foot this time across the sand dunes to the beach. It has been such a lovely day that a beach visit had to be done and, of course, a paddle. The water was cold but even so, there were people with their surf boards trying to catch the elusive wave. I wouldn't mind doing it myself one day but I would need a really good thick wet suit!
Nibbles for dinner, a well earned sit-down and you've guessed a game of Uno!
Saturday
We went to Helston today for the Esedhvos Kernow (a Cornish Eisteddfod) a celebration of Cornish culture. We saw the ceremony of the Cornish Gorsedh, a procession of cornish bards in blue robes. The Esedhves happen at a different part of Cornwall every year. Helston is another nice town and with cheap parking - £2 for the whole day! Some more unusual shops selling just about everything. 
We got a pasty each and it must have taken us a good half hour to eat as it was piping hot. I'm glad we only had medium ones - again feeling very full. I found 5 dice and a shaker in a newsagent's and Mike found the rules to Yahtzee so we'll be having a game of that after our corn beef hash.
Last night tonight. Shame, I could stay here for longer but I think Mike's hip is playing up with all the walking that we've been doing. We'd definitely like to come back here and hopefully I'll have wetsuit for going in the sea. Maybe, I'll have a go at surfing nest time?
