We liked Gwithian and the surrounding area so much we decided to come for
another week. Easy to get to and easy to
set up. We noticed this time that each
pitch has its own supply of water!
We didn’t
set off as early this time but we still made sure we stopped for a bacon butty!
Mmm.
There’s something rather satisfying seeing all the other cars zooming
past, possibly to the next services, tucking into a freshly cooked bacon butty
with a cup of tea. Another time it would
be us zooming past, but just this time we can relish in it being our turn.
We did hit
hold ups around Bodmin Moor and wished we had left earlier but they didn’t keep
us held up by long. We had to let
another caravanner into the traffic as they hadn’t seen the lane converging
sign – well, we assume they hadn’t seen it!
It was a
little windy when we finally arrived but we still put the awning up. It is so useful – even more so now that Mike
has invented and made a coat hanger for our wet coats. It is simply a broom handle inserted into a
round pipe on the end of a spiral spike that is wound into the ground. He screwed a few hooks into the top and
voila! And it works really well!
We went down
to the pub for dinner. We only just
managed to get a table! It was
packed. I’ve never seen it so busy
before. It did give the place a holiday
atmosphere as many of the people were from the camp site opposite.
We have
noticed numerous amounts of a reddish pinky flower that we now know as Red
Valerian growing form walls. I’m
thinking that as it seems to be fairly hardy that I would be able to grow it in
our garden. We did find some seeds so
time will tell!
Sunday saw
us driving around getting the lie of the land under our belts again, shopping
for food and nibbles then ending up down the pub again whilst dinner cooked –
Chicken Chorizo. Another mmmmmm.
Monday and
we were left wondering what weather we would encounter. So far it has been windy and drizzly. Monday started off dry but with threatening
clouds. We travelled over to Falmouth to
visit the Trebah Gardens. We parked up
and still hadn’t decided. We took the
plunge and paid our £8.50 entrance fee (each) for the privilege. Actually, the price isn’t that bad. For that we are able to come back for up to a
week, which is what we will do. The
government have stopped the way charities are ‘helped’ by them paying a certain
amount to them dependant on the tax payer that uses their services or helps
them in any way. Trebah Gardens is a
charity and we found some small print that asked that if we were prepared to
pay £9.35 then the government would pay an extra 25% to the charity (an extra
25% as opposed to what I am unsure).
The gardens
were great. Really different to the
Penjerrick Gardens we saw last year and totally in a different league. The gardens are on a hill so there are some
fairly steep hills to negotiate but we started off going down towards the beach
(and little tea bar). We criss-crossed
the stream and waterfalls heading downwards.
I can imagine the hydrangeas, when they are out, will look truly amazing! There is a section of Gunnera which is huge
and must be magical and slightly scary for children, but nevertheless exciting
to walk under! I really wished we had
Josh with us.
The walk
back up was less exciting but only because we took a different route. We wandered into the shop. There is always a shop cashing in on the
unsuspecting public and yes we did succumb.
Something for Dave and Josh and Mum.
Now only Amy to find something for. Oh, and I bought a
packet of the Red Valerian seeds!
Tuesday and
the rain! Torrential. Hard to think that only yesterday we were
sunning ourselves. However, we took the
plunge and left for Porthleven to the Harbour Market there – and guess what –
no rain! Mind you, the market wasn't anything to write home about but there were some lovely crafts there.
On to
Penzance to buy Mike a pair of much needed shoes then back to the caravan for a
cup of tea and cake – or in Mikes case a (‘nother) Pasty.
Meal at the
pub. Again very good. Mike had the steak and it was cooked just to
his liking and I had the Crab Pasta. Not
that much crab but still tasty. It looks
like it would be a good sunset this evening but we are just too bushed to walk
across the sand dunes to watch it. I
think we will definitely have to come back again. I don’t think I will ever tire of Cornwall.
Wednesday
and the weather in the morning was an improvement on yesterday but we are still
wondering whether we would actually be able to do anything without getting
wet. First of all to Potheleven to see
the Tesserae gallery/workshop that we missed on Monday. Madhu is a lovely lady and very willing to
impart her knowledge, unlike some other mosaicers. I signed up for a workshop on Friday so at
least I can see if I am doing it correctly!
On to the
Mawgan Feast Week at Mawgan. We found
Mawgan but not any feasts. In actual
fact the Feast bit is actually for a fest or Festival for the local people
although other people are very welcome.
Most of the events are during the evenings of the week with an all day
event on Saturday. Never mind – off to
the supermarket to find something for dinner.
 |
| We would have thought this bench would have had more use being next to the car park. It was covered in lichen |
Back to the
caravan at 6pm; late for us. We are
knackered! Relaxed with a beer and read
the paper for a while before dinner.
Thursday and
we lay in bed till quite late. We’d
arranged to meet up with Bob and Wendy.
Mike used to work with Bob a few years ago then he moved down to
Cornwall, much to the envy of us and a number of other people! We met up at the M&S at Hayle had a
catch-up then moved on to the ‘Heartlands’, a newly opened museum to tin mining
that is free! We had lunch there then a
look around. The weather was atrocious;
rain and wind so we stayed inside as much as we could. There were also craft shops. We looked around one but then we decided to
go back to Bob and Wendy’s house for a nice cuppa tea. A quick stop at the supermarket for dinner,
and a run in the rain, before heading back to the caravan – and what a site
when we got there.
As I have
said, the wind has been rather strong.
Our porch awning was down. Still
attached to the caravan but little else was as it should have been. Luckily by then the rain had stopped so we
set to and re-poled and re-pegged. Then
we decided to take it down! We are glad
we did as that night the wind was doing it’s thing again and it would have been
flapping continuously. Not conducive to
a good night’s sleep but there again we didn't sleep much anyway!
 |
| This is the result of the mosaic that I started at Madhu's |
On the way to our second visit to Trebah Gardens, we took a number of small narrow
twisty roads. On the right hand turns I
looked out ahead to warn Mike of oncoming cars.
This I did with varying certainty!
Some of the sounds I used to warn of an oncoming vehicle was; a sharp intake
of breath, ‘a ccc’ when it was a coach, ‘car’, ‘a’ with a point; many and
varied. Mike did a wonderful job though
but doesn’t really want to do too many of those roads!
On our
return we asked if we could stay an extra day as the wind is really too strong
for travelling home. Luckily they have
allowed us to, given the circumstances, even though there are six vans now on
the site. We are assured the wind will
die down on Sunday. Here’s hoping.
We went to
Truro on Saturday. We were convinced we
had been there before but we certainly hadn’t.
There was farmers market and a craft tent. We actually bought quite a few bits and bobs
there. One of the people on a stall in
the craft tent thrust a leaflet in my hand.
He was quite insistent I take it.
When I looked at it the first thing I saw was ‘for the over 50’s’. Do I obviously look over 50? Maybe today after all this wind.
Picky bits
for dinner tonight as we had a lovely lunch in Truro in a cafe near to the
cathedral. We got some lovely Olives and
mix of sundried tomatoes, garlic and spiced shallot (not sure they are like the
little onions) from a Mediterranean stall – wow the garlic was strong and
hot! Our fellow campers may insist we go
tomorrow come what may! Don’t speak too loudly but the wind is dying down.
Sunday's weather was certainly a lot calmer and didn't have any problems getting home. That's the way a holiday should end.
