Last day in Cornwall

Overnight there was loads of rain but it cleared up for us to walk the coastal path around to St Ives. I just loved the beach at Carbis Bay


We had a hail storm rain down on us - just as well we had our $2 umbrellas we bought in Portugal some years back


When we got to Porthminster Beach we were just in time for breakfast - banana pancakes and coffee


Great venue looking out to the beach and bay


Porthminster Cafe




Look at those kiwi plants - we have also seen bracken and boxthorn and other nasties and loads of lilac bushes and other plants from our childhood


Looking across to St Ives - isn't it wonderful


And the other way


And the gardens. We took the train back to Carbis Bay.




Then we set off for our last day's exploring up to St Blazey where we found Prideaux


and Prideaux House - not totally 100% on my facts but pretty sure this was where Paganus Prideaux built Prideaux Castle.


This is Prideaux House owned by race horse people. Huge ground with a race track


From the back of the property a wonderful view of the sea




Nice gates


We drove all around and finally snuck in to the old manor and hopefully these look like ruins


I have decided they might be. Anyway pretty exciting to be on the track of ancestor with more reading info to keep me busy




After all that excitement we drove to Mevagissey - another wonderful spot - and before that over some interesting terrain - well everywhere has been interesting


From up the hill


Very interesting harbour - a double harbour.

Then it was time to drive back but not before we whizzed down more little back roads including a trip in Veryan with the round houses.



For our last night in St Ives we went to the Portminster Cafe for the best meal we have had. Shared Fowey mussels in a wonderful sauce



Ian had crab linguine with mussels - he said it was delicious


And I had the monk fish curry - really fab. We would recommend this place to anyone - bought the cookbook so we will be able to try the recipes at home. The end to a lovely week and now back to London for a couple of nights before we fly home.

We thought we covered lots of ground and saw plenty of things but no doubt you will tell me of all the things we missed - can never see it all though !

The Lizard Peninsula

Yesterday saw us up early perched in bed watching the All Black vs Wallaby game. I say watching but I really mean following the commentary because it was not available on the telly in our apartment. It was pretty lively and exciting and we were sorry to not be able to view it but we did watch the highlights later on the 'puters.




Then we drove off to The Lizard Peninsula which was again another wow. We turned in to check out Kynance Cove - I think that was our biggest wow for the day. On the way we stopped to taste the blackberries growing on the side of the road. When we lived in Glenside they grew opposite our house and we used to pop down a board or two and pick them for apple and blackberry crumble. These ones are small and taste more like apples than blackberries so we only had a couple.


The cove was fantastic - we got chatting to a guy with a model plane or two and Ian spent time watching him at work with it.


We spent quite some time walking - the coastal roads are just wonderful - never be a dull moment.



Ian is calling me - I tried not to step in the cow poo


Bit further along - this the cove and down in it there was a cafe


I almost stepped on this very happy relaxed cow - the cows are very healthy looking


They are happy to wander and you have to move out of their way - bit like Harley just thinking of their tummies


Magnificent sea once more - we could have pottered around all day but it was time to move on and have a raspberry and pavlova ice cream in Lizzard




Next stop was Cadgwith - another lovely little town and harbour


Love the rocks


Wouldn't want to fall off the edge


Looking into the harbour


Those pots once more




Boats all up waiting


We spent time working out how they got in and out if the water
Then we went further driving slightly north through St Keverne - more fascinating sights and Ian is very used to driving in 2nd gear down little narrow roads with high hedges hoping not to meet other cars not to mention 25% inclines up or down


On the way back we came across little inlets like this one


With swans and the like


Hard to find somewhere to eat last night as it was Saturday and we ended up at Beach where we went on night one. Not quite the same - we had cod fillets but not so wonderful or so big and I decided to have chips which sadly had been sitting around for a lifetime. However it is the only not so good meal we have had

Trip to Padstow

Yesterday we went to Padstow and enjoyed the beaches north of Newquay as we drove up the coast - of course stopped to photograph Prideaux Place - ancestors and all that.




Prideaux Place is closed for the season so we couldn't go inside but the gates were open and we just drove inside, hopped out and took a few photos - that's the home of my 27th great grandfather and I am enjoying the ancestor explorations




See - they sit outside too!




We really loved Padstow - not at all like I thought - I imagined a beach not a working port.




We had fish n chips for lunch and watched a German film crew failing to film a scene outside because it was very windy and then it rained so they packed up in the end. Heard that they may have been filming one of the Rosamund Pilcher books which are usually almost all filmed at Prideaux Place and very very popular in Germany




Here is the port




And a cobblestone path in town - I would simply hate to be in any of these places in August - that's why we love this time of the year - it was more than busy enough




And since we were parked opposite it - Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant




Last night we went to the Seagrill Restaurant and had - guess what - Megrim Sole - very yummy indeed. Loving the fish - it is so very expensive in Perth and we can have beautiful steaks on our BBQ anytime




Shirley asked where the clotted cream and scones were? Well I don't like cream and I don't fuss about scones (and I need to eat neither ) but this is our breakfast each morning - yoghurt and fresh raspberries - nice to pay £2 a punnet rather than $12
Thanks for all the comments and emails - glad you are enjoying our time here in Cornwall. More tomorrow