21-Nov-2013 R n J Travel –
Greetings from windy west Cornwall.
We arrived into London Friday 15th, and enjoyed a walk around old territory, had Chinese lunch before wandering Oxford St and then to dinner with friends at Koffmanns restaurant at the Berkeley Hotel. A lovely meal, worth a return visit.
Next day we caught the fast train to Exeter, then hire car to Padstow, and checked into our Pilots Cottage at Hawkers Cove. That night we checked out some of Padstow, and had Rick Steins fish and chips, expensive of course, you pay for the privilege.
Next day we went across the Camel River to see Port Isaac, the lovely little village where they filmed TV series Doc Martin. Wandered about then moved onto Polzeath, where the surfers were out in the waves of the incoming tide. The tide goes out leaving many metres of exposed sandy beach, and then when it comes back in with a rush there is a huge change in the landscape, and white water for the boys to ride. the. Onto a village called “Rock”, across the estuary from Padstow.
Monday we drove down to St Mawes castle, built by Henry VIII in 1540’s, and then up the coast to see a couple of stunning 15C fishing villages called Portloe, and then Megavissey. By the time we returned to the cottage, Alastair, Woolfy and dogs had arrived.
Since then chaos has dominated the days. The weather has deteriorated, raging gales and horizontal rain, hail, sleet, and occasional sunshine keep us on guard, and all rugged up in Alastair’s spare coats.
Tuesday we descended from the cottage to the rocks and sand at low tide, and walked along to the first headland, then turned back into the wind and boy that was hard work getting back to base. We had a splendid dinner in Padstow at Rick stein’s “the Seafood Restaurant”.
Today we returned to Port Isaac, in search of fresh crab, but the horizontal rain there deterred us. We went on to seek out Trebarwith Strand, just south of Tintagel, and it was a wonderful find, huge gap carved in the slate base of the harbour, so very impressive geographically. We loved it, stayed for lunch, and wandered down the gap onto the beach. Apparently it is very dramatic when the tide rushes into this narrow space in the rock. Wow!!
Now we are thawing out our bodies in the cottage.