We've been on holiday!

Date: 23 September 2007 18:43:05

Tina & I have just returned from a lovely week in Cornwall, the land of cream teas, pasties, fresh crab sandwiches, fine ale and stunning scenery (though not necessarily in that order). We were staying on the Lizard Peninsula, which is the sticky out bit at the bottom. We were there with the in-laws, although most of the time we did our own thing during the day, getting together in the evenings. So, this is what we got up to:

Saturday

Got up ridiculously early and left home at 6 am to avoid the London traffic. We had a really good run and, including a couple of stops, arrived at the holiday park at around 2.00. We were there about half an hour before the in-laws and, as they had the booking reference, we couldn't check in without them. However, there was a bar on the site and having been on the road since 6.00, I was ready for a pint.

The bar was the sort of place that makes Wetherspoons look classy. It was a big oblong sort of place, decorated in garish colours with fake oak beams. Well, when I say fake oak beams, it wasn't quite like that. In fact, they were steel girders which had been painted in an attempt to make them look like fake oak beams. I was impressed to see that they served Real Ale. I was somewhat less impressed to discover that they were charging £3.20 a pint. Needless to say, we didn't spend a lot of time there during the week.

The in-laws arrived and we checked in. We were staying in two bungalows next door to each other. Having separate bungalows was a Good Thing, because they were very small, so if four of us had had to share one for a week I think we'd have all ended up killing each other! That said, they were great for two. Clean and comfortable.

Once we'd settled in and unpacked it was time to eat. Having travelled such a long way, neither Tina nor I fancied cooking, so we had a meal in the restaurant on the site. Once we got back, I fell asleep the moment my head hit the pillow.

Sunday

The weather wasn't brilliant when we got up. We went to the Eucharist at Truro Cathedral Sitting near us was somebody I recognised. He wasn't wearing a clerical shirt, but I recognised him as being a priest. I assumed he was somebody from my own diocese on holiday, or possibly a Canon from one of the cathedrals I visit with the choir. He was in front of us in the coffee queue after the service, so I tapped him on the shoulder and said "Sorry to bother you, but I'm sure I recognise you from somewhere". He assured me that I probably did recognise him and asked me to guess where from. It turned out that we hadn't actually met before, but rather I had seen him on the telly as he was Fr Guy Scott, the Real Ale drinking Priest from the BBC documentary series An Island Parish

When we left the Cathedral, the weather had brightened up and the sun was shining, so we decided to head for Falmouth. I've always wanted to visit Falmouth as that is where my ancestors are from.

What was once a sleepy fishing port is now a big tourist destination. I reckon it's very different from when my grandmother grew up there.

Falmouth Harbour

After a spot of lunch and a walk around the town, we drove to Mullion Cove, a small fishing harbour close to where we were staying.

The end of the harbour

Tina walks along the harbour wall

Mullion Island

That evening, Mother-in-Law cooked roast beef for us all.

Monday

Again, a bit of a grey start to the day with some drizzle. Tina & I went to visit the National Seal Sanctuary in the village of Gweek. (There are some fantastic place names in Cornwall!).

From there, we travelled down to Lizard Point, England's most southerly point.

The old lifeboat station

This is as south as Tina goes

A short drive from Lizard is Kynance Cove. It's a bit of a walk from the car park, but well worth it as the views there are stunning.

Do you think the backdrop suits me?

That evening, the in-laws came to our bungalow and I cooked a curry for everyone (Chicken Biryani with Bindil Bhaji and Cucumber Raita). It was well received by everybody.

Tuesday

MY BIRTHDAY!!

Today the four of us went to the Isles of Scilly for the day. The ferry from Penzance takes about 2 hours 40 minutes. It was a lovely bright sunny day, but rather windy which made the sea a bit choppy.

Tina was turning some very entertaining shades of green during the crossing.

Once we arrived though, despite the rough journey, it was all worthwhile.

After a walk around the town, we stopped for some lunch tha The Atlantic Inn

I love fresh, locally caught fish. I also like to try fish I've never had before, so when I saw on the menu local Shark Steak, I had to give it a go. It was fantastic, washed down with a pint or two of St Austell Tribute Ale.

We went for a short cliff walk to work off the lucnh before returning to the town. In the town was an old bus doing tours of the island. Now, I'm a bit of an anorak when it comes to old buses, so when I saw it parked at the side of the road, I couldn't resist asking the driver if I could climb aboard and have a look around.

It was a 1948 Austin K3 and originally started it's working life in Guernsey. There are now only two of them left. The driver had come to the end of his shift and was about to return to the garage, so offered me a ride, which I jumped at!

(Are you reading this Auntie Doris? This is a real Guernsey bus!)

So, to sum up: Shark steak, good ale and a ride on a 1948 classic bus. Now that's my idea of a good day out!

Wednesday

TINA'S BIRTHDAY!!

Yes, it's terribly romantic having our birthdays one day apart! First of all we went into the nearby town of Helston. This was partly to look around for suitable restaurants in which to celebrate Tina's birthday, but also just to have a look around. It's a charming little market town, but like an idiot, I'd left my camera in the car so didn't get any photos.

From Helston we moved on to Penzance.

I have to say that neither of us were terribly taken with Penzance. It's much like any coastal town, full of tacky gift shops, so after a spot of lunch, we went a bit further round the coast to the gorgeous little fishing village of Mousehole where we spent the rest of the afternoon.

Dinner was at a Chinese restaurant in Helston. We were the only people there.

Thursday

Every holiday has one crap weather day and this was it. It was windy and the rain was horizontal!

The four of us took a trip to Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station (See? I told you there are some great place names in Cornwall!)

By mid afternoon, the weather had started to brighten up, so Tina & I took a trip to Kennack Sands.

That evening, Tina cooked us all a Spag Bol, but without the Spag.

Friday

In the morning, we visited the gardens on Bonython Estate.

From there, we headed towards the coast for a bracing cliff walk.

Half way in, we stopped for lunch at Cadgwith Cove where there was a great little pub where I had a fresh Crab Sandwich and a pint of Sharp's Doom Bar and Tina had a Pasty and her usual glass of Coke.

Onwards along the cliff took us pas the totally magnificent Devils Frying Pan

Knackered but feeling healthier, we then took a walk around Mullion village before going beck to start packing, ready to return home.

Saturday

Got up. Loaded car. Drove home.

So there it is. Our holiday. The car picked up an interesting array of squashed insects on the way home and will be going to the car wash on Monday.

I've included a few photos from the holiday on this page, but if you really want to be bored by my full collection of holiday snaps, they are all on my Flickr page here