The Camel Trail - Cornwall Pt 3

Today we took on the Camel Trail, an old disused rail line that runs along the Camel River. It was a great day cycling. From beautiful woods to beaches, we covered 50kms. We're stuffed...

But we did haul ourselves out of the B&B to get to Polzeath for a truly stunning sunset over the Atlantic and another beautiful beach.
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As if you'd take a call when there's scenery like this to explore!

On the way to Padstow - or PadStein as the locals joke (Rick Stein, seafood chef)

Cruising

Old train platform

Minack Theatre and Land's End - Cornwall pt 2

The skies were much better on day two of our Cornish exploration. We said goodbye to the lovely Bay Lodge B&B and headed firstly for the unique Minack Theatre. In the 1920s a lady called Rowena Cade moved to Cornwall from Cheltenham and had the stroke of genius to carve theatre seats into her hillside, with the ocean as the backdrop to the stage. It was called the Minack Theatre (Minack meaning rock in Cornish) and, with only two other gardeners, spent her life working laying and carving the seats for the theatre. It had to halt in WWII when it was sealed with barbed wire as the coast was first defence in the War, but apart from that interruption it carried on and grew to become a famous outdoor theatre.

Second stop was Land's End. Bit of a rort to pay 5pounds to park your car to walk around the most westerly mainland point of the UK, however we had to do it I suppose. The coast around the Minack theatre was probably more striking, but it was still beautiful. I just sound spoiled!

Then we went to another unique spot, St Michael's Mount. Separated from the mainland by the tides, St Michael's Mount has been a monastery, a fortress a port and a family home.
The same family live and manage the island as they have since the 17th century. Can you imagine having that much knowledge of and, I guess continuity in your family lineage?

We had a quick lunch at the market town, Marizion, which looks out to the Mount. Charles II reportedly spent a night in an inn there before he made for the Scilly Isles.

Finally we cruised up the beautiful coast before turning into the cryptic country lanes to our second B&B in St Mabyn, an old chapel with more lovely hosts. We managed to navigate our way to the St Tudys Inn for dinner; it is such a cute village, like something out of a story book, and the publican was such a host, in his bowtie and red cords, and has created a beautiful little nook, with the roaring fireplace and big wooden tables.

St Michael's Mount back to Marizion

Tide's out - taking the path to St Michael's Mount

St Michael's Mount

Land's End

Minack Theatre

Looking down to the stage

I do like to be by the seaside - Cornwall part 1

On Easter Sunday we took the early train to Penzance, Cornwall from Paddington. Five hours later, we were off the train and all sorted in our B&B. We spent the afternoon checking out the very quiet Penzance, watched Man City lose to Arsenal from the comfort of the pub, then had dinner at the Turk's Head, reputedly the oldest pub in Penzance.

Easter Monday we were ready for a big walk, but the weather had other ideas. The best option was to catch the bus to St Ives. It's such a really pretty little town full of art shops, cafes and of course pasty shops. I thought of it as a beachside Maleny.

The beaches are so sandy and on a sunny day they would look super inviting. We took on the elements with a bit of a walk around the headland, but after that it was a delicious fresh crab sandwich for me, and pasty for Bulli, then a few hours just warming up in a pub with a glass of red wine and books.

Postcard from Pushkar

Bulli snapped this from his sunny balcony in Pushkar - temples, mountains and music...

Saturday Walkers' Club

Without fuss or fanfare* we got ourselves organised for the 8.57 out of Paddington, heading for Henley and a 20km ramble to a place called Pangbourne - home of the 40p toll bridge. Walk #51 from the Saturday Walking Club/Time Out guide.

There was not a cloud in the sky and it was 20 degrees - rambling conditions could not have been better!

We saw birds of prey circling calmly in the sky, and closer to ground, lots of rabbits darting and a field mouse hiding. Hardly another walker in sight - stopped for a quick hello to a lovely old local and his beautiful dogs and otherwise it was just us and the daffodils. Our only tiny grumble was it was a little too early for leaves on the trees but there were plenty of rolling hills.

Lunch was at the Redemption pub and despite signs declaring a chilli cook-off, we went with burgers and baguettes, soda and lime or an ale.

Finished up back in London at 7.30 that night with Best Mangal sis hot off the coals and we toasted our successful day with Peter Lehman sparkling shiraz. Thanks fellow ramblers!

*Actually a little fanfare, Dale heralding the day and setting the tone with the enthusiastic "Let's get ready to raaaaaaaaaamble!"

Dale, Lisa and Alan test Whitchurch's Maze of Thyme - the human sun dial

Dale swings by his old cricket pitch

Friendly scarecrow

Passing by the alpaca farm

Lots of nice refreshment stops

Southern Goa

A snap from Bulli's south Goan sojourn...

Spring bulbs

It was spring-like for all of five minutes this morning. Lisa and I took the sun while we could with a walk through Parsons Green to Bon Bon.

Yesterday was St Paddy's day - you know you've been in London a while when you see a man on a bike dressed as a leprachaun, beard and all, with balloons tied to his high vis vest, and you don't hardly notice...

I went to a play yesterday, Noel Coward's Hayfever, at the Noel Coward theatre. It was a comedy of manners, it was a middle of the theatre seat for £20 and it was an excellent way to spend a rainy Saturday.

Daffodils in Eelbrook Common

Always nice plants for sale at Fulham Dairy, Wandsworth Bridge Road