2013 Oops where did 2012 go?

Well folks I am finally back on the straight and narrow probably. Due to family illness etc I lost my painting oomph but it is now back hopefully to stay.

I completed an Acrylic of Aysgarth Falls in Autumn2012 18 by 24 inches on board.

 

 

Tidied up the Studio a little and now I am starting a seascape on a smaller scale lets hope I stay focussed

 

 



Friday 20th May - Port Quinn and Bedruthan Steps

Friday we decided to do a bit more of the local coast driving down mto Bedruthan steps which apart from being a fantastic beach is also my all time favourite National Trust Tea Room.

We drove to Port Quin

 We parked up and had a walk up to Doyden Point where I like the adult I am decided to have a panic attack and thought Bill was going to tumble over the cliff edge. Dont know why it must be an age thing of maybe I am just a little bit bonkers. There were several old mine shafts fenced off on top of the cliffs and we dropped a pebble in on and it to a long long time to hit the bottom.

Then we went off to Bedruthan Steps stopping on the way for a Coffee at a farm shop where we bought vital supplies St Endillion Brie, Cornish Honey and Strawberries. It was only afterwards I discovered the honey was £7 a jar fortunately it is really really nice honey.

At Bedruthan we had timed it just right lunch at the tea rooms and then the tide was out so we had the whole beach. We wandered around rocks and thru rocks and would you believe that I actually managed to lose Bill when he went thru a gap and I stopped to photograph some birds.

I have looked it up now and the little birds were Rock Pippits.

 The wind was blasting us so when I shouted for him he couldnt hear me. Then I met a lovely couple who when I asked if they had seen a spare man knew exactly who I meant.

That evening we tried for a meal at the Port William but with the clear sky and prospect of a lovely sunset we lucked out so went into Tintagel and managed to get 'A Pizza' and beoing ever tight fisted bought sweeties and beer from the local shop instead of dessert in the pub.

Thursday 19th May - Pencarrow House and Cliff walks

Thursday was a much brighter day and we decided to start the day off gracefully witha visit to the lovely Pencarrow House and Gardens near Bodmin. We got there just as they were opening and strolled around the lake admiring the lovely Rhododendrons and Azaleas. As we arrived back at the Walled Tea garden we noticed the tree had a lot of movement and gazed up at an extremely large budgie sitting in the tree..

Then as we entered thru the door in the wall we spotted another.

Now this is just showing off

Very out of caharacter for us we took the guided tour of the house which I found really interesting especially as having a wonky eye I didnt have to struggle to read the guides.

We left Pencarrow after as really nice piece of carrot cake and a Cup of tea amongst the peacocks in the garden and drove on and back to Tintagel. We parked at the little Glebe Cliff  car park and Started

by walking the easy walk to Tintagel Castle. After tucking into yet more snadwiches and Ginger beer we started the knackering walk to Rocky Valley.

The footpath was amazing and I was so glad I had my proper boots on. Parts of the Cliff path were being grazed by goats and then we chanced upon some little ponies and I made a new friend.

Meet Dave  

A Map I had suggested that when we got to the end of Rockey Valley there was a Tea Room by the Mill typically it no longer existed and was a holiday let instead.

We finished our circular route by walking back into Tintagel and treating ourselves to an ice-cream form Granny Wobblys Fudge Pantry.

We finished a lovely day off with a meal in Bossiney House Hotel our only posh nosh of the week. Some of the best Customer Service of our week nice white tablecloths really comfortable dining chairs and it was Thrifty Thursday so I ate from their bargain menu and even the chocolate chip cheesecake was made by the chef. Bill had the best cheeseboard ever all cornish cheeses and as he doesnt like soft cheese I helped him out by eating his St Endillion Brie.

Wednesday 18th May - Bude and Sandymouth Bay

The day started in the same way the previous had ended as we woke up to the same missle (if there is such a word). We gazed out at a thick mist as we listened to the weatherman tell us that there was no sun allocated to Cornwall today.

We decided to drive to Bude as there was an indication from the weatherman that there would be less chance of rain. We arrived in dry but grey conditions and by the time we had wandered around the shops and strolled down by the canal the rain had set in. We did the only thing you can on a wet day in Cornwall shopped for sunglassed and I was delighted to bump into a BOGOF and bought two pairs.

We returned to the car and decided to have a drive down the lanes. We always camped at Bude when I was young and I knew the campsite was just north of Bude. We meandered around the lanes and finally found the National Trust car park at Sandymouth Bay 

This was the beach of my childhood we scrambled down the steep pebble bank and wandered around the beach for an hour. Golly it brought back memories. The tide was out but the wind was vicious we walked almost back to Bude before turning back and heading for the beach Cafe up above the Pebble Bank. I had a rather scrummy Chicken Burger and some Organic Ginger Beer. All this talking of childhood holidays and Ginger Beer makes me sound like one of the Famous Five.

After lunch we headed back to Bude to buy vittals for tea namely a loaf of bread. We were served by a lady with the wierdest voice on the planet and all I can think was that she had something happen to her vocal chords. Her voice was so wierd I couldnt concentrate. We also bought a nice flapjack for me and a boring Chelsea bun for Bill.

We left Bude and went back via the coastal route and took some lovely snaps of Widemouth Bay from the top of the hill then on to Boscastle via Crackington Haven.

Lovely stroll around Boscastle admiring the rebuilding work they had done lovely things with stone walls and cobbles. We treated ourselves to a local Organic Ice-Cream in a Sugar Cone from Helsett Farm. Why anyone would ever want to eat an ice-cream in a wafer defies my understanding its like putting tap water in Malt Whisky.

Back to our Holiday home and we dined on Locally Baked Bread with Cheese and Beetroot and I tucked into my lovely flapjack.

Tuesday 17th May - Lanhydrock and catching up with old Friends

Today was the day to catch up with my Childhood friend Sue (was Cooke) Mitchell and her husband Bryan. We were meeting up in the afternoon so went to Lanhydrock for the morning what a difference to last year. The explosion of Bluebelles were over and many of the flowering shrubs had finished. I had a good nose around the flower borders though as the gardeners had removed the Tulips and wallflowers and were double digging all the beds and had a tractor full of some lovely looking manure.

Our traditional stop for coffee was quite hilarious as we sat outside sipping coffee the old chap next to us had finished his and for some reason (he was foreign) decided to chuck his dregs away.....just as a Hairy Hippy looking bloke walked past. Luckily I think his walking boots got most of it.

We enjoyed a mooch around the house but a couple were taking two little girls round. They were nice kids but the visits to the playroom and nursery were traumatic as the littlest one screamed the place down and kept trying to crawl under the barrier to get to the toys. You cant really blame her she was only tiny.  I struggled a bit as I couldnt really read any of the write ups they had.

When we finished I left Bill outside the plant shop and went in and treated myself to some plants for a gravel garden.

We drove into Bodmin for lunch as we thought the sarnies in the NT tearooms looked a bit boring and expensive and we chanced upon Barneys of Bodmin. What a lovely place for a snack and what lovely helpful service too. We had the special, Toasted Cheese and Pineapple sarnies with salad and a small dish of chips each for the same price (well 50p more) as pathetic Nt cheese and Tomato. The Cafe is in the Old Guildhall and having just checked their website the Hall dates back to the 16th Century.

We drove over to St Breward to meet up with Sue and Bryan. I have known Sue since I was a Baby my Mum and hers nursed together except Molly was a sister and my mum was a nurse.

Sue and Bryans home is a sort of smallholding I list randomly :- 3 cats, 2 dogs, a guinea pig, chicken, duck, goose and turkey eggs in an incubator in the utility room.  Cat curled up on incubator ducklings hatching and cheeping inside. Outside Turkeys Geese Goslings Chickens Tortoises.

Sue and Bryan must be getting close to retirement age but with the constant return of their own goslings will they ever achieve it!! They had just purchased a Caravan on Ebay as a residence for Ben who has left his lodgings in St Austell and is currently sleeping on the Sofa as the other bedrooms are taken up by other offspring who appear reluctant to fledge.

Poor Bryan is on crutches as a Hip Replacement has got infected and he is waiting for an op. He cannot weight bear on his bad leg and I watched in horror as he struggled across the bumpy garden through long grass past the abandoned ebay purchase (its not in its final abode yet) around some long grass by 'stuff waiting to go to the tip' and got into our car for a visit to the pub.

I wont go on about Dinner as we went to the Old Mill and I chose the Vegetarian option as Pasta Bake with Broccoli and Stilton sounded lovely - it wasnt it was horrible. So I drowned my sorrows in too much white wine.

By the time we left the pub it was late and the mist was coming down. We had a quick coffee and some major reminiscing and then drove back to Treknow. It was black Misty and frightening and I began to wish I had had a little more to drink.

Monday 16th May - Heligan and Mevagissey

Monday dawned and looked like it should be a nice day so we went to my favourite place The Lost Gardens of Heligan. Luckily we got there quite early as everyone else appeared to have the same idea. After the requisite coffee we set off and had a stroll around the Lost valley its amazing how much it has grown over the years I remember them clearing the valley floor with some pigs a good few years back.

We went to the bird hide but although it was nice to see none of it was as exciting as my own bird feeders at home especially as there were lots of Rooks invading the feeding zone but for once no squirrels.

For the first time ever when we got to the Stewards house there wasnt a queue so I got to have lunch sat in the garden an Egg Mayonnaise Granary roll with a nice bottle of elderflower presse. We had some nice crisps which kept nearly blowing away.

I felt a bit sad and emotional here as I have always bought things for my mum and the whole day just reminded me of how much I missed her. Then when we went on to the Jungle I tried to take some photos of Bill he got very cross with me he hates having his photo taken and I was feeling quite sad anyway so had a tear or two good job I had my sunglasses on really.

I marvelled as ever at the Veg and Fruit gardens they have so much more room than us but then they also have a lot more gardeners.

We made the requisite trip into Mevagissey but aprt from a double Ice-cream and  a long walk up the Cliff Path it wasnt as good as it used to be because its so over commercialised now they are really spoiling a quaint old place.

Sunday in Cornwall

We have had such a fantastic day to day it couldnt be bettered. After a lesurely breakfast we drove out towards Newquay and visited the National Trust Trerice House and Gardens.

We strolled casually around the gardens stopped for coffee like you do and then on our way back across the lawns noticed this cute little bunny munching ita way through the herbaceous border.

After Trerice we drove back to Newquay to the south end of Fistral Beach. We walked down the dunes to Bodhis Bar for lunch and then walked all the way along to Towan Head and Back. No Ice-cream today it would have blown away. We were surprised by the number of new benches at Towan head all for surfers in their 20's and 30's so sad.

We finished the day off iwth a meal out in Tintagel. Unfortunately we chose King Arthurs Inn the decision being focussed on Pubs that do food on a Sunday without Sky Sports and not Child Friendly. Sorry folks but now I dont have to sit among smokers why should I sup wine and listen to some loud badly behaved child.

The meal I ordered was Beef and Ale Pie with Mash one of my favourites. I should have known the menu did not say Creamy Mash - it was tasteless mash no butter had been seen in its vicinity ever. The Pie was served up with its beef and gravy content (I use the term loosely) flowing across the plate with the beef looking like it had washed up on a beach in a pool of water. Yes it was beef and it was tender but rich gravy I think not. Wishy washy and insipid yes and when the beef had last met ale I struggle to comprehend maybe when it was frolicking on a hillside it spotted some picnickers with a large plastic bottle of cheap supermarket beer. The Beef was lying it had not seen Ale.

Hmmh maybe my failing eyesight misread it maybe it was Beef and Al Pie?

So the restaurant did not rate dessert consumption we bought Peanuts and Popcorn and went home to sit on the sofa with Guinness and Leminade.