Cornwall then
Cornwall was lovely.
I’d been down there twice before, once as a sulky teenager on a family break in Mevagissy, and once on a geology field trip.
The family holiday I remember very little of. I suspect this is because I was stroppy and sulky and antisocial and generally horrible to be around and I’ve blocked the whole thing from memory.
The a level geology field trip was mainly spent on beaches in the rain, mapping the layers and taking notes on the folds, or down mines. Actually, it was probably only one mine, but quite frankly that’s enough.
This trip was different. This was a few days relaxing by ourselves as a treat after lots of rushing around.
We stayed in Lostwithiel, a lovely little village with a pretty river to walk along and a surfeit of delicious places to eat. With only 2 full days we had to be selective about what we did, and I’m very happy with our choices.
We spent a day at the Lost Gardens of Heligan, which were beautiful and fascinating and I can’t recommend them enough as a day out. I’m halfway through the book written about the history of the gardens and their restoration and it’s really interesting.
The Jungle
Mud Maid
Giant Head
Our second day we decided to spend exploring some of Cornwall, ignoring the pull of the nearby Eden Project.
We started off in the little port of Mevagissey for a walk up above the harbour and to see if we could find where Merry lived.*
Then we headed off to just outside of Fowey, for a hike along the cliffs by Menabilly, the house that Daphne du Maurier lived in for a while, down and around to Coombe Farm.
Coombe Haven, a smugglers cove that I have no photos of because as we walked by it was playing host to a naked elderly man stood up to his knees in the sea.
While in Mevagissey we’d cunningly bought our lunch: pasties.
Cheese and onion pasty, and a chick pea and cumin one that was delicious. I now want to make everything into pasties.
After our big long walk it was time for a treat, so we headed into Fowey for high tea:
The Dwelling House is a grade 2 listed property, and serve absolutely fabulous teas and cakes. High tea in the garden was a delight.
I think next time we visit Cornwall we’ll be heading back there. I may have to diet first.
*Mevagissey is the model for Trewissick in The Dark is Rising books by Susan Cooper.
That all looks so enchanting! Mevagissey is so pretty - and aren’t Cornish place names wonderful?! The pasties and tea & cakes look yummy too. Great photos and it sounds like you had a good trip :)
20 Jul 2008 at 9:55 pm
First Manderly and now The Dark is Rising! You literati tourista, you! I’m jealous! Mainly of the tea set, too. I had a random moment to wonder if only tea shops have those three-tiered cake plates, or do normal people have them too? (I count myself as completely ABnormal, and am a proud owner of one now! Haven’t used it yet, but I can screw it all together and look at it with INTENT!)
And YEAH for pasties. We just made another stab tonight at making a pastry for those things that isn’t too oily, and I think I’m ready to start experimenting with fillings now. Yum.
Glad you guys had a nice, restful trip. I’m SO going to that garden someday.
20 Jul 2008 at 10:04 pm
This mention of the old naked man in the sea fascinates me.
I understand why no photographs were taken, what with the double horror of old age and sea-shrinkage. I’m trying to imagine it but my brain is showing me an onion lost in the darkness at the back of the cupboard and that’s as far as it will allow me to go.
Glad y’all had a good time anyway. The photographs have been entertaining.
How is the height of a tea measured anyway? Cake and bun tiers? “This is clearly a level 3 high tea. You’d sure better be licensed for level 3 high teas.”
20 Jul 2008 at 10:56 pm
We had tea at The Dwelling House at Fowey this summer.We could tell just by looking through the window that this was a place worth waiting for.And we did wait until tables became available, for about 20 minutes.It was like 2 living rooms with odd tables and chairs and lovely vintage cake stands carrying high teas,clotted cream scones,and delicious cakes.There were also speciality teas and wonderful japanese teapots to serve it in.Cream teas and plum and almond cake,warm with clotted cream were chosen,and a beautiful souchong tea for me.The standard tea was served with plenty of extra hot water and the teapots had a little doily round their spouts to catch the odd drip.Well worth the wait, an extra special treat for those who like good tea and cake.
06 Sep 2008 at 12:22 pm