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.
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.












































