Cornwall

Cornwall in Spring is pretty - magnolias, rhododendrons, camellias, tulips, blackwood (little white flower) buttercups, grape hyacinths, dandelions and gorse.  I am amazed I still take photos of gorse - but in little shrubs like it grows here it is really quite pretty and provides a colourful contrast.  Lizard Point is the southern most tip of England.  We started our Saturday excursion by walking from the Lizard township to Kynance Cove.  Our map said turn right so we did into a muddy field and after a 100 metres thought we were going in the wrong direction.  Retracking our steps we found a friendly couple with another map who we followed along the path (on top of a stone wall), through a thicket (thick scrub), around and through lots of muddy puddles and up a hill before they admitted they were lost as well.  Forgetting maps and using initiative we eventually found the coastline - spectacular cliff top views.   Kynance Cove was a few hundred metres along - we had timed it for low tide so we could scramble across the rocks (with lots of serpentine embedded in them - similar to greenstone except it has red and white veins running through it), play in the golden sand and explore the caves in safety.  We heard the blow holes but could only see the misty spray and then sat at the cafe at the top of the hill with a pot of tea and chunk of carrot cake.  I could imagine Prince Albert and the little princes and princesses playing in the sand back in the 1860's when they visited. Revived we scrambled over more rocks, up and down steps to Lizard Head where bird watchers were looking out for the rare Cornwall Chough - we really don't know how to pronounce the name of this black bird with a red beak but enjoyed guessing as we wandering along the cliff tops - choff, chow, cho, coff, coe - the fun conversations we have!  There is a lighthouse not far away, but by then we had been on our feet for over 4 hours and couldn't be bothered exploring - the path marked 'car park' was far more tempting!! However, reading that the light can be seen 100 miles on a clear night and the fog horn 14 miles away I imagine residents have some pretty sleepless nights. The spring flowers were out in splendour but it was a bit early for the Hottentot Fig.  If the plant cascading down the stone walls and cliffs was the fig then it is similar to what Mum always called an ice plant - it has a pretty pink flower with a yellow centre.  It really would look a  picture when fully out.

We drove over to St Ives for dinner - we have been here before but it was summer time and teeming with people - a popular holiday resort.  So it was rather nice going for a walk on the beach and around the town without walking shoulder to shoulder with others.

On Sunday we headed for Port Isaac, a lovely little fishing village perched on the side of cliffs that form a narrow harbour.  It is where Doc Martin is filmed - but we get the impression locals don't necesssarily appreciate all the extra attention the town has been getting as a result!!  There is some lovely pottery and little touristy shops (one housed in the old Methodist church still complete with organ and stained glass windows).  After walking down to the waters edge, taking an expectant look in the rock pools and  taking some photos of the town and places the filming took place (school, restaurant, Doc Martins house etc) we went for a short walk up the hill and through the countryside (here we found a little stream with lots more mud which reminded me a bit more of home).  We lunched outside but the sun had gone behind a big cloud and the wind came up so it wasn't as pleasant as we hoped it might be.