Another welcome visit from daughter and grand daughter…always nice to see them of course, but as with any visitors it encourages you to get out and about…not that we need any encouragement, but I don’t think we would have visited Lappa Valley theme park and zoo without grand daughter being here! Apart from adventure things there is a train which circuits the park, indoor things to do and some really lovely animals to see and pat…we really loved the shire horses and the Gloucester Old Spot pigs. Everything seemed healthy and well-cared for which is great to see. After the excitement of Lappa it was therapeutic to then traipse off to the sands and enjoy the things you

do at the sea-side including in this case exploring caves……

Another day, another treat and I haven’t enjoyed myself so much in a long time…we drove to Babbacombe and there visited the quite marvellous model village which is extensive and set in a bowl in the hills which is both lush and pretty.

Not only was it fascinating to see period details, and see working models in terms of trains, fire brigade action in putting out a fire to a thatched roof (!), but there was also opportunity to have a go yourself…I can’t wait to go again and was only sorry we couldn’t return in the evening to see the whole thing at night. I think the others enjoyed it too!

On the way home Dartmouth wasn’t too much of a diversion and an opportunity to buy and have a picnic looking over the estuary. We used to own a fruit and veg shop ‘Crisp and Green’ here, and whenever we return I wonder why we left. But in truth we had bigger things in mind plus, when strolling along the harbour in the morning having bought my newspaper and dodging the shirt-sleeved holidaymakers, I could never make my mind up whether I was working or on holiday myself, a strange and unsettling feeling.

On the last day of the visit, we took Katherine and Aiisha on our short walk along the coastal path to the Black Rock cafe and beach. Short, but not short with a 3 year-old in tow. Anyway once more we enjoyed the delights of the seaside including an ice-cream of course.

Mind you it can all be a little tiring….

Another visit to the NT’s Cothele where not only do we love the house and gardens but we like the shop where we have bought several things made by local artists. And this time we found the folly on top of the hill at the rear of the property. A most impressive triangular tower where to climb it you have to use some of the wind-up torches provided by the NT. When you reach the top and stand on the roof the views are spectacular.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gardens were wonderful at this time of year. We enjoyed the cut flower garden where the gardeners were picking for the house bouquets, and the yellow garden (as well as the white and other colours!)…..

and, on this visit the apples were to be seen on the trees in the orchard full of old Cornish varieties….this used to be a very important market garden area supplying London on a daily basis. We also wandered down to Cotehele quay for our picnic lunch by the river, and to look into the fascinating museum about Cotehele’s industrial past…the restored old quay master’s office was particularly atmospheric.

A long weekend in London, and we went with David and Jennifer to Richmond. The site of Richmond Palace was particularly interesting to me as I was in the middle of reading Wolf Hall again and it was of course the favourite palace of most of the Tudors. Some lovely bijou houses around there as well..

Then a stroll along the Thames and an ice-creambrought a lovely day out to a close…

The following day was mainly a day of window shopping in central London, which I love to do as the window displays themselves are so much better than you find anywhere else. We were particularly taken with the windows of Selfridges and their Shakespearian theme..how imaginative they were. And I can never think of Selfridges without thinking back to the biography of the original Mr Selfridge, and the times when, bankrupt, and having been kicked off the Board of the retail empire he founded and built, he used to shuffle past the London store in his old clothes and look longingly at the windows himself. How are the mighty fallen………..

 

More painting the last few days must call for a reward, and this time it’s a day in Padstow with a picnic. We walked this time Westwards from the town towards the bay entrance and found ourselves a nice quiet little picnic spot. Having added to our little feast with some pastries from Rick Stein’s in town, we were well set for an enjoyable lunch al fresco…

And,of course, the further you walk the fewer people there are generally speaking. In fact the sands are so extensive on both sides of the estuary at Padstow that you can always find a quiet spot. Here F. is looking towards the old life-boat station where there is apparently a lovely afternoon tea rooms…and not a person to be seen as you can see…

On the way back looking towards where the ferry operates between Padstow and Rock, you can see how the estuary will virtually become all golden sand at low tide…..here the tide is about half-way out. A brilliant painting-free day…….must be repeated.

 

 

As a reward for all that painting, a trip today to St Ives. This is the view looking West from just outside the station, and here is the view in the opposite direction looking towards the harbour and island.

At the height of summer, St Ives is transformed….

But we can always seemingly get a place at our favourite restaurant..Porthmeor beach cafe, whose menu shows quirky shots of the location in times past (including when it was the site for a big gasometer), and the view is sensational…..

 

More grey paint. It will be good when it is finished or so we tell ourselves! My aim is to paint the whole of the interior walls and woodwork to make the house ours…

Mind you it isn’t all going to be grey…

Instead of our usual walk from Looe to Hannafore and back we decided today to go eastwards rather than west. So we ascended the very steep hill in East Looe until we got to a point where we had a very good view of the beach below. We then walked along the SW Coast Path passing some very swish houses on the way…this is obviously the better end of Looe!

After passing the little beach at Plaidy full of stored surfboards we went on to Black Rock beach at Millendreath where we discovered a valley site with many beach bungalows. Chatting to a lady there we found that these had been built as Miners’ holiday homes, but then sold and this site developed as a ‘holiday village’. All seemed well-kept and the area as a whole did not seem ‘spoilt’.

Anyway there is now a very well reviewed cafe there where we availed ourselves of coffees on this occasion. Great menu (‘artisan food’) and loads of people there on this fine day. The Black Rock Cafe  also has a marvellously sited bar to which we must return at the end of a boardwalk….

On the way back even sunnier with more fine views and when we got to the spot where we could see Looe beach again, how busy it was (just like Blackpool as we Northerners say).

Such a nice day when we got back that I decided to make a start on converting the 2 porcelain sinks I had bought in Devon the other week to tufa ones……

And, thank goodness our kitchen was finally finished this week, apart from the floor and putting up a blind maybe. Weeks of dust and hassle well worth it!

As this was the close of Regatta week in Fowey there were due to be fireworks, and we duly went to the Fowey Hotel from where we had a grandstand view for the price of a couple of drinks. It was a very impressive display, but how could it not in such a wonderful setting?Next year we will take full advantage of the various festivals and regattas in Cornwall, but this year we are just feeling our way…

I don’t think I have mentioned Truro yet. Our visit today was to Boscawen park in particular where we sat on the grass in the sun and listened to a brass band concert. A memorable experience. The brass band wasn’t the absolute best it has to be said, but that didn’t take away from the afternoon and there are a variety of bands throughout the Summer….Truro by the way is Cornwall’s only city and a super place for shopping with chains and loads of independents. It also sits on the river at a tidal point so you can take trips down to Falmouth on the river boats.

In spite of its early history, few very old buildings remain today and most of the town centre dates from Truro’s Georgian, Regency and Victorian heyday. Many fine examples of 18th century architecture may be found in Princes Street, notably the Mansion House and Princes House. There are also many fine Georgian houses to be seen on Lemon Street, which climbs up from the city centre to the Lander Memorial. It also has a fine modern cathedral. As a bit of a throwback to medieval times water channels or ‘kennels’ here burble along some of the city centre streets..another charming feature.

My birthday, so I chose the Talland Bay Hotel, my favourite. It’s only 15 minutes away so that’s a big advantage. As I have mentioned I love everything about it, especially all its quirky art inside and out…

One very good thing about Cornwall is its lushness (partly attributable to the rain, of course, but also due to its ambient temperature and coastal position). And one flower I particularly like and you see a lot of down here is the Agapanthus…

If you go to the Talland Bay blog they have a discussion of their art and sculpture in the January 2017 entry…well worth a look. As well as a stream of glowing TripAdvisor reviews from enthusiastic guests, several celebrity visitors have fallen for Talland Bay’s charms, among them Chris Evans and Dame Judi Dench. Retail guru and TV personality Mary Portas, whose mission is improving customer service on the high street observed, “Talland Bay Hotel is a crazy, fabulous, uplifting experience, with food and service to match. It’s my haven when in Cornwall.” So, we’re in good company.