Well - since lockdown ended there's no stopping us. Off to the West Country before it gets jam-packed with all the "staycationers" this year. We managed to arrange for a 2nd covid jab enroute at Taunton Racecourse, the vaccination centre being a 15 minute walk across the fields from Cornish Farm, a site we know well. An easy journey down, stopping for lunch at the very expensive Gloucester services, and a quick pitch up and relax at this immaculate site. The weather was cool but sunny so it was a very easy day. We had a little wander across to the racecourse to recce the route and discovered a delightful little church nestled down in a vale just behind the racetrack.
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| Taunton Racecourse |
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| St Michael's Church, Orchard Portman |
On Friday it was up, leisurely breakfast then a bimble across to be jabbed. This is a massive testing and inoculation centre and, as with all these places, incredibly well run. I was in, stabbed and out again in no time. After a little rest to see if there was any after effects, we took to the bikes to cycle into Taunton for a look around. It was quite busy. People are emerging from their long hibernation.
We'd left Saturday free in case there was any reaction to the vaccination but luckily there was none. We arranged to pop round to some old friends in Bishops Hull for a quick socially-distanced chat in their garden and cycled the 4.5 miles to their house in Bishop's Hull. We got lost a few times, but eventually got there. The weather was cold, windy and threatening rain, so we didn't stop too long. Luckily we got back before the heavens opened.
Sunday we continued the journey through Devon into Cornwall. The satnag threw another wobbly and took us a circuitous route out of Taunton, but it was very pretty. Stopping for provisions in Tescos in Wadebridge, we pulled up at the delightful Timaru campsite just outside Wadebridge where there was just us and 1 other caravan on this delightful spot. It is high - and it was very windy with regular showers, but we set up ok and relaxed for the rest of the day.
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| Timaru Campsite |
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| Friendly local at Timaru |
On Monday we took the bikes down the long hill to the Camel Trail, where we headed into Padstow for a pasty and to stock up with Gin. Padstow was very busy. I've never seen so many dogs. Goodness knows what it will be like in the height of summer but we were quite pleased to leave. Cycling along the trail in the strong winds and regular showers we visited Wadebridge. Not much to see there, so we headed back and up the long hill again to fight the wind trying to rip the large habitation and garage doors off of the van! It don't 'arf hurt when you get hit by one of them with a 30mph wind behind it! In all we cycled 15 miles and were knackered.
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| River Camel |
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| Padstow |
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| Tarquin's Gin |
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| Proper Job! |
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| Across the Camel Estuary |
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| Timaru |
Tuesday - The idea was to take to the bikes again and cycle along the camel trail to the camel valley vineyard, about 7 miles away. However, by the time we got ready and had breakfast the skies were turning black and the heavens opened for 2 hours of torrential rain. We went nowhere. eventually it stopped and we decided that we would postpone the outing until tomorrow, especially given that we were off-piste and had no hook up to charge the bike batteries. Instead we lazed about, chatted to the other campers (1 other van) and the owners, said hello to the goat and the pony had a little bimble around and then hit the booze.
Wednesday started out sunny and bright so we tried the cycle route again, pedalling along to the Camel Valley vineyard, where we stopped for a tasting or two. Their wines are very good indeed, so we had some more wine just as the heavens opened and it started raining. We had another glass whilst waiting for it to stop, but it didn't, so we went on, stopping for a pasty in a tea garden before completing the route in Bodmin. By now we were soaked through, so we headed for home, arriving as the rain eased. We cycled 25 miles that day.
Thursday it was time to leave the lovely site and head towards St Agnes Beacon Motorhome and Cackyvan Club site. We stopped for supplies at Tescos and dropped by Healey's cyder farm en-route. Nice place, but gave up trying to purchase anything as the service was appallingly slow and inefficient. Arriving at St Agnes, we had a quick walk to say hello to Wheal Coates before retiring to bed.
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| Healey's Cider Farm |
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| Wheal Coates, St Agnes |
Friday we walked around St Agnes Head, through St Agnes (stopping at the railway Tavern for lunch (so much friendlier and more efficient than the Driftwood Spars pub near the sea)), up and over the beacon and then home. We have lost a lot of fitness over lockdown and really felt all the bumps.
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| Trevaunace Cove |
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| Railway Tavern |
Sat 15th May - Followed the coast path through Chapel Porth and onto Porthtowan. Sunny day, lovely views, pretty flowers and a hedgehog Ice Cream
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| Chapel Porth |
On Sunday we watched Harlequins on the telly then had a very quick walk to Wheal Coates.
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| St Agnes Caravan Site |
On Mon 17th we decided to walk over the cliffs to Porthtowan and back along the sand at low tide as we'd seen people do this when we were walking over the tops on Saturday. We failed. We waited hours for the tide to go out, but it didn't go out far enough so we had to go back over the top. Bleedin' knackered when we got back!
On Tuesday we walked into Perranporth along the coast path. The first part through St Agnes was steep, but is was OK once we got on the long drag alongside Perranporth airport. Just as we arrived in Perranporth it threw it down again and the great hordes of unwashed fled the beach and headed for shelter. This put paid to our plans to find a nice quiet pub for a refreshing beer. That said, we found a bar that looked really tatty outside, but inside was brilliant. We spent a very happy few hours chatting to a couple from the Lake District before heading back on the bus, whose driver had an accent so thick we couldn't understand a word that he said.
On Wednesday we decided to cycle the back lanes to Perranporth and try and find somewhere for lunch. As expected, the so-called flat easy route was anything but, and we ended up cycling around 16 miles, stopping for a very average fish and chips and a pint in Perranporth.
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| Perranporth |
On Thursday the winds started to rise and when it is windy at St Agnes it is windy. 50mph gusts were expected and most people took their awnings in and braced for the storm. Luckily we moved on that day to the Merrose Farm site on the Roseland Peninsula where it was slightly more sheltered. In the high wind we walked along the coast path to Portscatho stopping for a drink at the splendid Hidden Hut. Portscatho is a pretty little village not yet ruined by tourist tat shops., albeit the one pub was hideously busy, so we didn't stop for a drink.
The following day featured very high winds again and frequent showers. We walked to the Hidden Hut for lunch (lovely haddock chowder) then stopped at the wonderful Curgurrel Farm Shop for some very fresh mackerel.
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| Haddock Chowder |
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| Caught that morning, cooked that evening |
On Saturday the weather was splendid so we set out for a very long walk along the coast path around St Anthony Head and then to catch the ferry across to St Mawes. It was a stunningly beautiful walk, albeit we were too early for pasties at the Hidden Hut for our lunch. After 9 miles of walking we didn't appreciate having to walk up yet another hill in order to avoid some rich poncy gits house, but we did find the wobbly ferry Quay and took the small, but very expensive 10 min crossing to St Mawes. St Mawes is a very attractive little place but very busy on a rare sunny day, so we took the bus back to the caravan site and had an ice cream there.
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| Towan Beach |
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| Place Ferry |
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| St Mawes |
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| Local Wildlife |
Sunday it peed down all day. It didn't stop. It was atrocious. We sat in, did some admin and recovered from the long march yesterday. We don't know what to think about Merrose. It's huge, unfriendly and regimented with 1 shower block serving loads of pitches, with only 3 in the block at a time due to covid, making them virtually unusable (but no reduction in fees of course). It is quiet at night and is close to a very good farm shop and the coast path, but not much else. Our thoughts are probably tainted by stopping at smaller sites previously, but don't think we would rush back here.
Monday and on to the campsite at the Lost Gardens of Heligan. This is a very nice site with a brand new amazing toilet block. Love the showers that turn on when you get near them, but how does the cleaner clean them? Took the opportunity to visit the lost gardens which, apparently, are still lost. On a cold wet day they are quite disappointing really, apart from the wonderful jungle area. Not worth the full admission price, but ok if you get 1/2 price tickets through the caravan club.
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| Heligan |
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| Lost Gardens |
Tuesday - yet more rain forecast. What a miserable May it has been and to think we packed shorts! We walked along the footpath into Mevagissey and managed to have a quick wander around before the rain started. Luckily we managed to get a booking into the Fountain for lunch. This is a great pub and we have very happy memories of great times here. The food was superb and, fortified, we braved the incessant rain for the soggy walk back.
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| Mevagissey |
Wednesday - little rain forecast for today, so we thought we would chance a voyage across St Austell Bay to Fowey. An early start, 2 mile tab into Meva, a quick sausage roll and all aboard. It was a lovely crossing, albeit the ferry was busy. We arrived in Fowey after 40 minutes or so and we spent a good few hours exploring this very pretty town, although the traffic in the narrow lanes is a right pain in the bottom. The ferry back was equally good, with the captain stopping so we could watch a Minke whale for a while. We met a very nice couple on the boat and ended up outside the brilliant Fountain pub for a few pints with them. Eventually we staggered up the hill to the van having walked about 10 miles.
Thursday we cycled into Pentewan for lunch then back along the very pretty Pentewan trail and a little detour up and down a couple of massive hills into Charlestown. A nice little place, we sat on the old weighbridge and ate waffles, although the plastic knives they gave us were not man enough for the task and we spread shattered plastic everywhere!
On Friday we cycled down the very steep track into Meva for some shopping, climbed back up (easier riding than walking) and then over to the hyper expensive farm shop outside the Lost Gardens for a few bits. We sat outside and enjoyed a rare bit of warm sunshine, trying to ignore the stupid people who think that their dogs' constant yapping is a delight for every listener. Selfish barstewards! Later on I said "I can't be bothered to cook - wouldn't it be good if a fish and chip van turned up" and, lo and behold.....
On Saturday we started the journey home, travelling to the C&MC site at Exeter Racecourse, where we found a massive pitch and sat and relaxed in the warm sunshine for the afternoon.
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| Exeter Racecourse Caravan Club site |
On Sunday, very early, with the mists billowing around the hills of South Devon, we headed for home and 5 hours later we landed and started the long, slow business of unpacking and washing.
In all, it was another great trip to the West Country, albeit the weather wasn't particularly nice. As we left it was getting busy with massive tailbacks on the M5 heading towards the West Country over the bank holiday. It is going to be hell down there this year.........
