Polgoon, Penlee and Penzance

One of the Cornish days was just spent around and about Penzance. With a day visit from Lynne (dovegreyreader) we all three enjoyed a lovely sunny visit to Penlee Gallery “The artistic heart of West Cornwall’s history”. There’s a nice cafe where we had lunch before wandering around the galleries.

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Zennor Head and Lower Tregerthen

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A couple of years ago I read the late Helen Dunmore’s fictional account of the time D.H.Lawrence and his wife Frieda spent in Cornwall during the First World War. “Zennor in Darkness“. Thus I was intrigued to visit this village : to walk to Zennor Head and back and take in the cottages at Lower Tregerthen both a mile or so out of the village in different directions. The bus service in winter runs roughly every three hours but I found arriving at 12.08 and leaving at 14.52 gave me sufficient time to do both walks there and back; to visit the pub The Tinners Arms for fresh crab sandwiches and local apple cider and to call in at the church to see the famous mermaid carving which I had also read about.

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Cornwall’s Tin Coast : Exploring Botallack

Right at the very end of Cornwall, just to the north of Lands End, lies The Tin Coast a seven mile stretch of coast with a rich mining history. It’s part of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape, inscribed in 2006, UNESCO World Heritage Site.

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Newquay Walks in Sunshine : Huer’s Hut

Whilst at Penzance, staying at The Second Floor Flat at The Egyptian House on Chapel Street, I chose to read from the Library Lucinda Lambton’s ‘An Album of Curious Houses’ . I wasn’t surprised to see The Egyptian House featured. It’s certainly a curiosity amongst the other buildings of Chapel Street. Continue reading

Newquay Walks in Sunshine : Fistral Beach and Pentire Head

From the moment I first arrived in Newquay two Sundays ago I was mesmerised by the view. I’d booked a week’s stay in Penzance (Monday to Monday) but flew down from Leeds on the Sunday before staying the night at Fistral Beach. I’d never visited Newquay before. I certainly saw it at its best with this beautiful weather. I stayed overnight again the following Monday – same place, same views. On both occasions my timings meant that I had over 24 hours for each stay and plenty of time to investigate the cliff paths and seafoods and ice creams on offer.

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A Flying Visit to Northumberland

Adderstone is the name of my friend’s cottage in Northumberland. It’s situated just off the A1 on the road to the coast at Bamburgh. I’m just home from a brief stay and I must say that, despite flurries of snow at lunchtime today and a shower yesterday morning, we had better weather than I’ve had on multiple visits to this part of the country in previous years and which were always in late June or early July.

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Stenshuvuds National Park : a Biodiversity Gem in Österlen

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Most of our walk along the Österlen Way was along pretty level paths – always looking out for those orange route markers (sometimes just a dash of paint on a post)  to confirm we were on the right track – mostly hugging the coastline but as we neared the end we had to pass through Stenshuvud National Park (Stenshuvud Naturrum). Here there were good facilities and plenty of printed information in English.

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