Godolphin - Thursday 25 May

 

Our trip to the west of Cornwall today began with a visit to Godolphin House - or rather to the gardens and grounds, as the house is now a National Trust holiday let and only open a few days a month.

 

We were able to walk under the colonnade and peek into the courtyard though..

 

Then off to the side garden via the cider apple orchard..

 

The garden was created to surround the original house - built in the early 14th century at a time when it was more common for houses to be surrounded with fortifications rather than a neat layout of garden squares.

When the current house was built, in 1475, the aspect was changed but the gardens remained and so in the side garden and the King's walled garden there are paths which have been walked for over 700 years.

 

There was much to see in the well stocked herbaceous borders and even in the surrounding walls and pathways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newlyn Harbour - Saturday 27 May

 

Our final stop on Thursday's tour in the west of Cornwall was Newlyn.  

Having driven along the coast road from Porthleven, admiring the calm water in Mounts Bay and St Michael's Mount, we parked on the hill in Newlyn near where Mum's paternal grandparents kept a shop when she was growing up.

 

Some views from this point have changed little over the years - the medieval Harbour wall in the foreground and slip.

 

Looking into the main part of the Harbour it is very busy with fishing boats ready to go out and larger ships to refrigerate and transport the fish.

 

Back at Treyarnon another beautiful sunset - this time viewed from the balcony of the cottage..

 

Then the following morning a bright fresh day, sunshine and an almost empty beach - a perfect start to a Bank Holiday Weekend for those starting their break.

 

Porthleven

 

Our trip west yesterday continued with a visit to Porthleven - looking picture-postcard pretty in the sunshine and with the Harbour full of 'blue' water!  (The ice-cream was good too - this was 'two scoops in a tub' - the young lady serving it told me that she loved ice cream and promptly doubled the scoops!)

 

We found a cool if a little hard seat for Mum st the entrance to the inner Harbour.

 

 

From the harbour we drove along to the Institute and up the cliff road, heading out towards the path to the Loe Pool.

 

The flowers on the walls in the afternoon sunshine were beautiful, especially the Hottentot Fig and of course the Thrift.

 

 

A small blue butterfly was also enjoying the blooms.

 

On the Beach

 

Andrew and Jan had to leave today.  This morning's tide was very low and so we went for a walk on the beach (and posed for a few photos)

 

We explored rock pools - small -

 

- and large..

There are unusual patterns and indentations in the rock

 

The low tide revealed lots more rocks and pools than we had seen before.

 

 

This was probably the most tempting looking rock pool but it was deep!

 

This is the rocky channel between the end of the headland and what looks at high tide like an island.,

 

Andrew's photo from above taken yesterday afternoon at high tide..

 

Andrew also photographed this extraordinary sea anemone this morning..

 

..and this sunny shot as we left the beach.

 

Cornish Mist

 

A thick layer of drizzly mist blanketed the beach this morning - and for most of the day.  Apart from a few intrepid surfers later in the day as the tide came in and some walkers on the coast path, all was quiet.

 

Jan and I walked around the coast path to Constantine Bay - passing this large rock pool/natural swimming pool en route.

 

At Constantine, plenty of beach available.  I only remember visiting once before.  It was a memorable occasion but I couldn't quite work out where on the beach we had been.

 

We walked along the tide line.  Lots of limpet shells.

 

A few quick photos, then back again..

 

 

Out and About

 

Beautiful sunshine this morning and so we headed to Padstow for a wander around.

 

It was busy!  We did the circuit of the Harbour and a few shops and coffee then retreated back to Treyarnon with our haul of Rick Stein pasties kindly bought for us by Andrew.

 

By the time we got back a chilly mist had rolled down over the coast and the sky looked somewhat different.

 

It cheered up again later in the afternoon and we walked down on the beach..

 

Quite a trek after a walk around Padstow too!

 

This evening a final outing to The Cornish Arms.  As we waited for a table this view out of the window and across the road to a field gate caught my eye.  If only I could paint...