We think that Cornwall for us is getting like the Allan Sherman song – Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh’. For anyone too young to remember this is a parody song set to a jolly operatic tune based upon a letter being written from a boy to his parents from a summer camp. It lists all the reasons why he hates the camp and everything he would do in order to be able to be allowed home early. But then at the end of the song the sun comes out and everything seems better, and he asks his parents to disregard the letter.
Cornwall has been like that for us. But now the weather has broken, and we are working our ways around the challenges it doesn’t seem so bad in fact it is seems rather good.
This morning our aim was to be on the road by 9.15am and we managed to beat that target. It was an easy drive to our booked destination of the day ‘The Lost Gardens of Heligan’. This was a place we had enjoyed back in 1999 and we were eager to see how much more of the grounds had been rediscovered. Our ticket had been booked for 10.30am but when we arrived just before 10am we were allowed in without any issue.
Once inside the grounds we headed for the formal gardens to begin with. They were really pretty despite some of the plants being almost at the end of their flowering season. Another thing of interest was the only surviving Pineapple pit in Europe and they contained some plants with very large Pineapples on them. We were also pleased by the apparent lack of people who were around at the moment. These gardens didn’t seem to take that long to walk round, and I was starting to worry we might be finished by 11am.
We decided to head towards The Jungle area of the estate despite a warning of very steep slopes. As we did so we came across the Stewards House café and decided we were ready for a break first. Some £11+ later I emerged with some drinks and hot sausage rolls to fortify us. It was lovely sitting outside in the sun for a while and we soon got chatting to a couple at the next table who were from Sheffield and camping with their family on the north coast.
We tore ourselves away to tackle the walk around The Jungle and I can confirm the path is very steep. It was difficult to walk down and even more so to walk up. However, we were rewarded by the stunning Jungle like planting in the valley. As part of it there was long proper rope bridge but as there was a 20-minute wait to cross it we took the detour to bypass it and carried on. We impressed ourselves on the climb back up by only having to stop just once.
Back at the top we returned to the café and were lucky to find a table as the gardens were getting noticeably busier. We sat for a while and ate the pack up Karen had prepared.
By now it was 1pm and the advertised live music event was starting on the nearby lawn. We wandered over and the 4-piece group were rather strange but in a weirdly good way. They combined their own Capella arrangements of well-known songs with a double bass and organ. It was all rather melodic. There were plastic mats laid out and we found a free one and laid down to listen. There were lovely fluffy white clouds crossing the blue sky and it was all rather blissful listening to versions of “All about the Bass” and “Moonlight Shadow”.
All too soon their set ended, we started to make our way back up to the exit. As we did so we realised we hadn’t explored any of the Woodland walk and so instead headed off to take a look at that before leaving. Then it was really time to leave. We had been very impressed by Heligan and would recommend it for a visit. It was now very well thought out and had large areas set out for children play which our boys would have appreciated back in 1999. There were 6 very different food outlets which although pricey looked as though the quality was decent.
It was still too early to go back so with some trepidation we thought we would head the 3 miles to Mevagissey fully expecting it to be too full with no parking. I had googled it previously and they stated they had ample parking available, but we were not confident it would could with the current crowds.
How wrong we were. The place was very busy but there was parking available. Delightedly for a change I paid the £3 payment for 2 hours and we set off to have a look around. The streets were busy but not stupidly so and it was easy to avoid other people.
Down at the port we looked around and were impressed by what we saw. This was picture card Cornwall with the fishing boats and the colourful village stretching back up the steep cliffs. It was delighful.
Karen needed a drink and she bought some from a pasty shop along with 2 of the freshest tastiest scones that we sat and ate perched on a rock overlooking the boats bustling about the harbour.
We walked further out and sat on the harbour wall in the sun for a while. This was the first day it really felt like we were on holiday.
Even the drive back to the annex was good. There was virtually no traffic on the road for the first time and it was a nice drive. One of the things I do have to say about Cornwall’s main roads is that they do love a roundabout. Even more than that and why have one when you can have two, they do love a double roundabout. There do seem to be an unnecessary amount of them.
Back in the annex we chilled for a while before Karen cooked our M&S meal deal and jolly nice it was too. We then settled down and watched one of the later Harry Potter movies that ITV were showing.
Cornwall – bravo. After much cajoling you see you can do it. Well done, we have had a really good day. Thank you.
