Boswinger camping trip

Friday 26 July to Sunday 4 August

It is hard to write an entertaining blog after the event, that is my excuse for last weeks’ blog.  Our week with Karen, Dave, Jack and Lola (and don’t forget Noodle) at Seaview International campground in Boswinger, Cornwall panned out like this:

Friday – drove the hour from Saltash to Boswinger in our little red car packed to full capacity.  Friends of Karen and Dave’s ‘Lily, Clayton and their kids Blue, Arthur and William’ were also camping so after we set up camp we spent the late afternoon lying in the sun chatting with them, drinking vino and eating crips (aka potato chips).

Relaxing after setting up camp

Saturday  – the whole gang walked to the local pub at Gorram down the narrow roadways – as cars approached we yelled ‘car car’ then went in single file.  We had to suck in our tummies so as not to be hit by the car’s side mirrors when they passed.  On our walk home we stopped at the donkey rescue for a pat, which the kids loved.  By the way who gave the kids the sweetie (lolly to you Aussies) whistles, Karen ?????  You know the ones that are really shrill when whistled.  We were encouraging the kids to bite them in half just to make the whistling stop.  Made another stop at one of the local farms to buy fresh fruit and vegetables for dinner.

Sign post at cross roads

Sunday - the weather has turned and it was a grey wet windy day.  Lily, Clayton and the kids left this morning.  The weekend has been a laugh with everyone.  Regardless of the weather we decided to visit a local beach at Gorram Haven, a 15-minute drive.  We sat on the beach in our wet weather gear under the sun (come rain) shelter watching Jack and Lola frolic in the water.  Had afternoon tea between showers at a café high on the hill overlooking the beach.  Karen and Dave had mackerel pate, a Cornish favourite.  Jim and I couldn’t come at even trying it. 

Monday  - before we went to Spain we went to Jack and Lola’s school for a fundraising auction.  I won the bid for tickets to ‘The Lost Gardens of Heligan’ so today was the day we used the tickets, they are a ten-minute drive from our campsite.  The gardens were fantastic.  They belonged to the Tremayne family but went into ruins after WW1 when most of the family & gardeners was lost in the war.  The gardens were discovered in 1990 by a distant relative of the original Tremayne family and the restoration began.  The gardens are worth a Google search as the story is interesting and delightful.  The gardens overlooked the fishing village of Mevagissey, which we visited on Wednesday.

The mud maid at Heligan Gardens

Tuesday – the weather prediction for today was wet wet wet so we decided to spend the day in Truro, an hour’s drive away.  Truro has an amazing cathedral.  Jim had a quick look inside, long enough to take photos.  Karen, the kids and myself spent a quite a while looking around.  The kids were asking many questions about God and death etc – I let Karen deal with that.  After a yummy lunch at an art and craft shop come restaurant we looked around the shops.  It was the same chain of shops in all the towns and villages we have come across our travels. 

Jim has had a fixation about badgers since we arrived in the UK.  I guess it is similar to people coming to Australia and wanting to see kangaroos and wombats in the wild.  We have seen a few dead ones on the side of the road.  Lola saw a miniature badger at the craft shop and wanted to buy it for Jim.  It now sits on the dashboard of the car.

Wednesday – the weather remains wet and windy so we gear up again in our wet weather walking gear and walk the half hour down to the local beach ‘Hemmick’.  The coastline is wild and rural like southern Victoria.  We can’t believe our eyes when we reach the beach a Dad and his daughter are swimming in the ocean whilst Mum and the other daughter are hiding in the sun (come rain) shelter.  We search for sea glass and walk along the beach before walking back up the hill to the campground.  It was now lunchtime, the rain has stopped but the sky is still overcast and grey so we decide to drive  to Mevagissey (the fishing village we saw from Heligan).  Jim and I have come to enjoy boat, train and bus tours so lucky for us fishing boats are doing harbour trips for a half hour for 4GBP ($6) each, what a bargain.  Finished off the day trip with the obligatory ice-cream cone – all part of what the English fishing villages have on offer.

Karen & Jim walking down to Hemmick Beach

Hemmick Beach

Mevagissey Harbour - the boat we went on harbour tour

Thursday – our last day at Boswinger.  The day starts out wet again but by mid morning it has stopped drizzling so we pack up the kids and head to another local beach ‘Caerhays’.  Karen and the kids go in for a swim dressed in their wet suits while I walk Noodle along the beach dressed in my rain jacket but at least I have replaced my jeans with ¾ length pants.  The beach is packed with families, and their sun (come rain) shelters and wind fences.  I don’t think I have mentioned the wind fences before.  Most people set them up around their spots on the beach and campgrounds to help protect them against the elements.  It is a great idea just looks odd to us when we are not use to it.

Friday – packed up and drove back to Karen and Dave’s, spent the afternoon unpacking and washing.  Went to Mel’s birthday party, a friend of K&D – we met her at the Lansallos camp trip.  She lives on the banks of the River Tamar.  It was a stormy night, spectacular night sky over the water.  The theme of the party ‘Ship wrecked’ how appropriate considering the weather.

Saturday – restful morning at K&D’s.  The weather remains wet and gloomy but the kids need to exercise so once again we put on our wet weather gear and take the kids to a river closely for a walk with Noodle.  Dave and Jim elect to stay at home, I know you find that hard to believe.

 

Sunday – we say goodbye to K&D and the kids and head across the Dartmouth Moors to make our way to Porlock, Somerset where we will spend the next four days having a look around the coast and Exmoor National Park.

PS.  San Sebastian photos are now loaded on Flickr.  We’ll load the camping photos by the end of the week.  It will be easier to load when we are at our house sit in Abinger Common.  We will arrive there on Wednesday evening.