ROSELAND RAMBLE 1..
My love for Cornwall`s Roseland Peninsula is well documented in these pages, so for me to return to that subject again smacks of acute self-indulgence. But I make no apology for that and as I bask in the hottest day of the year so far, my mind goes back to four weeks ago today when we made the long journey home, leaving the Roseland behind, at least until next time.
Now we`ve been to Rosevine, close to Portscatho on the Peninsula, lots of times and each time we leave I can`t wait to get back there. It`s one of just a handful of places where I feel `right` and comfortable and free and at peace with the world we live in.
So, having handed out a self-indulgence alert and quite probably for my benefit only, I just want to describe one of our favourite Roseland rambles. It goes like this...........
Park the car at St. Anthony`s Head (Point 3 on the map) and wander down the hill to meet up with the South West Coast Path. Follow the path down past the old paraffin store for the lighthouse and cross the bridge (newly rebuilt after the winter storms) and drop down to Molunan beach which is really only safely accessible by a rope alongside the cliff.....but the solitude and the feel of the secret beach is well worth the effort of clambering down.
After climbing back to the coast path, via the rope, follow the path along through the pines on Carricknath Point, where the path turns right and where there`s a handy seat looking out on the enchanting views across Carrick Roads to Falmouth and across to St. Mawes. The path skirts the shoreline before going uphill and down to an estate track that leads to St. Anthony`s Church. (Point 2)
Now those who know me also know that my conviction concerning religion is limited to a philosophy that if/when I get up there and discover it`s all true after all, then I`ll be the first to apologise for having had any doubts. However, possibly as a little insurance against that fateful day, I have also held a long fascination with church architecture and at the remote church of St. Anthony`s you come across "the best example in the county of what a parish church was like in the 12th and 13th centuries," according to Pevsner.
The glory of the church, apart from its setting alongside Place House, is the crossover, which survives from the original 13th century building. I managed to take this photograph of it by lying flat on my back on the floor and pointing my camera up to the crossover, so it might not quite do it justice and I was nervous of being discovered in a `compromising position.`
After that, a wander down to Place Quay (Point 1) is worth it for the view across to Cellars beach and St. Mawes and then there are choices about the way back to the car. We have done the shortest way up the lane to the `military road` which leads back to St. Anthony`s Head and although it`s a pleasant wander, it`s still a road, so last month we opted to go back the way we had come. At my pace, the whole thing took about four hours as there is so much to stop and admire so I was looking forward to visiting the excellent cafe back at the car park, only to discover that it was closed - divine retribution perhaps?
It`s entirely possible that I might bore you with a few more Roseland Rambles but, for me at least, their memories bring some escape from a world of turmoil and uncertainty and that, I guess, is what self-indulgence is all about.
Now we`ve been to Rosevine, close to Portscatho on the Peninsula, lots of times and each time we leave I can`t wait to get back there. It`s one of just a handful of places where I feel `right` and comfortable and free and at peace with the world we live in.
So, having handed out a self-indulgence alert and quite probably for my benefit only, I just want to describe one of our favourite Roseland rambles. It goes like this...........
Park the car at St. Anthony`s Head (Point 3 on the map) and wander down the hill to meet up with the South West Coast Path. Follow the path down past the old paraffin store for the lighthouse and cross the bridge (newly rebuilt after the winter storms) and drop down to Molunan beach which is really only safely accessible by a rope alongside the cliff.....but the solitude and the feel of the secret beach is well worth the effort of clambering down.
After climbing back to the coast path, via the rope, follow the path along through the pines on Carricknath Point, where the path turns right and where there`s a handy seat looking out on the enchanting views across Carrick Roads to Falmouth and across to St. Mawes. The path skirts the shoreline before going uphill and down to an estate track that leads to St. Anthony`s Church. (Point 2)
Now those who know me also know that my conviction concerning religion is limited to a philosophy that if/when I get up there and discover it`s all true after all, then I`ll be the first to apologise for having had any doubts. However, possibly as a little insurance against that fateful day, I have also held a long fascination with church architecture and at the remote church of St. Anthony`s you come across "the best example in the county of what a parish church was like in the 12th and 13th centuries," according to Pevsner.
The glory of the church, apart from its setting alongside Place House, is the crossover, which survives from the original 13th century building. I managed to take this photograph of it by lying flat on my back on the floor and pointing my camera up to the crossover, so it might not quite do it justice and I was nervous of being discovered in a `compromising position.`
After that, a wander down to Place Quay (Point 1) is worth it for the view across to Cellars beach and St. Mawes and then there are choices about the way back to the car. We have done the shortest way up the lane to the `military road` which leads back to St. Anthony`s Head and although it`s a pleasant wander, it`s still a road, so last month we opted to go back the way we had come. At my pace, the whole thing took about four hours as there is so much to stop and admire so I was looking forward to visiting the excellent cafe back at the car park, only to discover that it was closed - divine retribution perhaps?
It`s entirely possible that I might bore you with a few more Roseland Rambles but, for me at least, their memories bring some escape from a world of turmoil and uncertainty and that, I guess, is what self-indulgence is all about.
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