It might be a bit obscure but I have become an avid watcher of `Cornish Walking Trails,` in which a very personable couple do what it says on their YouTube Channel - they go out walking around Cornwall and show the videos most weeks.  They are proper Cornish - they know the places to go to avoid the emmets and find the quieter places in that unrivalled part of the country.  (It helps that Andrew is a Saints fan and was once a ball boy at St. Mary`s.)

Their latest video showed their walk from Trevarrian to Mawgan Porth and then along past Beacon Cove towards the heights above Watergate Bay. Go on to You Tube and search for Cornish Walking Trails and you will be able to see it.  Trouble was that they were doing that walk during Storm Arwen which played quite a bit of havoc for them.   They managed Mawgan Port alright but when they attempted the stretch around Beacon Cove, the strength of the gale got the better of them which meant they had to abandon the last leg of their walk and make it safely back to Trevarrian.  So near and yet so far.

Quite a few years ago now we went to Mawgan Porth twice in one week.  On one occasion we had intended to walk from there to Bedruthan Steps along the coast path but we were ourselves driven back half way there by torrential rain.  But the second visit was more successful.  It was a beautiful early October day and we set off to do the walk shown on Cornish Walking Trails.  It was glorious and we managed to get all the way past Beacon Cove to the high ground overlooking Watergate Bay, where we stopped for a picnic.

I`ve dug out a couple of photos I took from that walk we did and it occurred to me that, if Sarah and Andrew had managed to overcome Storm Arwen, these are the sights they would have seen and enjoyed as much as we did.  Here`s Beacon Cove:-

....and here`s the view overlooking Watergate Bay.....

(Please click on photos for better images)

Maybe our friends from Cornish Walking Trails will try again another day...and it would be nice to think that we might do the same.  At least it`s cheered me up on this miserable, cold, dark December day.  

 

A SHREWD INVESTMENT ?

Quite a few years ago we had a two or three holidays in Carbis Bay in West Cornwall.  We stayed in a nice bungalow in Treloyhan Park Road which looked out across the bay towards Godrevy Lighthouse.  It was a pleasant stroll from there to St. Ives one way and to Carbis Bay itself the other way and just up the road there was a Tesco store in the most agreeable location imaginable - it also had a view of the sea and the neighbouring countryside - so all in all it was a good place to stay.

This week of course Carbis Bay is being taken over by the G7 meeting of heads of state from across the world and I have been catching up on events leading up to the summit by watching the BBC`s Spotlight programme for the south west each evening (channel 967 on Sky.)  And it is quite remarkable what`s going on down there - a ring of steel (literally) has been erected around the most sensitive bits of Carbis Bay and the two hotels which will be accommodating the world leaders;  there are navy vessels patrolling St. Ives Bay;  bits of the south west coast path are blocked off;  the railway service from St. Ives to St. Erth via Carbis Bay has stopped working and 5,000 police and hundreds of security personnel are guarding the area.

One wonders why on earth the G7 summit is being held in this idyllic holiday destination in the midst of the holiday season as well as the pandemic.  The question having been duly begged, it turns out that Boris Johnson used to go on holiday in his grandparents house in Carbis Bay, his Dad was born there and anyway Boris likes it.  But one wonders too what the native Cornish residents think of it all.

I guess some are putting up with it for the economic benefits it will bring but I suspect that the majority of Cornish folk simply view it as yet another invasion by `emmets.`  I first came across the `emmet` label on another visit to Cornwall - this time to the fishing village of Cadgwith where I saw the sign pictured above on one of the cars in the village car park.  It struck me that a Cornishman was making it clear that he (it could have been she of course) was from those parts and was proud to confirm his independence.   Good for him (or her) I thought along with the notion that how good it must be to originate from a place with such tradition, history and unique culture.

So, what does the word emmet really mean?  Well, ironically, it`s not even Cornish but is commonly thought to derive from the Cornish language word for `ant.`  Tourists and visitors to the area are often red in colour and they mill around in large gatherings - you get the analogy - but the use of emmet is actually derived from the Old English word aemete, from which the modern English word `ant` comes.  The Cornish word for ant is moryenenn, the plural of which - moryon - is still used in the very far west of Cornwall instead of emmet and it`s not too far away from sounding like moron - for yet another analogy.

For decades, if not for centuries, Cornish folk have used `emmet` often in an affectionate way.  However in more recent times there seems to be a growing feeling that the term is derogatory, divisive and even racist.  Well, we do live in a wokey world but the world leaders and their entourages, the zillions of police, security and media people attending the G7 event might be well advised to invest in a stock of non-emmet stickers, just in case.

 

THE SINGER NOT THE SONG...

I`ve been watching some TV series lately about Cornwall.  There seem to be quite a few of them, I guess because in a time of lockdown we have all been on the lookout for some relief, if only vicariously.   There`s been Rick Stein`s series, one about Cornwall`s fishing life, a more serious one by Simon Reeve and one by Julia Bradbury, which is still ongoing.

It`s the Julia Bradbury one which is `interesting.`  The screenshot above shows her on a clifftop overlooking one of the enchanting coves along the coastline close to Gwennap Head.  This was the first episode in the series and promised to cover the walk from Porthcurno to Sennen Cove, via Lands End.   Which was a fine ambition but the challenge to do any kind of justice to that walk was not helped by the fact that the first eight minutes or so were actually filmed some miles away - at Botallack, where Julia got involved with an artist who was captivated by the sight of the Crowns Engine Houses perched on the cliff.  Well, who wouldn`t be?

And having spent that amount of time, given the need for a long advert break half way through the half hour programme, there wasn`t much time left to cover the advertised journey.  So we were left with very short glimpses of the spectacular landscape of that part of the Cornish coast - the odd stop at Porthgwarra, a longer look at the Minack Theatre and a couple of interviews with passing historians and wildlife experts along the way.  And when Sennen Cove was eventually reached, the short time left was spent with another artist, this time one who was doing his thing with a rake in the sand.

We`ve done that walk - OK, in bite size chinks, which is really the best way to do walks like that, so you can really take in what it`s all about;  far more satisfying than the rather self indulgent glimpses which Julia allowed us to see.   What`s needed is for someone to do the walk with a camera and just walk it - no interviews, no distractions, no faux whooping and hollering, just show the world what it`s really like.  

It strikes me too that series like Julia`s, passingly entertaining though it may be, tend in the end to be more about the presenters than the landscape they`re passing through, which is a pity.  In the final analysis it tends to be all about the singer rather than the song being sung.

 And the sun always seems to shine - they pick a good day for it.  When we did that walk a few years ago now, we saw it like it really was.  Here`s a photo I took  then - it could be the same spot where Julia was standing in the picture above - showing the bit of coast path above Nanjizal Bay.......please click on the photo for a better image.....

No sign of Julia or anyone else on that day, which was all the better for it.  It`s called living.

 

GETTING LUCKY...

Another delve into my collection of photos I have taken over the years has revealed a hitherto undiscovered interest in bird life.   OK, I don`t set out to snap them but if they happen to be pretty still and in an interesting place then I might get lucky and catch the moment, as it were.  

I took the one above during yet another memorable walk along the north Cornish coast - this one was from Harlyn Bay round to Trevose Head and as we paused for a while at Mother Ivy`s Bay I saw this seagull perched on a rock above a colourful sea.  (Please click on the photos for much better images.)

This next one was on the walk from Mawgan Porth en route to Watergate Bay.  We only got as far as Stem Point, where we stopped for our lunch and gazed down to the sprawling sands of Watergate Bay.  Here`s the view from the top:-

Having done enough hill climbing for one day, we headed back and as we stopped (again) this time at Beacon Cove, I spotted this kestrel hovering around, looking for his own lunch:-

Not the most amazing photos you`ve ever seen, I agree, but for me they are lasting memories of wonderful days and just being in the right place at the right time and being lucky.  Well, I like them.

 

OUT OF THIS WORLD...

I`m trying not to post anything about the corona virus - it`s too distressing for one thing and also there is little else that we hear about - for understandable reasons.  So I thought I would not clutter this blog up with too much about it but instead produce some posts that are a bit self indulgent in the hope that they might keep me from going completely bonkers and possibly be of some interest to my faithful reader.   So here goes with the first one.....

There have been quite a few programmes on television of late that focus on Cornwall - Rick Stein has a series going, Simon Reeve did a very good one about the real Cornwall, Julia Bradbury is of course walking the Devon and Cornwall coast paths and there has been a series centred on the Mevagissey fishing `industry.`  Spoilt for choice a bit, but what they have done is make me revisit some of my photographs that I have taken over the years during our many visits to the West Country.

And Julia Bradbury walking from Porthgwarra to Sennen Cove via Lands End reminded me of one of our most gratifying walks.  Some years ago we stayed in far west Cornwall at a hamlet named Mulfra, from where we enjoyed a wonderful exploration of the area west of Penzance.   One day we parked at Porthgwarra and walked up to Gwennap Head, and I took the photo above of these remarkable land markers perched on the top of the cliff close to Gwennap Head Coast Watch Station.

They are there to help mariners avoid the notorious Runnell Stone - a treacherous rock just below the surface of the sea. In 1923 a steamer collided with the rock with such force that it decapitated it, removing the top 20 feet and making the rock invisible from the surface. So,  if sailing off shore, the trick is to keep the black and white marker in sight from your ship;  if that marker becomes blocked by the red marker then it is probably too late to save your vessel from being holed by the Runnell Stone.

The whole stretch of coast around Gwennap Head is notoriously hazardous for shipping;  it is where opposing tidal currents collide - the English Channel from the east and St. George`s Channel from the west.  In stormy conditions the sea here is thrown into total confusion so these markers become even more vital in avoiding the dangers of the submerged Runnell Stone.

It was an unforgettable walk - a strong wind was blowing, the Atlantic air was exhilarating, the scenery spectacular and I had a real sense of being somewhere very special - almost out of this world.

 

Hard to describe the emotions really.  The loss of David Cornwell, aka John le Carre, was sad enough but looking at this photo of him enjoying the grandeur of his Cornish home makes me long for that particular part of the magical kingdom of Kernow.

There`s no point in me trying to write any sort of obituary for the great man - that has already been done and in any case his books will forever speak for themselves.  But I wonder whether I might share a sense of loss too for his part of Cornwall that I have grown to love over the years.   It`s almost a secret - tucked away down very minor roads and down beaten tracks - a world of its own, one which consists of almost secret places such as St. Buryan, St. Levan, Treen and St. Loy, where David had this spectacular home, high on the cliff overlooking the sea.

I`ve walked most of that stretch of the south west coast path and have a longing to go back there. To enjoy Porthgwarra, to see the Logan Rock, hear the song of the sea at Nanjizal, admire Tater-du lighthouse, walk the path to Lamorna and feel the ocean on Gwennap Head.  Trouble is, at 81 it`s a long drive but as I read again the volumes that John le Carre has bequeathed us my mind will always return there, along with my heart.

I often wonder why it is that the romance of Cornwall never fades.  Maybe because it provides the ultimate escape from the mayhem of the south-east and from the trials and tribulations of life.   I remember years and years ago we had a holiday in far west Cornwall at a time when I was feeling the pressure of a demanding job.  We only went for a week and I spent the first three days unwinding and the last two days revving up again before re-entry.  And in the brief time in between , one day we went to Sennen Cove.  I sat on a rock on a quiet sandy beach with the sun beating down and the breeze wafting in from the sea and I knew in those moments that I was finally on holiday - away from it all - and I cherished every second, knowing what it was like to be free and at one with the world.

It didn`t last long, of course, and before I knew it I was back on the treadmill of life:  but I was always grateful to Cornwall for providing that glimpse as to what real life might be like which is probably the reason why we have been back so many times..  I imagine David Cornwell knew that real life only too well and who wouldn`t, living on the clifftop at St. Loy for more than 40 years and never growing tired of it?

NOT TODAY, THANK YOU..

I`m told that today is the day when most schools have broken up for the Summer holidays and so families are off on holiday themselves, heading - despite the vagaries of Covid 19 - for various destinations here in the UK and abroad.  Many years ago we used to head off too when our sons were at school - in the time when motorways were scarce commodities, when A roads got a bit busy, when cars were a lot more unreliable.

But we used to join the exodus and almost automatically head south west to Devon or Cornwall.  We used to leave very early in the morning to avoid the worst of the traffic and our aim was always to reach  Mere in Somerset for breakfast at 7.00am and on one memorable occasion we left home in the evening en route to Newquay and spending the night in the car on Exmouth seafront. 

Although those journeys were sometimes difficult, they seem to pale in comparison with what goes on on the major routes these days.  I see that this morning there have been traffic reports of serious hold ups at places like the M25 in Surrey, the inevitable A303 at Stonehenge, the A38 at Saltash, the A30 at various locations such as Boxheater Junction, Carminnow Cross and Stowford. All a bit of a scramble, a nightmare journey.

And when you arrive at somewhere like Padstow, what do you find?  Well, here`s a snap from the webcam outside the Whistlefish Art Gallery by Padstow harbour which I captured late this morning.......

A bit busy is an understatement - people crowding round the harbour, round the narrow streets, car parks full - I`m not sure I see the fun in that any more and I`m pretty sure it may not be worth the hassle of the nightmare journey to get there.   So, for me, not today thank you.  Now I love Padstow, but I`ll leave it until a quieter time of the year, despite my hankering to be there on May Day.

Perhaps our morning was better spent, as it was today, walking the woods, the downland, the quiet beauty of the Kent Downs and the Pilgrims Way.  Here`s what that was like...

Maybe I`m getting older, maybe I prefer peace, quiet and a little solitude away from the madness of the world.  Well, I`ll be 81 tomorrow, so why not?   Have a nice day.

SOCIAL DISTANCING.....

It has been quite revealing to see just how many people have been piling in to their cars and heading for the beach now that there has been a partial lifting of the corona virus lockdown.   In recent days there have been traffic jams clogging up the roads to places such as Saunton Sands in Devon and Gwithian in Cornwall and the beaches at places like Southend and Brighton have been invaded by chumps who think it`s OK to do what they want rather than do the sensible thing and be....sensible.   Maybe they think it`s all over.  Well, it isn`t.

So I`ve reflected back on visits to beaches we`ve made over the years, quite often at the peak holiday time and we have always managed to find places that are away from it all and pretty much deserted.   One of them is Porth Joke on the north Cornwall coast close to Crantock.  There`s nothing there - no `facilities,` no `conveniences,` no `development.`   Just the beach, the sea, the sky and the walk along the coast path.  No issues with social distancing here.

Here`s one I took of Porth Joke a couple of years ago.  That will do me nicely.......

A STROLL BEFORE DARK.....

Continuing my corona virus-defying theme, I dug this photo out of my collection - once again because I like it and also because it brings back fond memories of the last time we were `allowed` to go anywhere on holiday.   In September last year we had yet another memorable week in Padstow and I used to enjoy a stroll before dark along the banks of the Camel Estuary as the sun set over the western hill.   

Along with Dudley, our retriever, we used to wander along a short stretch of the Camel Trail which was always quiet and peaceful at that time in the evening and enjoy the sound of the waves lapping against the bank.  Some days, like this time of the year, evening seems to be the best time of the day and I just hope that it will one day be possible for us to return to those north Cornwall havens and do it all again.  I`m really very determined to do just that........

AN EXPERIMENT WITH LIGHT...

My camera is not perhaps the most `must have` camera in the world but it has done me very well for quite a long time.  I bought it at least 20 years ago - it`s a Fujifilm S160 and despite not having all the bells and whistles of more up market cameras it`s pretty easy to use and has stood the tests not only of time but also the occasional misfortune.

Once on holiday in west Cornwall we were at Porthcurno beach on a very windy late afternoon in early Spring.   The tide was racing in, the waves were growing stronger and, me being me, I became engrossed in taking some photos.  Next minute, I was blown off my feet by the waves, fell into the sea, camera and me both soaked through.

I thought that was the end of my trusty friend but after a couple of weeks drying out, the camera recovered and has been OK ever since.   So I`ve carried on snapping but now and again I like to have a go at something different and a couple of years ago we had a week at Penpol Creek, close to Feock on Cornwall`s south coast.  It was midsummer day and the light in the early evening sky was as clear and bright as you can imagine.

So I wondered what might happen if I pointed my camera directly into the sun as it began to set behind the creek and this was the result.   I`m really quite chuffed with it and I hope you enjoy it as well.   Click on the photo and see......

`APRIL SIGHED AND STEPPED ASIDE...

.....and along came pretty little May.`  So said Oscar Hammerstein and he wasn`t wrong.  May is indeed pretty and right now the birds are singing, the grass is growing determinedly thanks to the May flush and flowers are appearing in the gardens and woodlands - at least here in deepest Kent.  What tops it all off is, of course, the fact that it`s bluebell time.

And it reminded me of a holiday we had -one of many - staying in Cornwall`s Roseland Peninsula.  That was a few years ago now before the ravages of dodgy knees and anno domini tightened their grip and we were able to have some decent walks in that magical kingdom.   One of the most memorable was walking the coast path from Rosevine to the beaches at Carne and Pendower.   It`s yet another fantastic walk along a fantastic stretch of coast and as we climbed up the hill towards Pendower we looked back at this bank of bluebells.

I hope my photo did it justice in that it shows pretty little May in the Roseland at its best, with the wide sweep of Gerrans Bay peeling off into the distance - please give it a click and see if you agree....... 

SUMMER IS A CUMIN` IN ?

I took this photo a couple of years ago on our first evening in Padstow....   

Now today being May Day, normally the place to be would be Padstow, where May Day is celebrated with a tradition going back in the mists of time and despite having stayed there and visited on a number of occasions, I still have the ambition to be there on this very special day - maybe one year before it`s too late?

What makes it special is, of course, the mixture of the 24-hour singing and dancing with the two rival `osses cavorting round every street in the town - all designed to herald the coming of Summer and banishing the chill of winter for another year.   The singing changes from the night song to the day song and all the while it has that haunting melody and compelling rhythm. And among it all comes the dirge, whose origins are a mystery even to the good folk in the town museum, where I enquired about the meaning behind the dirge and the identity of aunt Ursula Birdhood, who had an old yow and who lies in her own parc o.  Here`s a taster......... 

Of course, this year none of that is happening and Padstow is a bit of a ghost town right now. But whilst we are still going through these very difficult times, I still give thanks for the fact that May is here, as do `the little birds that merrily do sing in the merry morning of May...`

BEEN HERE A FEW TIMES...

....well, more than just a few.   It`s yet another of my favourite places that I never grow tired of visiting.  It`s Polly Joke, or Porth Joke, between Crantock and Holywell Bay on the north coast of Cornwall and we were lucky to be there when the poppies and corn marigolds were in full bloom in the fields leading down to the most secluded beach. 

Polly Joke derives its name from the Cornish phrase poll an chauk which means `the chough`s cove` - referring to the red-billed Cornish chough which is now extinct on this part of the coast.  Another place I`m determined to revisit once this damned war is over.......

(It really is worth clicking on the photo.)

REMEMBERING THIS WEEK....

......three years ago.  It was April 2017 when, once again, we spent a week on the north Cornwall coast, staying at Trebetherick.   And from there we had some memorable walks along the coast path in what was, like today, glorious Spring weather.

One of my all time favourite stretches of that coast path is the one from the National Trust car park down to Lundy Bay.   My first photo shows the path already bedecked with spring flowers and not a soul in sight.......

Now I might be wrong but I guess that most people are content to keep walking, after all it`s always enticing to find out what`s around the next corner, but I like to pause and look at things, which is why I`m often accused of lagging behind.  But I think on a walk like this and on a day such as that it would have been  a pity not to to stop and take in the beauty that surrounded us.   So I took this next photo of the wonder of Spring, with nature coming to life and simple souls like me just being glad to be alive and being able to appreciate what there is to see if you stop and look.......

And just before you get to Lundy Bay itself, which I might have to come to in a future post, you come across this natural arch - another pause to take it in - and the only pity was that the tide was on the turn and the blowhole wasn`t blowing as much as it can when a gale is whipping up the sea.   Never mind, it`s still worth seeing.......

(As ever with my photos, they look better if you click on them.)

LOCKDOWN ?

One of the most restful holidays we have had in recent years was to spend a week in a cottage overlooking Penpol Creek, just down the lane from Feock in south Cornwall,  Each morning we took our then much loved Golden Retriever, Barney, for a wander round the lanes which included a stroll along the banks of the creek. 

And each morning when the tide was out we would see this gentleman working away at his boat on what was clearly a labour of love for him.  It kind of summed up the Penpol lifestyle - laid back, quiet, easy going;  just my kind of lifestyle really and as I dug this photo out of my collection it occurred to me that Penpol is probably untouched by the current lockdown.   After all, it seemed to be in a permanent state of lockdown even then - the kind of place where you can spend a fortnight in an afternoon........ 

(Please click on the photo for a better image.)

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE...

We haven`t been away from home since last September, when we had a gorgeous week at Padstow on Cornwall`s north coast, courtesy of the generosity of family who treated us to mark my 80th birthday.

We like to get away from towns, built-up areas, and find those quiet, deserted spots where Dudley our retriever can roam freely and we can take in the surroundings.   I took this photo as Dudley and Mrs. S. were, as usual, way ahead of me as I was busily taking  the photos.   This one shows the magnificence of the Camel Estuary with Stepper Point to the left, Pentire Head in the distance and The Greenaway at Trebetherick to the right of the picture.

What`s not to like?  As ever, please click on the photo for a much better image.......

Had a week in Padstow in Cornwall, which was nice.  Great location, nice cottage and excellent company.   Only downside, apart from the weather that could be described as `inclement`, was the tedious journey to get there and back, but once you`r e there none of that  matters.   Here are a couple of photos I took of the Camel Estuary, where we were staying:-

(Please click on photos for better images)

And after that, back to the realities and the coquettish nature of following assorted football teams.   And didn`t they do well yesterday?   My neighbour`s Gillingham had a convincing win (despite missing two penalties) against the Shrimpers of Southend;  our street`s local hero Scott (`pacy flanker`) Wagstaff lived up to his billing by turning in a pacy performance on the Wimbledon flank as he produced two assists in his team`s 3-2 win over Rochdale.   Both Forest Green Rovers and Truro City lie top of their respective leagues after victories yesterday and although putting in a strong performance, Fort William went down 5-3 at home to Turriff.

So far, so pretty good.   But it was left to the Saints to become the spoilsports of my week by losing yet again, this time at home to Chelsea 4-1.  Same old, same old it seems - powder puff attack plus sieve leaking defence equals unwelcome but predictable stuffing.   Think I`ll go back to Padstow....... 

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES...

Snow`s gone on Cornwall`s north coast.  Here are the same images today - quite a contrast from yesterday.   The first one is the Camel Estuary this morning.....

,,,and here is Port Isaac this morning......

....and finally today`s view of Polzeath....

Ah, the peace and quiet.

(Please click on photos for better images)

OH TO BE IN CORNWALL...

....now the snow has arrived.  This first picture is of the Camel Estuary yesterday...

...and here is the fishing village of Port Isaac......

.......and the holiday haunt of Polzeath......

I`m looking forward to seeing these places again when summer is here.
(Please click on photos for better images)

NOT COMPULSORY...

I`ve long been an admirer of church architecture and the details you find inside even the smallest and most remote places of worship - for example, the bench ends at Holbeton in south Devon; the crossover at St. Anthony`s church on the Roseland; and the stained glass windows at St. Neot, all of which I have visited, enjoyed and been impressed with the skill and dedication that has gone into producing such treasures.

And arguably the most remarkable and attractive church I have come across is another one on Cornwall`s Roseland Peninsula.   Now being of sound mind and body (well, mind anyway) I have serious reservations about the authenticity of supreme beings - any number of religions seem to produce any number of allegedly supreme beings - and if there is one or even loads of them, then you have to ask why there is so much suffering in this world of ours.   But despite my obvious atheism or agnosticism (if I get up there and discover it was true after all, I`ll be the first to apologise) my admiration for the ambience of churches is enforced each time I return to St. Just in Roseland.

Here`s a photo I took on my last visit there - you can see what I mean, I hope - and perhaps agree that it is not always compulsory to become a member in order to enjoy what`s on offer:-

(As ever, please click on photo for better image)