At around 19.00 last night, I completed the long journey back from my four-day weekend in Cornwall.
St. Michael’s Mount, Marazion.
Weather-wise, it was glorious and it appears as though this ‘heatwave’ has also spread throughout Somerset. I managed to get a lot done and it was a good experience. There’s a lot to write about that will come your way in good time.
That’s not to suggest that it didn’t almost go very badly wrong in the beginning…
- On day one, Saturday; there was a series of unfortunate events. Towards the end of which, I almost felt like packing up and going home.
- Whilst making my sandwiches before setting off on the long drive, I successfully swatted a fly (which never usually happens) with my hand, only to simultaneously pull the groin muscle in my right leg.
- Down the M5 motorway and as I turned on to the exit for Junction 31, the Latvian lorry infront of me swerved dangerously, twice – once, narrowly missing a caravan in the next lane, before pulling to an abrupt stop across the inside lane ahead of me.
- Traffic on the A30 near Bodmin was soul-destroying and my journey-time gained an extra forty-five minutes.
- A week earlier, I’d purchased a tarp to extend the capacity of my tent for cooking… After an hour of fiddling and frustration, I gave up and put it back in the bag, having found that the instructions were insufficient.
- At the camp site that evening, I began preparing my meal, only to find that I’m not packed the pasta to accompany my stir-in sauce.
- Worse still; as I went to boil a commissary cup of tea, I found that my stove was not working.
- On the Monday, I did (accidentally) find a store that sells camping supplies – but, they were closed… On a Monday, shortly after lunchtime!
Lanydrock House, near Bodmin.
In stark contrast to all of the above, there were many positives to take from this whole experience:
- I completed my first miles of the SWCP in Cornwall, feeling afterwards as though I could’ve gone on to do the same the next day.
- Technically (counting Cotehele House and Mill as separate properties), I was able to visit FOUR National Trust properties in as many days.
- I was able to explore the ‘mysterious’ Goonhilly Down, one evening.
- After my third night camping, I felt I could’ve comfortably stayed for a fourth.
Goonhilly Downs – Lizard Peninsula.
There will be a succession of blog posts to follow, documenting all of this and I think the way I’m going to do this will be to write a single post to represent each day, with a separate post to follow on from that and containing a few of my own thoughts about the camp site itself.
In all, I hope to return to Cornwall again in 2017. There are many things I didn’t do (including some that I had provisionally planned, ahead of time). It’s a big place. I could revisit the same area; I could go somewhere new… Next month, there’s the possibility I’ll be paying an unexpected visit to Dorset.
Somewhere south of Kynance Bay, on the South West Coast Path.
