More of beautiful Cornwall

 Saturday September 21.   

We had been told that it was going to rain on and off for a few days, so since it was still nice in the morning, I walked down the steep cliff path to the town, cove and beach.  I saw people swimming and surfing, it was 8am and only 55 degrees.  I was told the water was 66.   The first 3 pictures are from my walk down.  

Then I enjoyed some time on the beach.  It was so peaceful. 

We headed out to explore the coast.  First stop was Padstow, which sits on a protected estuary, just inland from the ocean.  As a little background, In the early 500’s people came to Padstow from Ireland. By the Middle Ages, it was a thriving trading area.  This was also a departure point for the Americas and their biggest industry is fishing including the world’s biggest supplier of kippers (a way to prepare herring) in the early 1900’s.  Unfortunately the glory days were 100 years ago, but they still have an active fishing harbor with just 20 fishing boats, mostly going after lobster and crab.  They had a cute shopping area,  like a lot of sea side towns,  and apparently it is a very big tourist destination.   Since I didn’t feel like shopping or eating, I explored in the town and there were a lot of old building and cool looking back streets.  I heard the bells ringing what seemed like 20 minutes, from the church - St Petrocs- and I followed the ringing to see what was up.  When I got there, the minister came out of the back of the church looking very harried and she said to me “Have you seen a bride and a bunch of bridesmaids anywhere?”  I hadn’t, but I did stick around to see if she made it to her wedding.   She did!  

Padstow quaint harbor-check!

Thriving shopping district - check!

Medieval buildings turned into restaurant/hotels - check!

Off the beaten path where I try to get lost - check! 

Creepy, but super cool churchyards- check, check! 

Bride late to wedding - not a check, that was a new one for me, but one of the wonderful things about traveling. 

On the way back, we stopped for tea and scones and then walked back along the cliffs to our hotel.  It was only 1.5 miles away.   You may get sick of ocean and cliff pictures, but I couldn’t stop taking them.   

Tea time. 

Beautiful scenery on our cliff walk home(hotel) (BTW, I don’t remember walking outside of the pathway) 

And at the end of the day, I brought a sandwich out to a bench, just below our hotel,  to watch the sunset.  

On Sunday September 22nd, our last day in Cornwall we headed south to a bakery to make our own pasty.  Those that live in Michigan know what they are but in Port Reath they make a certain kind of pasty and also crimp them in a certain way.  A Cornish pasty is a savory, handheld pastry that originated in Cornwall, England to feed the miners.  It is traditionally filled with potato, onion and rutabaga.  The pastry is folded and crimped into a semi circle. 

Here we are suited up and ready to make pasty’s. 

Working hard.

The owner and her helper were trying to determine who made the best Cornish pasty. 

They said it was me!   We better have made them well, it was our lunch for the day, and they were delicious! 

Before is above, after is below, you can just make out my name on the paper.  

We then headed to St Michaels Mount. It was in Marazion, in southern Cornwall.  People that see it, say that it is kind of like Mont St Michel off the French coast of Normandy.  In fact the same monks from Normandy came and established the original monastery.  A church was first built here in 495AD, and a monastery followed a few hundred years later, both dedicated to St Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of fishermen.  In the Middle Ages it became a pilgrim destination.  Eventually there was a fortress established here because of its location along the coast.  In 1659, St Michael's Mount was purchased by Colonel John St Aubyn (he had been the last military governor of the island's garrison) and it became the private residence.  In 1954, the St Aubyn family gifted the island to the National Trust, who are now responsible for its conservation and upkeep. The St Aubyn family continue to live on the island and manage it day to day.   Currently 30 people live on the mount.  The guide pamphlet was interestingly written by the current owner.  

This place was interesting.  The tide was it when we got there, so we could walk across on the cobblestone walkway.  When the tide is in, boats have to ferry people across.  Then…… the slope and the steps!!!! I cannot recall any other place like this that I have visited, that has such a steep uphill slope and slippery uneven rock steps.  Some of our group didn’t go up to the castle because they thought it too unsafe for them.  The majority of us of course trudged on and made it to the top!  

Here we are walking across the causeway 

The tide is out, if it was in, all those people in the foreground would be under water! 

Some of the less steep steps we had to climb.  

I made it to the top of the steps……

Just kidding…..there were more! 

The flag that is flying is Cornwall’s national flag. 

This dining room is from the 1200’s and the family will still eat here for big occasions.  It is called the Chevy Chase room. 

Here are some views from up on the castle walls. 

There were beautiful gardens way down below 

A small church, it still has services for 6 months out of the year. 

Birdseye view of the causeway 

We topped off the night with a few drinks together, first in a big longe and then some of us moved to the bar.  We all knew that this was pretty much the last relaxed night we would have together and we had a great time just hanging out and talking about where we go from here.