Wow, how do I begin to describe the beauty of the area they call the West Country. Some may say a piece of heaven. Others driving from one small town to the next, may consider roads hellish. However, everyone is surprised by the beauty just over the next hill. It is an area of England I had only heard but now part of our memories looking forward to next visit.
Our first day’s journey takes us from Hampshire county to the town of Exeter in Devon. The drive through the new forest, where sheep and ponies roam free, was pleasant and gave us glimpses of what was still to come. We continued on to the Juassic coast to search the beaches filled with treasured fossils. We found some at least at the local museum. Mary Anning (21 May 1799 to 9 March 1847) was an English fossil collector, dealer, and paleontologist. She became known around the world for important finds made in Jurassic marine fossil beds in the cliffs along the English Channel. Lyme Regis in the county of Dorset in Southwest England was her home. (Wikipedia) She was a female breaking the barrier of male dominance in this science. The book made into a film called “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” was also written in Lyme Regis.
Next stop was Colyton to Seaton Tram ride along the wetlands down to the Coastline. Saw a pheasant and loads of ducks! Met with family staying at Caravan site overlooking an awesome bay. BBQ, great visit and we were off to Exeter.
The town center of Exeter and the huge cathedral is spectacular. St Caterine’s Almshouses was bombed during WWII and now serves as a reminder to the brave soldiers who fought for our freedom.
Day 2 we were off again through the moors. Sheep, beautiful landscape and narrow roads bordered by stone hedges overgrown with years of vegetation, kept us focused on the road ahead. We stopped at Widecombe in the Moor which is a village steeped in history and famous all over the world for Widecombe fair, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. There is a 14th century St Pancras Church called “The Cathedral of the Moor”. Search the net for the Dartmoor Story.
Can you imagine driving along these moores and saying, “Good place for a prison”? Dartmoor prison still operating today was built between 1906 and 1908 to house prisoners of war in lieu of prison ships or hulks. Living conditions were not much better and prison sometimes meant entering alive, but leaving in a box. The prison was designed for 1000 prisoners. It grew in excess of 1500. In 1813, it housed American prisoners, not from the war of independence, but from the forgotten war of 1812. America had to declare war again on a defiant England refusing to accept American Independence. Today the prison accommodates minimum security inmates but back then housed war prisoners and worse affendors of the Crown.
Now, if abstract art is your thing, visit Sir Francis Drake’s Buckland Abby Barn to view Andrew Logan’s Cosmic Egg. For me, more impressed with huge barn. The story of Francis Drake’s life is extraordinary from a meek farmer’s boy dreaming of being on a ship to a master commander who helped stop the Spanish invasion of England in 1588. He had previously been very successful in Spanish raids as payback for their attack on his vessel in 1567. Payback is a b… Then knighted by Elizabeth, he also becomes Mayer of Plymouth in 1581, before buying Buckland Abby. It remained in the family until recent times. Not bad for a lad with a dream! We ended up at Looe at the Shellseeker’s Guest House overlooking the Harbour. Great accommodations! Of course a stop at the Three Pilchards pub in Polperro helped put us in a great mood.
The 3rd day, we were off to Bodinnick where a short car ferry replaces no bridge. A little walk around before heading to Fowey pronounced foy to ryme with joy. The river Fowey rises high on Bodmin Moor and flows to the Atlantic. The Harbour has always been a seafarer haven and participated in the defeat of the Spanish Armada with Drake. Fowley’s history goes all the way back to 200 B.C. A short drive on to the museum at Truro and tour of Cathedral before pub at Marazion to get a glimpse of St Michaels Mount. We stayed the night at Helston’s Premier Inn to recharge our batteries.
On day 4, we were at St Michaels Mount for 10 am at low tide. Best to plan your trip according to tide schedule so you can walk across on the ancient cobble stone road. Boats at high tide are slow and cost extra. History of the Mount is so great but the actual walk up the old castle, is spectacular. Look for the giant’s heart on your way up. By the way, the Chevy Chase room is not named after the actor. The real meaning relates to the fox hunt or chase. When you get to the top, you view a wonderful surrounding of gardens and sea. Words cannot describe the serenity. We left before the crowds and the rain started.
Next on our journey through Cornwall was the Cable and Wireless point of convergence that kept the Allied world in communication during WWII. It is now fiber optics network to the whole world. Here, in the small town of Porthcurno, the world received vital communications even through constant bombing cut off London, this site continued the relay of messages.
Land’s End which is farthest anyone can travel without a ship is only 3,147 miles to New York from this spot. I think I will take an airplane. There have been at least 37 ships sunk off these shores so yep, airplane for me thanks.
We next headed along the narrow roads where lots of tin mining ruled the economy of the day. Then we stopped at St Ives for walk around this beach and harbour town. It was full of people enjoying the great sunny day. Enjoying the sunset at a pub was a great ending to the day.
Day 5 begins back at Helston as our base but now off to Port Isaac, Tintagnel and Boscastle. The later being our first stop. If you live on this planet and it is fair to assume, we all do, we are not immune to disasters. Boscastle was the location of tremendous floods on 16 August 2004. Helicopters were air lifting survivors from house tops. The slow flow of water from the hills down to the harbour became a raging torrent in hours of rain. Streams blocked by trees and debris served as dams that broke. This town now seems so quaint again though I am sure for those caught in the moment, shall never forget.
There have been many kings layed claim to Dumnonia but the magical world of Merlin and King Arthur in Tintagnel lasts in our memories. This mythical king was conceived here. Perhaps it was a little magic potion given to the King of Britian, Uther Pendragen, to look like Gorlois, Duke of Cornwall. Perhaps it was just passion of one desiring another’s wife. Regardless, Gorlois’ wife Igraine becomes pregnant with the future king, Arthur. Legend or lies? You be the judge. The potion maker Merlin lived in the caves below this grand castle on a huge hill where wind howls and the sea surrounds most of the rocky land. Centuries of ruins reveals the magisty of a time of old. The original great hall dates back to 1230 but was mostly left for erosion after death of Earl Richard in 1272. Upkeep continued and a prison remained for another hundred years before abandoning. A sculpture of King Arthur stands at the top of the land to serve as watchman over the mysteries beneath.
Next stop was Port Isaac via Pendoggett where we stayed for the night. Port Isaac is made even more famous because of the filming of Doc Martin series. It is hard to imagine how such a small part of the port is captured on screen to film the series, but that is the modern day magic of TV. There is a small sign stating his house three doors up on left. The actual house is now for sell. Any buyers? We had a pub break just next door to the drug store used in the series before returning to our accommodations.
Day 6 after leaving Pendoggit took us to Morwellham Quay. There was a lot of mining in those hills. The problem was to get the copper ore from the tunnels in the hills to the quay where ships could transport the ore up to Scotland. They had the copper ore but no coal for smelting. Both West Country and Scotland enjoyed a profitable partnership until copper prices fell as mined elsewhere like Chilli. Morwellham survived many floods and copper downturns by mining arsenic after the copper extracted. I did not know arsenic is product of chemical reactions between copper and rock minerals. It is not poisonous in natural state. It becomes toxic after exposure to heat for a couple of iterations. I am sure discovery of process fatal during first attempts of cashing in on this product. It prolonged the economic life of this area for another twenty years.
We then headed to Dartmouth where we took a ferry across the harbour steered by a boat secured to its side. Never seen that before! We walked around Brixham for a wonderful view of harbour before meeting family for an evening meal overlooking the Harbour. We could get used to this beauty and lifestyle for sure!
After a great meal and visit, we were off to our final night at the Old Church House Inn in Torbryan. This old inn and church was on the main passage to London so had many guests of royalty including good ole Henry the VIII. He was probably in search for a new queen or going for a test drive but that is just my assumptions. No facts. Interesting to note that a tunnel runs from the church to the Inn. Again, assuming escape route for the persecuted Catholics of that time.
Our last day was spent slowly making our way back to Fareham from Torbryan through Honiton with a stop at the Sun Inn for Sunday roast dinner on a Monday. We made it back home with more memories anyone could imagine in a 7 day adventure. Thanks to the Hall’s for a great adventure. Looking forward to new adventure next year.
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