Cornwall - a beautiful place when the weather is OK!

Sadly the famous British weather was at its best when we got to Cornwall!

We did however manage to visit Land’s End in between the fog, mist and rain. Land's End is a headland and small settlement in western Cornwall. It is the most westerly point of mainland Cornwall and England. It is on the Penwith peninsula, about eight miles west-southwest of Penzance. I was surprised to see a largish hotel there plus other small businesses mainly food and souvenirs. There are also some nice walks along the coast (if the weather is OK). One short walk was to the pottery and other craft workshops. The walk takes you through an area of Cornish Heather. The Cornish Heather come in two colours – mauve and yellow. It is a very picturesque place including a rugged coastline with views a cross to Wolf Lighthouse.

Walking towards the Pottery and Craft Centre.

The Cornish Heather - looking towards Wolf Lighthouse

Part of the rugged coastline and Wolf Light House

 

A place that has been on my ‘to do list’ is St Michael’s Mount and I did finally get there. The weather was not great but at least it did not rain. During classical times the island was a thriving sea-port for the booming tin industry. Around two thousand years ago trading ships sailed into the Mount’s harbour and exported Cornish tin to the rest of Europe. After the Norman Conquest, the abbey was granted to the Benedictine monks of Mont St Michel in France. The church on the island’s summit was built by a French Abbot, and through the Middle Ages the Mount became a major pilgrimage destination. Despite being a place of prayer, from time to time the Mount saw combat and has survived sieges and battles throughout the ages. In 1588, it was on St Michael’s Mount that the first beacon was lit to warn of the arrival of the Spanish Armada. As you walk around you see buildings of the thriving 18th century village, with its net lofts, stables, pilchard press and pubs. The St Aubyns family came to St Michael’s Mount in 1647 and the same family still live there today. In 1954, Francis St Aubyn – father of the fourth baron – gave St Michael’s Mount to the National Trust, retaining a 999-year lease for the family to live in the castle.

The beautiful town of Marazion is a small village on the shores of Mount's Bay. Marazion is more widely known as being the gateway to St Michael's Mount. St Michael's Mount is accessed by a causeway, once walked by pilgrims. At low tide you can walk on the causeway to St Michael’s Mount which we did. When the tide comes in visitors are ferried to and from by boat.

St Michael's Mount as seen from Marazion Village.

Walking from the village on the ancient Causeway.

It was rather a steep climb in places!

The harbour with the tide coming in. Boats are ready to transport people back to the mainland.

 

No - we didn't walk back, we did get the boat!

We also managed to see St Ives quite a large centre that has great surf beaches. St Ives was isolated for much of its existence except by sea. However, the town really opened up to the outside world in 1877 when the Railway began running trains on a new branch line. This increased accessibility to the rest of Cornwall for the town's residents but the railway quickly led to St Ives establishing itself as a popular holiday destination. The Tin Industry also created its fair share of shipping business which led to the harbour being listed in 1830 as 'A Most Important Harbour'. We were surprised to see a lot of people surfing at a really nice surf beach.

Surfing at St Ives (north coast of Devon).

The harbour at St Ives.

Despite the weather and not having enough time in Cornwall I think I would like to spend some more time in southern England!!!

Do you remember the rhyme about St Ives?

As I was going to St. Ives,

I met a man with seven wives,

Each wife had seven sacks,

Each sack had seven cats,

Each cat had seven kits:

Kits, cats, sacks, and wives,

How many were there going to St. Ives?