Ah, sorry Steve. Our posts crossed :)
Thanks for the advice.

Hi yelpir,

had a look at your B&Bs - all look pretty good - I'll be interested in your feedback as sometimes visitors ask us for B&B recommendations and as we live in cornwall we tend not to have any!

strangely, Totnes is not likely to be a desert at night - it is a centre of "alternative culture" and therefore hopping most of the time, so I gather. but Dartmouth should be lively too.

<<For example, if you ask for a route that includes Falmouth and St Mawes, the route they give you takes you round the inland route instead of across the Carrick Roads by ferry.>>

you are of course referring to the "King Hairy Fairy" as it's known in our house [King Harry Ferry to normal folks] names after King Henry VIII who started the building of the great fortress of Pendennis Castle that overlooks Carrick Roads from the Falmouth side. about 3 years ago the old ferry was replaced with a nice new one that takes twice as many vehicles and has really cut down the queues. it's a bit noisy though - our choir sang at its launch and no-one could hear us for the din!

it's a shame that it doesn't show up on google as it does cut a lot of time off the journey. if you use it, look out for the "folks" who overlook the dock - the old bloke sitting on the bench and the chap on the bridge of the ferry and say Hi to them - they won't answer back!

regards, ann

PS - you might be interested in a choir that is singing at the Fowey festival called the Blagovest ensemble - we saw them last year and they were just terrific.

Hi Ann

I will give you feedback on the B&Bs that I stay in. I'm hoping that they will be good because I researched them pretty thoroughly.

I will be taking the "King Hairy Fairy", as you call it. I actually love ferries. To me they add to the romance of the journey. The fact that we don't have any here might have something to do with it.

I will look out for the Blagovest Ensemble and try to hear them when I am in Fowey.

Thanks :)

Yelpir, we took the King Harry Ferry in May 2000 and visited the nearby garden, then on to St. Just in Roseland which was a quaint beautiful little place. If you do that, walk through the old churchyard.

hi hoping,

the ferry has been replaced since th one you were on [only the third vessel in 100 years] but the route is stil the same as is St. Just churchyard, which is maintained by volunteers, and full of sub-tropical plants. the gardens you refer to are the National Trust gardens at Trelissik, which are very lovely too.

yelpir - do look out for the "blokes" on the ferry then!

regards, ann

Both the lower ferry and the higher ferry in Dartmouth route you towards the same direction--you just have to drive through Kingswear to head to Torquay. If you're headed to Trelissik Gardens (fabulous)-they are midway between the two ferries. There is a stellar walk actually from or too Dartmouth where you can do a circular walk through Trellisk but it's probably a bit nicer (and more downhill) to be dropped off (hitch a ride from someone on the Higher Ferry up the hill towards the gardens) at the entrance to Trelissick, enjoy the house and grounds (and cafe) and then head down the road towards the sea and the SW Coastal Path which eventually brings you to Kingswear and the Lower Ferry.

Note--The Floating Bridge pub (at Dartmouth side of Higher Ferry) has great panorama seating on its roof--or just sit by the river with a good beer or fine lunch. Especially intriguing when the ambulance is loaded and travels by itself. This has to be one of the most beautiful places in the UK in spring....

hi opus,

I think you've got your ferries and gardens a bit mixed up - Trelissik is in Cornwall, near the King Hary Ferry - see above.

i don't know of the garden you are clearly thinking of in the Dartmouth [Devon] area.

regards, ann

Yup, and thanks Ann--I do apologize--how funny that my head saw where I was but my brain operated very simply on next-to-ferry. Please sub Coleton Fishacres (NT) for Trelissick! These lovely gardens include the gem of an arts and crafts house in summer--the home of the D'oyly Carte theatrical family. There is also a nicely located cafe, good for stocking up on water and sandwiches for the long walk back to Kingswear. There is actually a very Trelissickally (!) feel to the Coleton Fishacres grounds as they wander down to the point--and the sea but they are not nearly as grand as Trelissick.

no worries, opus - i know all too well how places merge into one, like the works in museums.

now remind me again where the sistine chapel is?