latedaytraveler

Hi again HISTORYTRAVELER,

"I decided to make a quick stop at the museum of Witchcraft. I have an interest in witches ( that sounds a bit strange ) at least in regard to their persecution but not so much in witchcraft itself."

Have you ever been to Salem, MA? Interesting place, only a few miles from where I live. While the repentant Salem community of old tried to distance themselves from the Witchcraft trials and debacle of 1692, their enterprising descendants have made a huge cottage industry out of the event. Thousands flock to the city in October (traffic jams for miles) as Halloween approaches.

I believe we stopped for a "cream tea" in Tintagel - I remember the post office too. Continuing to enjoy your report....

annhig

me too [enjoying the report, that is].

BTW lots of people have problems pronouncing "Tintagel" - FYI it's TinTAJel. [ie stress on the middle syllable and a soft G].

We took the kids when we first moved down here and i don't think we've ever been back, I'm not sure why.

looking forward to the Minack - one of my fave places.

ESW

I have enjyed following your travels. Like you I am of a certain age and circumstances I won't bore you with mean that days of independent travel are over. Rabbies sounds as if it may be one of the answers.

Fra_Diavolo

Really enjoying this report, which brings back memories of my long-ago visit to Cornwall and Devon, and my not so long-ago visit to Winchester.

I found Tintagel magical. I remember the sea crashing in the cove below, If you appreciate classical music, there is a fine orchestral piece by Arnold Bax titled "Tintagel." I thought it was very evocative of the place,

Thanks -- looking forward to the rest.

historytraveler

I think my last installment was a bit hodgey- podgey. I apparently can no longer multitask especially late at night. I thought my report on the third day of our tour seemed a bit short ending with Tintagel Castle, and it was since we actually made another stop. I also, at least in part, blame my missing a stop on the weather because ever since we arrived in Cornwall we were blessed with brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures. All the days seemed to merge into one glorious, sun- filled holiday. Not a bad thing at all except in trying for remembering one's itinerary.

After Tintagel Castle and lunch in Tintagel, we drove to Port Isaac ( Port Wynn ) of Doc Martin fame. I'm a big fan of the series so looked forward to seeing if the actual village looked anything like the one on T.V. The answer was both yes and no. There was no Louisa clopping around the cobble streets in her neat pumps or Dr. Martin racing to the beach in his suit and tie, but the village itself was quite recognizable minus the tourists of course.

Port Issac has been a coastal port since the Middle Ages. The village has a number of 18th and 19th century cottages and plenty of narrow alleyways most of which are located on the steep hillsides next to the small harbor. I wandered the streets and tried to find some familiar sights. Also indulged in a Cornish ice cream. Delicious!

After Port Isaac we made our way back across Cornwall to its south coast and the lovely town of Falmouth.

Up next: One of the best surprises....The Minack Theater.

historytraveler

Day 4, Thursday The Minack Theatre and more:

Our first stop this morning was at the Minack Theatre at Porthcurno. I had never heard of the Minack Theatre and envisioned some sort of Victorian monstrosity. As we wound our way through Conwall's back roads, Dave gave us a short introduction to the Minack and its history. To put it succinctly a woman and her two gardeners had spent a number of years building this amphitheater along a rocky ledge known as Minack Rock. Minack in Cornish means 'rocky place'. Dave's final comment regarding the theater was " It's amazing". Well, I had been around Dave long enough to know that he wasn't given to hyperbole, but I was still leery.

I stopped first at the visitor's centre where there was a small museum of sorts telling the story of Rowena Cade and the Minack Theatre. It's always a good idea to get informed if you know nothing about the place you're visiting. There were a number of pictures with text telling the story of Ms. Cade and her project. She staged the first open-air performance of " A Midsummer Night's Dream" in 1929 in a field near her house at Minack Rock. It was a great success, but Rowena felt another site needed to be found for the next production, "The Tempest". In 1932 she and her gardeners hastily made a terrace along the rocky gully with the sea as a dramatic backdrop. This was the beginning of her plan for building a proper open air theatre.

Rowena was the "Master Builder". She was not only a dreamer but a doer. It was her vision and determination that made the Minack Theatre a reality. She hauled sand from the beaches below, created her own cement and wheeled it to the site. She used the end of a screwdriver to decorate the surfaces with Celtic designs and once carried 12, 15 ft. beams she found from the wreck of a Spanish freighter up to the theatre. When the customs men came looking for salvageable materials from the wreck, they met Rowena on the beach and asked if she had seen any of the timber, Rowena admitted that she had carried some wood up that morning and asked if they wanted to see it. Deciding that it would have been impossible for such a frail looking woman to have carried that amount of timber herself and assuming she just meant driftwood or scraps, they left. Rowena later said, " I didn't tell them a lie, did I ?" Rowena worked along side her Cornish gardeners well into her 80's and not only saw her dream fulfilled but left us with a beautiful legacy. Plays are performed there through out the summer months.

The gardens at Minack were not added until the 1990's after Rowena's death, but they do reflect her own gardens at Minack Rock. The sub-tropical plants and flowers from around the world add a beautiful kaleidoscope of colors...orange, purple, reds and pinks and are interspersed through the area, softening the grey concrete. I've seen any number of amphitheaters in Europe and, although the Coliseum is magnificent in its size and history and others are quite remarkable, I don't think any can rival the Minack for sheer beauty. The theater sets on top a cliff-like gully that overlooks the sea, and I'm sure the actors on stage feel themselves competing with the absolutely breathtaking views.

As we left Minack Rock and its theatre, I decided that Dave's comment of it being "amazing" was not hyperbole. The theater itself was certainly amazing, truly beautiful and the story behind it, perhaps, even more so.

janisj

Love your description of the Minack -- My ex and I attended the theatre a couple of times years ago. I haven't been since the gardens were installed and I'd love to see them. Yet <i>another</i> reason I need to get back down to the SW . . .

annhig

history traveller - you really should come back and see a performance [or two]. When our kids were younger there were a couple of summers when we were there almost every week so we got the full experience - rain, tempest [literally] fog [that's fun when it's a ghost story], warm sunshine, beautiful sunsets and dolphins in the bay. On average they only cancel twice a year so rain gear and blankets are essential.

jj - when we first visited the garden wasn't much and I've seen it improved both in size and the range of plants. it's well worth a visit in its own right if you're "passing".

historytraveler

Thanks for the comments. Attending a performance at the Minack is definitely on my ' to do' list. Any performance, any kind of weather.

I hope to get back with a bit more on my trip ( Cornwall Cove, St. Ives, Mousehole, Lauceston, Glastonbury and Stonehenge ) before Thanksgiving chores overwhelm me.

historytraveler

Well, Thanksgiving is over and I've no more excuses so will try to finish this report.

Our next stop after the Minack Theatre was Land's End. I'd been there years ago and my memories were not particularly good. Dave's comments mirrored my own....touristy,crowded and a bit tacky. Apparently they now charge 15£ for a photo of the iconic signpost. Dave suggested an alternative which he claimed was just as pretty without all the negatives of Land's End. We all agreed to going to Cape Cornwall instead.

According to some sources, Cape Cornwall was once ( several hundred years ago ) thought to be the most westerly point on Cornwall. The headland is now owned by the National Trust. A good thing.
It was indeed a very pretty spot with a car park ( unpaved ) a public toilet ( a necessity ) and a small van selling drinks and ice cream. There was only a handful of people there. Much , much nicer than what I view as a tourist trap at Land's End where there is theme park, hotel, restaurants, and shops.

At Cape Cornwall you had two options. You could either climb the hill to the monument which I believe is called the Heinz monument and has connections to the tin mining in this part of Cornwall. The alternative, and the one I chose, was to walk along the path next to the waves crashing against the rocks. Much more exciting! We then headed to St. Ives along the scenic route.

When we got to St. Ives and found one of the few remaining parking places in a very large parking lot and Dave told us we'd have to catch a shuttle bus into the town, a red flag went up. The full bus took us down to the town centre, and it was mobbed. If we missed the large crowds at Lands End, then, we really got paid back when we arrived in St. Ives. It was lunch time and our last full day in Cornwall. I hadn't had a pastie yet so that was first stop. The queue was long, a good sign I told myself. My pastie finally in hand, I had another problem...where to eat it. One of my ( few ) idiosyncrasies is that I'm a bit fussy about where I eat. Can't eat walking around except for ice cream cones. St. Ives being so crowded didn't appear to have many options for sitting down. I did find the church smack in the middle of town. No garden or grass in front but by going through the gate I found a small garden in back. Perfect! There was a bench, and I was alone except for a large seagull who wasn't interested in Cornish pasties. It was fairly quiet, and I thoroughly enjoyed a respite from the crowds and noise.

Afterwards, I spent most my time looking in the art galleries. I saw some wonderful things but nothing I fell in love with. The prices were such that I needed to love it to buy it. I finally remembered the Barbara Hepworth Gallery. When I got there the queue to get in was long extending out into the street. A quick look inside and it was, of course, very crowded, sardine- like. I waited for awhile but realized I was going to be short on time and wasn't at all sure that the experience would be enjoyable. When these situations happen... should I make the effort or not...I remember that sometimes we need to have a reason to return. Better left to when I could enjoy it.

Another note and piece of advice: be sure to research the places you'll be visiting. I always do that except for some reason failed to do so with most of the places we stopped on this tour. It wasn't until I got home that I discovered that there is a Tate St. Ives. Would have certainly put that on my list if I'd known.

I think most of our group felt the same as I did about St. Ives. If it had been less crowded it would have been much nicer. It was also very warm which isn't that great when combined with so many people. I should add that most of us were at the end of a long holiday. Some had been overseas for three to four weeks. Fatigue can affect our attitudes and I'm sure it played a role in our visit.

annhig

There was a bench, and I was alone except for a large seagull who wasn't interested in Cornish pasties.>>

you were lucky. most of them know a good thing when they see it, and the pasty and ice-cream sellers do a good trade in selling 2nd pasties and ice-creams to their victims.

Shame you didn't know about the Tate in St. Ives though I have to say that there are only so many childish daubs of Alfred Wallis and his better heeled mates that I can stomach. Much better IMHO is the Penlee museum in Penzance, which holds an excellent collection of the Newlyn School - the Stanhope Forbes, Walter Langley, et al. And no "installations" either.

The crowds in St ives are such that in summer we never go there. New years is as bad. November and early December OTOH are great and we have often done our Christmas shopping there, and been virtually the only people there!

latedaytraveler

Hi again HISTORY TRAVELER,

Thanks for such a true description of St. Ives. Like you I went to the Hepworth Gallery, not being aware of the Tate's existence. I thought the Hepworth building and garden worth seeing, but could pass on the statuary. Just not into modern art, I guess.

I did think that the view looking down into the town from the parking lot above was spectacular - the blue/green water reminded me of the Caribbean.

LCBoniti

Loving this! Port Isaac does at times look like Port Wynn - when they are filming there, that is. A friend was there at just that time and enjoyed watching it all come to life. Martin Clunes fell in love with her dog.

kleeblatt

Fantastic trip report. Looking forward to more installments.

anicecupoftea

Damn those seagulls. A moment's loss of concentration, pausing on the walk back to St Ives station, and I lost the best part of a truly scrumptious salted caramel ice cream cone. Bloody pests.

historytraveler

Regarding my encounter with a seagull, I can only surmise that the gull was significantly affected by all the negative karma I was emitting...If you dare to snatch my pasty, I will tackle you and wring your little neck! More likely, it had already had its full of pasties and ice cream cones.

I think we were all a bit frazzled when we left St. Ives, so it was nice to sit back and enjoyed the beautiful scenery while traveling from the north Cornwall coast to the south Cornwall coast. We drove through Penzance and, of course, Dave provided all the interesting information about the place. Our next stop was Mousehole.

Mousehole doesn't offer much in the way of tourist sights. No castle, no museums and no art galleries. It's just a pretty little village of houses gathered around the harbor. A nice respite from the crowds of St. Ives. We walked along the waterfront to the village centre and Dave, once again, made a recommendation for an afternoon coffee or tea. My friend,who never seemed to pass a cream tea, was intent on one more before leaving Cornwall. I've had more cream teas than I can count, but I noticed that the scones looked particularly good, so I decided to indulge in a little recreational eating. I was glad I did. The scones were excellent and the jam ( not the usual strawberry stuff ) was one of the best I've had. We think it was possibly blueberry or probably a current jam. The most interesting thing about Mousehole may be in its pronunciation. It's 'mow-zel'.

Back to London & our last day.

Friday and we head back to London. Stops along the way included Launceston, Glastonbury and Stonehenge. I was familiar with Launceston through my history studies and, most notably, Daphne du Maurier's, " Jamaica Inn". Hardly anything is left of the castle except for the keep. I did think about climbing it since up to this time I've never encountered a keep I didn't climb. My friend was not so inclined, so I passed. What I really wanted to see was the church, St. Mary Magdalene. The church is 16 th century and the granite exterior is beautifully carved. I think it is unique at least I've not seen it before. When we went inside, there was a volunteer who enthusiastically provided a great deal of information about the church. He was a delight and I only wish we could have stayed longer.

Next Glastonbury and Stonehenge.

latedaytraveler

HISTORY TRAVELER, still with you.

Were you satisfied with your accommodations along the way? Did you choose a hotel or B&B? Just wondering. What time were you picked up each morning? Did the folks choose to have dinner together etc?

annhig

did Dave tell you about the Mousehole Cat? [a local legend made into a children's opera?] or stargazey pie? [ made with whole pilchards whose heads point upwards, giving it the name!]

at Christmas Moushole is a magical place, with some of the best Christmas lights I've ever seen; the whole harbour is lit up with illuminated boats, pirates, a santa, the cat of course, and even Nessie. another local custom is that on 19th December every year, the lights are turned off a mark of respect to the lifeboat men who all perished 32 years ago.

and did you stop at Jamaica Inn? The museum was closed a few years ago but the pub, nothing special, is still there. It is a very bleak spot in the winter especially, though it can be pretty grim in the summer as well!

latedaytraveler

Hi ANNHIG,

"and did you stop at Jamaica Inn? The museum was closed a few years ago but the pub, nothing special, is still there. It is a very bleak spot in the winter especially, though it can be pretty grim in the summer as well!"

We passed it on the road during by tour of West Country a few years back. I love DuMaurier's writing- the inn itself is really a "character" in the novel, if I recall.

historytraveler

annig, Dave did not tell us about the Mousehole Cat but did mention the lights at Christmas. I was familiar with stargazey pie through my medieval readings. It always sounded dreadfu,l but the characters in the stories thought otherwise. We drove by the Jamica Inn but did not stop. Too bad. A pint at the historic inn would have been welcomed.

Latedaytraveler, Rabbies give you five options for a commendations. I chose 4* hotels. I was very happy with their selections. I think everyone in our group was satisfied with their hotels, B&B's etc. We made five stops so guessing all the different options were selected. They all looked fine to me at least from the outside. Morning pick up was between 8:45 and 9:00. The first group that was picked up was the first to be left off. Fair enough.

Glastonbury:

My first trip to Glastonbury was some years ago. All I remember is that it was a grey, gloomy day, and the town seemed deserted and almost otherworldly. Must have been all the shops. My next visit was on a beautiful, sunny day,and I spent all my time exploring the Abbey ruins. This time we arrived around noon and, after a light breakfast, I was hungry. We parked opposite the Abbey Tea Room. The place looked like the quintessential English tea shop with its white walls, dark timbers and a profusion of pink flowers at the windows. The place was so inviting that even if you weren't hungry, you'd find an excuse for going inside and ordering something. My friend and I got the next to last table and the young Austrian girl and her aunt ( part of our group ) took the last. We had a lovely lunch but, unfortunately, there wasn't enough time to tour the Abbey. Since I had been before I wasn't too disappointed. After, I saw there was scaffolding up, any remaining disappointment disappeared. Scaffolding is, of course, often necessary but, still, disagreeable.

Once on board our coach and with Stonehenge our next stop, Dave cited another of his " I know a better place". Of course, I knew he was talking about Avebury. I had been to Stonehenge twice. I think on my first visit, there were about 35 people at the site and on my second trip maybe 75. Having heard of the increased crowds and realizing it would not be quite the same, I was all set for Avebury. This would be my third trip to Avebury, but I still thought it preferable. Most of the group seemed okay with the change, but one couple spoke up and said that they had been to Avebury but not Stonehenge and wanted to see Stonehenge. Dave, rightly so, said that since Stonehenge was on the itinerary, if only one person wanted to see it, then that would be where we go.

Stonehenge 2014