This Pirate goes to Penzance, and then on to the land of Fire and Ice
Jun 25th, 2017, 12:38 PM
#21
Really enjoying your report -- saw it when you put up the first entry, started reading and fell asleep w/ my laptop in my lap (not because I was bored but been in my sick bed all week and the Nyquil must have taken affect at that very moment)
Isn't meeting other Fodorites a special treat?
In the end the Jeep may have been an advantage -- In the SW I think having a taller vehicle is a big plus w/ the extra visibility.
>>Sorry, I was mistaken the place we had issues was in the Dartmoor National Park, not the Cotswolds<< Big/major/huge difference
Isn't meeting other Fodorites a special treat?
In the end the Jeep may have been an advantage -- In the SW I think having a taller vehicle is a big plus w/ the extra visibility.
>>Sorry, I was mistaken the place we had issues was in the Dartmoor National Park, not the Cotswolds<< Big/major/huge difference
Jun 25th, 2017, 02:57 PM
#27
Original Poster
Yes as janisj says, buses. Also train, for example to St . Ives, which gives me the perfect segue to our next day which I mistakenly titled Gardens and Gallery.
This day was our big day on the roads starting with a drive to St. Ives. St. Ives has several parking areas, one large with a bus to take you into town. After a mostly scenic drive we got close to town but our Garmin could not find that main car park, but instead took us to the much smaller car park by the beach. Hint for the uninitiated, carry lots of small change for the car parks or get the app for you phone. We lucked out, nabbing the last parking space and then at the pay spot, met a woman who was on her way to the Tate. That was good news because I did not know the Tate was nearby. We all walked there together. Truthfully, I did not care for the Tate, or at least the exhibit they had at the time. I do not consider a kitty litter tray with clumped litter and the usual contents art, and certainly not a worthy exhibit. But, there it was. As the exhibits go, that one was a bit extreme, but other than some nice pieces of pottery, it was just not my taste. They did have a live axolotl and I have never seen one before so that was nice. Following the Tate, we walked into town which was charming in a touristy way and then down along the beach which was very lovely. There I had my first pasty of the trip. It was a tasty pasty. This looks better in writing than it sounds since pasty rhymes with nasty, not tasty. There are benches along the water and lots of gulls just waiting to steal whatever you are eating from your hand. Eat your pasty indoors.
We had tickets to see Pride and Prejudice at the Minack that evening, so decided to drive around the end of the peninsula working our way toward Land's end, sightseeing along the way and then on to the Minack. This we did. If truth be told, by this time the driving was more stressful for DW than it was for me since I was now getting back into my Cotswolds narrow lane driving groove. It is a scenic drive, a phrase that applies to most of our drives. On the way, we stopped at the Geever Tin mine for the tour and I can recommend that.
Tin mining was at one time the foundation of the Cornwall economy so here was a bit of real history. On the tour one self tours the machinery and then there is a guided tour into the mines. One needs to be in reasonable shape for this, not because of distances or hills but because once in the mine you will be doing a fair amount of walking through mining tunnels with a ceiling that is no more than five feet high, so there is a lot of stooped walking. Now it was clear why we had to wear construction helmets on the tour, mine took many blows. We were also issued long coats to keep our clothing clean in the mine. People were shorter then but mostly the miners were quite young. They would start at age 6 working above the mine and then move into the mine to work at age 10. The average age at death for a tin miner in those days was 24 and they would have been too ill to work for a couple of years before then, which explains the youth of the miners. It was a very hard life and a death from silicosis or pneumonia is not an easy one.
From the mine it was on to Land's End. I really did not know what to expect there so was surprised to find it similar to the entrance to a second level theme park. When I post my photos you will see what I mean. Yet, the views there are fabulous and our dinner was outstanding. We ate at the restaurant that overlooks the water and had fish and chips. This fish and chips were the best I have ever had - the fish super fresh, perfectly prepared and the coating very light and not at all greasy.
Next, on the the Minack.
This day was our big day on the roads starting with a drive to St. Ives. St. Ives has several parking areas, one large with a bus to take you into town. After a mostly scenic drive we got close to town but our Garmin could not find that main car park, but instead took us to the much smaller car park by the beach. Hint for the uninitiated, carry lots of small change for the car parks or get the app for you phone. We lucked out, nabbing the last parking space and then at the pay spot, met a woman who was on her way to the Tate. That was good news because I did not know the Tate was nearby. We all walked there together. Truthfully, I did not care for the Tate, or at least the exhibit they had at the time. I do not consider a kitty litter tray with clumped litter and the usual contents art, and certainly not a worthy exhibit. But, there it was. As the exhibits go, that one was a bit extreme, but other than some nice pieces of pottery, it was just not my taste. They did have a live axolotl and I have never seen one before so that was nice. Following the Tate, we walked into town which was charming in a touristy way and then down along the beach which was very lovely. There I had my first pasty of the trip. It was a tasty pasty. This looks better in writing than it sounds since pasty rhymes with nasty, not tasty. There are benches along the water and lots of gulls just waiting to steal whatever you are eating from your hand. Eat your pasty indoors.
We had tickets to see Pride and Prejudice at the Minack that evening, so decided to drive around the end of the peninsula working our way toward Land's end, sightseeing along the way and then on to the Minack. This we did. If truth be told, by this time the driving was more stressful for DW than it was for me since I was now getting back into my Cotswolds narrow lane driving groove. It is a scenic drive, a phrase that applies to most of our drives. On the way, we stopped at the Geever Tin mine for the tour and I can recommend that.
Tin mining was at one time the foundation of the Cornwall economy so here was a bit of real history. On the tour one self tours the machinery and then there is a guided tour into the mines. One needs to be in reasonable shape for this, not because of distances or hills but because once in the mine you will be doing a fair amount of walking through mining tunnels with a ceiling that is no more than five feet high, so there is a lot of stooped walking. Now it was clear why we had to wear construction helmets on the tour, mine took many blows. We were also issued long coats to keep our clothing clean in the mine. People were shorter then but mostly the miners were quite young. They would start at age 6 working above the mine and then move into the mine to work at age 10. The average age at death for a tin miner in those days was 24 and they would have been too ill to work for a couple of years before then, which explains the youth of the miners. It was a very hard life and a death from silicosis or pneumonia is not an easy one.
From the mine it was on to Land's End. I really did not know what to expect there so was surprised to find it similar to the entrance to a second level theme park. When I post my photos you will see what I mean. Yet, the views there are fabulous and our dinner was outstanding. We ate at the restaurant that overlooks the water and had fish and chips. This fish and chips were the best I have ever had - the fish super fresh, perfectly prepared and the coating very light and not at all greasy.
Next, on the the Minack.
Jun 25th, 2017, 03:53 PM
#28
Original Poster
<<I'm interested in your remarks on the Stanley - it certainly sounds better than Fawlty Towers, despite your mentioning that venerable institution - would you recommend it? I can't imagine Basil coming up with gluten free anything. What did irishface and her friend think about the Queen's.>>
Annhig, first, I am indebted to you for your valuable suggestions. Regarding the Stanley Guest House let me list its pros and cons.
Pros: The heart of a guest is its hostess or host and Kate is one of the best. She went out of her way to accommodate our needs.
The rooms are very clean although basic.
The view is excellent from those rooms fronting on the Promenade.
It has its own car park. Will fit 5 or 6 cars.
A good breakfast is served.
Our room was a good size.
Location! Directly across from the Jubilee pool, it is in easy walking distance to town and restaurants and the train station is less than one mile.
A good price.
There is a service laundry within an easy walk. The laundry is inside the Casino.
Cons:
Steep, winding stairway especially to the upper floor rooms which have the best views.
Some of the single rooms are quite small.
As far as Queens, I hope Irishface will reply. I found it a pleasant hotel with restaurant but did not get past the lobby. It has basically the same view as the Stanley Guest House.
Annhig, first, I am indebted to you for your valuable suggestions. Regarding the Stanley Guest House let me list its pros and cons.
Pros: The heart of a guest is its hostess or host and Kate is one of the best. She went out of her way to accommodate our needs.
The rooms are very clean although basic.
The view is excellent from those rooms fronting on the Promenade.
It has its own car park. Will fit 5 or 6 cars.
A good breakfast is served.
Our room was a good size.
Location! Directly across from the Jubilee pool, it is in easy walking distance to town and restaurants and the train station is less than one mile.
A good price.
There is a service laundry within an easy walk. The laundry is inside the Casino.
Cons:
Steep, winding stairway especially to the upper floor rooms which have the best views.
Some of the single rooms are quite small.
As far as Queens, I hope Irishface will reply. I found it a pleasant hotel with restaurant but did not get past the lobby. It has basically the same view as the Stanley Guest House.
Jun 25th, 2017, 10:05 PM
#30
Because of the mining experience the Cambourne School of Mines was developed http://emps.exeter.ac.uk/csm/ which is one of the premier mining universities in the world.
One of my Uncles (mine manager in Africa) made a point of hiring a student a year from this place to keep his mines up to snuff.
One of my Uncles (mine manager in Africa) made a point of hiring a student a year from this place to keep his mines up to snuff.
Jun 26th, 2017, 07:45 AM
#32
Original Poster
We finished our evening at the Minack Outdoor Theater where we had lower terrace tickets to see Pride and Prejudice. First to specifically respond to Dukey, from where we were seated, that is about midway up in the lower terrace, the acoustics were fine. Keep in mind this was speech, not music, however the bowl shape of the venue makes up for some of the natural deficits of an outdoor setting.
Other practical advice for visiting the Minack:
You will find it colder than you thought it would be at night due to its seaside setting and that you will not be able to move around. Also, with the exception of a few seats which appear to be in a box seat section, the seating surface is earth and grass which may (most likely will be) damp. You can cheaply rent a cushion with backrest and I highly recommend you do that. I wore a light, but warm sweater under a nylon windbreaker and it was not sufficient. Dress in warm layers and if possible, bring a blanket - many did just that.
Because the site emulates a Roman theater - see photos on their website - you will be walking down stone steps to your row. These steps are of an uneven height and surface and each riser higher than usual. For the most part there is no handrail. At the end of the show, when many are crowding them, they can be difficult for an older person to navigate so take care. It is not easy to just wait until all are gone because of the pressure to vacate your row. So, take care and if this kind of venue is too difficult then perhaps you should reconsider the choice to attend.
Once seated it will be difficult to use the restrooms which are at the top of the venue.
Seating is on a first come basis so que up early for the best seats.
There are seats that appear to be all cement in what seems to be a box seat section. I did not see those seats on the website but if you can nab a couple of those, do so.
With that said, we enjoyed our Minack experience. Pride and Prejudice was done well, emphasising the comedic aspects. There are lots of parts but a small cast so each cast member played a number of parts ignoring the gender of the cast member or part. Seeing a large and bearded Lady
Catherine acting the part in a falsetto voice was part of the charm and humor of the play. They stuck to the original language as written by Jane, bloody Austen (a nod to our late CW). It worked and to my surprise the play was a lot of fun and well done. Driving back to Penzance in the dark was easier than it would have been in daylight since the oncoming lights warned of someone coming around the bend. None the less, DW was terrified or so she said. There was a person in a large Van who approached around a blind curve at a high rate of speed - drunk perhaps? - mostly on our side of the road but with his lights as warning I was able to duck to the side at the last moment. If it had been during the day, I may well not be writing this.
All said, the Minack is an exceptional experience both for talent and setting and we are glad that we went. If leaving from PZ, take the bus.
Other practical advice for visiting the Minack:
You will find it colder than you thought it would be at night due to its seaside setting and that you will not be able to move around. Also, with the exception of a few seats which appear to be in a box seat section, the seating surface is earth and grass which may (most likely will be) damp. You can cheaply rent a cushion with backrest and I highly recommend you do that. I wore a light, but warm sweater under a nylon windbreaker and it was not sufficient. Dress in warm layers and if possible, bring a blanket - many did just that.
Because the site emulates a Roman theater - see photos on their website - you will be walking down stone steps to your row. These steps are of an uneven height and surface and each riser higher than usual. For the most part there is no handrail. At the end of the show, when many are crowding them, they can be difficult for an older person to navigate so take care. It is not easy to just wait until all are gone because of the pressure to vacate your row. So, take care and if this kind of venue is too difficult then perhaps you should reconsider the choice to attend.
Once seated it will be difficult to use the restrooms which are at the top of the venue.
Seating is on a first come basis so que up early for the best seats.
There are seats that appear to be all cement in what seems to be a box seat section. I did not see those seats on the website but if you can nab a couple of those, do so.
With that said, we enjoyed our Minack experience. Pride and Prejudice was done well, emphasising the comedic aspects. There are lots of parts but a small cast so each cast member played a number of parts ignoring the gender of the cast member or part. Seeing a large and bearded Lady
Catherine acting the part in a falsetto voice was part of the charm and humor of the play. They stuck to the original language as written by Jane, bloody Austen (a nod to our late CW). It worked and to my surprise the play was a lot of fun and well done. Driving back to Penzance in the dark was easier than it would have been in daylight since the oncoming lights warned of someone coming around the bend. None the less, DW was terrified or so she said. There was a person in a large Van who approached around a blind curve at a high rate of speed - drunk perhaps? - mostly on our side of the road but with his lights as warning I was able to duck to the side at the last moment. If it had been during the day, I may well not be writing this.
All said, the Minack is an exceptional experience both for talent and setting and we are glad that we went. If leaving from PZ, take the bus.
Jun 26th, 2017, 09:23 AM
#33
Thanks for this report. Exactly what I needed to know. This whole "road thing" is something. We drove all over the Cotswolds, ending up in more than one person's back yard/pasture/whatever and drove down more than one "road" which looked like it had been there since God lost his shoes nearby but this whole coming around blind curves stuff means our own upcoming is going to be a LOT of fun.
Jun 27th, 2017, 06:22 AM
#35
Original Poster
Gardens and Galleries
We visited three gardens and two Galleries including the Tate in St. Ives.
The Gardens were the Morrab Subtropical Gardens, The Penlee Gardens together with the Penlee House Gallery and the Saint Michael's Mount Gardens.
Cornwall has many Gardens, and I know that our choices were just a tiny example of those within an easy drive of Penzance. At the Penlee House Gardens it was all greenery as nothing was yet in bloom. However, the nearby Morrab Subtropical Gardens were beautiful, with lots of blooms of all kinds in different settings. These gardens would be on my try to visit list, especially since they are an easy walk from PZ town as well as from our Guest House and is near Penlee House and Gallery (and theater) so the two can easily be combined. Walking to Penlee House from the Promenade one goes down Alexandra Road where every home appears to be a B&B. These are all row houses of the same design. It is a nice, tree lined street and I imagine the available parking is on the street. There was some construction going on on part of the street when we were there. For location, I prefer the Stanley with its sea view.
Penlee House is located in the Gardens and houses the Gallery and a small restaurant, read tea, cakes, ice cream and sandwiches, with an adjoining covered terrace. Very nice. Our purpose for the visit was to see the Stanhope Forbes exhibit. If you are in Penzance during the exhibit dates be sure to go. We were not familiar with Forbes other than knowing he was a founder of the Newlyn School so were anxious to see his works in person. The exhibit is a good sized one on two floors. Seeing the exhibit, Forbes is now in my top tier of favorite artists - his work is wonderful. We especially like that his work was displayed chronologically so one can see the evolution of his style and technique over time where his early works are almost classical and his later work has elements of impressionism. All were beautiful pieces focusing on local areas and subjects. Again, see it if you can.
Next: St. Michael's Mount
We visited three gardens and two Galleries including the Tate in St. Ives.
The Gardens were the Morrab Subtropical Gardens, The Penlee Gardens together with the Penlee House Gallery and the Saint Michael's Mount Gardens.
Cornwall has many Gardens, and I know that our choices were just a tiny example of those within an easy drive of Penzance. At the Penlee House Gardens it was all greenery as nothing was yet in bloom. However, the nearby Morrab Subtropical Gardens were beautiful, with lots of blooms of all kinds in different settings. These gardens would be on my try to visit list, especially since they are an easy walk from PZ town as well as from our Guest House and is near Penlee House and Gallery (and theater) so the two can easily be combined. Walking to Penlee House from the Promenade one goes down Alexandra Road where every home appears to be a B&B. These are all row houses of the same design. It is a nice, tree lined street and I imagine the available parking is on the street. There was some construction going on on part of the street when we were there. For location, I prefer the Stanley with its sea view.
Penlee House is located in the Gardens and houses the Gallery and a small restaurant, read tea, cakes, ice cream and sandwiches, with an adjoining covered terrace. Very nice. Our purpose for the visit was to see the Stanhope Forbes exhibit. If you are in Penzance during the exhibit dates be sure to go. We were not familiar with Forbes other than knowing he was a founder of the Newlyn School so were anxious to see his works in person. The exhibit is a good sized one on two floors. Seeing the exhibit, Forbes is now in my top tier of favorite artists - his work is wonderful. We especially like that his work was displayed chronologically so one can see the evolution of his style and technique over time where his early works are almost classical and his later work has elements of impressionism. All were beautiful pieces focusing on local areas and subjects. Again, see it if you can.
Next: St. Michael's Mount
Jun 27th, 2017, 01:11 PM
#36
<<the Cambourne School of Mines >>
fie, bilbo - Camborne, not Cambourne! apart from that, you're dead right - and at one time the School of Mines had more rugby internationals than any other institution in the world.
Basingstoke - I'm so glad that you found and enjoyed the Penlee Gallery - it's one of my favourite places in Cornwall. Actually my favourite artist is Elizabeth Forbes, Stanhope's wife who painted some beautiful pictures of children in schools and elsewhere. As for the Tate - not my cup of tea.
thanks for the review of the Stanley - I'm not likely to stay there but it's interesting to see how the descriptions match the reality.
Dukey - regarding the Minack, we have a Minack kit comprising a waterproof sheet, a sleeping bag that we open up and put on top of that, and several blankets and cushions. oh yes and the picnic basket! it's quite a job to carry that down to your seat and back up again. But if you don't want to overburden yourselves, you can buy a meal from the cafe, and use the cushions you can hire and just bring waterproofs and blankets. The boxes to which B'stoke refers can only be booked by people in groups or if you buy a season's membership which is what we did for a few years when our kids were teenagers and we were going 4-5x a year. otherwise you are on the grass seating he describes, and to get the best seats you need to get there when the theatre opens, which is 2 hours before the performance starts.
so far as acoustics are concerned, they do have some amplification so if you are at the back, you should be able to hear.
if all this puts you off, you can always go in the day and for a small consideration, you can enjoy the cafe, the gardens and the Rowena Cade exhibition which shows how she and a very few helpers built it all from scratch.
fie, bilbo - Camborne, not Cambourne! apart from that, you're dead right - and at one time the School of Mines had more rugby internationals than any other institution in the world.
Basingstoke - I'm so glad that you found and enjoyed the Penlee Gallery - it's one of my favourite places in Cornwall. Actually my favourite artist is Elizabeth Forbes, Stanhope's wife who painted some beautiful pictures of children in schools and elsewhere. As for the Tate - not my cup of tea.
thanks for the review of the Stanley - I'm not likely to stay there but it's interesting to see how the descriptions match the reality.
Dukey - regarding the Minack, we have a Minack kit comprising a waterproof sheet, a sleeping bag that we open up and put on top of that, and several blankets and cushions. oh yes and the picnic basket! it's quite a job to carry that down to your seat and back up again. But if you don't want to overburden yourselves, you can buy a meal from the cafe, and use the cushions you can hire and just bring waterproofs and blankets. The boxes to which B'stoke refers can only be booked by people in groups or if you buy a season's membership which is what we did for a few years when our kids were teenagers and we were going 4-5x a year. otherwise you are on the grass seating he describes, and to get the best seats you need to get there when the theatre opens, which is 2 hours before the performance starts.
so far as acoustics are concerned, they do have some amplification so if you are at the back, you should be able to hear.
if all this puts you off, you can always go in the day and for a small consideration, you can enjoy the cafe, the gardens and the Rowena Cade exhibition which shows how she and a very few helpers built it all from scratch.
Jun 27th, 2017, 03:34 PM
#37
Original Poster
That is interesting annhig about Elizabeth Forbes. Several others have told me the same including a person we met on the terrace of the Penlee. I need to find an exhibit of her work. One thing that you said about the Minack - you mentioned a picnic basket. I thought that they, along with umbrellas were prohibited. For the show that we attended which was completely filled, I don't even know where you could put a basket other than on your lap. IMO the challenge of the Minack is the stairs, more so going up than down, with their uneven surface and riser height. I would imagine that they would be slippery as well if wet. It was a pretty good climb from where we were sitting. that with the crowd pushing from behind became a bit treacherous at times. It would be easier to buy a seat in the upper terrace which although further from the stage has fewer stairs to negotiate and still seemed to have good sightlines.
Dukey, if you are going when do you plan to be there. They are doing La Traviata this or next week.
Dukey, if you are going when do you plan to be there. They are doing La Traviata this or next week.
Jun 28th, 2017, 04:45 AM
#38
Basingstoke, I have never known the steps to be slippery when wet - they are all concrete which was fashioned by Miss Cade to look like stone so they should be ok. Also we have never had any trouble with hanging back to let the crowds leave before us. As for picnics, we eschew the expensive picnic baskets and put everything in plastic bags so once we've eaten we can bin it all. Not very ecologically minded but it saves having to carry it back up the hill to the car park. I can see that the sheer number of steps might be a problem and that sitting at the top might be preferable, and the acoustics are pretty good so it's not a bad option.
The Penlee Galery has a number of works of each of the Newlyn School on its website, including some by Mrs Forbes:
https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/artists/elizabeth-forbes
The Penlee Galery has a number of works of each of the Newlyn School on its website, including some by Mrs Forbes:
https://www.penleehouse.org.uk/artists/elizabeth-forbes
Jun 28th, 2017, 05:24 AM
#39
Original Poster
Thanks for the clarification annhig. Just to be clear, I think the Minack is a very worthwhile experience, but there are some caveats that should be known by first attenders to enhance their experience. The setting is wonderful and if the play we saw is an indication, the actors have loads of talent and imagination. It was a most enjoyable evening - I just wish I brought my warmer jacket although DW was more suitably dressed and comfortable.
Also thank you for the link to Elizabeth Forbes. Being introduced to fine artists that are new to me has always been a treat. I feel that the Penlee Gallery is a don't miss site for visitors to PZ. I briefly alluded to the fact there is also an outdoor theater on the grounds that had some shows that I would have liked to see had they not have been scheduled until after I was gone.
Also thank you for the link to Elizabeth Forbes. Being introduced to fine artists that are new to me has always been a treat. I feel that the Penlee Gallery is a don't miss site for visitors to PZ. I briefly alluded to the fact there is also an outdoor theater on the grounds that had some shows that I would have liked to see had they not have been scheduled until after I was gone.
Jun 28th, 2017, 07:03 AM
#40
Just seconding your comments on the Minack and be sure to read the story behind it or better yet, watch the video. Thanks to annhig we also enjoyed the Penlee Gallery. It looked like people were staging or something with the theater when we were there.
Enjoying following along and reliving our time there last month.
Enjoying following along and reliving our time there last month.
