Tuesday 25th June
Pulled off the drive at 1035 hours, 35 minutes later than planned, Michael driving. We were ahead of ourselves when we realised that we hadn’t sorted out watering the house plants. Those 35 minutes were to make a difference. As we drove down the M6 the electronic signs displayed less minutes than miles to Junction 8, our turn off to The West Country. Just a few miles to go, approaching the Toll Road, the signs changed to Congestion Ahead! It took us over an hour to get from Junction 10A to Junction 8. From then on we had clear run to just outside Truro. We crawled through Truro but once clear of the roundabout at the top of the hill we romped home.
Our first stop was Frankley Services, where we bought some sandwiches, and I carried on to Michael Wood. Sue then drove for 120 miles and I took over for the last sixty miles.
We arrived at Daphne’s around 1800 hours. After greetings, kisses and hugs I was given my job list.
Wednesday 26th June
Not a bad night’s sleep. Awoke at 0555 hours and made Sue a cup of tea.
By the time we’d had breakfast, done crosswords, washed and dressed it was 1100 hours – well we were on holiday.
We started at the top of list, tidying up the south side of the house, this photo was taken as we were well into the work, not quite a 'before'. We'd already taken one load to the tip.
We stopped for lunch and then took the ‘rubbish’ so far to the recycling centre just up the road.
A selection of a few of the plants in Daphne's lovely front garden
After lunch we decided on Glendurgan. We had had some sunshine before breakfast but since then it had looked like it would rain but before we left Glendurgan the sun came out and we enjoyed a lovely afternoon.
I took many photos of the flowers etc. - 72 - but I'll only include a few:
Our first glimpse of the sea - looking at locally made picture cards
A last look at the river - picture from the merging of four photos
Leaving the garden this delicate flower on a tree caught our attention. Daphne isn't fond of Foxgloves in her garden.
Where's Michael?
We spent the evening – watching Brazil beat Uruguay.
Unfortunately as the evening progressed Sue’s right knee swelled up and became very painful. (Sue had fallen onto concrete on Saturday at the sailing club) Daphne suggested ringing the doctor’s early next morning, Sue agreed.
Thursday 27th June
We woke early. Sue’s knee had gone down a little but still painful. Daphne rang the doctor’s and got an appointment for 1140 hours.
I eventually got washed and dressed and started work whilst Daphne took Sue to the doctor's.
Sue and Daphne came home, the doctor had prescribed antibiotics. Sue seemed quite relaxed and we loaded up Daphne’s and took more of the ‘rubbish’ to the tip before lunch.
After lunch, well around 1600 hours Daphne drove us all down to Trago Mills near the maritime museum to purchase an axe. Daphne had called at B&Q but wasn’t keen on the axes that she had seen, also not very happy with the price. We got a nice little axe for £4.50!
We trudged over to the museum to find out the price of entry - £9 each for ‘concessions'.
We walked round the perimeter of the museum looking over Falmouth harbour, The Docks, Town Marina, Port Pendennis Marina and the Museum - and looking across to Flushing.
(There is a Falmouth Marina but it's up river, to the left of the second photo.)
Then we drove round to Pendennis Point. I walked off along the path round the point towards Gyllingvase
The Customs station and the car park. I took photos of the wild flowers as I walked along.
Daphne and Suzie picked me up halfway along the drive in the photo
Friday 28th June
Anniversary of Frank’s death.
Managed to get going a little earlier
We carried on tidying up the south side and took our last, for the time being, load of surplus ‘stuff’ to the tip just before lunch.
The result of three morning's work, all three of us working together. Not very impressive but Daphne was absolutely delighted!
In the afternoon we decided to visit Trelissick
As Sue’s knee/leg are recovering and Daphne’s hip is playing up – all the hard work, I elected to walk round the south part of the Woodland walk while they walked round the inner garden.
After Waiting to get a photo of the King Harry Ferry, I carried on round the walk. The tree on the end is the one that caused Sue to almost choke to death when she looked up at it last year!
Pontoons on the Fal Mylor in the distance - telephoto
I got back before they had left the garden so I entered. I was about to get lost when they shouted to attract my attention.
A last look at the gardens before we went to the Courtyard café for cup of tea - the posh restaurant was closed?
In the evening we went to the New Inn for Ham & Eggs, Frank’s favourite meal. We later found out that Helen had stopped at Stafford Services for Ham & Eggs on her way up to Judith’s.
Saturday 29th June
Judith’s Birthday! We all sang to her after breakfast.
A day of leisure? So it turned out.
Watched the F1 practice before/during lunch.
Daphne needed a new watch so we all trooped off to Falmouth parking in the Gas Works car park. Sue went west to Holland and Barrettes and Daphne and I walked to Trago's. I was interested in their Chandlery department. I wandered off and Daphne went to look for Sue.
Custom House Quay and the Town Marina
Tenders and their boats. I have a vague memory of Falmouth at the end of the fifties and I'm sure big boats were moored along this quay.
A strange craft heading for the Prince of Wales Pier?
We met up again in the car park and went for tea and cakes in a nice little cafe across the road from the gasworks car par exit.
Sunday 30th June
Another day of rest? Can't remember what we did after lunch and I've no photos to help.
Daphne and Sue Church
I watched the F1 British Grand Prix
Daphne gave me a book to read when we arrived – The Detour by Gerbrand Bakker - its got one or two poingnant moments, she went into the Tesco's at Caernarvon, I'd been there on a boating trip in 2004. I loved the passage where she said you can always see where the footpath is in the distance but when you get to it it disappears.
Now reading The Glass Palace by Amitav Ghosh. I'm surprised to find that Indians were used by our ancestors to 'administer' all the empire possessions.
Monday 1st July
Second Job: Cut back weeds on Cornish hedge, this eventually narrowed down to clearing the Montbretia so I started to clear it all off the hedge at the bottom of the garden.
Afternoon – eventually set out, it was a lovely day, to Mawnan Church but Daphne realised she may have lost her debit card so first of all we called at Sainsbury’s, where fortunately someone had found it!
They dropped me off at the church and went on to Trebah Gardens. I started my walk along the Coastal Path to Helford Passage. The car park where they dropped me off and the walk through the trees to find the coastal path.
The Coastal Path, it seemed rougher than last year - signs of old age creeping up. Looking over to the entrance to Dennis Head and the entrance to Gillan Harbour.
Some of our favourite beaches in the end view
Trebah Beach in the distance. Hidden in the centre photo is Glendurgan Beach and to the right Glebe Beech, the first beach Frank took us to on our first summer visit in 1975. Our first visit to Frank and Daphne's was in the late autumn of 1974. Sue was afraid I'd let her down, she warned they were very posh! Ha ha ha!
A closer view of the above centre photo, the lighter rock on the left is the land slip shown later. The centre photo is Porth Saxon. The house is Trerose
The birds are warning a dog not to come near. The boats, Optimists, on Porth Saxon belong to the The Helford River Sailing Trust
Bosloe
Glebe Beach again. We used to park our cars here long before they built the car par further back up the road - surprising what makes one emotional
The Helford River Sailing Trust fleet of Optimists. Glendurgan Beach
Up the path from Glendurgan Beach, someone taking a late afternoon dip. The view above is from the top of the lighter rocks mentioned earlier, the landslip and the poor tree dead on the stony beach
Trebah Beach, almost deserted, the place closes at 1730 hours. The steps on the path dividing the garden from the beach, must get wet here sometimes. Are the steps World War Two road blocks. I can remember these outside our house in the road at Leyland.
Looking back over Trebah Beach. Helford Sailing club across the river
Helford Passage
The Ferry Boat Inn on the right.
The Gig is a 'landmark' at the top of the climb from Helford Passage. The Ox Eye Daisies were a delight. Daphne and Sue were to meet me at Helford Passage car park but I got to Trebah just as they were coming to fetch me.
Tuesday 2nd July
Daphne’s Birthday – rained all day
Daphne lit the fire, she was eager to show it to us, it had been cold up to now. As you can see we watched the tennis some of the time, probably international football in the evening. Glad we weren't in a hotel.
We had fish and chips for our 'birthday meal' from the Codfather, a mobile chip shop that visits Mabe on Tuesdays. We decided we'd have the celebratory meal later when the weather improved.
Wednesday 3rd July
We did more work on the Cornish hedge and took three large bags of montbretia to the tip.
What to do in the afternoon was a bit problematic. We all stayed in to welcome the man who was coming to advise/fit Daphne’s new Central Heating Boiler.
More tennis and football
Thursday 4th July
Today after much deliberation we decided to go the the National Trust Property, Trerice.
We arrived before lunch just in time to join a talk about the house.
Inside the house. After we'd walked round the house we went into the restaurant for lunch where we looked round a local artists painting competition, we were asked to vote for the best painting, we voted for the best and also for the one painted by the ladies in attendance - we felt they were desperate for encouragement.
Looking round their attractive vegetable garden and walking round the outside of the house. I noticed that I was walking over on my left shoe?
Afterwards we couldn't decide where to go next. The original plan was Padstow but it was getting late to head further away from home so we headed south down the A30. Still unsure we arrived at Marizion and headed for Porth Leven.
At Porth Leven, after driving up round the town, a part of Porth Leven I'd never been before, then back to the car park just of the quay, we had tea and flapjack on the harbour side.
Next we drove on to Gunwalloe, a place where we spent a lot of time when the children were growing up.
How do we cross the stream? Meanwhile a lady is practicing Tai Chi in the corner of the beach.
My first paddle! As you can see my shoes are rather unsatisfactory, the reason that I was walking strangely.
Where next? Gweek. I'm always fascinated by Gweek. It's a creek of the north side of the Helford River.
Home to relax and recover watching tennis.
Friday 5th July
A surprise for Sue and I as we prepared to go out - Daphne's Green Woodpecker, we'd never actually seen one before or at least never knowingly seen one.
After some discussion we agreed on St Mawes & Place Manor. Get the ferry from Falmouth and then the ferry to Place. We arrived in Falmouth and parked in the Quarry Car Park. Daphne went off to try and find a small rucksack but she didn't have any success - wanted to get a cheap one from a charity shop.
We're just leaving the jetty as another boat arrives; looking up river towards Penryn, Flushing is on the other side.
Crossing Carrick Roads, St. Mawes Castle
Arriving at the quay, looking at our ferry boat, Duchess of Cornwall.
We got sandwiches at the shop in the arcade, made while you wait. The assistant gave my sandwich to the man who looks after the kayaks and he had to run after him to give him the right one and get mine back. We walked round to the front and went down on to the beach to eat our sandwiches.
The tide was in so there wasn't much beach.
These four boats seemed to be racing?
After we had finished our lunch the four boats were well out into Carrick Roads - I think they were racing. Was there time to go across to Place? I hummed and ahed so Daphne said we're going.
The ferry arriving at the quay side. Here we're halfway across St. Mawes Harbour.
Place Manor - no access for visitors, must be a hotel or something similar now.
We set off along the shore path, well it was up away from the shore, with views of the Percuil River. We found a seat overlooking St. Mawes Harbour
The jetty waiting for the ferry to return. The 'pea' in the centre of the first photo is a tractor turning the hay. Sue resting at the shore end of the jetty.
Back on the ferry. Alighting at St. Mawes again.
On the Ferry back to Falmouth, St. Anthony Head Lighthouse, my original plan was to arrive at Place and walk round the short distance to the Lighthouse and have lunch there but we didn't have time.
In the distance it looked like a procession of yachts, presumably racing
As we approached Falmouth Harbour we were convinced they were
Once on shore at Falmouth again, Daphne and Sue Called into Tesco's and I waited in the square
Some time later complete with shopping.
Saturday 6th July
Morning - More attacks on the montbretia and brambles.
The afternoon was upon us quickly and there wasn't much time left to go far so I suggested the ladies go to Carwinion and they leave me at the entrance and while they have having a look round and a cup of tea I would walk round Rosemullion Head and back to the garden. I tasked them with obtaining a large diameter piece of bamboo to make a bee house but sadly they were unable to buy one.
I walked down the path alongside Carwinion to Saxon Beach, Daphne pronounces if Saucon.
The river loomed into view, it seemed a long walk down, and the through the gate on to Porth Saxon Beach
The beautiful Helford River on my right as I climbed up the coast path
Seats and trees
Round the corner and the English Channel comes into view. Are the boats coming from Falmouth to Helford for the weekend?
Some of the flora alongside the path. The next to the end one, Wall Pennywort, a plant Frank didn't like, is all over the place. Whilst I was clearing the top of the Cornish hedge, Sue was removing them all out of Daphne's hedge. The end photo, if you look closely is an artificial flower made from a string of sea shells! I wonder if it is a witch's charm.
Some of the obstacles I met
My first glimpse of Rosemullion Head
More obstacles
The flora around Rosemullion Head
The rocks on the south side that we've sunbathed and swam from in the past
Daphne and Sue waiting for me and driving home - another gloriously sunny day.
Sunday 7th July
Today could be the last chance that we can go to the Lizard so we eventually agreed that that was where we would go.
Sue posing while we were waiting for Daphne to set the alarm, the flowers in the background on Daphne's Cornish hedge are everywhere to see. These photos, like the next few, are blurred, later I discovered a grease mark on the camera lens!
Ann's Pasties, famous throughout the world! We decided to have pasties for lunch and Daphne wanted to try Ann's pasties as they had been recommended. We chose our pasties and I said to Ann these aren't Cornish pasties because there's no 'sweet' at one end. She pointed out to me that that story was a myth. Cornish pasties have never been two-part. The crust is hard so that if it got accidentally dropped the filling was safe. The two-course pasties are Bedfordfordshire Clangers.
Walking down towards the lighthouse and across the meadow to the coastal path looking for a seat to sit down and eat our pasties. We thought of going to look round the Lighthouse but food took precedence - we never actually got round to visiting the Lighthouse.
We soon found a seat with a view, was the dot in the middle a seal or a person? I've no idea who the old man eating a pastie is? He's not the person I see in the mirror.
Prior to the view photo is when I found the grease smudge on the lens. What is the bird?
The Winston Churchill tall ship?
Polbrean Youth Hostel, formerly a Victorian hotel acquired by the National Trust to preserve and protect this most unique location. When we first visited the Lizard I always thought it would be a nice place to stay but it looked too posh in those days. Apologies and or thanks to the original photographers of the building.
Lunch over. Sue and Daphne agreed to let me walk round to Kynance Cove and pick me up there.
The tall ship is just going out of view, a speck on the horizon.
Not sure what's so different about 'Old' Lizard Head? In the distance is Kynance Cove, a few miles away yet.
I love this stretch of coast, to me it is beautiful. The arrow marks the spot where I stumbled and fell on my knees then my right hip, into a group of foreign visitors who were most concerned for me but I was OK.
There were a couple of surfers on the water
They picked me up and went back to the village for a cup of tea.
Monday 8th July
More 'gardening' so once again we left it till after lunch to venture out, this time to Devoran. Devoran is one end of a coast to coast path and there is a new car park, presumably created for those who want to walk or cycle along the path, which has been constructed on old mining railway routes.
These are the only two photos that survived. I pressed the wrong button on my laptop and lost the rest, a few of which I had high hopes for.
We had a lovely walk along the quay and watched the tide start to come in.
Tuesday 9th July
A lazy start to the day and we didn't feel like going far so after lunch we settled on Trebah. As we arrived we noticed two large German coaches - visitors.
It was so inviting I just had to paddle, the water was relatively warm, I never considered going for a swim when we left home, really getting old.
Trebah private beach, the concrete laid by the Americans for the D-Day invasion
Boats are not the only beautiful shes in the sea
Anya, one of the German tourists, enjoying a paddle discussing tides with Michael
A map of the river, if only I'd known I could have pointed out things to Anya and her mother, particularly Frenchman's Creek.
Leaving Trebah.
The results of my efforts with the montbretia
Tuesday 10th July
We prepared to leave for home reluctantly, it is so rare that one gets good weather that we should have delayed our departure for a few more days but we didn't leaving at 2:00pm. We had a good journey home arriving around 8:30pm.
