Saturday 21 September

We woke up to thunder and rain. At breakfast it was so black outside, even the hosts made comment it was like doomsday. Oh dear, perhaps not the best beaching weather. We consulted the weather and there was some indication it would improve around lunch, so we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, kitted up and set off for Tintagnel, which is about 2 hours drive north.

Half way there we stopped for a cuppa break and there was a Mountain Warehouse store with a sale on, so I took the opportunity to grab some cheap sandals for the warm weather in Singapore on route home.

A little further up the road we saw a sign for Padstow, so we made the impromptu decision to detour there and have a Rick Stein’s lunch. As with these seaside villages parking is at a premium and not necessarily in town. We made our way to the harbour (by chance) and it was where the cooking school and original restaurants are. It took ages to get a car park, we must have driven around 10 times before one came free. Regrettably, we could not get a table at the main restaurant as it was fully booked. As fortune would have it Rick also has a fish and chip cafe, which we could get a table at.

Fish and chips are pretty uncomplicated and we were hoping they would be nice and worth the calories. They claimed nothing was frozen even the chips and the quality was superior. We had high expectations and were not disappointed. The meals were delicious and lived up to the promise. Vern had a fish sandwich and I had the classic. We added a salad of watercress and spinach to make ourselves feel a bit healthier.

After lunch we had a short stroll around the harbour which is small with extensive breakwater and sea walls. There was a cute very old house with a weird little alcove and a skull inside it. Why on earth that was there I have no idea. Clearly an old building though. There were a lot of people out and about enjoying the day, and probably half as many dogs of all shapes and sizes.

We saw some people walking up a hill around the corner – headland. Thinking it was a good idea to explore we followed the trail and were rewarded with magnificent views of the harbour inlet fringed with golden sand under a now pleasantly warm blue sky.

The walk was a bit further than anticipated, and we were welcome of the seat in the car by the time we got back – probably about 4 km round trip. We headed onward north to Tintagnel an hours more drive.

The countryside here is pretty, with patchwork green and yellow fields and rolling hills. You pass through tiny villages that you literally would miss if you blinked, some more quaint than the seaside ones, and then you meet the dreaded one lane roads with too much frequency. We are really not enjoying the stress of driving on them. Every km seems double the distance when you can only drive 20 kmph and are worried about what is behind every bend – and there are a lot of bends I can assure you.

As we progressed the sky started to change again from blue to grey. We had lost too much time to get to Tintagnel in time to make the hefty entry fee worthwhile, and decided to do it tomorrow if the weather permitted. A quick change and we set the Navigation for Port Isaac which was half way in between.

Port Isaac was the location for the Doc Martin TV show. It is small and yes that quant word again fishing village. Crab pots and fishing boats line the small clear green harbour, the aroma confirming the activities. The walk down from the car park was a little challenging for my knee but I am proud to say I managed it. Indeed, I am thankful and impressed that I managed the days walking up and down so well.

The coast line around Port Isaac was quite stunning. The dramatic coastal rock cliffs of different colours streaked paprika red, bordered by blue sea on one side and green fields with white washed houses was a sight to simply take in and enjoy. The southwest of England has much to delight.

Just before home we felt we had eaten well at lunch and only required a picnic for dinner, so we stopped at a Sainsbury and got a salad, lovely soft Camembert style cheese, and ciabatta. For dessert a ‘Gooseberry fool” which was delicious. I had developed suddenly some sharp pains in my stomach either diverticulitis or bladder infection, so I also got some herbal pills to assist.

Reflections of the day and area so far are that there are some pretty spots, however, maybe not living up to the hype. We feel that there are actually more scenic spots in the UK, the roads are not fun, however, it is tops for the amazing golden sands that remind us of the best Aussie beaches we have seen.

Hoping to not feel too poorly tomorrow!