Bedruthan and Crantock

A few more beach visit, Bedruthan - which was more of a cliff visit as the tide was in - and Crantock - which was a seriously long walk.

Bedruthan Steps: 

We think a native UK orchid

We went to Crantock bay on the way back from St Agnes. The parking instructions were not very clue so we ended up parking quite a way from the beach (and then sent dad back for the car afterwards!).

One reason for going there was there is supposed to be a carving in the rocks, the story of young love. It was a little more disappointing than I expected. 

St. Enodoc

 St Endoc's is a church just off the beach. For years it was buried in the sand. They found it by accident and uncovered it. It is now within a golf course so you have to be a little cautious and vigilant for flying missiles getting to it but it is worth it.

The beach

Inside

The list of vocals - they finally have a female vicar!

Remembrance for fallen sailors

This church dates back nearly 800 years.

Blue Hills and St. Agnes

As we were near St Agnes we spend the day at st Agnes and the nearby mines which dad found when he went for a run around the hills. Because he is crazy. 

The car did get us to the sea front. It just fit the roads. Just. It was very tight at points - glad I was not driving.

There was another tin mine there; much smaller but had a lovely shop. It was a much older example, back to the medical times so actually more understandable.

Difference between tin and rock

The original way to get tin from rock

In the shop at the end they gave up an example of how they created the jewellery from the freshly smelted tin. They were going to melt down the little cat she had made as it had a defect but my dad is a softy and insisted on saving the little cat from certain death. They were rather shocked but he got my sister a present at a very good price. (I just brought some earrings.)

After this we headed up some equally tiny roads to St. Agnes which is a tiny town with a beach but very lovely. The tide was in so we sat with cups of tea and cake (why not?) overlooking the sea.

Geevor Tin Mines

 While further down on the west coast, we were near loads of the old tin mines which dad really wanted to visit. So I found one where you could go down the mines and actually speak to a miner.

The first part was walking around the machine rooms. really not much clue what was going on. But I did enjoy the outfit.

My new look

                                     

Fascinated about something

 

 

 

They had the personal areas as if the miners had just left (which happened in the 80s). 

I looked. There were none left. :(

After the personal areas was the large sorting areas with the shaking tables which separated the rock from the tin. There were a lot of these. A lot! 

Miner.

The trip down the mine and chat to the miner wasn't quite as advertised. We did get to chat to a miner outside which was good. Dad and I had lots of questions; mom not so much. 

We left when another group come behind us so they could ask questions. They didn't really. And ended up following us through the mine passages. Which meant I didn't get as many photos as I wanted - I felt really bad about making them wait in the tiny corridors while I lined up a shot. 

I did go first so got some shots. This advantage was balanced with the fact that everyone behind me know where all the low parts of the tunnel where from the bangs and curses coming from the from, i.e me. 

On the evening we went to the Minack theatre. It was a bit stressful as it turns out we were booked in for another night, not the one we turned up one. But we got in anyway. It was "Tell me on a Sunday" which was ok but I wouldn't see it again. Good news though we were a lot warmer this time as we were a lot better prepared. Bad news was the Caribbean food hut was shut so we couldn't get any food. Thankfully we had brought extra cakes form the mine cafe because it was amazing and in huge slices so we were all good. :)

St Michael's Mount

hIn the middle week of our holiday we went to a holiday caravan (which turned out to be a small townhouse) in St. Agnus. Mom had booked it thinking it was much further south and had booked us tickets for st. Micheal's mount on the south coast. She actually booked near Newquay but we still went to the mount and in fact the area she booked was lovely so it all worked out.

You access the mount, which contains gardens and a castle, via a walkway which is uncovered half of the day. Once the tide comes in you need to get a boat across. 

On way up to the castle

First we walked up to the castle and where glad we did. The queue was insane and half way down the hill when we came out. 

View from the top.

3 legged chair. Not sure why but I want one

main hall

Ceiling

Drinking horn

Every castle needs cannons

Chapel

Amazing stain glass windows

Atmospheric

                                                         

Happy

Heart shaped peddle - secret heart of the giant

After lunch (where all the delays, as it took forever for the queue to move, worked in our favour and we got a better menu by the time we got there), we went around the gardens. 

Now below is a series of photos. None of us can remember what was going on but they were clearly enjoying themselves. (Not sure what was in their lunches.)

Finally semi-serious.

Looking up the castle

 It was a lovely day and we must have walked miles. Which was dad's excuse when he fell asleep in the car while mom and I did some shopping. :)