And then there were two

When I waved the girls off there were four in the car rather than five as Sally decided to make the most of having the school holidays off and spend a few days with me before I drove back to Lingfield for a couple of weeks for Libby's birthday and her A-level retake results.

The weather had been steadily improving so Sally got some rays in the yard while I pottered around and caught up on bits and pieces. Then, bottle of wine in hand and 80p that I owed Polpeor cafe in pocket, we headed down to Lizard Point for an early dinner. (I know I've said it before but if you click on the pics you can see much more detail, especially the Kynance Cove ones.)

We awoke to sunshine streaming through the windows so we packed a picnic and headed off to Porthcurno. I was a little concerned as we approached as there was a traffic jam and had visions of the car-park being full as it is now high-season. But all was well and we parked in one of the dozen or so spaces left.

Like the car-park, the beach was fuller than I had seen it before. However as we made our way down the sands a perfect spot was vacated in my favourite position under the cliffs. I read my book while Sally ear-wigged on the various conversations going on around me!

(Check out this pic: Sal is looking out to sea in her bikini. I took the photo not realising my twin is standing on the right hand side of the photo.)

After a lovely few hours of sunbathing and paddling we returned to the car and popped our trainers on for a cliff walk to see Porthcurno at its best.

Thursday dawned just as gloriously so we decided on a day at Kynance. We hit the Cove at low tide and staked our place where I knew the tide would leave us alone for the longest. 

To one side of us a group of people had made a huge camp with windbreaks and to the other a barbecue was starting (Sally is tucked away right at the back). Hey-ho the joys of high season.

Once again we'd brought lunch with us so apart from a trip to the Cafe for refreshment we were good to go.

When the sea got a little too close for comfort (the incoming tide had just deposited this seaweed)...

... we decamped to the Cafe for ice-creams and spent a pleasant hour or two sitting on the edge of the cliff watching the goings on below.

 Including seeing the owners of Kynance Cove Cafe,Victoria and Luke's kids jumping off the rocks and having fun on their paddle boards.

The funniest was watching a group who were ensconced on the rocks and had no idea the tide had come in and cut them off completely. There were no little children with them so it was simply amusing and not dangerous in any way.

The highlight was being interviewed for BBC Spotlight, which duly aired the following Friday although we were cut to mere seconds. Not surprising seeing as how I gabbled away as usual. Sally was great, albeit apparently naked.

Then it was home to pack for an early start up to Lingfield the following morning. 

Love from The Lizard Girl

As I was going to St Ives

Monday was intended to start with a lovely sunny breakfast at Gwithian Towans followed by a day's sunbathing. Having been thwarted by the weather I decided breakfast at Sunset Surf would still work but inside watching the stormy weather rather than out on the sun deck, followed by a day in St Ives. Looking at this photoyou would think we were all set for a day at the beach rather than being about to pack our fleeces and waterproofs.

A quick selfie at the kitchen table and we were off...

I had taken Libby and Annie to Sunset Surf for lunch and breakfast certainly didn't disappoint. Variations on fry-ups for five of us and a delicious muesli option for Alison (who'd already been out for a run at 7.30am whilst the rest of us were sleeping).

Then, due to inclement weather, we jumped back on the fun bus and headed to the park-and-ride at Lelant to board the train to St Ives. It was a day timetabled by food and drink stops. We had breakfast planned for 10.30am and dinner booked for 8pm which left plenty of time for a cream tea mid-afternoon after wandering along the sea-front and in and out of shops along the cobbled streets of St Ives. We also managed to squeeze in an ice-cream. Except Susan who professed to not being hungry. None of us were hungry. What was your point Susan?

And Processo (local brew for Karen). St Ives was heaving but a very nice man in a not very nice pub directed us to this roof top bar away from the madding crowds. Apart from the slightly tousled hair you can't tell just how blowy it was. A good indication was the barman saying he couldn't bring the drinks and glasses on a tray because they'd blow away so would have to be brought two by two!

Whilst we were enjoying our drinks the girls produced a prez for me. How perfect is this?!

All too soon it was time to board the seaside train again. With no time to go home and out again we had brought changes of clothes in the car along with a bit of slap. We decided to move the fun bus so it was tucked away in a corner of the field and afford us a little privacy. While Karen jumped out for a crafty cigarette we decided it would be hilarious rather than simply moving the car we drive away very quietly. This is one of those "you had to be there moments" but the sight of Karen turning around and then creasing up with laughter as we sedately bumped away out of sight is one that will remain with me for years.

We had dinner at The Square at Porthleven. Delicious food but Cath wasn't feeling at all well so, for the first time in 48 hours, we were a little quieter than usual whilst we enjoyed our meal.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast of eggs benedict, it was off down to the beach at Lizard Point for some seal spotting before visiting Polpeor Cafe for hot drinks and ice-creams. 

As you can see, we were without out trusty selfie-stick...

So after a couple of false starts a very kind National Trust lad took a final lovely photo for us:

And with that the fun bus was packed and with much tooting and waving the girls headed back up country. What fabulous fun-filled days we shared. We all feel so fortunate to have each other as friends and still be talking to each other at the end!

Love from The Lizard Girl

Lingfield love and Lizard laughter

Saturday, 25th July dawned bright and beautiful

Rather different from the afternoon before

I had a lovely day getting ready for the long awaited arrival of my Lingfield girlfriends; Cath, Alison, Karen, Susan and Sally. Thanks to the wonders of Whatsapp we kept in contact as they fair whizzed down the A303 and onto the A30. Most of the updates were from Susan who, in my minds-eye was riding on the roof, as we were joking about there not being enough room for her in the car. They made great time and by 9pm we were attacking the vino, beero and feast with gusto. After a very noisy, laughter filled evening everyone retired to bed... just as the fog-horn went off. I felt terrible for Karen, Sally and Susan in the downstairs dorm as the window won't fully shut so I think it was a rather sleepless night for some.

The next day didn't exactly dawn bright but as I had plans that the weather would be hard pushed to spoil we downed tea, coffee and croissants as we discussed how the weather was definitely, sort of, vaguely clearing up. At one point I thought the biggest problem was going to be ever getting out of the door because everyone wanted to have the last wee. No sooner had the sixth one gone than the first one needed to go again. My carefully laid plans were being shot to pieces before we even got out the door.

Eventually we route marched up to Lizard village. Stopped for Karen to have a loo break on the green. Not actually on the green but in the toilet block (I think) and then it was off past Ann's Pasties, down past St Winwallow's Church and to the lifeboat station, of special interest to Mrs Cox as Bam Nuttall built it. As it was the Lifeboat Annual Fete the building itself was closed but that didn't matter as it is a thing of beauty regardless.

As we walked the skies began to clear and I had high hopes of hot drinks under blue skies at Lizard Point.

Lizard Point and Lizard Lighthouse

And then Housel Bay Hotel came into view. I had completely forgotten that when Cath came to visit we had come up with the idea of drinkies on the terrace. She hadn't. What started out as hot chocolates and coffees with a beer for Karen turned into two bottles of wine for us and a couple of beers for Karen sitting in glorious sunshine with the noise level rising by the minute and no-one else out in the garden to mind.

Once we finally dragged ourselves away it was full on meandering to Kynance Cove. At this point I think we were about 2 hours behind schedule but having such fun tootling around the cliff tops a little lightheaded. The weather closed in a little as we approached Kynance and just as we ordered lunch the heavens opened but the rain passed in a few minutes and we were sat on the Verandah (I'm putting an h on the end because it always looks wrong without) under cover anyway.

Then it was off to the rocks to watch some of the wildest waves I've ever seen at Kynance with the selfie-stick handed over to Karen.

After a blustery walk back we came home to blue skies and a nice cup of tea and a slice of homemade coffee and walnut cake.

The evening: laughter, mickey-taking, alcohol and left-over feasting before hitting our beds and sleeping soundly.

Love from The Lizard Girl

Oooh look at the view

I took this photo a couple of weeks ago while enjoying the view from Polpeor Cafe at Lizard Point. My local. A beautiful blue sky with just a faint waft of cloud high in the sky, looking along the south west coast path towards Kynance.

I revisit Kynance Cove again and again. I knew from the first time I laid eyes on the cove, years ago, out of season, that I would love the place more each time and so it is (By the way I'm reading Frenchman's Creek and feel a little Daphne Du Maurier has seeped into me.).

This was a new find on a previous visit to Kynance. At low tide you can keep walking along the beach and round the corner until you reach another little cove and right at the very end I discovered this rock pool. It's huge; probably 15 feet across at its widest point. No sign of a pirate lurking.

A friend messaged me the other day and asked what the weather was like. Like this I replied as I enjoyed the view from Amelie's at Porthleven at low-tide.

Yesterday I zoomed into Marazion as I wanted to buy some cards from a specific shop. However there was nowhere available to park for free (actually there was but a blooming mini-bus was in the way and I couldn't see the spaces) so I ended up having to £4 to park. The upside is that the parking ticket is redeemable at The Godolphin Arms so I had a cup of tea and a wonderful view once I'd bought my precious cards.

Love from The Lizard Girl

Holywell Bay and Crantock Beach

On Friday, 17th July I ventured up and across country towards Newquay to explore Holywell Bay and Crantock Beach. It was a very windy day. I don't know if that's a north coast thing or just the weather that day but everywhere you looked there were windbreakers.

Holywell Bay

I liked it well enough and had my picnic lunch here but in the end the wind got the better of me and I drove a couple of miles up the road to Crantock Beach. What an amazing beach. A massive open space with sand and sea equipment for hire and then, as your eyes roam, the vista changes and there's a river before you and then you take in the amazing beachside properties and then up towards the ice-cream kiosk and windbreak city once again.

After reading my kindle for a while I walked up the beach inland and crossed the river using the footbridge (at high tide there's a ferry boat) and climbed many steps to the top for a wonderful view of the beach from the cafe. Unfortunately I'd left my phone behind so no pictures. One of the beachside properties in particular was amazing. It spanned the entire cliffside from top to bottom with wooden steps zigzagging up it and at intervals there were sitting out areas or glassed rooms or tended beds and then at the top what looked to be a spectacular house.

As the wind got up I took shelter and finished the afternoon safe and snug in the dunes.

Love from the Lizard Girl

Randoms

Still recovering from the excitement of seeing Aidan a whole week later! I have been out and about revisiting faves as well as new discoveries but decided to take the opportunity to post some random photographs.

To kick off with, did I ever tell you how I lent the lighthouse cottage to complete strangers for a few days while the daddy of the family took a brief break from his monumental fund-raiser for an MS charity; Shift.ms which involved cycling to every lighthouse in England and Wales (including the islands). I didn't? Well I did. And this is the lovely basket of goodies that awaited me on my return to the cottage back at the beginning of June. He's on the home stretch now; free-wheeling all the way down the east coast of England back to Kent.

I'm still adding new varieties to my list of wild flowers and this book has been invaluable. I have really enjoyed taking little cuttings home and then identifying them. My favourite wild flowers to date are betony and common restharrow. Mum bought me a lovely little snipping tool when we were at Trebah Gardens which lives in my bag. Binoculars and snippers - who is this girl?

As you know life is a bowl of cherries and none more delicious than a pound of these English beauties bought from the roadside.

This sign continues to perplex me. The first time I saw it I thought some funny fellow had removed the 'I' from the sign. And then I saw it again, miles away. So I had a little read and then I had a little look on Cornwall Council's website. Dear reader, Cornwall Council are trying to let their loos. Apparently they could be converted into a variety of purposes including holiday homes, recreational activities and cafes. Well that's all fine and dandy but other factors aside it's a condition of the lease that a public toilet service has to be maintained. They're not the largest of buildings to start with so how does that work???

Me...

... and my lighthouse just visible over the roof...

... and my 50th birthday piggies enjoying some respite from the sun in my newly purchased beach shelter.

 As I love my distressed table so much I decided to paint my little green shelves white as well. Of course half-way through I ran out of paint so had to do a 50 miles trip to B&Q in Penzance to buy another tin. Very pleased with the result.

And to finish this random post, a random accidental photo of my foot.

Love from The Lizard Girl

Aidan Turner comes to Kynance Cove

It has always been a bit of a standing joke amongst my friends that I'm looking for my very own Poldark here in Cornwall. I knew a new series of Poldark was due to be shot in the Autumn but word went round last week that Aidan Turner would be filming at Kynance Cove on Wednesday and Thursday. Cue great excitement amongst my Lizard girl-friends. On Monday I saw on someone's Facebook page that they'd been filming at Mullion Cove. Not Poldark at all but an Agatha Christie mini-series; And Then There Were None.

On Tuesday I was starting to suffer from cabin fever as the fog horn had been going off since Sunday so rather than heading for a beach, the weather was too bad for that, I decided to explore Penryn and try out Miss Peapod's Kitchen cafe at Jubilee Wharf. As I hadn't been out for a couple of days I pulled into the Kynance Cove turning, as you can pick up a mobile signal there, just in case I had any messages. Once I'd checked I went to turn around but there was a minibus coming along the track towards me. As I followed it back to the main road I noticed it was empty which I thought was a bit odd. I was about to pull out when I caught sight of a little neon pink sign I'd seen earlier with the initials ATTWN on it - AND THEN THERE WERE NONE. Ker-ching; maybe they were filming today?!

So, I turned round once again and headed to the Kynance Cove car-park. As I approached I saw lots of heavy duty vehicles and there was an air of excitement about the place. This was the first thing I saw:

Then this:

I grilled the lad at the National Trust car-park kiosk but he was having none of it. They'd been there since 5am long before he arrived and he knew nothing he said, with a big grin on his face.

I had to walk the really long way down to the Cove as both the low-tide path and the high-tide path had security men blocking the way so everyone had to use the track. Oooh, excitement mounting. Got to the cafe and ordered a pot of tea and a flapjack and cross-examined the guys behind the till. Was Aidan here? Yes, he'd been in, shaken Victoria's hand, now filming on the beach right below the cafe. And he'd used their loo. Cheers for that guys.

The weather was misty and drizzly but who cares? The place was practically deserted which I was rather surprised at. Surely word must have got out but apparently not. I got chatting to a couple of girls at the end of the veranda as I hugged my mug of tea and... bloody hell, that bloke in the grey shirt and burgundy trews; that's the lovely Aidan himself.

This is my picture:

And this is one that someone, somewhere with an amazing telephoto lens, took and posted on a fan page (he's acting not having a go at someone, it's all about to get nasty with a gun involved):

Anyways, my new buddies and I are chatting and the man himself comes strolling up the steps and into the cafe. Oh my god. What to do? What to do? So being the brave person I am, I take a photo of his back:

Then blow me down he comes out and just kinda stands there so I am even braver and ask can I take his photograph? He very politely says no as the BBC won't allow pics in costume. Then I noticed a couple of other people coming forward to ask for an autograph. Whizzed into the cafe, grabbed an order slip and a pen and shot back out:

And then he just stood there and chatted. There was me and the two girls I'd been talking to, a lovely couple who were staying in the cottage and one lady who'd come down from Camborne. A real, proper fan who had been given mis-information and told he was at Kennack Sands before tracking him down to Kynance. So we stood there and chatted and he was just the nicest, most polite fellow and so, so gorgeous looking and an Irish accent to die for. Naturally I jibbered like a good 'un and managed to spout absolute bollocks but he was so normal that we were all at ease very soon. 

We talked about how cold the water is in Cornwall (and you think you'll mention *that* scene in Poldark but you just can't when it comes to it) and how it turned out, in Aidan's words "a nice little series". One of the girls was talking about how she was on book 8 of the Poldark saga and it transpired that Aidan is reading them too but he can't get too far ahead in case it influences how he acts his character. Interesting. 

Man, I could have just stood and adored all day but all too soon his break was up and away he went while we giggled like schoolgirls not quite being able to believe our good fortune as we went our separate ways in a bit of a daze.

POST SCRIPT:
Popped back down again today, Thursday, just as they were finishing up. Aidan had left the set by now but I bumped into one of the ladies from Tuesday (the real, proper fan). She had been there all three days and said we struck gold with our lovely chat. That didn't happen again, and I got the feeling she was there most of the time! Although the odd person did get their photo taken when he had a coat over the top of his costume. On the way out I saw Sam Neill striding across the car-park and apparently Charles Dance had been very lovely the evening before. We decided Aidan's parents had done an excellent job of bringing him up!

Roll on September and the return of Captain Ross Poldark to these parts.

Love from The Lizard Girl