It Takes a Village...and Pudding!

We celebrated Michaelmas by taking it easy today. Sleeping late was followed by a leisurely breakfast and a bit of puttering around the apartment. No buses to catch or trains to chase after today!

Along about 1:00 pm we decided to walk over to the Mount, as the causeway was completely uncovered.

 This week is Pudding Week at the Mount, and I've had my eye on some sticky toffee pudding since we got here!  Anne had the apple crumble with clotted cream (left) and she pronounced it delicious! My sticky toffee pud (right) was delightful!

We took the village tour which was extremely interesting. It was, happily, a short tour as the wind was blowing about 30 mph out of the northeast and it was getting a bit chilly. It was interesting to hear how the islanders live and work and about so much of their history. I was especially intrigued by the state barges that were over 150 years old and are still in use!  Time now to make some supper and relax some more! Tomorrow we go to visit the villages of Gerrans and Portscatho.

Stay tuned...

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Yesterday was a long day, spent in enjoyable pursuits, which is why this post is delayed. A bus, a train, and a bus got us to the Lost Gardens of Heligan around 11:30 am.  There are several different areas to explore, so we took the map provided at the ticket office and planned our strategy. We decided to explore the restored woodlands and the lost valley. It was such a peaceful walk, with little surprises along the way - like the Giant's Head sculpture, and Tamworth pigs that root on fallen fruit and nuts.

Coming out of the woods we passed the poultry orchard where several varieties of duck, geese, and chickens happily roam free. We also passed cows, sheep, and emus grazing in other pastures, enjoying the fresh air and succulent grasses. All the meat and vegetables served in the tearoom are raised on the estates, and believe me, the freshness and taste is exceptional.

Some of the paths were fairly steep, so by the time we made it back to where the tearoom was located we were tired and hungry.  The lunch we had surpassed all expectations!  Roast sirloin of beef with potatoes boulangere, roasted parsnips and cauliflower, and fresh string beans. Everything grown on the farm at Heligan! Even my nephew, Chris, would approve! (wink, wink)

After lunch we explored the vegetable and flower gardens. Melons, beans, greens, root vegetables, onions, pears, apples, boysenberries, even pineapples thrive under the loving care of the Heligan gardeners. Beautiful walled gardens full of flowers, with fountains and seating areas, made it a joy to explore.

While touring the productive vegetable garden, Anne got flirty with the resident scarecrow. Shameless! But you just never know what she might do.

Afterwards, we returned to the tearoom for some delicious Cornish ice cream. Sitting outside in the courtyard, we enjoyed the sunshine and the multitude of finches, industriously cleaning up any stray crumbs. Having some time to spare, we looked around the gift shop and then returned to the tearoom for some more wine before starting the walk back to the bus stop.

A bus, a train, and a taxi got us home, and after a small bite to eat, we relaxed a bit before going to bed. Today, we are walking over to the Mount for a tour of the village and some sticky toffee pudding!  Stay tuned...

The Path Less Traveled

photo credit: BBC One

Dutifully, we arose at 2:45 am to see the lunar eclipse.  The sky was perfectly clear, the moon small, and high, but we were able to see it from the lounge window in the apartment.  I managed to be able to watch for about 45 minutes, and then had to return to bed. It was the first total lunar eclipse I ever witnessed and was grateful that we had such a good view of it. Needless to say our feeble attempts at photos failed, which I knew they would.



Waking up later than normal, we opted to skip breakfast, have some coffee, and then we noticed that the causeway to the Mount was open.  So we dressed, and made our way down to the beach and walked the causeway over to St Michael's Mount for lunch. After some delicious sandwiches and skinny chips, I decided to take another look around the gift shop, then we walked back down the causeway to the village.

Some quiet time spent reading, and digesting lunch, was followed
by a lovely walk up the east end of the village to where a footpath leads to the SW Coast Path.  It was pretty steep in spots, as is the walk to the east end of the village.  We followed the path until it came out onto a wild and rocky stretch of beach.  A ladder ascended the side of the cliff, but one had to traverse some large boulders to get there, and we weren't feeling quite that adventurous. The views were breathtaking, so we lingered a few minutes before hiking back up the path and returning to the main street.

A cold beverage was called for, after all the walking and the steep hills, so we stopped in at the Fire Engine Inn. It's pretty much a locals' pub with great atmosphere, a wonderful proprietor, and a fantastic view of Mounts Bay. We had a lovely pint of Guinness, and a nice chat with Trevor, the proprietor, who gave us a little of the history of the pub and the village.

I considered a second pint, since the first was so good, but we needed to head back to the apartment because it was getting to be supper time.

After a delicious supper we cleaned the kitchen, and got our showers, and now are relaxing a bit before bed.  Tomorrow is an early day as we are heading to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. It's going to be a wonderful excursion and I can't wait!

Stay tuned...