The last supper (...now the diet starts?!)

If I could choose how to spend my last day in the Southwest of England for some time, it would probably involve waking to perfect blue skies, crossing the idyllic countryside to a rocky stretch of coast, doing a bit of walking, perhaps grabbing a pasty, pint and ice cream along the way, then returning home to the smell of a roast dinner to share with my family. Seems I just lucked out…

The Cornwall + Holiday = Shorts equation was very much on as Al, Vero, Philippe and I piled into the Yaris taking us up through Callington and Launceston with views to Dartmoor on one side and Bodmin Moor on the other, cruising beside a windfarm and the Davidstow cheese factory, then along the Atlantic Highway and across to the north Cornish coastal village of Tintagel. The main feature of Tintagel is the 2000 year old ruins of a castle on the island, linked to the mainland by a small footbridge. There are plenty of steps to climb here, so sustenance was obviously necessary beforehand.

It was one of the clearest days I had seen in a long time and the views were simply awesome, up the coast to Devon and Lundy Island, down the Cornish Coast to Pentire Point and inland to the villages, farmland and moors beyond. Really this small crowded island of ours is jam packed with beauty and I think being away for a little magnifies that somewhat. No excuses for showing a lot of pictures here…

Climbing back up to the village from the castle was of course thirsty work, so we popped into the Cornishman Arms for a pint of Doom Bar and then visited the amazing Granny Wobblys Fudge Pantry for ice cream topped with clotted cream and crumbly fudge, along with several tablets of crumbly fudge to take home, wherever that may eventually be.

Home for now was Beacon Park Road in Plymouth, where Mum was kicking up a storm in the kitchen with roast beef and lamb, Yorkshire pudding and masses of roast potatoes. This was kind of an early Christmas dinner for us all as it will be the last time we are together for a while. The food was of course fantastic and plentiful and it is with regret that I shall be leaving the leftovers to head to London, Blackpool and Basingstoke for a few days.

We managed to assemble for a few family photos, almost a repeat of one year ago when we were having an all out Aussie BBQ, the hat with corks in and XXXX was flying around and the sun was out. I can’t believe twelve months has passed since then and I have done and seen so much in that time. But, cliché ridden though it may be, there simply is no place like home.