So this is Cornwall

The big story on Tuesday was that I wore shorts. OK, it wasn’t tropical but it felt the right thing to do given a day in Cornwall was on the cards. Holiday + Cornwall = Shorts, it’s a simple equation. Anyway, enough about me and my party pants, and more about Cornwall. It’s clearly one of the most beautiful places in the UK, hence lots of people from the North decide to invade. We crossed the Tamar Bridge and made a beeline for the north coast near Newquay, site of Bedruthan Steps. Strangely enough I think my first blog entry was from this place some 12 months ago. It looked as stunning as ever thanks to the un-stereotypical clear water and stretches of sand, dotted with gargantuan rocks breaking away from the mighty cliffs.

We walked along a part of the South West Coast Path…my feet start aching when I think about how many miles of this path I’ve walked over the past few years…stopping, oh, every 10 metres or so to take countless photos of the splendid scenery. As ever, Allan was eyeing up the birds and tried to pull this one for a good ten minutes or so. I think he got some nice shots of her though.

What’s particularly great about the South West is how you have a dramatic coastline on one side and the lush fields and meadows on the other, rolling down to the sea or ending abruptly at giant cliff faces. Further along, the path leads down to Mawgan Porth where lots of aforementioned people from the North were putting up those little beach tents, bathing and trying to surf. We remained up above on the clifftops, marveling in a patch of heather all purple and gold glimmering in the sun.

All this walking and stopping to take photos had brought on a hunger, despite the relief of the occasional liquorice allsort. This is why Bedruthan is a place to visit not solely for the beauty but for the simply wonderful food from the National Trust café. Baked potatoes crispy on the outside and melt in the mouth in the middle, accompanied by more than ample cheese, thick sliced local ham, home made chutney and coleslaw and salad all sat outside with views of the sea…priceless. Well £5.20 actually but worth every penny.

It was a struggle after to walk some more, but worth it as we ventured down the countless steps to the beach. I still marvel at such clear water in the UK and sandy beaches too.

I heard on the weather forecast that the sea temperature was a mighty 16C, probably the warmest it gets all year. Whilst there was a little initial pain when dipping feet in the water this subsided for a few minutes and was quite relaxing. No more than lower bottom half of leg height, though many others (hmmm, Northerners?!) were in the sea having a swim. We’re harder than those soft Aussies I tell you.

It was an arduous climb back up, but we rested at an overlook for a little while, watching the tide move in, hoping to see some people stranded on the beach, ha ha ha (slightly sinister evil laugh)! Bedruthan Rescue has a bit of a ring to it for a TV show I reckon. Here we are up top…see the shorts! Shorts. In summer. My oh my!

After our fill of sea, sand, shorts, and steps we drove down through Newquay to Holywell Bay. This place has a wonderful beach backed with massive sand dunes but we were here mainly for a round of golf on the great little pitch and putt links course. Like St Andrews for Pixies.

Not that we were being competitive or anything but I won with a score of 68, including a 2 thanks to a long putt, a couple of 3s and many 4s. To celebrate I supped on a pint of the finest Cornish Ale, Doom Bar from Rock in Cornwall. Not too warm but not too cold, it felt like heaven in a glass.

That would be a fine way to end the day in Cornwall but we ended it in perhaps even finer style with fish and chips in the nearby village of Cubert (after several Northerners had come and got their 10 fish and chips, some mushy peas, chicken nuggets and batterbits). Full on food, we departed with the sun sinking behind us, rosy in the face and ready for bed after all that salty sea air.