Cornwall is a world of its own with spectacular landscapes and stunning rugged coastline. Hedgerows climb the hills defining and dividing the rolling green pastures. No place is Cornwall is more than 20 miles from the coast and the ocean.
We often passed under natural green arches
over the roads where the trees and vines on each side had grown across the road
and entangled with those on the opposite side. Most roads in Cornwall are
narrow two-lane roads, with one lane going in each direction. Some roads are no
more than a one car lane and it got real interesting sometimes when we met a
vehicle going in the opposite direction. It is easy to understand that people
living in this part of the country would want only a small vehicle.
Cornwall is the land of legendary shipwrecks, with over 3000 recorded
along the rugged coastline. In Charlestown, on a rainy afternoon, we visited
the Shipwreck Museum. The museum was quite well done, with video narration of
several famous shipwrecks. The museum was full of shipwreck relics.
Prince Charles has an estate in Cornwall. The eldest royal son has been
the Duke of Cornwall for ages. If produce
or a product is labeled duchy, it
means the tax goes to the Duke's trust. Prince Charles’ trust makes
loans/grants to small business enterprises.
Mevagissey, a quaint small fishing
village, has a history of smuggling. In fact smuggling was a common enterprise
years ago all along the Cornwall coast. One evening we had fish and chips in
the Fountain Inn, a 15th
century pub where even today the bar, oak beams, and slate floor are the
original. The meaning of history certainly comes alive! George Bernard Shaw wrote The Doctor’s Dilemma in 1906 while living in Mevagissey.
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| Hedgerow up a fell |
Driving over the narrow country
lanes was a delight. The hedgerow-lined meadows became part of panoramic views
as the bushes and flowers along the roads thinned. Wild flowers were in bloom
everywhere. Taking one wrong turn our van driver said, “You can’t get lost in
Cornwall, you just take the wrong route.” Every once in awhile we’d find a
small village or a thatched roof house, but we saw no tourists, buses or fast
food restaurant. Ah the pleasures of a small or private group and a van!
Penzance is a seaside community with an
ocean promenade that offered a delightful view of Mount’s Bay and St. Michael’s
Mount. In the 16th century
Spanish raiders destroyed most of the town, so most buildings were 18th
century.
St. Ives has been known as an artist colony
since the 1880s. Whistler came to paint. Daphne de Maurier and Virginia
Wolfe wrote here. I visited the Barbara Hepworth sculptor garden. I had a heck
of a time finding it, but eventually did after asking several people for
directions. Her sculpture was very modern, and it didn’t take me long to get
through the garden. The harbor exported tin, wooden barrels, and fish, and
imported coal for the mining industry. I did wander the beach area, but
generally walked up and down the cobbled alleyways looking in shops. It is a
delightful picturesque village. The streets are only lanes and the area is very
hilly. A shuttle runs from the carpark down into the village. Coaches, and
there were many of them, had to park in an area high above town. We also parked
the van in the carpark and took advantage of the shuttle.
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