Day 12 (actually 13) - Sunday lunch promised at the "Wellie", Boscastle. Jen had visited not long before the disastrous flood and a camping neighbour was there on that day in 2004. Coincidentally, the Boscastle flood was on 16 August and the Lynmouth flood was on 15 August 1952, a day I will always remember.
We went via the coast road and through a very pretty, and much "glammed up" village of Polzeath, where we posted letters and cards home.
Polzeath harbour.
From there, we went to Port Issac. We parked outside the village and walked down. Later, we climbed back. On Mayday, I had chatted to one of the inshore lifeboat crew up at the Social Club, while sitting on the grass. Jen spent a lot of time poking round all the ally ways, looking at the old fishermen's cottages up the narrow streets. Meanwhile, I contemplated visiting a grumpy old doctor at his surgery above the harbour. Hehe.
From there, we went on to Boscastle. The repairs to the village and its infra-structure took five years to complete. At present, it all looks very pristine and new but I suspect the slate will weather down over the next decade and plants and mosses will colonise the walls as wind-blown dust settles in the cracks.
View of Boscastle harbour, secluded but tricky to enter in poor weather.
VToday was also the day a yanky White-throated Sparrow was found up the Tintagel road, by Trevalga. Star bird!
Pics of this bird can be found HERE and a video clip here
Day 14. More walking, this time as an excuse to look for colour-ringed Corn Buntings. We opted to park at Harlyn beach and walk round Trevone Head on the coast path to Constantine Bay (clean toilets).
We only found three singing Corn bunts and I was able to 'scope just the one, which was ring-less. On the other hand, we picked up Rock Pipit, a Gannet fishing off Trevone and 'Quies' [islets off-shore], a few Fulmars, Buzzards, Kestrel, Sky Larks singing 'everywhere', plenty of large and small gulls, and noisy Oystercatchers and passing Whimbrels. We walked back via the golf course to Harlyn, stopping off at the pub for a cold, Polish, lager beer, before returning to the car.
From there, we dropped into Padstow for a 'cornish cream tea' as Jen didn't want to leave without one. Then it was back to our windswept camp site to do a little packing up. On the morrow, we were anticipating a long drive of 6-7 hours to Bedford, with Jen taking another 2 to get to Lynn.
"View from our lounge window, Padstow".
VAnd the Blackbird chicks (at least three) from the Leylandii by the water tap fledged today and were partitioned between mum and dad. A good holiday, all things considered - and over too soon.
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