Or in this case nine nights, courtesy of the National Trust having two spare days at the end of our week. Our twelfth successive year at Port Quin and the fourth at Lacombe. We had planned on some nice relaxing days now we had more time. Little did I know.
It rained for over two hours on Thursday for our journey down, but as usual the sun had come out as we arrived. We dumped our cases inside and took a late afternoon walk up to the headland overlooking Doyden where we used to stay.
We looked back to the tiny harbour and Port Quin itself. Our cottage is the white one on the far left.
Friday started cloudy and after the journey we didn't want to go too far. So we headed into Wadebridge and from there did a 5 mile run down the Camel Trail. Back to the cottage for a shower and some lunch. The sun came out in the afternoon so we parked the car in the NT car park above Lundy Bay. A short stroll down to the beach where we sat on the rocks and watched the tide come in.
It was still warm when we arrived back at the cottage so we took our cups of tea to the harbour and sat on the wall in the sunshine, just before high tide.
Saturday started drizzly and misty. Alison went for a run along the coast while I went for a stroll around Polzeath and bought a paper. When I got back, I joined Alison who was climbing over the rocks in the harbour as it was low tide, something we had never done before.
After an early lunch, the weather seemed to be improving so we headed for Lanhydrock, a very impressive NT property that we had been to a few times before.
Although we couldn't remember the herbaceous borders in the High Garden. They were spectacular even at this time of year.
There was still time for a cup of tea sitting outside the main building, and still a warm 20C. In the evening we went for dinner at The Granary, our favourite café in this part of Cornwall.
On Sunday we did what we usually do. I drive to Padstow, park to car and hire a bike to cycle down the Camel Trail to Wadebridge and back.
At the same time, Alison runs from the cottage along the clifftops to Polzeath and then on to Rock. here she catches the ferry to Padstow where we meet up. It was a cloudy but warm morning with the odd spot of drizzle. But it brightened again as we walked into Padstow centre. I was looking forward to my usual fish and chips at The Quayside café. But horror of horrors, it had changed hands and was serving mainly pizzas. And it was deserted. Hopefully it might change back next year. We found another café for lunch and fish and chips was on their menu. An early afternoon stroll up to the Monument to find a bench for the panoramic over Padstow, Rock and Daymer Bay.
Padstow was becoming very busy, so we left as we had to visit the supermarket for some provisons. We were back in the sunshine so sat outside for tea and read the papers.
Monday was to be our day for an excursion to somewhere new. This year we wanted to walk from the Lizard to Kynance Cove. The weather forecast was reasonable, although it was cloudy when we started off. However, when we reached the other side of Truro, the mist set in. We diverted to Helston to have a cuppa while the weather improved. It didn't. Not far away was the port of Porthleven so we headed there. It turned out to have a lovely seaside harbour and some attractive shops.
It also had a fabulous beach where the waves were truly spectacular.
We had our sandwiches and it was still very cloudy, so we headed back. As it had on previous days, the sun came out in the afternoon, so we diverted to the north coast on the other side of Newquay. As we reached Mawgan Porth, we saw a beautiful beach, so we parked and enjoyed a great couple of hours paddling in the surf.
Alison went and found some take away coffee and we sat on the dunes in the sunshine. Further up the coast was our original destination, Bedruthan Steps. We parked at the NT car park at Carnewas and walked along the clifftop for great views of these superb stacks.
We already know that next year we shall be walking much further round the cliffs. But the view in the late afternoon sun was particularly fine. We didn't get back to Port Quin until after 6.30, as it turned out, it had been a wonderful day.
We had left it until Tuesday for our usual coast walk from the cottage to Rumps. It was warm and sunny from the start, with very little breeze. We sometimes go on past Rumps to Pentire Head, but we stayed instead and had an early lunch on the clifftop.
On the way back we stop at Lundy Bay. The tide was out and we sat on the beach until it clouded over.
In the evening it was dinner at Fifteen at Watergate Bay, our most extravagant meal of the year. As usual it was excellent. They do not charge more for a table next to the full height window screen overlooking the bay, but to us, this is worth a lot.
On Wednesday, we awoke to another sunny morning. Every day seemed to have sun either in the morning or the afternoon. It was a bit warm for another run from Wadebridge down the Camel Trail, but we managed. We stocked up at the baker and butcher and had lunch outside back at the cottage. Ad it had clouded over, we went bodyboarding at Polzeath. The waves were great and the time flew by.
Another cloudy start to Thursday, so instead of our planned return to Bedruthan Steps, we took the short journey to neighbouring Port Isaac.
As it was still cloudy, we went to Wadebridge and had lunch at The Granary. Well I actually has their "small" breakfast. Bacon, sausage, egg, tomato, mushrooms, baked beans and toast all for £4.95. The best value in Cornwall. We headed back to the cottage, it was great to have a quiet day. But again the sun came out so what did we do? Bodyboarding again. Not quite such great waves, lots of seaweed, but lovely in the sunshine.
Friday was our last day and true to tradition we went to Padstow. This year we did something different. We started with a run down the Camel Trail. It was a bit too sunny and warm on the way back. After getting changed, we again walked to the harbour and had a cup of tea. On walking past some shops on our way to the benches above the town, we found The Picture House where we actually found a print and a glass artwork that we both liked. We spent an hour on a bench, we never get tired of the view. This time the tide was only just going out.
Back at the centre, we had warm sausage rolls followed by ice cream sitting by the harbour. The sand banks were just beginning to appear.
We always end the day looking round the shops, we have certain goods to buy to take home. Back at the cottage it was time to start packing to come home. But it was still sunny so we sat outside and had dips and beer. We have this little garden and a trestle table with a view we would not swop.
We left early on the Saturday, and we met the rain that was promised through Devon and Somerset. But we had been extremely lucky with the weather. I can remember one shower as we were getting changed after the first bodyboarding session, and the odd bit of drizzle. So although it was cloudy a lot of the time, it was warm and there was hardly any wind except for the last Friday. And the sunny times were wonderful.
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