Spring Continuity

Just spent an utterly glorious week at the house pottering around doing a few odd jobs, giving the exterior paint a freshen up and yes taking a bit of time out to surf (but don't tell the wife, I was supposed to be working). Its fair to say Spring has finally arrived in West Cornwall, and if the sun was'nt proof enough Swallows have been seen around Sennen and last night on the way home I saw bats for the first time this year.

Even under its busy summery facade the Cove remains a very peaceful place, and especially in weeks like this when there are not many visitors around and you can really see the timelessness of its day to day activity. This illustrated beautifully as spring rolls around again, as has happened in the very same place for many centuries, by the local fishermen who were out all week mending and making nets in the harbour car park.

I personally think this early Spring period is one of the best times to be in West Cornwall. The weather is generally good, often warm enough to sit on the beach with a windbreak or in the lee of a rock, the surf rolls in, the quality of light is stunning and its quiet as it tends just to be locals around. Also if you are visiting there are some very good prices to be had for accommodation especially last minute.

A St.Piran's Day Fact...

Reading this week's Cornishman earlier today over Saturday morning toast and builders I discovered that St.Piran, or St. Kieran of Saighir, 'lived to be 206 with no sign of old age, all his teeth, perfect eyesight, and died  in a state of drunkeness'... now there's a Cornish tale for you!

Happy St. Piran's Day!

The Great Pasty Hunt Continues

Ignore the post date for this one, I'm a week out of synch, birthdays do that to you.

So last Friday, in truly miserable weather we loaded up with kids and dogs and set off for a camper van pasty picnic on the Lizard, with a firm agenda of finally sampling the much applauded and acclaimed Ann's Pastys.

If you google Ann you will find she is quite an institution, queues in the summer are apparently immense (booking is advised) and on more than one 'best of the west' type thing she comes up top of the tree.

The thing is though as you drive into Lizard itself wondering if you'll find the venerable Queen of the Pasty immediately you smile because as clear as day, and as big as you can imagine, there is a huge sign in the middle of the village pointing you the right way. And sure enough you find a yellow house with a pasty shop built out back, literally. Garden pond, fountain and all.

You are also under no illusion that the Pastys are nothing less than home-made because there behind the counter, right in front of you, are the ladies themselves making Pastys to replace those already baked and rapidly flying out of the door... and this was in late feb on a cold very wet friday.

Ann herself  is a star. We had a good old chat about the regional status awarded to the Cornish Pasty, and an even longer rant about the increasingly ridiculous acts of dear Cornwall County Council and their mission to seemingly fleece the residents any which way they can (don't get me started on car parking fees, or the 'town center shopping tax' as i prefer to call it). To be honest it was worth the drive over for that alone.

Anyway enough about that, how did it taste... up to the reputation... mightier than the mighty Philps?

Yes, it was good, very good in fact. I would say, and the wife agreed, that the pastry was the best we have sampled on any Pasty. The ingredients correct (potato, onion, turnip, skirt, suet and seasoning), nicely moist and well proportioned.

Better than Philps... pastry-wise yes. Filling-wise on a par, equally as good, yes probably. But i'm torn because as tasty as was maybe a little under seasoned (for my palate). Maybe?


My super fussy children ("if the Pasty is not made by Nana we're not eating it")  thoroughly enjoyed theirs as well. Lad with standard and daughter with cheese and vegetable (I had a bite, research purposes purely, really really nice).

At the end of the day I'm really enjoying exploring the Lizard, and a trip out to Ann's is definitely something we will do in the future especially as you can nip in for your Pasty and then be out at the National Trust car-park (free for members) by the lighthouse in minutes all parked up with kettle whistling.

Next up though, its the Horse and Jockey Bakery in Helston and Hansons in Hayle. With my much lapsed weight loss programme beginning again tomorrow, promise!

Big Wednesday

Wow, quick mid-week storm watching opportunity is a-coming judging by the latest data from the Met Office's K2 wave bouy.

This swell should start hitting later tonight and by daybreak, with a forecast of moderate South/South Easterlies that will groom the swell, there will be some spectacularly huge clean surf cracking off the back of the Cowloes. Just about perfect to sit watching whilst you sip your morning coffee.

A fine armchair read...

We're lucky in Penzance to have two fine independent book shops, Books Plus in Market Jew Street and Penzance Books in Chapel Street, and whilst on-line shopping is super easy these days no-one can argue that clicking a mouse even comes close to the simple pleasure of a good old browse in a well stocked book shop with the chance added delight of a random great find on the shelf.

So popping in the other day we were intrigued to find a book all about Sennen (both shops I should mention have excellent selections of local books and are well worth a visit for that alone) by the Sennen Local History Group.

Entitled 'The Book of Sennen', and destined for the book shelf in the Little Beach House, its been sat by my chair in the kitchen for the past week and I've had a jolly good old read. And it really is a good read, perfect for dipping into, chock full of snippets of local knowledge, fact and history, all embellished with loads and loads of great photos (Zachy Nicholas' lorry in the 1920s, precariously balanced dangling over the cove road harbour wall, on page 88 is a gem. Like a scene from a Keystone Cops classic). Needless to say plenty of house spotting opportunities, and even a couple of piccies of our corner of the cove pre-1906 before the house was built.

I could fill a page of this blog with some of the things I learnt, and when you read its truly hard not to stop every few sentences and exclaim loudly 'did you know...' to your loved one, kids, pets or even random strangers passing by because some of the snippets really are that great.

What is now the main beach car-park, but in a prettier time.

 Ok, just a couple... there was a medieval chapel sited in what is now the main beach car-park (something to consider as you are buying your ice-cream), three bomb craters are visible at extremely low tides from when the cove was bombed in WW2 (never seen those, will have to look) and the number of times the bay has featured prominently in English history being the landing site of Perkin Warbeck who sailing from Ireland with 120 men intended to seize the throne of Henry VII (7th Sept, good time of year for surf) in 1497, the departure point for King Athelstan (AD895-939), the first Ruler to be crowned King of all England, as he set sail to conquer the Scillies and the arrival site of King Stephen in 1135 and then King John in the early 1200s after their respective conquests of Ireland.

Much has changed, and yet so little has changed.

But perhaps my fave so far is the advice of one anonymous chap who after visiting the area in 1795 cautioned any travelers following his footsteps to ensure they take their supper with them as the local inn 'has little other than fish on the menu and at times not even that!'

Life IS BETTER by the sea...

Yes it is, officially, 'life is better by the sea' because this month's issue of Coast says so right there on the front cover.

Coast. in case you did not know, is a sister magazine to my wife's favourite 'Country Living'. And as Country living is to the country, so Coast is the veritable first and last word in beach side living, sea flavoured interior design (lovely properties and photography) and beach style.

We took out a subscription to Coast in order to put it in the house for two reasons; firstly because we know that there will be people like us who would enjoy relaxing with a hot cuppa, feet up in the bay window, and in between checking out the ocean views out front of our house also delving into other beach side dream houses around the UK. Secondly because Cornwall always features prominently in each issue and certainly some great holiday ideas and activities can be gleaned from Coast's glossy pages. To prove my point this issue features the best islands in the UK to visit and right there at number one... St Michaels Mount.

the year turns...

I love the 21st, the Winter Solstice, the turning point; It may be utterly freezing right now and daylight hours scarce but the sun is coming back, it WILL get warmer and the are days getting longer!