[Haven’t read part 1 yet? You can find it here!]
You know we love the National Trust. They don’t sponsor our blog (maybe they should!), but they just always seem to appear in the right place at the right time, even when you haven’t planned it…
What we did plan was a day of walking, exploring the beautiful coastline around the Fowey area. One trip to the tourist information centre later, and we found ourselves with an invaluable National Trust map of walks. It took us to secluded coves…
We made friends with some frankly hilarious-looking pigs…
Wandered through beautiful clover fields (I mean walked fast and with purpose, as proper walkers should do…)
Met a lovely dapple grey horse…
And were overwhelmed by some stunning views. It was even pretty romantic.
We walked past a Daymark (a lighthouse with no light, apparently – who knew?)
And crossed some rather tumultuous streams…
I’m convinced we walked at least eight miles, and I’m not willing to do any measuring that might prove me otherwise [I am – I think it was about seven!]. Either way, it was a wonderful day and gave us both that feeling of closeness back to this beautiful county. (You’d think that was enough exercise for a while, but someone did the Yorkshire Three Peaks a couple of weeks afterwards – look out for that post coming soon…)
We love camping, and aside from the air bed which deflated on us, did enjoy being cosy and dry [for the most part] in our scenic field campsite. However, after three nights we were looking forward to the night we’d booked in a nearby B&B, Coombe Farm – which turned out to be National Trust! [I genuinely had no idea when I booked it]
It is home to two extremely cute cats, which occupied a good deal of our time…
And is the most exquisite countryside B&B, hidden down a rural track and beautifully quiet and peaceful. We were given tea in the garden as soon as we arrived and a home-cooked breakfast in the morning, and our room was an enormous haven, with the most comfortable bed imaginable [especially after a few days on an airbed…].
We found time in the morning to walk ten minutes down to the nearby cove…
And then headed reluctantly off [I hope she means reluctant to leave, rather than where we were heading!] to the Bodmin and Wenford steam railway, which was pretty exciting. Not a frugal activity, at £12.50 per ticket, but a wonderfully retro and sedate way to spend a morning.
(be glad we’ve spared you the 235 pictures of us pretending we’re in Downton Abbey…)
We broke our sad journey home with tea and homemade scones with friends, and a trip to Montacute House in Somerset (yes, National Trust)… [getting a little bit predictable isn’t it]
It’s a beautiful Elizabethan mansion, built in 1601 by Sir Edward Phelips and described as “a statement of wealth, ambition and showmanship”.
Beautiful gardens and an orangery were lovely to walk around…
The facade is impressive, and almost entirely unchanged:
We’re glad that we drew out the last day of our holiday by visiting such a beautiful house. As ever, fairly pricey if you’re not a member, but a good one to wander round. What’s your favourite architectural style? I have to say, mine’s not Elizabethan… [I quite like it though]
Until next time, Cornwall…
