A visit to Perranuthnoe Beach

After the abysmal day yesterday that sent me scurrying to liberate the freshly laundered patchwork quilts for the bedrooms, today dawned with a perfect blue sky. Obviously a picnic was called for. Another farewell to the summer picnic of course - if you have followed the blog this week you will see we have had more that the Frank Sinatra retirement concerts but today we chose Perranuthnoe Beach just below the village. (Cheese and pickle rolls today ah hum!)




I always love the way the low earth cliffs melt into the protective pebbles of the fore shore





We chose a corner away from it all as you can see it was really crowded




a passing surfer




pretty busy in fact...............

nothing to do but watch the clouds, listen to the sea rolling in and soak up the sun

occasionally watching the beach

the low tide links Perran beach to the Trebarvah end

the sky reflecting on the wet sand

and even damp toes after walking barefoot in the fine sand along the waters edge

Perranuthnoe church against the sky




a lone canoeist

and then a local surf school came along and went through a punishing warm up routine that my yoga instructor would have been proud of. i did a quick web search if anyone is interested and found this school click here - hope it's the right one

a great vantage point the corner of a beach to watch the world go by - hope they had a great time and just time for a short nap after watching all of that exertion

A beach afternoon

This morning we woke up to a fabulous day, and as we crept out to feed the horses we could see the pink light of the dawn reflecting off of the houses of Penzance across the bay. Well when summer lingers on we just had to stretch the day a little and take a picnic down to a beach!
Today we chose Rinsey just east of Perranuthnoe and the first photo shows a view back towards Praa sands with Cudden Point beyond



Praa sands from the coastal path




but now continuing towards our destination and lunch looking eastwards towards the Lizard in the distance




We Passed one of Cornwall's traditional engine houses left from the great days of mining - always a reminder of how hard it was to live and work in Cornwall in the last century

Rinsey beach came into view below us - perfect golden sand framed by the unspoilt cliffs

Rinsey with the Lizard Peninsular beyond in the distance

with the coast path snaking down

finally giving way to a clamber over rocks before...................

the camera gave out! Sorry!!

but the couple of hours that we spent in the bright clear Mediterranean heat were wonderful before we climbed back up into a slight haze after the intense light of the beach, meeting not the usual intense heat on the climb that sends you scurrying to the nearest village shop for the cool soft drinks that they all stock but to the pleasant September afternoon and so home in time for tea. We will just have to go back again to record the beach of course

Tonight at Ednovean Farm

Well after yesterday's adventures it was time for some serious gardening here at Ednovean Farm but with a sunset like this perhaps it was worth the energy and just a few snaps around the garden from this afternoon



Perranuthnoe church in the valley below our garden


St Micheal's Mount of course, now framed by the Pampass grass



the date palms on the edge of the courtyard have grown well this year




and Wilbur the feral cat just couldn't resist the heat and nodded of in the shade of the fig trees beige plump tummy displayed to the world. Wilbur has a system - each night i leave cat food out and retreat to a safe (in his estimation) distance and then Wilbur deigns to eat it. This has been going on fro two years now and still no sign of even a purr of acknowledgment but it was worth it to see him so relaxed today!

Giddy Kippers!

Well we were giddy kippers again yesterday as the unexpected heatwave continues here in Cornwall. We drove just up the road to Rosudgeon and then took the winding lane across the common To Prussia Cove - i know we should have walked there but we only had a couple of hours to spare and it was SOOOOOOOOO hot! But the drive down the narrow lane with bracken lined banks giving way to tiny fields filled with improbably clean black and white cattle more than made up for it.

We parked in the tiny car park just as the tarmacked road gave way to an unmade tack on the magical Porth-an alls estate and walked the last half mile to the cove passed intriguingly concealed gateways of idyllic cottages that are tucked away just above the cove.



A country post box beside the cove

You may remember Prussia Cove from the film Lavender Ladies and in fact we half expected to see Judy Dench on the atmospheric pathway down to the shore



The dappled sunlight on the ancient stones that line the last section of the path





and at last Prussia Cove itself in total contrast to our last adventure but oh so wonderful as we trod the step narrow path to.............




Bliss ( Charles wasn't so pleased to find his feet recorded!) to wriggle your toes in the hot smooth pebbles

before lunch of bacon rolls (house speciality!)



absolutely nothing happened apart from the steady pulse of the waves against the pebbles apart from one passing fishing boat............

not sure if this is a disused mine adict or a blocked up sea cave but the stone work was lovely

The fabulously clear waters were warm enough to swim in but I wimpily didn't ah hum Charles did!

Prussia Cove one of the reasons that Cornwall is so special!

"wish you were here!"

We stole away for a couple of hours this afternoon for a picnic on Porthcurno Beach, encouraged by some guest that had walked the coastal path a few days earlier and reported back that the beach was nearly empty....Perfect!!

And so we took one of those picnics that you remember from childhood holidays in Cornwall - crusty ham rolls laced with pickle, crumbling quiche and a Thermos of hot sweet tea and sat at the waters edge listening to the murmur of the waves playing on the silky soft sand.






The path to the cove

The life guards flags fluttered bravely against a contemplative sea and i was almost encouraged to swim............alas we had forgotten a towel but as the afternoon wore on several people were seen floating idyllically in the pure clear water.

The pod of basking sharks just under Logan's Rock made Charles's afternoon thrashing their tails in the water but too far away for our camera to capture although the seal that popped up beside us probably was .............but................by the time I had fiddle with the camera he had gone!

Still here's Ollie our basking Cat enjoying the September morning in the the Dining room door way instead - he was keeping nice and still for me and as they say on the postcards "wish you were here!" today!

Ollie sends his love!!

The sun on the berries

Elderberries ripening against the courtyard entrance in the evening sunshine

The weather forecast was so gloomy this morning that I almost wondered if it was possible to get out of bed but bravely venturing out............I was met by a cloudless blue sky. After yesterdays deluge the late summer sun has returned and was almost too hot (for me!) as our day unfolded.
The berries of autumn are starting to ripen and every country hedgerow contains an ardent blackberry er, half concealed by the undergrowth, struggling to reach the ripest berries or country children popping the ripe berries into their mouths before skipping away along the lanes


The welcome shade of the umbrella in a little courtyard where th sparrows flock to feed




The long fingers of the evening sunshine catching Annie Henry's statue in out little labyrinth



The pampas grasses are just beginning to flower now joining the Agapanthus that are lingering on about to cast their bounty of seeds about the garden I hope



Olly enjoying his nightly sun bathing position under the old stone walls that have soaked up the warmth all day



Looking back towards the house this evening



Our little Sophie (Lizzie's daughter) tucked up safely in her own little bed tonight, of warm dry shavings - she has been out to the field today with her best friend and adopted brother Toffee and is doing really well.