The Grand Tour - Cornwall part 2

Well after our drenching the previous day, Wednesday dawned bright and sunny and turned out to be the hottest day of the week! Typical as our next call was to the Eden project. Our companions had been here before but were so amazed at how the whole of the former quarry had now been developed that the trip was as enjoyable for them as us.

We started , as you do, with a coffee and cream scone in the delightful dining area. Outside there were individual tables but inside it was set up a bit like a school refectory and the food on offer was a real treat. Often these places are very pricey for what is usually mediocre food, but not here.

Duly refreshed we tackled the tropical zone first. What an amazing array of plants and we were lucky to find most of them in flower.

The heat was quite overpowering so the gushing water was a welcome relief offering a little cooling spray as you passed. Obviously some people find it all too much and they provide a cool room half way round for you to take a breather.

The outside areas are devoted to more familiar plants and part is set out as an allotment with its own quaint potting shed.

 

All together it was a very interesting experience,

Our next port of call was the Lost Gardens of Heligan. Now I am not sure if we perhaps visited it at the wrong time, many if the larger shrubs were just going over, but though I love gardens and the weather made the tour round very pleasant, I wasn't as bowled over by them as I thought I would be.
Don't get me wrong they were very pleasant to visit but not as spectacular as I had imagined from all the publicity they receive.

I loved the jungle walk and the kitchen gardens, but I think I preferred the gardens at Lanhydroch over all.

On our return to base we called at Fowey. I had often seen glimpses of it on these house hunting programmes and the reality this time certainly matched my image.

It is stunning. However you do need calves like a weightlifters to manage the hill down into the town (and back up again). The small selection of boutiques and shops is a delight and the harbour and estuary with all the boats is picture perfect. My photos don't do it justice at all.

We finished our little break with a trip to Truro, and a bit of retail therapy, which was all for our grandchildren and not us at all!. Truro is a lovely city.

The cathedral is beautiful and there are some lovely buildings. It boasts a fair sample of decent shops and was very pleasant despite the fact that by now the weather had reverted to our good old British norm: grey skies and drizzle!

However our spirits were definitely not dampened and we were all happy to slip back a little into childhood as we treated ourselves to a trip on the Launceston steam railway. Not a long journey by any means but a pleasure for all that.

 We did visit one other place while we were here and I am sure there will be many who recognise it instantly

Port Isaac... a shame we didn't actually meet Doc Martin, but we did visit the school, which is a cafe and bar and enjoy a cold drink talking to the barmaid about the experience of having the film crew there.
And I have to say she was very complementary!

Well that was it. We were so sad to have to pack our cases and return home, but once there with the kettle on it wasn't so bad and we have next years holiday to start planning now......although of course I have to tell you about our trip 4 weeks later to Northumberland again and Hadrian's Wall....so don't go too far....

TTFN

Jenny xx