I admire those who keep a diary.
The closest I get is taking lots of photos then trying to remember what happened on that particular day when I look back through years after the event.
It actually works surprisingly well.
Here are a few thoughts to help my ageing mind, and some favourites from the best spring that I can remember.
We’ll start with a few photos through windows.
Here’s the stunning Pednvounder Beach seen from a WW2 pill box above Porthcurno.
Across to Logan Rock form the pill box lookout.
This was on a great walk on one of the first truly warm days of the year.
From the bedroom at No.3 Coastguards Cottages.
This shot breaks up the window theme, but does belong on this walk. North Chapel Beach was a favourite with my folks, even though it was a fair drive form their place. Later we used to take Kanga there back when many beaches had dog bans.
Porth Chapel between Porthgwarra and Porthcurno.
Back to the windows… I love Kurt Jackson’s gallery, I wrote more about it here. And while the art is exciting, it’s this window that provides the best picture, changing every day.
Across Tregeseal from the Kurt Jackson Foundation.
I’m not a regular garden visitor, but that probably makes the times I do go all the more special. My sister and I wandered through Trengwainton on one of the few days when the sun wasn’t brilliant during April.
Trengwainton
The walk down through Nancherrow to Porth Ledden is to be one of my favourites. But then, I have so many favourites!
Polly on the path down to Porth Ledden.
It’s easy to overlook the beauty on the doorstep at times. St Just is a simple place, far from pristine, and all the better for it. This was early one morning recently.
St Just church and the blue blue sky.
I try to keep posts fairly impersonal, but Minty cooking her first biscuits was too big of an occasion to let slip by.
Ginger and treacle biscuits!
While we’re on food photos – he’s my superb breakfast at the Keg an Teg on Market Square in St Just. Great coffee, good food, uncomfortable chairs, but well worth the effort.
Breakfast at the Keg an Teg.
Well this shot isn’t really relevant to the world either, but I like it and it’s part of the past month. Here Minty tackles the mountain of scrap wood in mum’s garage. It could take a while.
Minty and the mountain.
Porth Ledden or Porthledden? Either way I’m sure there’s a local way of slurring into P’ledden or something like that. Like Priest’s Cove on the other side it’s not obviously beautiful, but sitting on a rock here on Sunday was wonderful. A day we didn’t want to end.
Porthledden at low tide.
After refreshments at Stacy’s ice cream shack we climbed up from Cape Cornwall to Carn Gloose – I can’t wait to camp out here when we have a camper van.
Carn Gloose towards Sennen.
Four times a year we are treated to a new performance from the enchanting Rogue Theatre Company. Each one has a strong moral, a great sense of fun, and inspiring creativity.
The Woodland King greets us as we enter his world again.
The Magpies and a tale of sorrow, and joy.
The Spring Hare, ready to lead us astray.
Was there ever a more beautiful ticket office?
The in-laws ventured down from the north for their first ever Cornish adventure. This led to a welcome time spent around Sennen, in The Old Success, and our first good meal in Ben’s on the Beach.
While Gwenver is dear to our hearts Sennen is pretty stunning too, I think we’ll be making the short drive/long walk a bit more often in future.
The team on Sennen for sunset.
Then with no people to get in the way…
A few rocks to help the scene.
The best part about visiting Lands End is walking away, in either direction. The point does little to inspire, but the cliffs in both directions are dramatic. Here’s our man Miles Naylor on a death defying leap across the high cliffs towards Nanjizal.
Ah yes, Nanjizal. I had my first swim of the year off Nanjizal. It was cold, but not painfully so.
Man from the north leaps chasm.
So much to see. A first visit in a year or more to the gardens at Tremenheere was a beauty. There’s more work and more gardens too. Here’s The Tremenheere Line heading due south.
Coffee and cake in the excellent cafe was typically good.
The Tremenheere Line.
I had hoped to write a whole post on the brilliant Gravity Race, but time just slipped away. This beauty was made by Will Bauress. It was fast, but not the fastest – the beautiful Torpedo Rapido hit 36 mph on the course.
Will’s Beast – Lafrowda Gravity Race 17th April.
It’s not all about getting out and about. Things do occasionally go wrong. Last week we replaced the V Zug induction hob at New Forge – most disappointing for an expensive brand that it should give up after only 6 years. Thanks to Nick Rawlinson and Michael Renshall we were back up and cooking in no time though.
Replacement hob at New Forge.
Further repairs were needed at Archavon Studio where we replaced the beautiful sky space roof light with a more heat reflecting glass. Ouch! That was an expensive week, but the quality of our offering is so important and we have to react as soon as something’s amiss. Thankfully it’s rare.
Nick and Colin (with Ben hiding somewhere) fit the replacement huge sky space roof light at Archavon Studio.
Adding this little cracker is indulgent, but I love it. This could be the template for our huge van’s colour scheme. I think the mini would fit into the back of the van easily.
Pure indulgence.
And we even went to St Ives to see the invisible man – except we couldn’t.
Minty with The invisible man – apparently.
So why is it the diary of a lucky man?
Do you need to ask?
To be able to live here, work here and do all this in three weeks makes me feel very lucky indeed.
Fortunately The Cornish Way enables hundreds of people to have their little slice of our paradise every year – be sure to be among them.
