Of Wings and Whispers

[drron]

Thursday and we started with a nice breakfast at Gidleigh ParkThen when we left we were very lucky as we drove towards Plymouth.There was no traffic until we got to Chagford.There a Land Rover with a horse float started out just in front of us.That meant he got all the traffic to stop in the one lane sections and we followed along behind.He however went straight across A 386 whilst we turned south but just behind a road maintenance truck so again we got a clear run.
A stop at Ivybridge where my sister now lives.She then took us down to Plymouth for a quick look around.In the centre of the City is the Charles Church which has been left as is after the Luftwaffe attacked-

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Then down to Plymouth hoe and the Mayfair steps.An amazing amount of history.A car park just below the old fort-

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The plaques showing how much Plymouth played in Australian and New Zealand history.

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And of course the place the pilgrims set forth for the New World-

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[drron]

As it turned out we were there just 2 days after the 396th Anniversary of the Pilgrims setting off.The steps-

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And this time a plaque about those returning from their enforced time in Australia.

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Many of the old buildings have taken on a new life.

 

[drron]

So looking back on the Mayfair steps and the harbour-

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And a view over the Tinside Lido swimming pool built in 1935 and recently renovated.Rated as one of the top 10 outdoor pools in Europe-

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[drron]

Next was the Royal William victualling yards.Provisioning the Royal Navy for centuries.Now however redeveloped into upmarket apartments and restaurants.

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The different blocks still have their old names as to what the building was used for-

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[drron]

So back to my sister's place for lunch and after that off to Padstow.When we arrived it was raining and we entered from the wrong side finding the bit of the street we needed to be on was one way the other way.The pics are from the next day when it was just cold and grey with just an occasional drop of water.We stayed in one of Ric Stein's places-St.Petrocs.You had to pick up the key from his seafood restaurant then a fellow guided you up to the garage and helped with the bags to your room.The road from the Seafood restaurant to the garage was a 2 way road!

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Out the back was a garden terrace which looked into our room-

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Really the room was about appearance not practicality.It was also very noisy being above the restaurant and kitchen.I will do a separate hotel review but the pics are on my other camera at home.We had a Generous room.More of the view-

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[drron]

That night we ate at the St.petrocs bistro.It was OK but not great.I had the steak onglet and it was pretty chewy.At least for mrsdrron there was a reasonably priced Sancerre-but 3 times the price it is in his shop.
After breakfast the next day we walked around the town.It was cold but only the occasional drop of rain.Nice rural views across the bay-

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Lots of lobster pots-

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The dredge appears fully loaded-

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And the old Custom's House where it is said Walter Raleigh planned a lot of his adventures-

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[Dr Bob]

Yes it would seem Ric Stein's St. Petrocs hasn't changed, underwhelming & over priced. We ate there last year & the steak onglet was very chewy & the veggies under cooked.
But at least we have a menu for the bookshelf. We also ate at his seafood bistro in Foulmouth & it was much better priced & would be recommended.

 

[drron]

Padstein continued-

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Rather low doors.

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[drron]

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The ferry to Rock.That's the little town across the bay.

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A rather slow speed boat ride.The spruiker was a scream continually yelling out how it was like the Caribbean out on the bay.I couldn't help adding "when a hurricane's blowing."He took it in good humour.

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We were now walking up to the War Memorial for a view over the town and inlet-the mouth of the river Camel.

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[drron]

The spare ferry,Rock and the old railway bridge.Until the late 60s Padstow had a daily train service to London.

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So that is the Memorial.It is actually on the SW coast walk.An old stile-

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[drron]

Some were having fun-

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[drron]

Time to walk back down the hill-

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It was now past lunch time.I had grown up eating pasties made by my mum so this sign got me in-

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There was a queue so I joined it-

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Well I don't know who the judges were but they certainly weren't world's best as far as I was concerned.I got a classic and a lamb and mint.Couldn't taste any lamb or mint and both tasted mostly of turnip.not my favourite veggie.Lots of pastry so at least I could have fun with the seagulls.

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Just after 1500 and it began to rain so a quick retreat back to the hotel.

 

[drron]

So earlier today I was looking for an older photo on flickr and there were the St.Petroc pictures filed under a 2015 date.so here is our room at St.petrocs-

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So to the meal.For entrée mrsdrron had BBQ prawns and I had Ric's take on seafood chowder-

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And that was my steak onglet.looked good but as I said very chewy.Mrsdrron had mussels.Dessert was nice comfort food with I having a ginger pudding and mrsdrron a crème brulee-

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This was intended to be a Stein celebration but after this meal we cancelled the second night we had booked at St.petrocs.

 

[drron]

On the second night we went to the seafood restaurant.It certainly was a step up in quality but also in price.The service was very good.The only problem was I obviously ordered the wrong main course.This time I had mussels for entrée and msdrron a scallop dish.Both were good.Mrsdrron then had the lobster and I had the Stein version of bouillabaisse.This was a disappointment.The fellow at the next table had the Singapore chilli crab-1.5kg of crab and he said it was very good and authentic.So here are our meals sans mussels-

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Mrsdrron had a peach dessert and I apple mousse with salted caramel icecream and crumble.both well presented and mine was very good-

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Fortunately the rain had stopped for our walk back to St.Petrocs.

 

[drron]

Saturday was a fine day so we set off for Land's End.Close to Penzance we spotted this-

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We then stopped in Penzance.No pirates were spotted-

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From Penzance we spotted that building again-St.Michaels Mount.It was related to the French island of a similar name when in 1124 Edward the confessor gave it to the Abbott of Mont St-Michel.Henry 5th took it back in the 1400s.Interestingly the mount was ~ 5miles from the sea until 3/11/1099 when "The sea-flood sprung up to such a height, and did so much harm, as no man remembered that it ever did before."according to John of Worcester.In 1755 it was hit by a 2 metre tsunami after the Lisbon earthquake.And in a more modern twist Ribbentrop intended to make it his home when the naz_s conquered England.

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[drron]

Cant resist a good looking bird-

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And the last of Penzance with their swimming pool and sunbaking Penzance style-

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Then on to Lands end.

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And we don't think we had seen this before-a Kit Kat vending machine.Why haven't the Japanese stolen this idea?

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[drron]

So to Lands End-

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I love waves on rocks-

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[drron]

The little yacht makes it way through the rocks-

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Nothing really appealed in the food there so mrsdrron had an icecream and I had a milkshake-wonderful and low calorie.2 scoops of creamy lemon icecream topped up with full cream milk.just like they used to be.Really nothing much except to say-been there,done that.So the road east and soon an interesting sign-

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So down the side road we went-

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Pity I hadn't done a little research-a flight to the Isles of Scilly might have been good.

 

[drron]

So the plan was on the way back to detour to St.Ives and have dinner.Well a sunny Saturday and that plan was scuppered.Car Parks full,roads narrower than Padstow and hills steeper.So a couple of pics and off we went.

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So instead we stopped at the West Cornwall Shopping Precinct-mrsdrron checked out Next and Marks and Sparks.After getting back to St Petrocs we strolled to the shops.Decided to have dinner at the Old Customs House Inn.Mrsdrron started with mussels I the potted crab which was very good.Then shared a seafood platter-lobster,crab,mussels,oysters,prawns and langoustines.Washed down with a bottle of Sancerre and we were happy-

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[drron]

Too late to edit.I obviously don't look hard enough before I post.The kit Kat vending machine isn't in the Land's end post.here it is-

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