It seems like a long time since we returned from our family holiday in Cornwall and I miss the leisurely unstructured days already. We are moving at a leisurely pace back home but it just doesn't feel the same. The children seem to be magically attracted to various screens and aren't inclined to go outside and play. The result? Well, I shall spare you the saga of a frustrating week! This post is all about our holidays after all.
We have been visiting the same campsite in Cornwall for the past three summer holidays. This may sound a bit boring but we just feel very much at home there. I have no doubt that we will be back again next year. In case you want to check it out, the site is called Treloan and is in a near two small villages that are merged together, Gerrans and Portscatho, on the Roseland Peninsula. The Roseland is a bit off the beaten track and even during the English school holidays, it feels tranquil and laid back. The beaches are never packed full and the roads are never blocked. Richard used to stay in Portscatho when he was a boy! Debs and Pete run a very friendly laid back campsite with weekly fireside get together, where poems are recited, stories are told, jokes are cracked and food is shared.
The first time we went to Treloan we stayed in our tent but we decided that we prefer a static caravan. When I say "we", I mean everyone except me because I personally prefer the tent. Having said that, it is of course nice to have a kitchen, shower and a loo, albeit small. If I put on any more weight I won't fit in the toilet cubicle.
James and Alistair have a lot of freedom on the campsite, they usually cycle around the site, make friends, kick a ball or help random strangers do their dishes. Being on the slack side of relaxed when it comes to children's independence, I am quite happy not to see or hear them for an hour or so. They always come back when they are hungry and I know that they are not able to leave the campsite without passing reception.
During our stay, we share Annie with Debs. Annie helps Debs with the allotment, the animals and sometimes she helps with the cleaning, too. Annie would quite happily do this all summer! And maybe one year she will.
Sam does what teenagers do best: sleeping and hanging around, interspersed with a bit of sulking. He also spends a lot of time reading and hooking up to Debs and Pete's WiFi, which is possible if you are happy to sit within 5 metres of the reception and make a donation to a charity. Sam also visited the Eden Project with his cousin Adam, and spent a day surfing in Newquay.
Richard and I like to spend our days doing anything from nothing much at all to exploring the area. Richard goes cycling most mornings when he wakes up. He has seen more of the Roseland than any of us. I like to go for jogs around the neighbourhood. It is amazingly hilly in this part of the world! I am not a long distance runner and the places I explore are all within 3 miles of the campsite. There is a lot to see and many foot paths to explore still. There are mysterious private roads and foot paths with no public access, which is not something I am used to, living in Scotland, where you can go pretty much anywhere you like.
We do things as a family, too, for example we go for cream tea, or visit nearby towns and gardens.
This year we visited The Lost Gardens of Heligan. It is a magical place with lots of walks and amazing gardens and we had a great time with Richard's brother and his family. We brought some produce home to eat with our dinner.
We also visited Trelissick Garden, which is owned by the National Trust. Richard was given a life-long membership to the National Trust by his dad, which is great. When we visit National Trust places in Scotland, this usually admits all of us but at Trelissick, we had to pay for four children, which was a bit of a shock but it was a garden well worth visiting.
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| The Lost Gardens of Heligan |
We also had an outing to Mevagissey, which is a lovely village only a few miles from Portscatho. We wandered around the harbour and ate pasties.
We passed by Melinsey Mill, where I took photos of the teapot and teacup collection hanging from trees. This reminded me of Kristie of North of 49, who sometimes walks on Teapot Hill near her home.
Almost daily, one or more of us wander down to Portscatho for bread and milk or a spot of window shopping in the two galleries, the gift shop and the vintage shop. I did try to talk Richard into buying yet another piece of art but he wasn't too keen. Next year. The kids like to go to the post office to stock up on sweeties and cap guns and other holiday essentials. There are several ways to walk into the village: along the road, the barley way or along the coastal path, which adds a bit of variety to the daily walk.
Not surprisingly, we love to go to the beach. There is a tiny cove just at the bottom of the campsite, which I like. It has rocks to jump off at high tide and a small strip of sand to sit on and read a book. This bit is only accessible at low tide, unless you are happy to swim there, with small children on your back and a blue Ikea bag hooked over your shoulders.
Towan Beach is another firm favourite. It is great for taking the rubber boat. This beach requires getting in the car but it is well worth the effort. It is not far to walk really but we always take a lot of stuff to this beach. It is a deceptively large beach with plenty of sand to dig up. It has no ice cream van but if you are lucky, you might find an entrepreneurial teenager wandering up and down with a cool box full of tubs of ice cream.
The beach in Portscatho is also lovely, we go there quite often because it is within walking distance. Sometimes we walk the additional mile to Portcurnik beach, which is also lovely.
We always catch up with family when we are in England during the summer and this year was not different. Both Richard's brother and sister spent a few days on the same campsite (not at the same time), giving siblings and cousins an opportunity to spend time together. They always have a great time. We also catch up with an uncle and aunt in Devon. Maybe one year, my Swiss family will join us, too?
Every year we wonder if two scientists could make a living in the area. There must be some hidden skills that we could market but we haven't discovered those yet. And so, we return year after year and enjoy the two weeks we get to spend away from busy Glasgow. It is even busier just now, with the Commonwealth Games in full swing. Sam has been to see swimming on Monday, gymnastics on Tuesday (both tickets courtesy of his school) and we have 6 tickets for squash tonight, thanks to Scouts. Richard is taking a load of kids but I choose to go to book group instead. The prosecco is cooling and the Swiss onion tart is wrapped up, ready to go.
Have a lovely weekend! Cx
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