Another sunny Saturday molrning so we decided to head for Cotehele house. A National Trust property, Cotehele House is a well preserved, and little altered, Tudor manor house in the east of Cornwall and on the banks of the River Tamar. It has a series of formal gardens near the house. Plus a richly planted valley garden, with a medieval dovecote and stewpond, a Victorian summerhouse and an 18th century tower with fine views.
Cotehele was owned by the Edgcumbe family for nearly six centuries. It is one of the least altered medieval houses in the country, it contains original furniture, armour and a set of remarkable tapestries. There is a working watermill and industrial ruins in the Danescombe Valley
The present house was built between 1485 and 1539 during the reigns of Richard III, Henry VII and Henry VIII.

Can I stay the night please- I am a porter!

The gardens of the house are really beautiful. I have included just a few of the 200 photos we took.

Can't get beetroot much fresher than this Gerry!!

I am becoming quite proficient at climbing trees as you can see!

How far up?

Ok.... so you've guessed!

Tarzan- where's Jane?

We both loved the lily pond and they were asking for volunteers to do a bit of weeding in the centre.......maybe next weekend.

Through every gateway another beautiful view.

At the bottom right of this picture you can see a 14th century dovecote.

Hiding in the giant rhubarb.... it's called gunera and grows up to 12 feet high in many sheltered valleys in Cornwall. Rhubarb crumble and custard any one ?

From the house we wandered through the woods down towards the quay.

The river Tamar runs through the estate and divides Cornwall from Devon.

The quay was used to load boats with limestone, arsenic, tin and copper.

We continued our walk along the banks of the river and eventually arrived at the mill.
Wheat is ground into flour here.

One of the original mill stones.

Black and Decker?.............maybe not!

Near the mill there are a few small workshops showing how life was in tudor times. This is the blacksmiths forge. There was also a saddlery and a pottery workshop.

Some examples of the carts that were used to transport goods to the quay.

Had to visit the gents........ spanish friends- do you remember the days when you chatted to your mates whilst relieving yourself!!!

On the way home we stopped at a local department store and I was talked into buying a tent- seems we are off camping next weekend..........weather permitting.

Didn't take too long to get an erection!!!

Pre- birthday drink and meal at Rick Stein's pub, The Cornish Arms, with her indoors and her son next door- and it was on the house- a long story!!

Last Saturday was my birthday and I was up at 6am bright eyed and bushy tailed ( well, almost!!) We had to be in Penzance by 8.30am to catch the boat across to the Scilly Isles. Penzance is almost the point at which you fall off the UK and just about an hours drive from home. The picnic lunch was packed and looking at the size of the rucksack I wondered just how long we were stopping!

As we approached Penzance we could see St Michaels Mount out in the bay.

St. Michael's Mount is a rocky island 5 miles south of Penzance in Cornwall. Surmounted by an fortress-like abbey dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, this atmospheric sacred site has much in common with its namesake across the channel, Mont-St-Michel in France.

In Classical times (about 400 BC to 400 AD), the Mount was an important port for the export of tin and copper to Europe. It is thought to be the island of Ictis referred to in classical literature.

We collected our tickets and at 8.30 we boarded the boat and found ourselves a seat outside on the aft deck. We had been watching the weather forecast all week because the Scillonion is renouned for making even the most hardened traveller seasick - Anne was quite relieved to be told by the lady in the ticket office that it would be a calm crossing today.

Where's the bar?

This albatross (well seagull- actually!) followed us all the way from Penzance to the very edge of the UK at Lands End



Some people on the boat were throwing food out for the seagull and we were fascinated
in its ability to catch the titbits in mid -flight and at how it was able fly fast enough to keep up with the boat.

The sun was shining for the entire 2 and a half hour trip but the north-easterly wind wind was very chilly. We were glad we had taken coats with us.

We reached St Marys - the biggest island and waited for a launch to transport us to the island of Tresco ( that's Tresco..... not Tesco you understand!)

Clear blue seas surround the islands and there is lots of messing about on the water!

As we approached the island we were stunned by the beautiful, white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters.

We loved this cottage garden.

We began our 20 minute walk ( yes I can do WALK sometimes!)to the Abbey Gardens and were amazed by floral display on the way.





This pheasant and her 3 babies were beside the footpath. she was quite happy to be photographed and seemed to posing for us. The babies are so well camouflaged it's very difficult to see them.

The entrance to the gardens. Note me carrying the rucksack- well it did have my beer in!

Augustus Smith created Tresco Abbey Gardens in 1834 around the remains of the 12th Century St Nicholas Priory. They are one of the most remarkable sub-tropical gardens in the world. Here is contained a unique collection of plants, many of which are too tender for outdoor cultivation on the British mainland. Tresco Abbey Gardens flourish in the warm Gulf Stream climate and are regarded by botanists as one of the most interesting and varied botanical experiments in the world.
Parts of the seventeen-acre gardens - which were started in 1834 - carry names which reflect the origin of the plants grown there: 'Higher and Lower Australia', 'Mexico' and 'South Africa Cliff' are typical. There is a strong Mediterranean and South American flavour as well. Among the more spectacular sights is the tallest Norfolk Island pine in Britain in the Long Walk, bananas growing outside in the Old Abbey ruins and a very rare and prized Cordyline Australis nearby in the Pebble Garden. Tall palms from Chile and the Canary Islands jostle for space with the Maori Looking-Glass Tree, Table Mountain Silver Trees, brilliant Mesems and the spectacular New Zealand Christmas Tree.

This pergola was decorated with sea- shells.

We saw some really amazing plants and flowers.

Is it lunchtime yet?

Not quite.........................






.....................let's just see what's in here.

We stopped for our lunchtime picnic ( cheese on onion sarnies - chedder of course, scotch eggs, pork pie. cocktail sausages ++) and a couple of cans.

As soon as we sat down we wre joined by Mr and Mrs Pheasant.

He was very happy to eat cocktail sausages from Anne's hand but............

she wanted to sit on Anne's knee!

After lunch we finished looking around the gardens, around every corner another amazing plant or tree - this flower was abount 20 cms long and 10cms across. The photos don't really show just how stunning they were.

The gardens really were a very special place. The whole island is just wonderful. Very quiet, we hardly saw any people and there are no cars at all. I am sure we will be visiting Tresco again very soon .... but there are also lots other islands we haven't seen yet.

As we headed back to the quay to catch our launch this golden pheasant wandered across our path. He was very happy for us to photograph him and showed no fear of us

He had the most stunning plumage (a bit like me!)





We boarded our launch for the short trip back to St Mary's and the boat back to Penzance,

Testing the beer and the life rafts.

As the sun began to set over the beautiful cornish coastline and we passed Mousehole and Porthcurnow I reflected upon the day - I wonder where will I be for my 55th next year?