As every student of geography will know, the River Tamar marks the border between the Duchy of Cornwall and the County of Devon for its entire length, apart from a few mysterious squiggles at the northern end. The river flows for 61 miles and the two southern-most crossings between Saltash and Plymouth are Brunel's famous Royal Albert railway bridge (1859) and the Tamar Road Bridge (1961). Traditionally, the next bridge upstream has been the long established Gunnislake crossing, since around 1520. Between these bridging points, the lofty Calstock railway viaduct was opened in 1907 and is still in use today on the Tamar Valley Line. The border is considered by Cornishmen to be a much more significant affair than any ordinary county boundary. Cornish folk talk about 'Going to England' or 'Going up country', when planning a visit to Devon. We recently paid a visit to Cothele, just half an hour from Cider Cottage. This fifteenth century Tudor house is well restored and looked after by the National Trust. And Cothele Quay has a delightfully timeless feel to it, looking across the mighty border to Devon, with the sailing barge Shamrock moored near the limekilns. Calstock viaduct is visible from the gardens and this magical place is well worth a visit.
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A selection of handmade Cornish Pasties for judging. Perhaps the best country show in Cornwall, the Liskeard Show was held on 8th September in glorious weather. Originally planned for July, the event was postponed because of waterlogged fields following a long period of rain. What an inspired decision to defer it to this weekend. It was well supported with country crafts, animals, tractors and all manner of trade stalls and food and produce for sale. This was our first visit to the Show and it was good to meet friends and make new acquaintances. After just over a year, it really feels that we belong to Liskeard. And, the next day Peter popped down to Menheniot to photograph the Royal Duchy steaming past en route from Bristol to Par. This steam excursion was hauled by Battle of Britain locomotive 'Tangmere' and running bang on time!
Looking out to sea with Ferryside on the left
We recently visited the Old Ferry Inn at Bodinnick, only 25 mins drive from Cider Cottage. There are lovely views from the garden terraces and restaurant, over the river across to Fowey and out to the sea. Opposite the inn is 'Ferryside', the former family home of Daphne du Maurier. The beautiful harbour town of Fowey can by visited on the car ferry or as a foot passenger further down the river at Polruan. A definite ‘must see’ on any visit to Cornwall. Last week we decided to try the round trip walk from Lerryn to St Winnow Church on the River Fowey estuary. Lerryn is a lovely little village that spreads itself around both banks of River Lerryn creek and is just 20 minutes drive from Cider Cottage. There is a village green right next to the water and at low tide stepping stones appear, to allow access to the other side of the village.
The area is delightful and is the probable inspiration for the Wind in the Willows story. We had a very pleasant walk next to the water and through wooded areas reaching the lovely remote St.Winnow Church on the bank of the River Fowey. It’s a favourite with film crews, and featured in the TV series Poldark - not surprising as it must have one of the most spectacular views from a churchyard in Britain. Our return trip gave super views back down to the church and river, crossing fields and heading inland past the disused Winnow Mill, before returning to Lerryn for refreshments. Our eldest son James and his family came down to stay with us recently at Cider Cottage. We decided to have an active day cycling with the children beside the River Camel along the Camel Trail. This delightful route runs to Padstow from Bodmin and Wenford Bridge along the disused railway tracks. It is relatively level and well surfaced, with occasional picnic benches, railway artefacts and lovely scenery of the river bank as it grows from a tumbling inland river to a wide, wide estuary. Being traffic-free, the trail is safe for all ages to use and was well patronised when we visited, with walkers and cyclists enjoying the route.
James and Clare hired bikes from one of the bike hire shops in Wadebridge - there also hire shops in Bodmin and Padstow, too. Two different child carriers were picked to suit the ages of the girls (1 and 3 years). The bigger attachment, the American WeeHoo trailer was much admired and allows the child to 'help' with the cycling, although in reality, it's Dad who did most of the work. Lynn and I loaded up our own bikes and joined the route at the former Grogley Halt, where we met a fisherman and parked the car. We all cycled to Boscarne Junction (the end of the Bodmin and Wenford Steam Railway), before retracing our path downstream all the way to the end of the line at Padstow. By the time we had returned to our respective starting points, we had covered an impressive 21 miles. We returned, slightly saddle sore, in little more than half an hour to Cider Cottage for a well deserved Cream Tea and a rest !
Last weekend, we decided to cross the River Tamar for a day out in England - well Devon to be precise ! We spent a glorious day enjoying a Round Robin with the Dartmouth Steam Railway and River Boat Company. You can start this adventure from Totnes, Dartmouth or Paignton. We chose to start at the ancient town of Totnes, which is less than an hour from Liskeard by either train or car. We enjoyed 1 hour and a half on the sun deck of the Cardiff Castle as we sailed down the peaceful River Dart, with a lively commentary and picture postcard scenery. Arrival at Dartmouth coincided with the Dart Music Festival, where bands and groups were playing and singing at different points around the town. A lunch of crab sandwiches beckoned - delicious ! Having allowed a few hours to meander around this small but charming town, we headed over to Kingswear on the ferry to catch the steam train to Paignton. On this railway, it doesn't matter which side of the carriage you decide to sit. You will be rewarded with views of firstly the River Dart on the left hand side of the train and, once through the tunnel, of seaside views on the right hand side. We had time for a stroll down to Paignton Harbour before catching the bus back to Totnes to conclude a very enjoyable day out on four different forms of transport. And, to round off the experience, we are delighted to report that visitors to Cider Cottage are entitled to a 10% reduction on the price of a Round Robin ticket. Terriffic! After the nice young lady from Visit England came to assess Cider Cottage, we were told that we had provisionally been awarded Four Stars. We were so pleased by the news. All our hard work over the winter months, renovating, improving and redecorating the cottage was worth it. It had resembled a building site, with electricians, builders and plumbers all doing their bit; together with obtaining certificates for the electrical appliances, the central heating boiler and such important jobs as fire safety risk assessments and inventories.
But it was worth it. And yesterday, the plaque was delivered, which has now been duly fixed to the wall. We now feel fully certified ! But it's good to know that a professional assessment has recognised the quality of what we have to offer our guests. This week's guests in Cider Cottage have enjoyed some great weekend weather. On Saturday, they visited the North Coast of Cornwall, calling in at Port Isaac, recently of Doc Martin's fame and the village of Boscastle.
And on Sunday, they enjoyed a ride on the Bodmin and Wenford steam railway and headed to the South Coast to see Charlestown and the pretty village of Fowey (pronounced Foye). One of the nicest ways to approach Fowey is to leave your car in Polruan on the opposite bank of the River Fowey and catch the pedestrian ferry across. In that way, you get to explore two riverside communities on foot. Both the North and South Cornwall coasts are easily reached, for a memorable day out, from Cider Cottage. A wonderful hot summer's day in Cornwall again today. So, I was out in the garden attempting to build a dry stone wall. Unfortunately, compared with the Cornish 'stone hedges' that have been built by generations past and have stood the test of time, my efforts just seem to look like a pile of rocks, balanced precariously in a higgledy piggledy fashion. Much more practice needed !
But while I was outdoors, I could see some activity on the other side of our woods. In the road was a gentleman painting our local milestone. Seeking a break from the walling, I went to be nosey and have a chat. Was he from Cornwall Council? No, he was Ian Thompson from the Milestone Society. This brave fellow has taken it upon himself to repaint all 600 ancient milestones in the county, since the local authority has decided it doesn't wish to be responsible for their upkeep any more. Cornwall is particularly well endowed with milestones, being rich in granite. Indeed, along the A38 between Liskeard and Bodmin, there are many two-sided stones to be spotted, featuring a large L on one face and a big B on the other, followed by the mileage to each town. But 'our' local milestone is much grander, even though our lane doesn't go anywhere particular. He told me that it used to be the main route to St Cleer, but the 2 mile stone is no longer in existence. He felt that our milestone dated from the 1850s when the turnpike trusts were being wound up. This is the same period when the current Woodhill Manor was being built. And, of course, the route from Caradon Hill to Liskeard and Looe will have been busy with the granite from the quarries and tin from the mines. The copper bonanza had yet to occur, but that's a story for another day. Peter |
New AuthorIn Feb 2021 Keith and Karen Burden took ownership of Cider Cottage whilst Lynn and Peter the previous owners moved closer to the sea to explore and enjoy more of a coastal life. Archives
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