[all appropriately blogged ... actually, I think I still have to blog about Carleen coming down last summer. Note to self].
On Saturday, after I arrived in a newly washed convertible with the top down [yes, I'm bragging! It's still snowing in Minnesota and I have had my 'tin top' down on my car already this year!].
Chagford is a cute little village that has some shops and pubs with gardens to visit before / after your walks. We stopped in the most
amazing hardware shop [I'm not sure what else to call it, really] called Bowden & Sons. It has everything. We searched the whole shop, top to bottom. There is a section for stationary, another for toys, a g
arden section, tools, kitchen, pets, a museum, etc. It just keeps going on and on. Dianne bought a squirrel-proof thistle feeder and I bought at axe [yes, an axe for some garden work I'm doing. I couldn't find one in Wimbledon. Imagine that?]
Our walk took us through fields and forest and along a small river. And the water was amazingly clear and stained brown from the peat. An
d then we went back to the pub for another pint, of course.
On Sunday we decided to head to the North coast into Cornwall. I've never been to Cornwall before. The first village we stopped was Tintagel. It is a
cute little village that obviously sees a lot of tourists when the weather is warm. There wasn't a cloud anywhere in the sky. The street was lined to coffee shops that served scones and clotted cream teas and ice cream. We had a dr
ink and then took a walk through the village.
In the village, there is the post office, which is a major attraction. Take a look at the roof line!
Before starting our journey, we stopped at the visitor's center to get an upda
te on the flood. And I stopped at a pasty shop to have my lunch. Couldn't go to Cornwall and not get a Cornish Pasty!
We came back into the village and then walked down the left hand side of the river and up the hill to the Coastal Watc
h station. Most of the rock there is slate which explains the slate roofs in that part of the country. This village really reminded me of being in Gallway Ireland.
We headed down the coast around a point and through a field and towards an old church in the middle of the field. Another very old church flying the Cornwall flag and a marker in the church that dated it back to 200 AD. I lit some candles for my friends and we headed into the village for a pint. The church sat on the top of the hill on the edge of the village, where the village was protected from the Atlantic winds that come off of the sea. The trees are all blown to grow in the dire
ction of the wind.
The houses had slate roofs, lots of painted stone, and interesting ... very skinny doors. These doors are side-by-side houses, one opening into the left vestibule and one the right. We stopped at a pub and sat in the garden, which was out the door, down the alley, and off to the left of the pub and had a pint and a snack.
It was a great weekend.
We jumped into Dianne's convertible [still bragging] and headed into Dartmoor National Park for Chagford.
Chagford is a cute little village that has some shops and pubs with gardens to visit before / after your walks. We stopped in the most
amazing hardware shop [I'm not sure what else to call it, really] called Bowden & Sons. It has everything. We searched the whole shop, top to bottom. There is a section for stationary, another for toys, a g
arden section, tools, kitchen, pets, a museum, etc. It just keeps going on and on. Dianne bought a squirrel-proof thistle feeder and I bought at axe [yes, an axe for some garden work I'm doing. I couldn't find one in Wimbledon. Imagine that?]We stoped for a pint in a pub [Buller's Arms, I think] and then took off for a 4 mile walk around the Moors [after dr
opping off the axe in the boot of the car]. It was reall
y nice out. And in the beginning of the walk, really steep up hill. While stopping to take some pictures [and catch my breath], we saw a pony come out of a natural corral at the top of the hill and make his/her way down to the river at the bottom of the hill. While standing there, two more ponies eventually came out, one-by-one and made their way down the hill. Judging b
y their size and discomfort, I'd say these were mares that were ready to have colts.
opping off the axe in the boot of the car]. It was reall
y nice out. And in the beginning of the walk, really steep up hill. While stopping to take some pictures [and catch my breath], we saw a pony come out of a natural corral at the top of the hill and make his/her way down to the river at the bottom of the hill. While standing there, two more ponies eventually came out, one-by-one and made their way down the hill. Judging b
y their size and discomfort, I'd say these were mares that were ready to have colts.Our walk took us through fields and forest and along a small river. And the water was amazingly clear and stained brown from the peat. An
d then we went back to the pub for another pint, of course.Later that night we met Mike [Dianne's man] at the pub for dinner. It was a really nice day full of fresh air and good food. I sacked out easily.
On Sunday we decided to head to the North coast into Cornwall. I've never been to Cornwall before. The first village we stopped was Tintagel. It is a
cute little village that obviously sees a lot of tourists when the weather is warm. There wasn't a cloud anywhere in the sky. The street was lined to coffee shops that served scones and clotted cream teas and ice cream. We had a dr
ink and then took a walk through the village.We stopped in a little shop in the village that had stationary and jewelry, crystals, cards, etc. It was being managed that day by a cute little old couple from Yorkshire. Their daughter and son-in-law or son and daughter-in-law own it, or something like that. Anyway, while we were talking with them [Dianne and I the only two in the store], Dianne decided she needed to go back and pay for more parking, so she turned to them and said, 'I'll be right back. Watch her, will you?' And they did. They wouldn't let 
me leave! I was stood in the store for 20 minutes bemused by how they would each start a story and the other would trump the next point or finish the other's sentence. Hysterical.
me leave! I was stood in the store for 20 minutes bemused by how they would each start a story and the other would trump the next point or finish the other's sentence. Hysterical.In the village, there is the post office, which is a major attraction. Take a look at the roof line!
We walked up the hill and towards the coast from the vi
llage to the church that was on top of the 
hill. As it was sunny and warm out, I was busy looking at the little island that was just off of the coast and taking pictures and nearly stepped on an adder sunning itself on the path. There is one poisonous snake in the UK and I managed to find one. On the path, we came across three that had stopped to talk about the two they had just seen. Great.
llage to the church that was on top of the 
hill. As it was sunny and warm out, I was busy looking at the little island that was just off of the coast and taking pictures and nearly stepped on an adder sunning itself on the path. There is one poisonous snake in the UK and I managed to find one. On the path, we came across three that had stopped to talk about the two they had just seen. Great.At the top of the hill, the very old church had a beautiful church yard, a well worn baptismal, and stained glass windows. The flo
or [can you see in the picture] is vertically laid slate in a square pattern.
or [can you see in the picture] is vertically laid slate in a square pattern.After our walk and just before lunch, we headed d
own the coast to Boscastle. The interesting thing about Boscastle is that in 2004 is was nearly wiped off of the map due to some heavy rain storms and flooding. 75 cars, 5 caravans, 6 buildings and several boats were washed into the sea; approximately 100 homes and businesses were destroyed; trees were uprooted and debris were scatter
ed over a large area. In an operation lasting from mid-afternoon until 2:30 AM, a fleet of 7 helicopters rescued about 150 people clinging to trees and the roofs of buildings and cars. No major injuries or loss of life were reported. Amazing.
own the coast to Boscastle. The interesting thing about Boscastle is that in 2004 is was nearly wiped off of the map due to some heavy rain storms and flooding. 75 cars, 5 caravans, 6 buildings and several boats were washed into the sea; approximately 100 homes and businesses were destroyed; trees were uprooted and debris were scatter
ed over a large area. In an operation lasting from mid-afternoon until 2:30 AM, a fleet of 7 helicopters rescued about 150 people clinging to trees and the roofs of buildings and cars. No major injuries or loss of life were reported. Amazing.Before starting our journey, we stopped at the visitor's center to get an upda
te on the flood. And I stopped at a pasty shop to have my lunch. Couldn't go to Cornwall and not get a Cornish Pasty!So we walked down from the village on the right side of the river bank. There was a truck that 
was driving down the boat ramp out to his boat to transfer lobster traps and a dingy. The tide was out. We walked out to the point. I was looking for seals. I didn't see any.
was driving down the boat ramp out to his boat to transfer lobster traps and a dingy. The tide was out. We walked out to the point. I was looking for seals. I didn't see any.We came back into the village and then walked down the left hand side of the river and up the hill to the Coastal Watc
h station. Most of the rock there is slate which explains the slate roofs in that part of the country. This village really reminded me of being in Gallway Ireland.
We headed down the coast around a point and through a field and towards an old church in the middle of the field. Another very old church flying the Cornwall flag and a marker in the church that dated it back to 200 AD. I lit some candles for my friends and we headed into the village for a pint. The church sat on the top of the hill on the edge of the village, where the village was protected from the Atlantic winds that come off of the sea. The trees are all blown to grow in the dire
ction of the wind.
The houses had slate roofs, lots of painted stone, and interesting ... very skinny doors. These doors are side-by-side houses, one opening into the left vestibule and one the right. We stopped at a pub and sat in the garden, which was out the door, down the alley, and off to the left of the pub and had a pint and a snack. It was a great weekend.
