A once a year treat at Tregothnan

You know when you’ve wanted to do something for ages and then you finally manage it, and it doesn’t disappoint. That’s just what happened for the wellies and me this week.

Bold pink camellias and bulbous magnolia dripping from the trees; a beautiful Edwardian summerhouse; flora and fauna from around the globe. Aside from private tours, the arboretum at Tregothnan is only opened to the public once a year for a weekend in aid of Cancer Research UK. Billed as the UK’s largest charity garden open weekend, the gates are flung open and local choirs, vintage car enthusiasts and horticulture lovers descend for cream teas, sedate walks and the chance to see the oft hidden treasures of this garden gem.

I’ve been meaning to go for years but I somehow keep missing the event or being out of the county. Not this time. Thanks Twitter.

The experience was made even better by the fact it meant visiting the home of the most British example of my very favourite drink… tea!

Historic seat of the Boscawen family, Tregothnan’s gardens combine deep-sea creek conditions and estate soils that are perfect for tea bushes. You’ll find their very English tea sold in Fortnum & Mason, Waitrose and lots of Cornish delis.

Visiting the Himlayan Valley to see more than 20 varieties of tea used on the company’s plantations is just one of many treats I find in store.

My personal highlights.

The Wardian case. The world’s only surviving travelling Edwardian greenhouse, used by the plant hunters of the past to bring specimens back across the oceans.

Carpets of primroses. I have rarely seen so many in one place ‑ they strike you even on the drive in where the banks of the tiny, winding road are bursting with them.

Drinking in the views. The undulating topography of the gardens makes for some truly striking vistas.

Getting lost. The circular camellia maze is the largest of it’s kind in the world and was open for the first time this year. Navigate the winding labyrinth is made more exciting by the bright blooms and I’m still wondering how they got the cow in the middle!

Trachycarpus Ride. A walk through asian trachycarpus palm trees. To be fair this is not the most beautiful part of the garden, but the name alone makes it well worth the visit.

Tall trees. The garden is an official site for keeping rare and endangered species and even has some Red Book trees from across the world which are larger than any that remain in the wild.

Beautiful blooms. The opportunity to get up close and personal and see some truly stunning flowers.

Want to visit yourself? I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for Spring 2016. Or arrange a private tour (including a Tregothnan cream tea served from the tea bar with rare Kea plum jam… the Kea plums are unique to Cornwall and grow on just 20 acres of land down by the Fal river).

Visit the website at tregothnan.co.uk for more information or call 01872 520000.

Books + beer = bliss

Do you love books? I do.

I’m also somewhat partial to a good pub serving a range of craft beers and real ales (I think perhaps it’s my northern roots).

If you don’t like either of these things much it might be best to stop reading now. If you’re with me then I’d like to introduce you to a place that combines these two obsessions in one glorious corner of Falmouth. Tucked away in a little courtyard just off the main shopping street, Beerwolf Books is the sort of place that dreams are made of, or at least I think so.

Venture up the stairs of this unassuming hideaway, beloved of discoverers including Tim Burgess once of Charlatans fame, and you’ll find a place quite unlike any other I know (of you know of another I’m dying to hear about it!) Peruse the menu and select a pint at the bar, then sit by the blazing fire (winter) or back out in the courtyard (summer) and bask in a place that doesn’t lose its charm with the changing of the seasons. That pint you choose, by the way, it won’t be a Stella, a Strongbow or a John Smiths, but a sample from an ever-changing menu of guest ales, ciders and porters. My all-time favourite was a chocolate orange Christmas-time stout that I can’t remember the name of and have never seen again.

Stop at that if you like – kick back and enjoy the atmosphere of a lovely little pub with a very good drink.

Or, if you’re up for it now is the time to delve a little deeper as you enter the book worm’s cave of delights that is the bookshop here. Leave your drink on the table and peruse a large selection of specially selected and very reasonably priced novels, non-fiction and more, from politics to philosophy and geography to typography. I don’t know quite how they manage it, but never before have I found a place where so many titles that interest me. I have a rule that I can buy an absolute maximum of three titles – but it’s so often not an easy choice. Sample another drink as you pay at the bar and then sit and read your purchases all day if you like.

That’s it really. Either you’ll adore the idea and simply have to seek it out when you’re in town, or you won’t. All hail the geek!

Finding it: Look for the alleyway opposite M&S with signs for the Corner Deli. Follow your nose. Seek and ye shall find!

Peppercorn Kitchen, Perranuthnoe

Homemade cordials lined up along the counter top. A tower of meringues the size of your head, laced through with cocoa, raspberries and lemon. Plenty of picnic tables looking out across the verdant fields of Perranuthnoe, rolling down to the sea.

 

The Peppercorn Kitchen is a proper little find. Cornish home cooked hospitality with a kick of the exotic in a perfect countryside setting.

Previously located on the beach but now in this delightful countryside setting this is a great stop for coffee and cake or lunch. I meet a friend for for the latter and find lightly spiced Persian lamb fritters with devine minted yoghurt, pitta and salad.

Persian lamb fritters

My mug of tea comes with a mini version of those signature meringues that just melts in the mouth. For dessert I agonise over the extensive menu and the wonderful cakes on display before opting for the fresh fruit pavlova with Cornish cream and topped with a rose petal picked form the bunch on the counter. I also take home a cocoa meringue for my other half – well, it would be rude not to.

When you’ve had your fill it’s worth a look in the Cow House Gallery and other local artists’ studios next door to find lovely one-off pieces by for gifts or to treat yourself. And if you want to work off some of the indulgence, walk down to the beach for and along the sand.

The perfect Cornish lunch and afternoon – all in one gem of a spot.

 

Do you believe in fairies? You will at the Wild Woodland Ball.

If you go down to Tehidy Woods today. You’re sure of a big surprise. For there you’ll cross over into the land of fae.

Adventure awaits!

We arrived in a field. An ordinary field. An extraordinary audience formed of a merry band of knights, fairies and other woodland creatures. Lots of the adults as well as the kids had made an effort and dressed for the occasion (you’re just as welcome not to but if, like me, you love fancy dress my advice is to let it rip. I was a little cautious. Bad idea. Nothing about these guys is cautious).

Rogue Theatre weave a web of wonder in the woods.

I’ve seen Rogue Theatre once before, performing their Dancer and the Devil in Blackpool. Last time I travelled 250 miles to see this Cornish company, so the short drive to the woods along the beautiful North coast path from Hayle was a delightful breeze.

The last show was far more adult in content, whereas this one is designed for families (but don’t be discouraged if you don’t have kids, it’s for anyone who loves an adventure). The wellies were perfectly at home in their woodland surroundings.

Step through the looking glass and into another world with Rogue Theatre

What I remember from Blackpool was an incredibly imaginative use of the route to the theatre with some beautiful set design, multi-talented actors and singers and a rip-roarer of a story. But would Rogue deliver again? Hell, yes! Shout it from the rooftops. And they impress me more at every turn.

Enter the forest in small groups and follow a trail of lanterns. Encounter mermaids, fire throwers and kings before reaching the heart of the woodland and crossing over into the land of fairy for five tales from the book of fae.

A king sings in the forest. All the characters you encounter on your trip in feature in the main show.

Pull up a straw bale (a blanket or cushion is a good plan) for the main event in a dappled woodland glade. Guided by the storyteller (played by the beautifully named and incredibly warm Company Director Ollie Oakenshead) and Moon (stunning, ethereal artistic director Angelina Boscarelli is a shimmering, white wonder) you’ll travel through five tales from the land of fae.

Meet the alluringly familiar, yet refreshingly different Cindy, Pop Princess, with her ugly sisters and jelly slippers. Encounter bandits and law-men inspired by the fairy legend of the wild hunt – sworn enemies eternally united by their love of being free.  Get lost in yarns of warring brothers, spider headmistresses and the last dragon as the energetic company gallop and spin you through their merry and breathtaking ride.

Refreshingly reasonably priced stew served up in the interval by members of the cast. An after-show disco DJ’ed by a nine year old with everyone invited to dance on the stage (it is a ball, after all). This is so much more than just a show. It’s an experience.

Look out for some fabulously imaginative use of props, levels, movement and music in this hum-dinger of a show that’s difficult to put down. I studied theatre at university and I know how hard it is to make something a performance look this simple, graceful and effortless. Great job, guys. I’ll be back again soon.

Absolutely magical.

Pull up a hay bale for the main event and bring your own food and drink – or buy some very reasonably priced stew (£2) and wine (£2.50)

The 2014 Wild Woodland Summer Ball runs until August 31 so you’ll need to get in quick – buy a ticket now!

Rogue Theatre can also be found in the woods throughout the year with similarly imaginative immersive theatrical treats. Look out for circus-inspired Madame Lucinda’s Wonder Show in Autumn and Spring, a spooky Halloween show and their magical Winter Wood.

Short stop off: Lowertown

If you’re in and around the Helston area then be sure to take a few turns off the beaten path and stop off at the teeny but character-packed hamlet of Lowertown.

Hop across the stepping stones and then enjoy a walk in the woods. Do it in April and you’ll enjoy a magical stroll through beautiful bluebell carpets – or pop across the gushing River Cober in Autumn to hear the crunch of leaves under your boots.

The Lowertown stepping stones

As you look at the stepping stones, the little stream you see to the left is Mill Leat and the track to the left is an old cart track, both lead to the old mill at St Johns, which was driven by a waterwheel and was used for a number of activities from corn grinding to leather pressing. The Mill was mentioned in a document of 1260 and eventually ceased work in 1937.

Pick out a circular route past rope swings that beg to be swung and chase the horse shoe and bicycle tracks across the fields. If you walk parallel to the river you’ll eventually emerge at Loe Bar and the sea.

When you eventually return to Lowertown, be sure to check out the awesome library in the old telephone box, too.

Pick up or leave a book at the phone box mini library

The Old Wharves, Falmouth

An eccentric open studio space; an independent recording studio; a treasure-filled vintage furniture and fashion warehouse and a quirky café for a spot of tea and cake – all tucked away in a lesser known corner of Falmouth.

Make your way upstairs to the red door

I’ve seen a few postcards for Vintage Warehouse 13 around the place;  a cornucopia of intriguing events taking place at Troubadour Studios and some curious looking art exhibitions advertised at the Fish Factory. All of this is my kinda thing. A little bit rough and ready. A lot of natural style. Not too well known. Yet I’ve never been.

I decided it was high time I went on an explorative outing.

Yellow welly, in particular, was lured by the cultshare show.

If I’m honest I was lured by the cultshare show – the latest display of art to occupy the space. I’d heard great things about work from talented designers based on the cultshare website – and something about a vintage typewriter. I’m a sucker for a vintage typewriter.

The cultshare website is about sharing inspirations, and this show aims to bring that to life by showcasing installations by 17 talented creatives from the worlds of sculpture, writing, painting, pottery, illustration, photography and more.

Glassblower Rosie Sutcliffe created this gorgeous glass bowl, inspired by the geometric sand sculptures of Calvin Seibert.

Follow the arrows to the upstairs studio space – it’s bright and white and I seem to be the only one here. I like that. Can’t stand crowds at something like this – means I have time to sit and contemplate.I’m no art aficionado. Exploring the beginning of an idea and how it has germinated into a final, tangible work, however is something I can get down with. The fixtures and ideas here certainly sets the little grey cells dancing. And I got to clickety clack my very own bit of creative silliness on the typewriter. Fancy that!

The clever wordy types at Stranger Collective set visitors a challenge to flex their creativity in this interactive installation. They even provide boiled sweets to get the juices flowing.

The cultshare show is only on until June 15 – but there is a whole programme of art shows throughout the year.

Across the road form the Fish Factory is the gorgeous vintage heaven of Warehouse 13 – a real Aladdin’s cave stuffed with furniture and fashion finds. And a lovely little nook of a hidden café in Marmajars.

Enjoy a break at Marmajars

Lara tells me they’ve been open here now for almost a year and she loves the steady stream of people that stumble upon the place. She invites me to their 1^st birthday party in a few weeks time. It’s that kind of place. The sort of place where you can rock up, pick up the guitar and belt out an impromptu solo – or just sit with a cup of tea or a milkshake and enjoy. Whatever floats your boat.

Funnily enough, the Wharf has some pretty awesome views out over Falmouth Marina.

Speaking of boats you’re right by the water here so don’t miss a peek out across the water before you leave…

Find the Wharves on North Parade – TR11 2TD.

Balmy beach beauty? Polly Joke

We’ve got the day off. It’s sunny. I’ve heard good things about this beach. We’ve packed the towels, sun cream and a picnic and we’re off on an adventure!

Don’t be fooled by the name, this pretty little cove set between two soaring Cliffside headlands is a serious peach of a beach. Sometimes the beach is called Porth Joke – they’re the same place – just to avoid any confusion.

En-route to Polly Joke aka Porth Joke

If you want secluded, this is it. Although it’s only about five miles from bustling Newquay, the place is so tricky to find that it doesn’t get too busy even in the summer months. You’ll drive down a narrow country lane, past a farm shop on your right and a campsite on your left and then down to an unmarked metal gate. The secret is to go through the gate and then follow the mile of bumpy, unmade track through the sand hills until you reach the little National Trust Car Park at the end.

Please close the gate after your photo shoot!

Pop a few coins in the honesty box and then go through another gate (wooden this time) and head along a countryside path lined with potential wild swimming holes to the beach. We pass a few surfers with their gear on the walk back to the car park who tell us the beach is a good, quiet spot for surfing when the conditions are right.

Patterns in the sand at Polly Joke beach

When we reach the sands our first glimpse of the rolling blue Atlantic comes through the natural frame of the cliffs. The coast path beckons, running both ways from here towards Pentode or Crantock; but we choose to wander down across the tide-patterned sands, marveling at the mist rolling across the beach even on such a sunny day. Atmospheric? Hell, yes.

Mist rolling across the sands on Polly Joke – a friendly beach for dog walkers

We set up camp sheltered by the cliffside and enjoy a good few hours of sunbathing, reading and serious relaxation accompanied only by a few retired couples and a young man and his dog (the beach is dog friendly all year round and dog owners are mercifully responsible – the sand is clean and clear). Altogether on a sunny weekday in May I’d say there are around 20 people here. Not bad.

Sea mist rolling across the sands in the sunshine. Good surf and clean sand. Sheep on the beach. All in a day’s visit to Polly Joke.

There are rock pools and caves to explore at low tide and I particularly enjoy an adventure into the back of one, hunting for interestingly shaped shells and sea creatures before returning to the blankets for a well earned picnic afternoon tea.

Lots of places to explore…

As I get back, my husband points across the sand at a flock of sheep who’ve snuck down from the surrounding grazing land across the rocks and seem to be enjoying Polly Joke beach as much as we are. Not something you’ll see every day.

TOP TIP: Once the tide starts coming in it comes quickly – take care not to get cut off or you’ll find yourself paddling.

The wellies are off!

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Camping cool

If you fall in love with Polly Joke and simply have to stay a little longer then pitch up your tent at Bob and Angela Harty’s beautiful, secluded field at Traego Mill (don’t worry, Cornwall locals, it’s a lot prettier than the shop in Falmouth). Securing a pitch mid-summer is akin to securing a ticket for Glastonbury, but aim for the shoulder months and there’s usually plenty of room to camp with the Atlantic ocean just a few hundred metres away.

Treago Mill, Crantock, Newquay, Cornwall TR8 5QS. Tel: 01637 830213