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Two Loos La Trek left Aylesbury at 23:00, Friday night, heading for Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, stopping at the first garage we saw to fill up with diesel as the fuel level needle had disappeared into the glove box. Sixty quid lighter, and we were on our way down the A34, M5 and eventually stopped in a lay bye for a nap and a cup of tea in reverse order near Oakhampton. A virtually traffic free experience. We were ready to go again at 07:00 but heard of a major accident at the “iron Bridge”, so we diverted by way of Wadebridge.
By 09:30, Saturday we were sun bathing on the beach at Porth Cothan a highly recommended beach but at £2.50 parking for 4 hours reminded us of our love of the French way. £4 quid for all day incidentally. At the entrance to the beach is a small shop that sells everything and is still run by the same seven foot giant we have seen there over many years. I spent an enjoyable morning making small breaks in the dams that the kids had built the day previously to allow small shoals of baby fish access to the sea they yearned. At least I think they did because it dawned on me after I had safely seen them to the sea that they may have been fresh water fish.
The Campsite.
We had booked 4 nights at Magic Cove,
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so called I think as the young woman who runs the site is the daughter of a magician who is responsible for inventing at least two magic tricks to the Magic Circle. Friendliness and helpfulness is the keyword here and we were checked on everyday to ensure everything was tickety boo. The site was fully booked and on arrival seemed a bit crowded but providing you get a perimeter pitch, we found it not a problem with grand views of the countryside and hills. Beach, shops and a pub are a mere 350 yard walk and the garage that saved our bacon for many a year is now no longer and is now a general store with internet access for those who need to keep in touch. Everyone on this site was friendly and I would imagine many of them were regular visitors. Rules are strictly enforced as a young boy and his Dad who were skate boarding found out. Loss are immaculate and a very hot shower costs 10p for three minutes, so you either soap down like a man possessed or take a more leisurely soak for 20p. Each site has mains hook-up, a shared cold water tap and drain and a TV hook-up with cable provided if needed. Great idea for us anyway. There are regular visits of purveyors of fresh, straight from the farm meat and home made pastries and cakes.
Day Two.
We spent this is glorious sun on Mawgan Porth beach and I devoted the entire morning trying to save a baby seagull that had fallen out of its nest. I started by feeding it the only thing we had which was rich tea biscuits but it kept on closing its eyes and I thought it was dying. So I went to see the lifeguards who informed me that the organisations that look after wild life consider these pests and will not come out. I walked back somewhat disheartened working out what seagulls had done to deserve this category and then compared them to the human race. I was told much later by a woman it is illegal to feed seagulls and the ban had been introduced because seagulls had swooped down and pinched ice creams, pasties and such like, scaring little children half to death.
All this made me more determined to save this huge bird, a ridiculous size for a baby, and I went to the general store and purchased a packet of ten Birds Eye fish fingers. I did feel a bit of a wally walking back across the beach carrying these. I layed them all out in the sun to defrost and as soon as they became softer, broke tiny bits of cod off and fed them to the bird. It then became obvious that not only had he not learnt to fly, he had not learned how to eat either and so that was not a success at that time. Water, I thought and found an old plastic bottle, hurried down to the river and filled up with fresh. I came back and poured this into a dent in the rock and straight away he guzzled it up. Having had a fair slurp he then managed to get some cod down. All this took several hours and then rejuvenated he then marched down to the river on his own and busied himself amongst the weed and then marched across a busy beach towards the headland rocks and disappeared. Did he make it I am wondering now as I sit here typing? I do hope so and as soon as he can fly, I hope he swoops down and steals the first pasty he sees in the hands of what must be the worlds greatest pest.
The Evening.
We visited the Falcon Pub in the village of St. Mawgan. A pub with attractive gardens and really top quality home made food served at a very reasonable price. We have been here many times and have never been let down. I had Cornish made sausages, mash and onions and the missus had a mass of smoked salmon and prawns on a king size bed of salad with a fresh and hot crusty roll. The pud was par excellence. I had home made hot apple pie and clotted cream and the missus had home made treacle tart and Cornish ice cream. I don’t think puddings come much better than that.
Monday.
Weather was decidedly iffy so we went to Mevagissey via Penzance as I wanted to look around Halls Motor homes. Small site but packed with beautiful motor homes. Salesmen let you do your own thing but are there when you need to ask a question and then disappear again which I do like. I was particularly interested in their HiTops and would have bought one subject to part ex negotiation but the missus declared they look like ordinary vans. That is because they are ordinary vans but just think of the benefits, fuel wise, space wise and usability wise I suggested. Nope, she wants one with an all ready-made up bed and there were two that she liked and I was not sure about. There is a lovely Ford Bleu by Rimor I think, LHD, aircon, but have a look at all of them here
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and looking around I must say their prices do seem keen. They also have a comprehensive shop for all bits a motor home could ever want. If you are down this way, it’s well worth a look. Anyway, it now seems that what we are going to get is a low profile and the best value I can find on the websites is at Halls, which could mean another lengthy journey which I could not face at this present time.
Mevagissey.
£2.50 for two hours and the harbour is as attractive as ever. The shops are still selling the same tat and the restaurant we always use “The Wheel”, appears to be under new ownership and suffice to say the missus sent her stale panini back and I struggled to swallow their “Proper Job”, authentic pasty.
These places are being taken over by Northerners, Southerners, and Londoners and to be honest very few places whether shops or restaurants have a professional feel about them. Most places give you the feeling that they are just hanging on in there with low stocks, poor quality produce and a complete lack of knowledge of their new found careers.
The next day it was drizzle so we cut short our stay to save the missus some useful holiday days for another time and popped into see my Mum and Dad and then a good run home arriving last night (Tues).
An enjoyable break, a bit browner and looking forward to our big holiday in France late Aug.
MHF Sticker
Porthcothan Beach
Flying Hymmi's creation
MawganPorth Beach
Big Bird
Fresh Water for Big Bird
______________________________________________________________ I´ve never had a date that I didn´t inflate.
The following members of MHF thanked Pusser for this posting
So glad you had a good break, and thank you for your usual detailed report. Its almost like we were there with you and I'm soooo touched by your genuine concern for our wild life........honest...... I am.
I've been to Mevagissy so many times and agree about the plastic shops and equally plastic food, but such a pretty place.
______________________________________________________________ Be nice to people on your way up in life, as you may meet them again on the way back down.
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The following members of MHF thanked badger for this posting
Reading this makes me realise why i am looking forward to flying back home to Cornwall tomorrow evening,Although our 6 months in the states have been fantastic,home is where the heart is.Boy am i looking forward to fish chips and mushy peas,a proper cornish pasty and to top it off clotted cream.Ah the iron bridge ,my old breakdown recovery area but a have read that the link between bodmin and indian queens is all systems go,and that will make life a lot easier for you tourists.Glad you had a good time
The following members of MHF thanked IanH for this posting
Thats a wonderful part of the world, love it down there!!
Unfortunately I know what you mean about what the lady said about the Sea Gull but unfortunatey if you live near the coast you will understand why!
Take a Rat and put wings on it!
They are a pain in the bum!
The bird in the picture looks like its a fully fledged bird as its got all it flight feathers so i would probably say that it had something wrong with it, possibly the wing nearest the camera.
Sorry to be so blunt about them, but when you see them pulling rubbish out of bins, swooping and taking food from people etc, u'll understand why feeding them isn't encouraged.
Cheers
Glenn
______________________________________________________________ We´ll be there in a ´Jiffy´
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The following members of MHF thanked jiffyman for this posting
Well i didnt want to offend the bird lovers out there but jiffyman is right they are classed as flying rats,also if you live by the coast their droppings are like acid rain just as bad as salt water on your motorhome
The following members of MHF thanked IanH for this posting
Yep... I too feared it may be a wing issue but it seemed to be able to spread its wings OK. Still, Ostriches manage to walk around all day so perhaps this little chap can do the same. Loads of food around.
I can see where we are coming from as regards nuisance but I like to think that after us humans leave the beach covered in rubbish, dead fish, half eaten sandwiches, half eaten ice cream cones, Eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms, tomatos and fried bread ( sorry, got carried away) the good old gull will clean it up for us.
It is my view, formed from not living with them all day of course, that the gulls were there before we were and if we choose to live in their terrority then we have to accept their behaviour rather than they adapt to ours.
I also have a big debt to pay because when I was a late teenager in the Navy, we used to blow them up with phoshorous out of smoke floats during boring long weeks at sea. I am now smitten with guilt and and I get a feel good factor out of hopefully saving one.
______________________________________________________________ I´ve never had a date that I didn´t inflate.
The following members of MHF thanked Pusser for this posting
Reading about your latest trip Pusser to Cornwall reminded me of an episode in the aire in Carnac ,Britanny (you know ,the one next to the police station ).
We were there with about 30 other vans ,no British, when "Brimo" turned up going the other way round Britanny.
Next day we got talking over a brew and the subject got onto Motorhome Facts and the people who contributed to it. The chat eventually got round to Pusser's trip to France .At that moment Mo dIsappeared into their Hymer and reappeared with a full printed copy.
Well, my partner had not read it and after dinner she read it aloud (an ex teacher you know,nuff said),and even though I had read some of it before we fell about .She of course recognized much of herself in it.
I will now show her your latest ,she will be very interested as she has a place in Cornwall (Boscastle).
We are off again to France on 1st Sept .We plan to follow Richard Binns "Sun Run".
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Might even see you en- route ,but anyway look forward to your account.
Regards
John
The following members of MHF thanked FERDINAND for this posting
Another classic Pusser's tale of magic and wonder, good stuff.
Ever since I can remember we have returned at regular intervals to our favorite coast and the land of Pasties and Tin Mines but with the cost of the car parks and camping sites there rising faster and higher than a spring tide up the Camel Estuary we have found another destination that has cleaner beaches, friendlier and cheaper pubs, traffic free roads and best of all FREE car parks. These benefits are enhanced by the fact that although it is in a different country most of the friendly locals speak English as a second language.
Sorry ......but if I tell you where it is in this post the other 7000 members may go there and it will be changed forever.
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