So what do you think of, when you think of Cornwall. We didn’t know what to expect really, but we certainly had a list of food we wanted to stuff our faces with. Read about our visit to Cornwall below.
Day One
We arrived relatively late at our CouchSurfing hosts, Alex (a masseur), Dave (aid worker) and a very excitable Lexie the cutest Staff doggy. Their house was just outside Truro and was a relatively newly built large barn with an aga as the only source of heating. They had all mod cons but a somewhat unique set up, the running water tap was outside, and the toilet facilities were a drop toilet at the end of the garden. We were staying in the very cosy and warm (because of the electric heater) camper van on their beautiful land next to a calming stream.
Their rustic but beautiful home was an adventure for us but one we relished. Alex is a veggie, and Dave is one too although a little more reluctant too at times I gather. We were treated to the most beautiful meals including Falafel and homemade Pickled cucumber. I have to say I didn’t miss having meat for the few days and was great to try new, different and delicious things.
On our first evening in Cornwall, we helped Trevor (the cider maker) and his kids (friends of Alex and Dave’s) pick the traditional Cornish apples from the various trees in the garden. The kids who had no inhibitions climbed to the tallest branches and shook the trees as hard as they could. When it was safe, we scurried under the trees and collected the perfectly ripe ones of the ground, it was not for the faint-hearted and a little tricky with the failing light, but we must have collected over 250 kilos that night. As the kids got a little bored, I may have distracted them with the small frogs that were jumping around us; I was great to watch them compete with each other in finding as many as they could, chasing every movement in the grass like it was the one who got away, he he. We spent the rest of the evening nattering and getting to know our hosts better.
Day Two
The following day we took a drive to the Eden Project and then drove down the south coast of Cornwall, we wanted to drive the coast, so we followed the sat nav and away we went.
Although the views were spectacular, there were a few roads we wondered whether or not we should be driving down. Hence the picture of the fence… we were a little worried about driving through some farmer’s field but as there was not a soul around to ask. I know some of you are thinking wtf but you weren’t there, and it was eerily weird.
Day Three
It was now our second full day in Cornwall and our last day in Cornwall. Booooo
We got up early and took a drive down to ‘worlds end’ this is the most southwesterly point of this beautiful country. Unfortunately, apart from the infamous sign and the stunning views it didn’t capture our imaginations for long. We got back in the car a headed up though the north coast. We started in Penzance and drove through there to St Ives and stopped and walked along the coastline taking lots of pictures as we go. As we were walking around the touristy small shops we were, almost forced into (by our own conscientious) to purchase some delicious traditional fudge. Okay so it may of been my fault but yum yum yum yum is my only excuse.
We headed back into the car and drove up to surfer’s paradise, Newquay! We had the most amazing cream tea in Pauline’s Creamery . And then we tottled down to the smallest of beach cove I had ever seen. THIS is where everybody comes to surf! Blimey I was ,expecting a beach as long as the eye could see but nope! Where we in the wrong place? Nope, there were plenty of surfers around lol oh well.
Although I couldn’t shout about the size of the place it was, none the less still very beautiful.
On our last evening, we were invited to Trevor’s house to help him press the apples we had collected a few days earlier.
As we arrived at his farm, Alex had already started churning the apples (a job soon given to Lee to take over) and Dave was helping Trevor with the apple press.
Once the apples had been washed I fed them in to the churner that lee was controlling. We then watched as they piled up the layers of apples in hessian sheets until we had worked our way through all of the apples Trevor had collected from not only Alex and Dave’s place but the surrounding farms too.
I was awesome to see the process first hand and getting to try the freshly squeezed apple juice was a real treat. Trevor and his family were so kind and generous they even fed us homemade tomato soup, chocolate chip cupcakes and we even got to try a little of the scrumpy cider they made last year. We were overwhelmed by the kindness and the Invitation to come for a visit anytime.
We then returned to the house, and as it was our last night we decided to play one of my favourite board games ‘ticket to ride’. It was really fun teaching them the rules as we drank some more of Trevor’s last years’ batch. He he naughty.
Just to top off the naughtiness of the food for that day, one of the people who help with the garden, had left apple cakes and apple and blackberry crumble pie for Alex and Dave. Which we happily devoured after the board game, it was such a lovely way to spend our last evening in Cornwall.
Day Four
After saying our goodbyes very early the next morning, we were chomping at the bit to go the the bakery suggested by our lovely hosts to get the perfect Cornish pasty! Yes, yes I know we did leave it to the very last morning but I will tell you it was so completely worth it. (See our full review here). All in all, Cornwall was an amazing experience, we were so grateful
Our amazing hosts and their friends for making us feel so welcome.
The only negative is I don’t think i could live there as with all of the most tempting and delicious food I would be the size of a house again in no time at all.
Tina x
