Cliff walks and country houses – in Cornwall (and a bit of Devon)

It was supposed to be a summer break, but my friend couldn’t make it and so we re-booked for October. In August I’d planned a lovely country house hotel; relaxing with a glass of wine on the terrace; walking the cliff paths; exploring the stately homes and gardens of Cornwall. In October it was all of those things, except perhaps the sitting on the terrace (far too autumnal for that!)

The Horn of Plenty near Tavistock in Devon

The Horn of Plenty near Tavistock in Devon

Our adventure started with the crunch of car wheels on the gravelled drive of the Horn of Plenty, tucked down one of those narrow Devon lanes, but with a magnificent view over the wooded valley. On the distant hillside was a tall stone chimney and we discovered that the house was built for the manager of the local copper and tin mine, on just the spot where he could keep an eye on his mine across the valley. Sadly the bare spot on the forested slope was where the washing of the minerals had polluted the ground and nothing would grow.

We were far too early to check in, so we set off for that country walk while the weather still promised sunshine (in England you have to seize the best of the weather, especially in Devon). Of course we could have gone hunting the Ash Black slug on Dartmoor, right on our doorstep, or walked from Tor to Tor, but I just fancied a bit of sea air. Down to Looe we drove, taking the bridge across the river and up a narrow road that looked like a dead end, where the vista opened up to a long seaside promenade and we parked the car. My parents had walked this route before and told me we could follow the cliff path as far as Polperro and stop at a tea shop half way. I love cliff walks, and love tea shops that serve cream teas even more.

The weather was with us and we walked for an hour in brilliant sunshine, passing the little island  and skirting the headland until we reached Talland bay where the promised Talland Bay Beach Café awaited us. It’s open from spring to autumn and is popular throughout the summer season as people come to visit the sheltered beach at Talland Bay with plenty of rock-pools for dabbling and crabbing. We could have walked on another hour to the picturesque village of Polperro, a tourist magnet in summer with narrow lanes that are best avoided in a car, but by the time we had sat in the autumn sunshine with a cup of tea and a teacake with clotted cream and jam, we thought it was best to retrace our steps and be back to the car by 5ish.

Driving back to the Horn of Plenty, we settled into our very nice room (the one we had to cancel in August) and then drove into Tavistock for dinner in the restaurant of Brown’s Hotel. We could have eaten at our hotel of course, which is known in the area as quite a gastronomic destination but as it was the £50 set menu or nothing, we decided to go in search of something more modestly priced. The Browns restaurant was lovely with food that was very prettily presented although smallish portions, but we got some free bread and olives thrown in as well as the water from their own well.

Gardens at Antony - National Trust House in Cornwall

Gardens at Antony - National Trust House in Cornwall

The next day we really enjoyed our cooked breakfast at the Horn of Plenty, with more of that fantastic view over the valley from our table in a glazed extention with picture windows that had been built over the original terrace. We decided to visit Antony, a National Trust property that was half an hour’s drive away, overlooking the estuary towards Plymouth. It’s recent claim to fame is that the house and gardens were used as the setting for the Tim Burton film of Alice in Wonderland, with huge yew hedges, and some topiary shapes such as the cone with a door carved into it, from which the game of croquet taking place on the lawn could be watched. There was an incongruous conical water sculpture that apparently was covered with yew clippings to make another topiary feature when the Alice in Wonderland was being filmed. I’d really like to see the film to try and recognise the different locations, although from the trailer it all seems a bit dark and Gothic, rather than the lighthearted children’s tale that we think of.

We got a timed ticket to the house which was unusual in that it is still lived in by the Carew Pole family whose ancestors built the house in 1724. Although the National Trust own the house, the family still own all the contents and it was fun to see all the coffee table books and family photographs, as well as the magnificent furniture and portraits. I was really pleased to find that photography was allowed which is extremely unusual in National Trust properties where they usually look at you in horror as if you’d asked to take home one of the priceless family heirlooms. In the library we found the portrait of the ill fated Sir Alexander Carew next to the leather jerkin that he wore in the portrait – you can read the story of Sir Alexander’s leather jerkin and how he ended up on the wrong side in the English Civil War which cost him his life.

Upstairs, you could peep into all the bedrooms with antique furniture and portraits with the odd bit of clothing left on a chair indicating that many of these were also in daily use. It must be a mixed blessing for the Carey Pole family living here – at least they managed to retain the use of their ancestral home, where many others had to sell off these stately homes, but I bet you it’s a relief for them when the visitors have gone home and they can mess the place up again.

After our look around the house we circled the enormous walls of the kitchen garden and were struck by an unexplainable smell of toffee which turned out to be from the Cercidiphyllum japonicum tree in the arboretum – I saw the name on a notice but couldn’t work out which tree the smell was coming from. Our final stop was at the tea shop where we sat outside with our Earl Grey and scone with cream and jam (shared to preserve the waistline) and caught the last of the afternoon sunshine.

Antony - National Trust House in Cornwall

Antony - National Trust House in Cornwall

We drove back to the hotel and once again decided to eat out, this time hoping to find an atmospheric country pub on Dartmoor that had good food. Our first choice, the Dartmoor Inn at Lydford was all in darkness and so we manged to miss it on the main road, spending a while driving around the village itself . When we finally located it, it was shut except for residents – very annoying as we were getting hungry by this time. On the road back we spotted a sign for the Elephant’s Nest and drove through the dark, narrow lanes for a great meal in quirky pub surroundings with only a few locals for company. We spent our second night at the lovely Horn of Plenty before we set off the next morning, back up the M5 for Bristol, feeling that we’d really blown the cobwebs away on our October weekend break.

Links to the places Mentioned

The Horn of Plenty - A Small luxury hotel with a gastronomic reputation. We shared a Deluxe Double in the main house which cost £175 per night and they also have ground floor rooms in the Garden block at the back of the hotel which you have to walk outside to get to. The dinner menu is a fixed price £49.50 menu although on Monday there is a cheaper ‘Pot luck’ menu and in November they have an a la carte menu on offer. We sound this rather expensive with no flexibility, so we decided to eat elsewhere, but it would be lovely if you were there for a special celebration. You should be aware of their cancellation policy which requires 14 days notice if you wish to avoid any cancellation charges. Compare prices and book hotels in Tavistock through Hotels Combined

Talland Bay Beach Café - Right by the Talland Bay beach and coastal path with a large field for private parking as long as you are eating there, and a small shop selling everything you need at the beach from buckets and spades to body boards.

Brown’s Hotel in Tavistock - where we ate in the restaurant. The food was delicious and beautifully presented, although small portions and on the expensive side. They also have a more modestly priced brasserie menu which is served in the small lounge area and conservatory. Our meal cost around £35 per head.

Dartmoor Inn at Lydford - looked very nice but sadly was closed on the Sunday night we wanted to eat there.

Elephant’s Nest at Horndon - a country pub on Dartmoor with a large garden – we enjoyed our meal here with interesting food and a specials menu. Our meal cost around £25 per head

Antony - a National Trust property near Torpoint in Cornwall, with a beautiful 18th century mansion, and landscaped grounds and topiary gardens where the film Alice in Wonderland was filmed.

More things to enjoy in Devon and Cornwall

Hunting the Ash-black slug on Dartmoor – in Devon
A visit to Padstow and a walk through the dunes to St Enodoc
Walking on Exmoor and staying at Catsheys luxury B&B – in Devon

www.flickr.com heatheronhertravels’ Cornwall photoset

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

The story of Sir Alexander Carew’s leather jerkin – at Antony in Cornwall

Venture into the library at Antony, the Cornish country house owned by the National Trust and you’ll be struck by the full-length portrait of Sir Alexander Carew, ancestor of the Carew-Pole family who still live here. Dressed in in a splendid red ensemble with heeled white leather boots topped by a buff leather jerkin, Sir Alexander looks very much the dandy of his day.

Sir Alexander Carew's leather jerkin at Antony

Portrait of Sir Alexander Carew at Antony

During the civil war, in 1642, Sir Alexander was Governor of Drake’s Island in Plymouth harbour, close to the Antony estates. The island held a strategic position opposite the town and despite having sworn his allegiance to the Parliamentarians, Sir Alexander planned to deliver it to Royalist forces who were then besieging Exeter. But before he could put the plan into action, the plot was discovered and he was taken to London, tried and executed by the Parliamentarians.

If you look in the alcove to the left of the painting, you’ll see the very same leather jerkin on display that was worn in the portrait. Apparently it was rescued from the stables where it was being cut up to mend a harness. To the right you may see a charming framed photograph of Sir Alexander’s descendent, Sir Richard Carew Pole’s son wearing a copy of the outfit for fancy dress.

In those days, being on the right side at the right time in the English civil war could preserve your family estates to pass down the next generation, but choosing the wrong side could cost you your life – sadly Sir Alexander Carew got it wrong.

Read the full story of our weekend in Cornwall – Cliff Walks and Country Houses in Cornwall (and a bit of Devon)

Visitor resources

Antony, near Torpoint in Cornwall is owned by the National Trust – please see their website for opening times.
We recommend the Dorling Kindersley Top 10 guide to Devon and Cornwall if you are visiting for a short time
Compare prices and book hotels in Tavistock through Hotels Combined

More things to enjoy in Devon and Cornwall

Hunting the Ash-black slug on Dartmoor – in Devon
A visit to Padstow and a walk through the dunes to St Enodoc
Walking on Exmoor and staying at Catsheys luxury B&B – in Devon

www.flickr.com heatheronhertravels’ Cornwall photoset

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

Free and family friendly holiday activities in Devon

If you’re looking for fun and more importantly free, family friendly activities in Devon, this article from Woolacombe Bay Holiday Parks, will give you some great ideas.

Brilliant beaches

Woolacombe’s beach is one of the best in Europe, a fact testified to by the thousands of delighted family holidaymakers flocking there every weekend to sample its delights. It’s good news for families with younger members, being extremely flat, accessible and buggy friendly. Even off-season, the kids are guaranteed to be entertained for hours building sandcastles (they may get lucky and be able to enter one of the fantastic Saturday sandcastle competitions), sandboarding down the dunes, playing cricket and football… and then braving the sea itself of course.

If you’ve got a baby backpack and it’s a sunny Devon day, then you should load junior onto your back and take a long stroll from Croyde to Baggy Point. Part of the South Devon Coastal Path, there are stunning sea views and dramatic views of Lundy Island and Wales, especially if you’ve been lucky with the weather and visibility’s good.

Cycling trails

Devon’s famous Tarka Trail offers 32 miles of traffic-free cycle path along former railway tracks. It’s pleasurable even for families with younger cyclists, and there are fabulous views between Braunton and Meeth. See the countryside more or less as it was when described by Henry Williamson, who wrote Tarka The Otter back in 1927.

Rockpooling

BBC Wildlife Magazine voted Devon’s Tunnels Beach the third best place to go rockpooling in the UK, and with its abundance of fish, crab, anemones and coral species replenished by the tidal system, finding a fascinating specimen to put in your bucket is as effortless as lifting up a rock.

Remember – the best rock pooling is around low tide, so be sure to check tide times and plan your trip to maximise your exploration time.

Fly your kite

Saunton Sands is a perennial favourite for kite buggying, windsurfing, paragliding and all manner of air-propelled sporting action.

And that means all you’ll need for hours of fun, even on a grey and blustery day, is some warm outdoor clothing and a kite or two. Saunton’s beach is open, exposed and goes on forever… Perfect if you’re a more extreme kite flyer, too.

Ride the waves

It’s the original and best – and surfing, swimming and bodyboarding in the shallows or the waves off one of Devon’s world-class beaches is surely the best way to while away a sunny afternoon in the UK. And it’s free!

My thanks for this sponsored post to Woolacome Bay Holiday Parks, who offer family friendly accommodation on the Devon coastline including camping and touring and holiday cottages in North Devon

Photo credits: Woolacombe beach by Joseph Tame , Cycling on the Tarka trail by Stuart Berry, Rockpooling safari by Markheybo.

More fun things to do in Devon and Cornwall

A visit to Padstow and a walk through the dunes to St Enodoc
Hunting the ash-black slug on Dartmoor in Devon
Castles and cream teas at Dunster

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

You’ll also find our sister blog with tips on how to build a successful travel blog at My Blogging Journey

Don’t miss out – subscribe to Heather on her travels

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