We walked north and west of St. Just this time, up through Botallack to the coast path and then south again to the Kenidjack Valley. These clifftops hold tight to the ruins of the 19th century copper and tin mining industry, with chimneys and towers rising into the sky and mine shafts striking deep intoContinue reading “Poldark Country”
Author Archives: Jane
Newlyn and Mousehole
My guess is that for quite a few centuries the villages of Newlyn and Mousehole (pronounced mowzel) would have looked and felt pretty similar. The 19th and 20th centuries brought change. Somehow Newlyn managed to hold on to its fishing industry and remains one of the largest fishing ports in England, whereas Mousehole lost manyContinue reading “Newlyn and Mousehole”
To the Supermarket
Sometimes you have to go to Sainsburys, or The Range, or H&M. Maybe you need Twiglets. The supermarkets are strung out along the main road to the east of Penzance with their car parks and bus stops and click and collect stations. Unlike most supermarkets I’ve ever been to in my life, these are accessibleContinue reading “To the Supermarket”
Tregeseal and Carn Kenidjack
More amazing weather, and me taking wrong turns on lanes into farmyards and alongside old streams. Bovine encounters. Ancient paths from St. Just down into the valley of Tregeseal, and then finally out onto the moor where gorse and heather and bracken lie below the scudding clouds. A kestrel hovering. The ancient stone circle, andContinue reading “Tregeseal and Carn Kenidjack”
Tremenheere
A magical place to visit. I don’t want to give it away with too many photos, because it’s one of those places that you need to see and feel for the first time. It’s a garden, rescued and rebuilt from wilderness. It’s been filled with sculptures and art. The architecture of old trees hides tropicalContinue reading “Tremenheere”
Cot Valley
An easy and delightful short walk, even on a windy day, is down the sheltered Cot Valley to Porth Nanven beach and back. The beginning winds through fields and farms to the unexpected lush forest at the top of the valley, complete with huge Gunnera, palms, and ferns. I followed the road alongside the streamContinue reading “Cot Valley”
Missed the Ordinalia
The first two weeks of September brought the three 14th century plays of the Ordinalia back to St. Just, on the Plein-an-Gwari. I had to watch it from afar, as the flat was in the midst of repairs. Hireth. Great documentary on it here.
Flamping with Sally
We arrived in late June. Riding almost-empty planes and trains. Struggling with a crazy old key in the dark. First time in the flat. We cried and hugged – it was so incredible to finally be there. Amber list entry rules meant lots of tonsil and nostril swabs and quarantine. We had camping mattresses thatContinue reading “Flamping with Sally”
Flat Two 