Friday, October 24, 2008

For this relief much thanks!

There is a film, I think a Carry On film or a Road to film, involving the Foreign Legion. There is a scene in it where our hero and his side kick are crawling through the desert dying of thirst, they manage to get over a sand dune to find a refreshment booth. Imagine their joy! But then they realise that it is a mirage and crawl away. The camera then pans to the refreshment booth and one of the owners is saying to the other " I told you this was a stupid place to open up this business!"

Anyway, last week we went on holiday to Cornwall. Very nice it was too. There was much eating and drinking and walking and sight seeing. One day we decide to go for a walk in Tintagel. The walk book said it was 2 miles, which is no great stretch even for East Anglians, like us, coping with hills and cliffs. However we thought we should probably have some coffee and cake in the village of Tintagel before we walked along the cliffs to the castle. Little did we realise that the village of Tintagel is an ARMPIT! But not only that, an armpit that was shut for winter. No joy at the Pendragon Tea rooms or the Camelot coffee shop. We managed to get a coffee at the King Arthur Inn but nothing to eat. Still we thought we would be OK and we could go on for lunch at the much more attractive Boscastle nearby.

What we hadn't realised was the two miles didn't include a visit to the island where the castle remains were. And they are AMAZING


So we paid our money and had a good explore. The island is quite hilly. There were many steps and many amazing views and it took us a good hour to cover it all. At the end of which we were starving and we still had the rest of the walk to do before sustenance.
But lo! As we left the castle there was and English Heritage tea room. And we almost didn't go in because I was convinced it would be shut. However it wasn't a mirage and we had the best of bacon butties. Then just to ensure it wasn't a mirage we had cakes and tea. Lovely!
Refreshed we continued the walk - a little more walking to build up an appetite for tea in Boscastle.
I love holidays and I love a walk that starts with a coffee shop, has a pub lunch in the middle and finishes with a crea tea.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Not only Britain
We went walking in the spring near Cahors. Walked to a village that was in the guide book as a favourite upmarket tourist trap for lunch. Everything was closed!! except the local general store. Lunch was two candy bars and water. Walked back to \Cahors arrived about 4 pm. No food, its too late for lunch and too early for dinner. Drank instead.

Mike

Anonymous said...

Did you park in King Arthur's car park?

Helen said...

Newport Pembs shuts in january. The Spar is open and (for some reason) the Welsh Tourist board shop, but all else is pretty much closed. Not the place for a post Xmas wander about. Tintagel is stunning isn't it? Have you watched any of Merlin?? It is dire! Why????