Poppies and Polly Joke

We took a stroll the other day on the north coast. We don't know this coast as well as the gentle south, with its heavily wooden estuaries and calm inlets. The north of Cornwall is by contrast all about high cliffs, wide sandy beaches and big waves. We followed a quiet footpath and soon found ourselves with this incredible view over the hedge. 

Poppies as far as the eye could see!

It's rare to see fields of poppies these days, and I could hardly believe my eyes. 

Up close they were bright and vibrant, showing off amongst other wild flowers. 

If that wasn't enough, we then came to the most beautiful cove called Polly Joke. It's not well known so there weren't many people around. 

We climbed down to the beach, and set up under these beautiful cliffs studded with lichen.

We spent a few hours here, but the tide was on the turn and you could see that soon the narrow bay would be under water so we headed back. 

The youngest dude caught a ride on the boogie board!

A great day well spent, with a sprinkle of serendipity about it. 

Here's a lovely video I found of this spot with skylarks singing - 

Traditional celebrations

One of the things that I love about living in Cornwall (as a former townie), is that people here aren't afraid to embrace the traditional. I've been delighted to hear my daughter singing old songs in Cornish that she learnt at school, and ones about miners going away to America. 

The other day I was invited to go along to a summer party near the Helford river. 

It was a beautiful day, and there were glimpses of the other side of the river. 

Finding the event was a bit tricky, it was somewhere down a lane.....

Soon we came upon some signs, this one reads 'It was a beautiful afternoon with fleeting clouds and a clear blue sky'

Nearly there!

That led to a field with straw bales and bunting, it looked so lovely and yet so simple.

The children from the local school had dressed up and were taking part in Cornish dancing, which was great fun to watch.

There were old fashioned games to raise money for the school, including a coconut shy.

The prettiest lemonade stand.

And of course a traditional cream tea (scone with jam and clotted cream on top), so we lowered ourselves in.

 Well, nothing for it but to sit back and enjoy!

Super skies

The Red Arrows came to town....

....and boy were they good!

Considering these photos were taken on a simple Nokia phone, it just goes to show how amazing they were on the day.

 We watched from the shore in Falmouth, but I bet the view from the boats was amazing.

Wait for it....

Not finished yet...

Isn't that great?

Summer froth

The hedgerows and lanes are so frothy at the moment, with tons of cow parsley and lots of beautiful pink and purple flowers. Everything is growing as though it's on steroids, and this ancient signpost is in danger of being swamped completely!

Gig rowing

I've finally fulfilled a dream I've had since moving to Cornwall, and tried gig rowing. It is the fastest growing sport in the South West, and probably the only one where men, women and children can all take part in the same boat!

A Cornish pilot gig is a six oared rowing boat that was originally used to rescue people who were ship-wrecked, or to guide a ship into port. Today, there is a growing sport associated with it and the World Championships are held every year in the Isles of Scilly. 

I joined the Helford Gig Rowing club on a lovely sunny evening. The river is a beautiful place that is worth the effort just for the views of the wooded banks, herons and sandy beaches. 

We set off from outside the Ferryboat Inn, two boat loads of mainly amateurs plus one dog called Ruby who came along for the ride. Although I often 'caught a crab' by dipping my oar in too deeply,  I wasn't made to feel awkward or embarrassed. The cox was kind and there was a lot of laughter on the water. I'll definitely be back. 

Flora Day

Cornwall is a land of ancient stones, myths, legends and traditions that go back hundreds if not thousands of years. The Cornish people do their best to keep these alive, and prepare for the festivities all year.

Flora Day is a Spring festival in the Cornish market town of Helston that takes place every May. It is designed to welcome in the Spring, and celebrate the season of renewal and vitality.

 The townsfolk decorate the outside of shops and houses with greenery and wild flowers, which creates a beautiful backdrop to the traditional dancing and music.

Windows adorned with the Cornish flag

Wild bluebells decorate doors

The mayor is there to welcome everyone

The day starts very early - with a big drum at 7am kicking off a series of dances that last for hours and brass bands playing the Flora Day song. 

I love the fact that everyone who takes part dresses up, so the men wear traditional top hats and tails and the ladies wear flowery dresses, wide brimmed hats and gloves. Even the children look fantastic all dressed in white for both boys and girls.

There are adult and children's dances which tell the story of Hal an Tow, with the participating characters singing about the challenge of the Spanish Armada, the English patron saint, St. George and the fight between St Michael and the devil.

My son was born in Helston, and I was hoping that this would mean he could take part in the dancing when he was older but apparently you need to live there so instead we'll just enjoy watching everyone. 

Sunshine days

What a start to the Easter holidays! We were teased earlier on with glimpses of sun, but this week has been a real treat. The warmth has been much appreciated by everyone, and means we can finally start digging out summer clothes rather than automatically looking for something waterproof. 

Some of you may recognise this view of Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth, it made the front page of The Times a few weeks ago with a cool photo of a paddleboarder. I'm not sure how to share the photo but you can find it on WeSUP's Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/supschool/timeline?filter=2

This is the popular Gylly Beach Cafe, it has great views overlooking the beach and I think if you half close your eyes you could almost imagine you were somewhere like Sydney!

Paddle boarding has really taken off down here in Cornwall, and is a great way to explore the hidden coves and intricacies of the coastline. It's a sport that complements surfing, so that when the conditions are too calm for waves you can still get out on the water. I hear it's great for building up good tummy muscles and core body strength. It also looks much easier than surfing, which is good if you're a complete beginner like me. I think it's so much easier to exercise if you can find something that you enjoy doing, don't you?