St Ives and Padstow

After a very busy 9 days we decided to have a less busy day, drive to St Ives, back to Padstow, home, dinner at the pub.  We had some washing to do; I had a beer left in the fridge which we had to get rid of too.  So we were both kept busy after tea.

Because it was a nice slow day I’ll mention the driving experience (before Pam gets to you with a less flattering version).  Our satnav is set to take us the shortest route, not the quickest route.  For the first couple of days it was quite novel, driving the back roads through narrow lanes and avoiding the majors.  After about 3 days it became a little more concerning.  After nine days and driving on roads one car width, with both mirrors brushing vegetation, avoiding the stone walls on roads sometimes more dirt than bitumen which had last seen any maintenance about the time King Arthur was drawing swords out of stones, driving 10 to 15 kilometres in first and second gear with the longest straight stretch about 50 metres, around blind corners at a crawl, having to reverse when caught with another car coming towards you (which is rare because NOBODY else is crazy to be on the ‘roads’, not being able to enjoy any scenery because the walls of stone and green around you is 20 feet high, driving for 10 minutes and being unable to breathe;  is all becoming very nerve wracking and dangerous.  OK, that’s all, just had to get that out of my system!!!

Now for the travel….St Ives is quite beautiful, somewhat spoilt by the crowds of people, all the streets are so narrow with no footpaths so getting anywhere is a challenge. We went down to the harbour, checked out the beach walked the harbour walls, lots of beaches and crowds on the beach.

On to Padstow, another beautiful port town, made even more beautiful because the crowds aren’t there.  Decided on a late lunch, we’d heard Rick Stein had the fish and chips shop on the harbour, went straight for it, ordered the fish and chips and were disappointed, fish was very nice, chips were undercooked and a strange green colour and the drink was warm.  After lunch we went for a walk around the headland then along the harbour where we found the real Rick Stein fish and chip shop.  Better luck next time!!!  The fish and chips there were twice the price but probably much nicer?

Home about 5.30, put some washing on, went to the pub for tea then home to sort out packing suitcases for our next B&B in Wiltshire (near Bristol/Bath).  

St Ives

Padstow, with Dodgy Fish and Chips on the left

At the war memorial on the headland at Padstow.

This is where Pam should have taken me for lunch!?