Three day's worth

Monday 17 September

A very productive day today!

First we needed to replace a bottle of gas which had run out so we went to a Caravan site on the way to Bude and managed to get a rust-free replacement. I know this is typically Kev but we don’t like rusty old gas bottles in our van, £25 and it lasted one month.

Next we went back to Bude. We parked by the Information Centre and went to a Department Store called Wrose. Yesterday, we went past the shop window and saw a lightweight table made by Gelert that we wanted to look at. Unfortunately, the shop was shut yesterday as it was Sunday so we had to come back. We liked the table and as luck would would have it, they had a sale on. Kev has been looking for some Teva sandals to take away to spain. He already has one pair and thinks they are the best shoes he has ever had. He ended up choosing two pairs and being cheeky asked if they gave discount for Caravan Club members? The very kind girl behind the counter phoned the director of the shop and he agreed to give us 10% off. This in effect paid for the table! So a bit of a result there and made us feel a bit better about spending the money on the shoes.

Finally in Bude, we walked to the Post Office in the big white building at the top of the hill. We were greeted with three windows and a person standing at each one. There wasn’t a single other customer in the place. We went to the middle window and a very smartly dressed man in a uniform waist coat, crisp white shirt and expertly tied Post Office tie greeted us with a smile and greeting. In the window to his right was another identically dressed man and to the other a very smartly dressed lady in a black dress. 

We explained to our man (the Postmaster according to his badge) that we wanted to take out two Euro travel cards and exchange some Sterling for Euro’s. He dealt with us professionally and efficiently, explaining all the pro’s and con’s of what we were buying and advising us on how we should proceed. We of course complemented him on his service which was so refreshing and unexpected. Our minds go back to Chichester Post Office, out of the eight windows they have we know only 3 will be open and just to post a letter or parcel you have to stand in the queue that you joined outside in the rain!! By the time you get to the counter you are frustrated, fed up and in no mood to deal with scruffy haggard counter assistant. Anyway, we walked out very satisfied indeed with Bude Post Office despite the fact that out bank balance has taken a serious hit. 

Our work done in Bude we set off explore a bit of the Cornish coast. We had been recommended a cream tea at Morwenstow about 10 miles from Bude. On arrival we parked up just outside the converted Rectory Tea Room. Morwenstow is a stunning little hamlet which is famous for the tea room and the local pub the Bush Inn. 

Opposite the tea room is a Morwenstow church. This is also famous, the graveyard is full of sailors who have perished on the dangerous rocks on the coast near by. It is a very dark church inside but quite interesting. There is a painted white ship’s figure head of a wrecked ship who’s crew are buried in the yard. 

We then walked on to the coastal path to the smallest National Trust property on their books. It is a hut made by Reverend Steven Hawker who was the vicar of the church and made the hut out of drift wood washed up on the shore. He used it a a refuge and wrote his sermons there. The coast here is very wild with huge plate of rock protruding from the ground. Any ship foundering here wouldn’t have stood a chance. 

The hut itself is very small, 6’ square with a bench going all around the inside. it has a split stable door. We decided this was where we were going to have our lunch and were half way through it when we had another visitor. We gave up and continued along the path to a sheltered spot overlooking the sea. 

By the time we got back to the van it was 1.30pm and we rested till 2pm before going into the tea room for cream teas which were really great. Petra had gooseberry jam and Kev had strawberry of course.

And that was the end of a really nice day for us. Oh, apart from the great curry Petra produced that evening.

Sunday 16 September

A new day, stuffed with toast we set off to Bude 8 miles from the lodge. We parked Campy behind a cafe called ‘Rosie’s’ which is on the far side of the town at Crooklets beach. We walked along the coastal path alongside Summerleaze beach towards the town centre. The quickest way to cross the beach is (when the tide is out) to walk down the steps that lead to the beach and cross to the other side up some more steps and you are at the sea lock that leads to Bude Canal. This is a lovely spot, very picturesque even with the tide out. The weather was perfect and we really enjoyed our walk along the canal.

The canal is two miles long, along the route there is a good Information centre which we looked into and some lovely houses on the opposite bank. We stopped for a while in a bird hide but as usual for us when ever we go these kind of places we didn’t see a single bird, duck or goose. The sides of the canal were full of fisherman with huge poles catching tiny little fish.

We walked back along the canal and into the town centre. It was a shame that quite a lot of the town was closed but it was Sunday so fair enough. We had a good look around the town and found the Bude light which is a multi-coloured interpretation of the original Bude light commissioned to mark the millennium. The original was a created by Sir Goldsworthy Gurney in 1830 to illuminate the rooms of his castle. He injected a stream of oxygen into an oil flame. This single light source was reflected around the rooms and corridors of the castle by cleverly positioned mirrors and prisms. He was then engaged to improve the lighting in the House of Commons by replacing the existing 280 candles with 3 Bude lights. So there you are.

By now we were a bit tired and decided to go back to the lodge for lunch and another relaxing afternoon.

Saturday 15 September

We had to get up early today as we have to leave for our stay at Sarah and Michael’s lodge at Hilton woods near Bude. We also needed to get to Tesco en route to stock up on essentials. It was 30 miles or so to the small estate which is nestled in a steep valley in a small woods. It really is an idiyic spot and we took to it from the moment we arrived.

Three of the Sprinks including Tom were waiting for us and were sitting on the balcony. It was great to see them again and we were made very welcome with a cup of coffee and a show around the lodge. Soon after they were gone and we were left on our own. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and going for a short walk.