A captivating cove in a hidden corner of Cornwall, Cadgwith has hardly changed in the thirty something years I’ve been visiting my family there. Thatched cottages nestling in the hills that roll down towards the shingle beach, fishing boats pulled up high on the pebbles out of reach of the sea or battling the waves to bring in their daily catch. C is for Cadgwith.
Joining in with The Alphabet Photography Project over at PODcast.
Continuing the themes of exploring and beach fun that ran through our trip to Cornwall last week, we spent a fantastic afternoon at Kynance Cove. It’s not an easy beach to visit. To start with you have to get the tides just right: at high tide there’s no beach at all, just the waves crashing around the serpentine rocks. Then there’s the walk down from the car park – incredible views but steep and slippery. There is a route that’s apparently suitable for pushchairs but I was very glad of my Connecta! Once we made it down, though, it was clear it had been worth the effort: turquoise waters, white sand, and dramatic cliffs rising high above us.
The timing of it all meant we were well overdue lunch when we arrived – there was no doubt Arthur was hungry but it was definitely a challenge getting him to sit still for long enough to eat a sandwich…
He was much happier once we’d stripped him off and put him in his little wetsuit – raring to go and explore!
Another layer to protect him from the sun and he was off – running towards the sea with us following in quick pursuit.
He loved sitting in the sand with the water swirling around him, but even though I was right there this did begin to make me nervous – there are some pretty vicious rip tides at Kynance at low tide, and even in the shallows things looked a little unpredictable.
We managed to distract him for a while with the pools that formed by the rocks. He was curious about the seaweed strands that hung down and tickled his toes, and spent ages flicking sand onto his legs to watch the patterns that it made.
When he was ready to head back towards the sea we managed to divert him into a larger pool that had formed in the sand. He loved splashing around at its edges, and a couple of times tried to fling himself in for a swim!
After a while even Arthur began to get chilly, but soon warmed up with an impromptu game of football. He loved chasing around after the ball, and even managed to kick it a couple of times! He hasn’t managed that before, and was almost as impressed as me with his new skill.
He was less impressed when we told him it was time to go – I swear my little boy would happily live his life on the beach if we let him! But he soon began to realise the appeal of being warm and dry and was all smiles again before too long.
As well as catching up with family and enjoying the beautiful Lizard, we managed to fit a bit of exploring into this trip to Cornwall. There are so many brilliant places to visit nearby, and one of them is Trebah Garden.
We set off from Cadgwith to Helford Village, getting the ferry across the river for a quick lunch at The Ferryboat Inn. Arthur had his usual fish and chips, particularly enjoying dipping the chips in the mushy peas – a new and vitally important skill!
We decided to take the scenic route to Trebah, walking alongside the river until we got to the tiny village of Durgan – so unspoilt and picturesque it’s like stepping back in time. It wasn’t an easy walk though, and by the time Arthur had nodded off as we followed the path up to the gardens I was certainly feeling like I’d had a bit of a workout…
When we actually stepped into Trebah, though, there was no doubt that it had been worth it. The gardens sprawl over a valley, lush vegetation lining the paths which lead back down towards the river and massive trees towering above it all. Some areas had been carefully crafted, others appeared much more wild – the overall effect was of a tropical paradise rather than an English garden.
As Arthur continued his nap we were free to wander for a while, and I found myself seeking ideas for our garden at home. The flowers were so beautiful that even I, notoriously not green-fingered, couldn’t help but be inspired!
When Arthur did wake up, he was blown away by the place he found himself in. He pointed all around saying ‘Rose! Rose!’ (his universal word for ‘flower’ at the moment), and was thrilled by all the birds he could see and hear enjoying the gardens too.
He was even more excited when our meandering took us to a little play area where he rode a horse and became the captain of a ship. He was so taken in fact by that little red wheel that I thought at one point we’d never be able to lure him away…
We did have to move on eventually, but fortunately Arthur’s disappointment was short lived as there was still plenty more to keep him entertained. He was fascinated by the tadpoles in the fountain pool, and when we slipped into the cafe for a much needed cup of tea he was kept busy by the toys he found there.
It was so lovely to find somewhere different to explore, especially somewhere that had so much for all of us to enjoy. We’ll definitely be back – I’m intrigued to see how the gardens change with the seasons – and I would very much recommend a visit if you ever find yourself in that part of Cornwall. You can find out more about it here!
I often catch myself doffing my hat to solitary magpies, not able to take the chance that they won’t otherwise find a way to let their sorrow seep into my life. No-one’s yet picked me up on it, stopped and enquired exactly what it is I think I’m doing, and if they did I’m not entirely sure what I’d say.
It’s not the only superstition I buy into. Unless I absolutely have to, I’m really not fond of walking under ladders. I try to convince myself that I’m being ridiculous, that it’s no big deal if the pavement and scaffolding are configured in such a way that avoiding it’s impossible. But I can’t ignore the fact that my heart quickens slightly and I apologise silently to whoever or whatever it is that might be offended by my actions. For ages I had a thing with drain covers too, adjusting my path to avoid walking over three in a row. That was pretty tricky to keep up in London, though not as tricky as avoiding stepping on the cracks between the slabs, something which I have felt compelled to try to adhere to during the more anxious periods in my life.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, exams have always been a bit of a magnifier for this irrational behaviour. I can’t remember the exact details of the little rituals I’d enact to maximise my chances of success, but I still have the tiny, intricately decorated wooden elephant my Granny gave me as I was about to sit my GCSEs. It became an essential addition to my exam pencil case, watching me from the corner of my desk. I didn’t dare to see what would happen if it wasn’t there, though I knew deep down that any power it held was all in my mind.
I find it strange that I get sucked into this kind of superstitious behaviour, as on the whole I’d consider myself to be pretty rational. I’m not religious, feeling no presence of a greater being beyond humanity. And yet there must be something in my core that fears that the universe may one day turn on me, may decide that my luck has finally run out.
Because I know that I’m insanely lucky. Even on the days when I feel like everything is going wrong – maybe especially then – I cannot help but reflect on all the things that I am blessed with. If I did believe in a god, perhaps it would be him who I would thank. But as it is I’ll just go on making my little deals with the universe and trying to make the very best I can of this wonderful life I’ve been given.
Thank you to Sara at Mum turned Mom for inspiring this post with her prompt: Calvin: You know, Hobbes, some days even my lucky rocket ship underpants don’t help (Bill Watterson, Calvin and Hobbes)
Today the word that sums up the week that was is:
After the fantastic family wedding that drew us down to Cornwall, Leigh had to head home pretty promptly to keep up with his medical school commitments. Not having anything in particular to lure us back, Arthur and I stayed in Cadgwith with my parents.
From moments after Leigh drove away Arthur began to wonder where he was, and calls of ‘dada’ have punctuated the rest of our week. Whenever anyone came to the door Arthur’s eyes lit up, and the anticipation when anyone reached for the phone was almost too much to bear. It was dada who was on the other side of the door whenever Arthur heard the shower running, and dada who he cried out for in the middle of the night as I tried to hold him close.
There was a silver lining to all this: over the course of the week having only me as a familiar comforter Arthur has come to trust my parents more and more. From beach fun to sleepy stories it’s been lovely to watch them bond – and to watch Arthur realise that his safety net extends further than he perhaps initially thought.
Still, though, I think Arthur is going to be overjoyed to realise his dada still exists – and not just on Skype. And without a doubt I’m going to be very glad to have my co-parent back by my side.
When I was a teacher, I was always more than slightly alarmed to see teenagers clutching litre bottles of cut price energy drinks as they arrived at school in the morning. Sometimes this was supplemented with a packet of crisps, but either way I doubted it was going to do much to set them up for a day of learning.
Just by talking to kids about their breakfast habits, it was clear that there was a strong correlation between a healthy and nutritious morning meal and the ability to focus, study and learn – something that has been confirmed by numerous studies over the years.
It is a sad fact that one in seven British schoolchildren go to school without having eaten breakfast at all, but when you look at Africa the figures are even more stark. Research has highlighted that about a third of people in Uganda and Rwanda are gravely undernourished – an estimated fifteen million people. For children, this becomes yet another factor which holds them back from reaching their full potential.
It is for this reason that Send A Cow has launched the Break… Fast Appeal which aims to raise £500,000 to give children in Africa a better start to their days and to their lives. And as part of this appeal they have launched a fantastic free recipe book, ‘The Most Important Meals of Their Lives’, which is available online here and captures in stunning images the food that fuelled the achievements of some of the greatest people in the history of humankind.
From Winston Churchill to Rosa Parks, from Florence Nightingale to Nelson Mandela, this intriguing and inspiring book offers an insight into the meals that created history. And not only that, the clear and straightforward recipes offer you the chance to recreate the meals for yourself.
I rather like the look of Cleopatra’s Ancient Egyptian bread sweetened with honey and dried fruits.
Someone else who was keen on a starchy start to the day was Jane Austen, with her breakfast of bread and cake accompanied by tea and cocoa.
Or perhaps you’d rather go for something a little more savoury, like Charles Darwin’s feast of game and eggs?
Whatever your tastebuds crave in the morning you’re bound to find something in this book to tickle your fancy. I’m certainly looking forward to trying out some of the recipes as an alternative to our breakfast staple of porridge and fruit.
But this is more than just a recipe book. It is a fantastic educational resource that could be used at home or in school not only to raise awareness of the importance of breakfast for children in Africa, but also to spark off conversations with young people about how they start their day. Perhaps by exploring the meals that their heroes enjoyed, teenagers might be encouraged to rediscover this essential meal for themselves – who knows, it might just be enough to release the potential of the people who will shape our future just its subjects have shaped our past.
You can find out more about the appeal and download your copy of the book at www.sendacow.org.uk/breakfast. Whilst the book is free, there is a suggested contribution of £2.50 to the appeal. The UK government are doubling all donations made until the end of June 2014, meaning that your £2.50 would provide enough to support an African child for a month. For £30, you could support a child for an entire year! Now that’s a lot of breakfasts…
More specifically, Breakwater beach in beautiful Brixham. There might be better beaches out there but this one is mine and I love it. From the gently rounded pebbles that on certain days appear to be almost entirely uniform to the slightly too sleep slope that builds anticipation as you stumble down towards the sea, from the water that glows turquoise in the sunshine to the panoramic views across the bay. B is for beach.
Joining in with The Alphabet Photography Project over at PODcast.
Since I was little I’ve been going on holiday to glorious Cadgwith Cove, a truly idyllic little fishing village on the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall. Not only is it stunning, but it’s also home to much of my Mum’s family – and on Saturday it was the spectacular site of the wedding of my cousin Non.
The ceremony took place in the beautiful tin church that sits at the bottom of my Nanny’s garden. From there it was a bit of a challenging walk to the reception: we set off with my brother and sister-in-law, Arthur dozing and feeding in the sling.
We arrived to find two geodesic domes in a field which sloped down towards the sea. Arthur woke up almost immediately, and was desperate to get down and start to explore.
He braved the bouncy castle first with the help of my mum – he wasn’t too sure what to make of it but at least he had a chance to try it out before the older kids (and adventurous adults) took it over!
Then he was off across the field, calling out ‘water’ as he pointed at the sea. Fortunately he was intercepted by the bride and groom’s dog, Poppy, before he managed to get that far…
He made it back up to crash a couple of wedding photos before heading off to enjoy the view again with dada. It really was quite a view, and the weather could not have been more perfect.
When it was time to head inside the fun continued as Arthur split his time between the kids’ table and the various grown ups keen to keep him entertained.
It was such a lovely occasion for all of us – surrounded by family in a gorgeous setting with so much creativity and attention to detail. As the meal came to a close we spilled out on to the grass to soak up the last of the sunshine and recharge ready for an evening of dancing: the perfect end to a perfect day.
I love Devon, but one of the great things about living there rather than London is how much closer we are to Cornwall. My Mum’s family live down here and we’re visiting for a few days. And with the weather being as glorious as it has been we thought we’d better make the most of it and head to the beach!
Since we got back from Cyprus Arthur has been dying to get in the sea again. We’ve managed a couple of little paddles in the beaches near us, but we haven’t quite had the time or the weather to get stuck in with some proper beach action. So today we got Arthur layered up with his swim nappy, wetsuit and uv top and set him free at Poldhu Cove.
He headed straight for the sea, running over the golden sand and not hesitating for a second as the cold water lapped up over his ankles. I was impressed with his bravery, and relieved that last summer’s enthusiasm for the English sea had not diminished with his new awareness. It definitely bodes well for the rest of the summer.
He enjoyed playing on the sand too. He seems to have moved on from eating it thankfully, and with the little bucket and spade set my mum picked up from the beach shop he sat transfixed as I had a quick (chilly) dip. He was fascinated with the way the sand behaved in the water, beginning little experiments which I’m sure will get more complex as he gets older.
His enthusiasm seemed to go on and on, long after I thought the shivers would have set in and much to the amusement of the watching lifeguard. He was clearly in his element, loving the space to run, the sea to splash in and the sensation of the sand between his toes (and pretty much everywhere else too).
Needless to say, by the time we did manage to distract him for long enough to get him dry and warm he was exhausted, and very ready for a nap the moment we got him to the car. All in all a highly successful beach trip – the start of summer, and the first of many more to come.
Sophie is... 