Monday 24 December 2012




CORNWALL


25th October 2012


Day 13 continued




Our final stop of the day was at the viewing area at RNAS Culdrose, the airbase was a hive of activity. When we arrived the emergency catch net at the end of the runway was up, mean one thing. That meant an aircraft was either going to take off or land, we didn't have to wait long as two Navy hawks were ready to leave Culdrose. Then two more Hawks took to the Cornish Skies
 
 
The Catch Net

One Of The Hawks Taxiing Towards The Runway


I Don't Think The Approaching Hawks Will Take Notice Of The Stop Sign


The Final Two Hawks Taking Off

The Hawks visit Culdrose every Thursday to take part in some exercises, the point of the exercise is to see if the helicopters can defect the Hawks. When I went on one of the tour around the base, I sure we were told that the pilots flying the Hawks were ex-pilots.
Next to take off was a Sea King helicopter, when it was on the runway about to take off they hadn't inflated the radar dome thats used to detect submarines and aircraft. By the time it flew over us the dome was fully inflated.



A Sea King about to Take off

About To Fly Pass Us


The Inflated Radar Dome
Next to take was a Navy Merlin, it done a couple of circuits over the airfield before disappearing out to sea. So it was a good end to the day, we finished up at the Godolphin Hotel for a couple of pints before going back to the caravan.


The Mighty Merlin



Essentially English The Red Post Box And Telephone Box


Lizard Peninsula





All Photos Taken And Owned By DDPearce Of Darrin Photography

Map By Google















Thursday 13 December 2012





                                                                      CORNWALL
 
 
25th October 2012
 
 
Day 13
 
 



It was nice waking up to a sunny morning once again, and seeing it was to be my daughters last full day down here we let her choose what we done today. So she chose that we should go down to the Lizard Peninsula. The first stop would be the viewing area at R.N.A.S. Culdrose, unlike our last visit there was plenty going on.
 
 
Flying With The Birds

The Ace Of Clubs

An RAF Merlin Making Its Final Approach

 A Bit Of Hovering Practise Taking Place

A Search And Rescue Sea King In Front Of The Control Tower

The Merlin Has Landed
 
Our next stop would be St Winwaloe church at Gunwalloe, sometimes it's know as the Church on the Beach. This beautiful little church is most unusual as it's set behind a small headland and it has a detached bell tower that set into the solid rock of the headland. The church is located just to the south of Winnianton, and to the west of Towans, an area of sandy plains.The present church has been on this site since the 13th century. However it has been a place of worship as far back as the 5th century.
 
 
Welcome To St Winwaloe
 
Sign Above The Door
 
The Detached Tower
Carved Beams In The Porch

A Remembrance Tree
 
A Message To My Wonderful, Gorgeous Late Wife
 
A Lovely Splash Of Colour A Wonderful Fragrance
 
Let The Light Shine


Just inside the far gate that leads out on to the beach, there's a concrete statue that little is known about it, I also thought it was of St Winwaloe but others think it's just a memorial. Nowadays its looking a bit weatherworn, another interest thing about the statue it has three fish at his feet, was the statue once holding the fish, whos knows ?.

The Mysterious Statue

A Close Up Of The Statues Head

The Fish At The Statues Feet


Also in the churchyard as some victims of the second world war. The first is to a Luftwaffe pilot who was killed in action near here on 20th October 1941.In body was later removed to a cemetery in Cannock Chase in Staffordshire, the times I've visited there's alway been flowers or poppies placed on his grave. It's nice to see that one time to the locals he was once an enemy and now he's a friend.


The Grave To The Luftwaffe Pilot

Another grave to look out for is to Ronald Munting, his headstone read. He was sent down here has a refugee from London for his safe keeping, but little did anyone know that he would not be going back to London and his parents.
 
Ronald Muntin
Died 26th July 1944 Aged 12 years
Evacuated From Hornsey N19
Came to Cornwall Was Killed With His
Friend Harry Dale by unmarked Mine
At Gunwalloe Fishing Village his Parents
Were Killed In The London Blitz
 

 
The Grave Of Ronald Munting

The other is the grave of Ronald Munting, he is Harry Dale and his grave reads.
 
 
In Fondest Memory of
Harry
Beloved Son Of
Henry Cyril And Caroline Dale
Accidentally Killed By A Landmine
July 23rd July 1944


Harry Dale's Grave
 
 Another grave of interest is the churchyard is made of slate  and it has the names of the crew of the Norwegian vessel D/S Heidrun, the headstone reads,
 
In Memory Of
The Crew Of The
Norwegian Vessel
D/S "Heidrun" Of Oslo
Lost At Sea
Christmas 1915
G Olsen, J Olsen, P Rasmussen
R J Knudsen A M Andersen
P Mortensen, M Santa, D Rickard
H Weather, A Alberti, E M Love
H Berg, T Sina, J Syrgraven
A Brenna, C Carlsen
 

 
 
The Grave Of The Crew Of D/S "Heidrun", Bit Unfortunate For Someone Called Santa To Die At Christmas Time
 
 
Granite WallSteps, There's A Few Like This Down Her
 
 
We Then made our way to Kynance Cove, this is only my second time here and I must say the scenery of the coastline is stunning. The BBC (British Broadcast Company) once described Kynance as " one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the southwest".
Kynance Cove (Cornish, Porth Kenyans, meaning Ravine Cove). It's situated approximately 2 miles north of the Lizard Point. Kynance and the area around here owned by the National Trust, the cove became popular in the early victorian era, with many distinguished visitors including, Alfred Lord Tennyson. Another thing that's famous around here is its rock formation, It's known as Serpentine.
The rock of green and red Serpentine has been polished by the sea for thousands of years and is distinctive to Kynance and the Lizard Peninsula. One of my memories of this visit was when my leg gave way and I finished up in a small gorse bush, Oouuch
 
 

A Nice Information Board
 
Kynance Cove

Serpentine Rocks

Looking South Towards The Lizard

I love The Ripple effect On The Sea

Panoramic View Of Kynance

Lovely Clear Sea

I've Caught The Attention Of One Of The Locals

After a quick drink in the Top House in Lizard we then got our usual pasties and went into a little car park overlooking the sea to eat them, thou the sun was shining it looked bleak and rough out at sea.

 
The Danish Registered Cargo Ship Amanda Make Her Way Through Heavy Seas
 
Our Next stop would be the most southerly church on mainland Britain, and that is St Wynwallow Church at Landewednack. The church is situated approximately ten miles south of Helston. The church is dedicated to St Winwaloe, (same as the church we visited earlier in the day), the church is Church Of England. The church was founded about 600 AD and the oldest part of the current building is the 12th century doorway. The church was restored in the 13th century when the porch was added and in the 15th century with a new window in the tower. The church is now a grade I listed building, it is said that the last Cornish language sermon preached here was in 1674, two other churches state the same date.
 

St. Wynwallow Church
 
The Altar At The East End Of The Church

The Simple But Beautiful Interior


One Of The Stained Glass Windows

A Close Up Of The Words On The Above Window

Beautifully Lit By The Natural Light

Another Piece Of Glass

The SouthSide Of The Church On The Left


A Commonwealth Grave Of R.F.Hampshire

His Grave Reads

R.F Hampshire
Radio Officer
SS Gairsoppa
16th February 1942
Aged 22

 
A Commonwealth Grave To An Unknown Sailor

The Grave Reads

A Sailor
Of The
Second world War
SS Gairsoppa
16th February
The SS Gairsoppa was torpedoed at 10.30pm on 16th February 1941 by a U-boat U101, commanded by Ernst Mengersen, she sank in just 20 minutes. It was thought that three lifeboats were launched, but only one was under the charge of R.H. Ayres, with four European And two Lascars on board made it away; the rest of the crew were lost. By the 13th only the 2nd officer, the radio officer and a seaman gunner remained, Ayres and his boat reached the Cornish coast two weeks later at Caerthillian Cove in the parish of Landewednack. The boat capsized before the lifeboat could reach them and only second officer Ayres was pulled from the sea alive. R.H. Ayres was made an MBE for his attempts to rescue his fellow sailors; he lived until 1991.


A Commonwealth Grave To Two Sailors

It Reads

Two Sailors
Of The
 Second World War
Merchant Navy
Buried 29th November 1940
The wreck of the SS Gairsoppa was located on the sea floor at a depth of 2.9 miles (4.700 metres) off the south west coast of Ireland. If you go to the website of shipwreck.net, they have some photos of how the Gairsoppa looks today.



The Grave Of  Norman Walter Ross Wood
Norman Walter Ross Wood, was a flight sergeant of the Royal Australian Air Force. He was killed when flying his Hurricane BN 220. The aircraft got into difficulties over Predannack airfield, and he flying too low that he was unable to use the chute. A court inquiry found that the accident was down to pilot error in an attempt execute a roll at high speed and at a height to make a recovery impossible.

After the church we took the short walk down to the Hamlet of Church Cove, there's not much down apart for a few holiday cottages,homes and a slipway. 
 
 
Lovely Thatched Cottages
 
Boats On The Slipway

Looking Up At The Old Thatched Cottage
 
Someone's Brightful Cottage Or Is It A Holiday Cottage ?

The Dogwood With Its Autumn Colour


A Nice Piece Of Ironwork On The Side Of A House

Beware Of The Ducks
Next we would be making our way back to Marazion, stopping off at Roskilly's farm and at the viewing area at RNAS Culdrose
 
The Satellite Dishes at Goonhilly


A Panoramic View of Goonhilly

Welcome to Roskillys


One Of The Jersey Cows That Provide The Milk For The Delishous Ice Creams


A Map Of Roskillys Farm
On the road between Roskillys and Culdrose we passed some old buildings, we're not sure what they are. The only thing we could think of, is that this was once an R.A.F bomb dump that once belonged to the second world war airfield at Predannack.


Ivy Growing Over A Window

Inside One Of The Old Buildings
Ivy And Weeds Are Now Taking Over The Site


Enterance To One Of The Bigger Buildings

Inside The Above Buiding
 
 
Another Inside Photo
 
 
All Photos Taken And Owned By DDPearce Of Darrins Photography