North Cornwall

One of my favourite holiday destinations in the UK is the county of Cornwall, I find with its rugged North coast and Beautiful South coast makes it a great place for taking photo’s, it doesn't matter what the weathers like there’s always a photo ready to be taken.

The North coast takes the full force of what the Atlantic has to throw at its Granite cliffs, sea pinks and other wild flowers cling to the cliffs with all their might.

My Favourite places to visit on the North coast are Titangel where King Arthur was said to have held court at Camelot, you can still see the impressive ruins today .


Titangel Castle

                                                              
Also in Tintagel you will find The Old Post Office which is owned by the National Trust, it was once a farmhouse that was built in the 14th century.

Watercolour of The Old Post Office by DD Pearce

                                

Then you have  Boscastle which is a small fishing Village, it made the headlines on

the afternoon of the 16^th August 2004 when flash floods destroyed old buildings that had stood there for hundreds of years. Cars were picked up like toy cars and deposited them in the Atlantic, luckily no one was killed,the only casualty was a dog that was in one of the cars. People had to be rescued from their roofs of their houses by Helicopter.

Opposite is once wher an old shop stood for centuries

                        

When they rebuilt the building they built it exactly as it was before

                  
Another place I like is a small fishing village called Port Issac it has very a narrow street which lead down to a small harbour, there have been a few films shot here over the years and now its home to ITV series Doc Martin.

The Old School House seen between some Lobster pots

                       

One of the very narrow streets

                                             
Polzeath is the place that I have stayed at most; it is a good place for the surfers with waves rolling in off the Atlantic. There’s not much to see here but for a handful of shops and the Oystercatcher pub.  A nice place for a drink is the Atlantic Hotel and Doom bar at New Polzeath, the times we've sat up there looking down on the surfers. I've a many pint of Doom Bar.  Back in 1997 we were on our way to Doom bar for a drink when we noticed some people on the edge of the cliff looking down, when we got there we noticed there were 2 bodyboarders in the rough sea and couldn't get out. Me and some other people tried to pull them out, unfortunately we were unable to save them. One of them was 17 and the other 19, they died what they loved doing best. To this day I can remember it as clear as anything.



Looking towards Pentire Point

                                               

Surfer at Polzeath

                                                             

Looking back to Polzeath

                                                   
Next on my list would have to Daymer Bay with its sand dunes and the little Church of St Enodoc which you have to cross a lovely Golf course to reach it, but in the end it’s worth it. The church was almost covered in sand at the way in was through a skylight in the roof. At the top end of the churchyard you will find the grave of Firefighter Fleur Lombard, Fleur lost her life on 6th February 1996  whilst fighting a fire in Bristol, she was aged just 21. Fleur was the first female firefighter to die in civil action in Great Britain.  As you enter through the gateway on your right you will the final resting place of the Poet Sir John Betjeman, you can see a picture of his grave below. I love to sit at the top of the churchyard and take in the views, all you here is the sound of the Atlantic and occasionally Golf club on ball ,but it still seems peaceful.

Approaching St Enodoc by the 13th fairway

                                              

By the 11th green

                                                          

St Enodoc Church

                                                    



Sir John Betjemans grave

                                                      

I love sitting here taking in the view of Daymer Bay and to Stepper Point

                   

The last place on the North Coast would have to the fishing port of Padstow. Home to the celebrity chef Rick Stein restaurant, where My late Wife and I Have been there about 7 times and never had a bad meal. It’s also home to the Obby Oss brought out every 1^st May for a day of celebrations. One of the oldest buildings has to be the Abbey House which is situated on the harbourside. My memories of this house is the old lady that lived there, her name was Annie and she would stand on the balcony and shout down to people, occasionaly she would tip water down. It is said she would stand on the balcony looking out to see and wait for her husband to come home, he was lost at see and his body never found so she still lived in hope he would return. In her later years you would see her sat on the bench outside her house talking to adults and children.

Padstow Harbour

                                                     

The Abbey House

                                                           

Still Waters

                                                                  
 There are many more places on the North coast of Cornwall, but these are the ones that bring back a lot of happy childhood memories, when I would Come down every school holiday to stay with my Aunt in Trethevy which is halfway between Boscastle and Tintagel. Her bungalow looked out over theA tlantic and Bossiney bay. I have so many happy memories of my time there and I will remember them for as long as I live.

A photo taken back in the early 80s, the view is from my Aunts bungalow

                         

                             All Photos taken and owned by DDPearce of Darrins Photography