A trip to Lantic Bay….

September 19, 2023October 18, 2023 / freedombird / 1 Comment

Well the forecast did not disappoint – rain was forecast and rain we got…. After dropping the van back to the workshop we spent a very boring morning dodging the rain at a Retail Park just down the road from the workshop – it is days like this which make you realise how undogfriendly many shops and Costa Coffee are!! I did sneak Tilly into Costa’s just so that I could order a coffee and pastry but soon got told to wait outside!!

At midday we returned to the workshop and I was given a full run through of my upgrades and how to work everything. I must say they have done a first class job and I’m really impressed with their workmanship – Batteries and Solar Ltd, Plymouth. For those of you curious folk I have had a 200 watt solar panel fitted to the roof, a 1200w inverter linked into my current electrical system so that I can use my three pin plugs off the leisure battery and boil a kettle – whoop! The existing leisure battery has been replaced with a Lithium one and lastly a diesel heater fitted to replace the electric one I had which would only run when on electric hook up – so hey get me in my Wild Van – off grid here we come!!

It is still very miserable but we decided to visit Lantic Bay on our way to at least see one beach today. Parking in a good sized NT car park we take the footpath through some fields to join the coastal path….

We are soon rewarded with lovely, albeit misty views down to Lantic Bay….

Unfortunately it starts to rain in earnest so we do not take the steep path down for a closer look but instead head back to the warmth and shelter of the van and make our way south to our next site at Veryan.

Someone has nabbed the best seat in the van and is very determined to stay cozy on this somewhat wet and wild night…

Plymouth and a quick hop to Cawsand….

September 18, 2023 / freedombird / 1 Comment

A damp start, but by the time we had dropped the van off at Batteries and Solar Ltd and caught the bus into Plymouth, the sun had come out and kindly spent most of the rest of the day with us. Not a great fan of busy, urban places, we quickly made our way down to the sea front and after an egg bap and cup of coffee walked along the front…

There isn’t a beach in Plymouth but a lovely outdoor lido and safe wild swimming area looked almost appealing in the sun, with a few brave swimmers resting on the swimming platforms…

In the background we could see Mount Edgcumbe Estate (where we walked a couple of days ago) and just in front Drake’s Island which has been protecting Plymouth since it was first fortified in 1549.

Continuing eastwards into the Plym Estuary the city becomes very trendy with waterside bars and restaurants around the inner and outer Marinas….

After a wander around and another cup of coffee at Captain Jasper’s – only £1.30!! it is still only 11.30 and we are not due to pick the van up until 5 – what to do? After discounting a boat trip around Drake’s Island we happened across the ferry to Cawsand – well why not? at least we know there is a beach there…

The ferry, like the bus, was a first for Tilly and all was going smoothly until as we left the sheltered harbour and a rather large wave crashed across the bow where we were sat, giving us a good splattering so the rest of the half hour trip was spent huddled up inside. But worth it when we landed at Cawsand…

We pretty much had the beach to ourselves and spent a while just enjoying the serenity and sun before taking the coastal path south towards Rame Head….

The initial incline was up through woodland and then out onto the cliff tops looking back towards Plymouth….

And simply beautiful vistas out to sea….

All too soon it was time to about turn to catch the 3.30 ferry from Cawsand back to Plymouth…

Once back on dry land we made our way back into the hubbub of the city to catch a bus out to pick our home on wheels up from the workshop. The work was not quite completed and we also needed to stay close so that the silicone and glue used would have time to mature so we returned to Riverside Caravan Park for another peaceful night.

We are both pretty exhausted from all our walking today so an early night was very much in order.

A very wet and miserable day out discovering Millendreath, Looe and Polperro….

September 17, 2023 / freedombird / 3 Comments

The forecast was not great but we were not expecting the wall to wall rain that we got…

Our first stop was Millendreath a small coastal village which appeared to largely be owned by Millendreath Holiday Resort with a few privately owned homes / second homes – clearly we were not seeing it in its best light but I found it a rather depressing place. The only car park was owned by the above company and was ridiculously priced so I opted to park on the roadside and as it was absolutely peeing down, I left Tilly in the van and ran down to the front to take a few photos of the beach….

The two beachside bars were all closed up and probably great on a sunny day but looked pretty depressing and run down in this rain – I didn’t hang about and don’t feel particularly inclined to return!!

Next stop was Looe – the old part a rabbit warren of little cobbled streets and stone cottages….

The surrounding valley tiered with newer (and some quite fancy) properties. It was very busy with coach loads of very damp tourists (judging by the car park) but a bit bucket and spadey, if you get my drift, so we whizzed through the town and headed straight for the beach.

A nice sandy smallish cove which is probably hell on a nice summers day but pretty on a mizzog day such as this…

We dodged the crowds and puddles and made our way back to the van and got away with just an hours parking.

Next stop…. Polperro – oh yes and it is really raining now. Now it may be that this damp weather is influencing my thoughts on todays little tour but, be warned when you arrive in Polperro you are directed straight into a huge car park (either that or back the way you came) and the minimum stay is 3 hours! £6 for a car or £12 for a Motorhome / Van – fortunately my van is small enough to fit in a car space otherwise I would have swerved right back out and given the whole place a miss. Now as any of you who read my blogs will be aware – I hate paying for parking but being forced to pay for a minimum stay of 3 hours is outrageous.

As it was we did a quick whiz through the admittedly pretty and well loved but mostly closed village, down to the small shingle beach…

The stream that runs down though the village was surging out into the bay…

Bought a pasty (mainly so I could use their loo as the public ones were 50p and I didn’t have any cash – my car park pot being in the van up the hill) and then hurried back up the hill to seek refuge from the rain in the van – so £2 for an hour would have sufficed!!!

Not our best day but 3 more beaches to add to the list – some 850 odd – will work it out and let you know. After leaving Polperro we headed north, crossing the Tamar and into Plymouth as tomorrow the van is having some exciting upgrades.

We discover the joys of Whitsand Bay in the rain..

September 16, 2023October 12, 2023 / freedombird / 2 Comments

After such a beautiful day yesterday, we awoke to the sound of pitter patter on the van roof, needless to say our plan to start the day with a bacon bap was aborted and unfortunately the day just pitter pattered along.

However the rain wasn’t heavy, though persistent, if you follow my drift and we headed to discover Whitsand Bay. Nearly four miles of beaches broken by craggy rocks jutting out to sea, though it is possible to walk most of it along the sand towards low tide. Access is down a pretty steep path / steps at various points from the coastal path.

We walked along the coastal path to Withnoe and clambered down the path to the beach and east to Tregonhawke the most easterly section of the beach ….

And then made our way back westwards along Withnoe Beach….

Next along is Freathy Beach….

The rocks here are beautiful shades of purple and green with fissures in the rock face and fantastic rock pools…

Lastly we had to clamber up the cliff path and back down the other side to reach Sharrow Beach…

Beyond Sharrow Beach is Long Sands which is reached via a permissible (unless the flags are flying) path through MOD land a bit further along by Tregantle Fort but we decided to settle for distant views….

By now the rain is coming somewhat heavier so we make a fairly quick pit stop at Portwrinkle a pretty little dead end village with a little harbour a large mostly shingle beach either side….

We are not done with this damp day yet as we head on to Downderry….

And along the shingle beach to Seaton…

Neither one particularly interesting, though to be fair we are pretty damp by now so maybe not the best to judge!!

Still raining so no bacon baps tonight either…

To the northern most beach on the east coast of Cornwall

September 15, 2023 / freedombird / 1 Comment

And we are off again, after a 3.5 year break, in our pursuit of visiting every beach in the UK. We have just got a week so decided to head up to the northern most point of the east coast of Cornwall in the hope that this lovely September weather holds.

After a tedious traffic bound trip to Truro the rest of the journey to Cremyll was a breeze. Cremyll is no more than a few houses on the edge of the Mount Edgcumbe Country Park with a small car park, pub and a pedestrian ferry across to Plymouth.

Looking across the Tamar towards Plymouth

Cremyll Beach looking towards the Mount Edgcumbe Estate

We followed the Coastal Path through the Mount Edgcumbe estate to find our next beach Barn Pool….

We took a circular route back to catch a glimpse of Mount Edgcumbe (it would have been rude not to!).

Before heading off to our next stop the beautiful villages of Cawsand and Kingsand.

After a sit in the sun with an ice cream it was time to make our way to our first site of the trip at Maker Heights.

A rather basic site – just pitch up anywhere in the field with views over the hedgerows and across the Tamar to Plymouth or over the valley with glimpses of Cawsand and Kingsand. The camping field is a bit rough and ready but there is an excellent shower / toilet block an indoor common room / pot wash / reception. A cafe on site and wood fired pizzas in the evenings at weekends and plenty of stuff going on at the main exhibition building just a short walk way – not bad for £12 per night.

Freedom Bird

Living the dream by exploring the beautiful beaches around Britain

Month: September 2023