Cothele in Spring

As we had a voucher for a free afternoon tea at a garden centre in the Tamar Valley we decided to combine our trip there with a visit to Cothele.  The Tamar Valley is renowned for its daffodils, but we knew we were a little too early in the year to see them at their best.  However we hoped there would be other spring flowers to admire in the gardens surrounding Cothele House and we were not dissappointed.

As we drove down to the house (on winding country lanes) there were daffodils flowering in the hedges.   These are left from when the daffodil fields had be to dug up to grow vegetables in the war.  The owners hoped to restock their daffodil fields after the war but it has not happened to a large extent.  However, it is good to see the splashes of bright yellow as you drive along.

As soon as we came out of the reception at Cothele we faced a bank of snowdrops and crocuses.  These were past their best, although perhaps would have looked better if the sun was shining and the crocus flowers were open.  But they gave us an indication of what was to follow.

Cothele House was closed but we could admire the architecture from outside.  In places the ancient stones contrasted beautifully with the flowering camelias and spring bulbs.

As we walked around the gardens we noticed how well kept they were.  There was quite a number of gardeners working in the gardens and they were doing an excellent job.  The main flowers out were snowdrops and crocuses but there were the occasional daffodil and other spring flowers as well.

The snowdrops seemed to be in small clumps as if they had recently been planted.  It will be lovely to see them once they have naturalised.  There were many daffodil plants in bud, they will certainly make a lovely show when they are all out.

It was a grey, misty day and the view from the edge of the garden over Calstock was not as clear as it could be, but is was still good to see the magnificent railway viaduct - a real feat of Victorian engineering.

It was too cold to walk further around the Cothele estate, either in the woods towards the Mill or down by the river, but we will definitely be back and hopefully when the daffodils are at their best.

Snowdrops at Lanhydrock

Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers.  I love to see their clean white flowers peeping  through the bare earth.   They remind me of my childhood when each year we would go and pick them. This year has been so wet we knew it would not be possible to walk by the Rivers Yealm or Dart where we usually go to see snowdrops so we thought we would see if there were any at Lanhydrock.

As we walked from the car park down the drive to Lanhydrock House we noticed patches of snowdrops in amongst the trees to the right of the path.

We began by wandering around the gardens at Lanhydrock , but there were not many flowers out, just a few camelias.  From the higher garden we walked down towards the river through the Great Wood.  There were more camelias out along the path and some rhododendrums just breaking into flower and patches of snowdrops on the banks at the side of the path.

As we got nearer the River Fowey the path became very muddy.  A stream that fed the river had broken its banks and there was a lot of water flowing into the main river, which was flowing fast itself.  We did not see any snowdrops by the river but one solitary daffodil.


Once we had crossed the footbridge over the river and walked towards Respryn Bridge the path was dryer and we were able to to walk easily back up to Lanhydrock House and then the car park

South Devon trip

We started today with a visit to High Cross House, the new National Trust house in the Dartington Estate.

The staff were very friendly and welcoming.  We were pleasantly surprised that although it housed modern art we really liked what we saw.  There was glass work by  Fabrizia Bazzo, pottery by  Jack Doherty  and pictures of boats and St Ives by  Antony Amos. The views from the top of the house were superb and the cafe had a lovely balcony where you could look out to Dartmoor. 

After looking around the house we walked up the hill to the gardens around Dartington Hall.  Some snowdrops were out and an occasional daffodil and crocus but there were signs of  a lot more to come later in the year.

We then move on to Dartmouth where we walked along the side of the river and up through the town.  There was quite a bit of activity on the water even though it was still winter.

On our way home we stopped at Totnes and  browsed the shops.  There certainly are an unusual collection  in this town with many independent shops and cafes.