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.

Watergate, Carnewas and Padstow

After been cooped up indoors all over Christmas because of very wet weather we wanted to get out and blow away the cobwebs, even though it was an overcast day.  However, because of all the rain we had had we knew most paths would be very muddy and there was also warning regarding landslips on coastal paths near cliffs. We therefore decided that a walk along a beach would be ideal.  Watergate Bay looked a long beach on the map therefore we headed there.  As we drove down through Cornwall it was very drizzly with low visibility, but when we got to Watergate it was not raining, although it was very windy.  However, we were ready for a brisk walk on the sands.  Once on the beach we were sheltered from the wind and had a lovely walk to one end of the beach and then back in the other direction.  It was unfortunately it was misty so you could not see far.  There were streams of water running off the cliffs and signs of landslips along the cliffs.  Although there was some surf it was obviously not suitable for surfing on boards but there were some kite surfers enjoying the conditions.

We then drove on to the National Trust car park at C to have our lunch.  Afterwards we went for a walk, but found it very windy on the cliffs.  There is an accessible path to a viewpoint which we took, and then we continued on a good path above the SW Coast path towards Bedruthan Steps.  After a little while the path had been laid with stones.  As the path was very wet this part of the path was slippery so we turned back.

As it was still early we drove on to Padstow.  Here it was not so windy so we were able to walk through the town and along the side of the river towards the sea.  Unfortunately it started to drizzle and began to get cold so we returned to the car.  However, we realised that there was a good walk along the sand at the side of the river from the ferry slipway out to the sea, which would be ideal if footpaths remain very muddy.   We will return to do this sometime.

Bere Alston to Bere Ferrers

After weeks of wet weather it was lovely to  see clear skies and the sun for the start of 2013.  Even better was the fact we had organised to meet Mike and Ruth for a walk from Bere Alston to Bere Ferrers.

We met at the station and caught the Gunnislake train at 10.54am.  Once out of the industrial part of Plymouth this is such a beautiful train ride along the River Tamar. We alighted at Bere Alston station and walked along the roads to Bere Ferrers.  It was a very pleasant walk with lovely views.  The fields were very muddy with lots of streams of water cascading down the sides of the roads or fields.  It definitely was not the day to walk along footpaths.

One delightful surprise along the route were these daffodils out.  Spring is on the way!

At Bere Ferrers we stopped at the local pub, The Old Pough Inn, and had a delicious lunch, before a brief walk along the river and then back to the railway station to catch the train back to Plymouth.

Cothele Christmas Decorations

After many days of heavy rain and flooding we were pleased to see the sun and blue skies this morning, even though there was a cold wind.  As we anticipated that most paths would be muddy we chose to go to Cothele to see the famous Christmas garland.

Although we arrived at Cothele shortly after it had opened there were already a number of people admiring the garland when we entered the hall.  That, and the light streaming in the windows made taking photos difficult.

The garland looked very similar to the garland we saw 2 yeaers ago.  But in addition they had decorated the doors leading into the halls and shields on the walls.

After seeing the garland we went outside to walk around the gardens.  There were still some flowers out in the borders in the upper gardens although they were looking a bit miserable. As we walked down the valley
garden the stream was running fast.  Mahonia  gave bright splashes of colour.

 

Photos taken on 22.11.2010

Lanhydrock in late autumn

As we drove down to Lanhydrock the trees at the side of the road were very colourful.  But when we walked through the woods from Lanhydrock House to the River Fowey we realised that a lot of the leaves had fallen from the trees so the Autumn spectacular was past its best.  However there was still plenty of colour to see.

We walked along the river bank to Respryn Bridge and then up the Avenue back to Lanhydrock House.  There was not much colour in the gardens either, but it was still a pleasant stroll around it with the far reaching views.