Tuesday 12 April 2011

The Most Perfect of Days.





































This is a very long post so please forgive me, but I so wanted to share one of our days out as it was the stuff of my dreams.






We rowed up the Penryn River toward the mouth of the River Fal, stopping off at the Prince of Wales Pier in town for supplies (chocolate, bread and crisps). There is something so very lovely about mooring up at a quay and climbing the steps for a little shopping! People were milling everywhere as the day was so beautiful and the views across the river just stunning with the patchwork fields so typical of Cornwall sweeping down to the sea.





With such a bright day the reflections on the water were amazing.






We headed off once more





across the harbour until land was once more in sight. Lucy rowed on one side





and Mamma on the other.




Just look at the sulphur yellow gorse and drifts of snowy blackthorn.




The closer we rowed to land,




the clearer the jade waters became.





Finally we picked a tucked away cove which we instantly named Stepladder Cove because of a very long ladder leading down from the wooded cliffs.





































Elias took in the lines we had trailed in the (vain) hope of catching fish or crab for tea





while Isabella did her usual and drenched herself, clothes and all. The child did not stop running for the full five hours we were there.





Apart from when she ate of course





and even then






only for a moment.






I did a little knitting






while Davey took the older two out for a sailing lesson. they were both brilliant and tacked
beautifully. Isn't that sail pretty?






There was so much to hunt for






and shells of all kinds were thrown like flotsam against the cliffs.






We discovered a fabulously hidden bay of mussels and collected buckets-full. Dave cleaned them with Elias






































while Lucy and I collected driftwood for a fire.











































There is nothing quite like a beach fire






nd some salty fresher than fresh mussels.






I heated up a stone to fry some potatoes on which were delicious in hunks of bread.






and finally it was time to say goodbye to our little hidden away beach where we saw hardly a soul all day.




We sailed back, everyone full of sea air and good food, everyone tired out.






We quietly chatted about our favourite parts of the day






but there was so much about it that was good.






And we all agreed that we were very lucky people indeed to live where we do.






The most perfect of days.




Bye for now (and well done if you made it to the end!) x

23 comments:

  1. Joy! It is so great having a boat and being able to get to hidden away places. We do that in Norfolk, and the days are real memory-makers I agree. They are v strict about no fires there though, which is a shame, because there is no better way to cook and eat!

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  2. Sheer bliss, what a wonderful way to spend the day. Another set of memories made. Dev x

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  3. Absolutely perfect.

    Sue xx

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  4. I certainly did make it to the end and it brought back memories of the time my dad had a boat and we used to sail up and down the Fal. What a wonderful day you all had and I admit that it has made me just a teeny bit homesick!

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  5. Wetsuits, wave jumping and a wood fire - just perfect Pip. Tis that time of year again...oh yeah!

    Nina xxx

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  6. very very lucky indeed and the thought of those fresh mussels making my mouth water mmmmm

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  7. I've said it before, but it all sounds so perfect... you are a lovely and lucky family! xx

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  8. Oh, the memories came flooding back of days just like those...
    Lucky lucky you...you'll hold those memories for years to come..
    Take care
    Jude

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  9. What a lovely post. Looks like a fab day was had by all! X

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  10. what alovely day of family memories

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  11. Sounds idyllic. Such a nice record of a perfect day.

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  12. Who wouldn't make it to the end?! Thanks for the taste of Cornwall, ocean and summer. (We are still getting fresh snow on the mountains around here.)
    --Kathleen (in Canada)

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  13. I bet you never wanted that day to end - it sounds perfect.

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  14. Oh Pipany,

    Your post makes me want to go to Cornwall straight away; the sun, the blue skies, the amazing colour of the water.

    You all look so happy on the photo's! Sailing for the big ones and playing on the beach for the young ones. You must have been a very happy mum!!!

    Lieve groet & fijne dag,

    Madelief x

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  15. That reminds me so much of the weekends we spent in Pembrokeshire when I was little. Fabulous. What a wonderful way to spend the day. (And yes, that is such a pretty sail!)

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  16. It sounds absolutely blissful.

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  17. Wow. This post really WAS fantastic. So many good good things. Thanks for transporting me there Pipany.

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  18. Hello! I have finally managed to grab a moment to drop over and see what you've been up to. Great post as always. Beautiful pics. Love the heart bucket! Hope things good with you. :) Kirsty

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  19. I loved this post so much, as well as the one the other day when you went sailing. It all looks such bliss. I love boats and I have no idea why; I love the billowing sales and their shapes, little sailing boats, tall ships, viking long boats, canoes - everything! Yet I can barely swim, am terrified of deep water, hate lakes but don't mind rivers and quite like the sea. I have rarely been on a boat and get very sea sick when I have. But I get a wistful sense of longing around boats. It's most strange.

    Part of the appeal may be the openness and sense of freedom - getting away from it all. Your post was very Swallows and Amazonish or Enid Blyton - the days when children could go off and have adventures (Ok you joined in here but you can see how blissful for the children it was - you are giving them something that is priceless). Having a little beach fire and cooking sounds wonderful. I thorough enjoyed reading about your day - absolutely lovely! Thank you.

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  20. Joyous Pip. A day to be savoured and memories made. I think the Mermaid is proving her worth and more!!

    Cornwall is beckoning me once again ...

    Jeanne
    x

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  21. Fabulous, fabulous. I love where I live but reading this has made me long for the sea! Glad you had such a marvellous day. You deserve it.

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  22. Cor! That's the stuff of my dreams too! Can I come and live with you? What a lovely start to my morning, and all the more so as we have just booked our hols in Cornwal for August ..

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