Tuesday, October 18, 2016

ENGLAND 2016: Cornwall's St. Michael's Mount


Even though this is what we saw and did on our 2nd of 4 days in Cornwall, this is my last post of this series, before going back to the Bath area with Lisl and Michael.  So YAY for getting this done...before Astrid and I leave tomorrow for our annual trip to America.  (See, there WAS a reason for my urgency!)

Astrid and I had the great privilege of seeing France's Mont Saint-Michel back in 2010.  Back then, we had no clue there was another St. Michael's Mount...off the coast of Cornwall, England.  So when we discovered that last year, we knew we'd eventually see it...this year.

OMG.  It's not the same as in France but similar enough and just as wonderful in a different way, if that makes sense, on a smaller scale.

Our first view of the mount was in the context of a group of students drawing it.
What a way to start!

We were there at low tide and had full access to the causeway going in.
St. Micheal's Mount is one of 43 tidal islands that you can walk to from mainland Britain.
Astrid was a kid, looking for treasures left by the sea.

Walls or breakwaters surround the civil parish of ca. 35 people.

Once inside the parish, you see the homes and shops...

as well as the cozy harbor.

Seeing everything atop the breakwater walls was our highlight of the place,
since we did not climb to the top to see the castle and chapel (like we did in France).
Why, you ask????????

We had a decision to make...walk back before the tide came back in at 12:25 p.m.,
or wait and go back by ferry.
We opted for the walk back and made it by the skin of our feet...
but only my right foot was deluged...and with wonderfully warm water.
It's one of those memories you never forget.

But as we looked back, the ferries were already starting up their service to the mount.
Those tidal schedules are exact, we found out.

We rendezvoused with Chris, Pauline and Carrek, the dog...

before finding the Cutty Sark restaurant for lunch, with Cornish cider and pot pies.
That was another main reason for not taking time to visit the castle and chapel.  
Choices!  Decisions!  It was time for lunch and lunch overruled!

Besides, Pauline had something else in mind for us to see!
So we walked back to the car, enjoying our last views of Marazion, the town linked to the mount.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

What Pauline wanted us to see was the fishing harbor of nearby Newlyn, 8 miles away.

See the tiny dot south of Marazion?  Yup.  That's St Michael's Mount.

Newlyn is a fishing harbor only a mile from Penzance and part of its parish.

Lucky for us, just as we arrived, a fishing boat was unloading its haul of crabs.


Sometimes you have to see it to believe it.

After all that excitement, we walked up and down the wharf,
starting with this Old Soul, PZ513.
It took me awhile but clearly PZ stands for Penzance.

Pauline knows us well.  This was a photographer's heaven.

See what I mean?

It capped off a delightful day after the fog-shrouded views of St. Michael's Mount.

And even though this was done on our second day in Cornwall,
it seems like the perfect way to say Good-Bye for this year and THANK YOU to Chris and Pauline.
We do want to go back every year, as often as possible, for these great treasures.

Oh, and speaking of treasures, here are the weathervanes of our 4 days in Cornwall:


Does it ever get better?
(I actually think England and Holland could duke it out for quality...but not for quantity.)

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

And now I need to go pack.  Tomorrow's 9:30 a.m. flight to Atlanta will come awfully early.....


14 comments:

  1. I especially love the pictures of Marazion in the fog.

    My daughter and family have been to Marazion many times. SIL's father was born and raised there and still has the family home there which he rents to tourists, such a beautiful place, with or without fog.

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    1. Oh, wow, Marie. What a great place to be from and to visit many times. One day perhaps YOU can see it, too?!

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  2. Oh I love the unloading of the crabs! And I would be right there with Astrid looking for treasure! All so wonderful! Safe travels to you both! Will look forward to your images!! xo

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    1. There is something so soulful about Cornwall, Robin. Like the rest of England, you would LOVE it. Thank you.

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  3. How romantic and fabulous!

    I wish I could see what Astrid found. :)

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    1. You would love it, Ruth. After your comment Astrid wrote that she found some shells and some interesting seaweed. :)

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  4. This is such a wonderful post. All those new exciting things we saw. We ARE fortunate to see this all. I always have to look for treasures. I found some shells and some interesting seaweed... I love the beach and the sea. Nothing beats the salt smell. The vimeo is the cherry on the applesauce... as we say. we were so lucky that they arrived and after half an hour we saw them speeding towards open sea again.
    What a memory to keep.
    IHVJ.

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    Replies
    1. I think back on these memories and still pinch myself. WOW. We really are lucky!!!

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  5. How awesome is that! Definitely Cornwall is a must see. And not only because of my previous reasons.

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    1. I have a feeling that one day you WILL see it, Maria. :)

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  6. I went to England. I wanted to go Cornwall, but we didn't have enough time to travel all the way to Cornwall from London.
    Please visit: http://from-a-girls-mind.blogspot.com

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    1. Thanks for stopping by and commenting here, Krishna. Maybe the next time you go you can see Cornwall. It's WONderful.

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  7. What can I say but, beautiful!!! Definitely my kind of place - like the upper coastal, fishing towns in Maine. We never made it that far west in Cornwall. It is our loss. That leg of our English trip was least successful. I think I mentioned, we spent much of it in traffic after leaving Plymouth. It was probably due to my desire to stay in the town where Coleridge wrote Kubla Khan. It was not worth the effort.

    You have such a good eye for what is photo-worthy. Thank you for taking me there.

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    1. I like that we take each other on our trips, Ted. And yes, of course, Cornwall would remind you of Maine. I thought of the New England coastline the entire time I was there! Thank you.

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