Boscastle
Even steady, at times, heavy rain did not dampen our enthusiasm once we arrived in Cornwall after a quicker than expected drive (about 2 hours from Lyme on bigger roads than expected). Amazing how quickly the landscape and architecture changed from Dorset. Suddenly we were driving on incredibly narrow winding road that seemed almost sunken, with high stone and shrubbery walls. Occasionally, the road would be high enough to see a startling valley with a patchwork of crops lining a hill and then the sea beyond.
WE drove to the classic seaside village of Boscastle and walked along the one narrow street that led to a small harbor with few boats — an estuary that was more like a narrow river between two jagged grass-lined land masses jutting out into the ocean. We climbed some slate outcroppings to get a better view but they were slick with rain so we backed down. We stayed long enough to have a cream tea and try a steak and potato pastie to admire the youth hostel in a stone building (which is where I would have gladly stayed 37 years ago) and shop in the national trust store.
Port Isaac Airbnb
Our Airbnb is spectacular — a very old stone farmhouse atop a broad green field with grazing cattle overlooking the see. Virginia, the owner, greeted us with a hug when we arrived after driving along a rutted muddy dirt road leading from the turn off to Port Gaverne. Our room is huge and gorgeous with a bed that could fit a family of four, timber beams, tea and shortbread laid out on the windowsill, and windows with glorious views that will be even better tomorrow when the rain passes. Can’t imagine what this place looks like under blue skies. We hung out for awhile with Virginia and her husband Michael, watching Wimbledon and chatting.
Tonight we had a superb dinner at Nathan Outlaw’s Fish House in lovely Port Isaac, which has narrow winding streets lined with grey stone houses, some painted white. The dinner was tapas — all fish prepared a variety of ingenious ways and served in very old house overlooking the small harbor. I love this place.
We met a fellow Iowan, Val, who co-owns the popular Pickle & Rye “American sandwich shop” near Mortlake station. Great to see the business she runs with her husband Alex (from Philly) doing so well. Since my last visit four years ago, they have moved to a bigger space and it was full of people eating Saturday morning breakfast (English and American varieties). Val had just returned from a visit home to Grinnell and Des Moines. She kindly gave us a complementary order of light, fluffy pancakes, which were new to our English pals who eat at the restaurant regularly.
TakeBetsywithyou 