When it rains in Cornwall...

...inevitably it costs twice as much. A short summer cycling trip became a short gourmet break when we saw the final definitive appalling forecast for Cornwall. Committed to travel by advance-booked cheap rail tickets down to St Austell and a night’s bed and breakfast, we set off into the gathering rain. Anticipating the weather, one partner had succeeded in making a secret late reservation at a Michelin* restaurant in Fowey.

The free senior Diamond national bus pass now came into its own.
Because of the bus pass we had an alternative to fall back on. We cycled only to the B &B and abandoning our bikes, walked back into town. St Austell has very inadequate tourist information facilities – they are stuck out on some bypass or other – but a delightful librarian who sorted us out with a bus timetable and put us on route for Mevagissy. Taken direct and speedily to the centre of this classic fishing village, we asked the helpful and efficient tourist information officer based unusually in tea rooms, about the long ferry from there to Fowey across St Austell Bay. Problem... the sullen sea of east facing Mevagissy was a raging sou'wester at the mouth of the Fowey estuary: it was cancelled. So we had time for a walk to the next cove where we had a low tide swim and discovered a welcoming Inn with such good snacks and hot soup that we marked it out for a 'gastro' return. Next we took the bus from Megavissy to Fowey changing at Par. It was fairly slow but gave the chance (not taken this time) to visit the Lost Gardens of Helligan as it took a grandly Cornish ‘visit-every-village (and back street of St Austell)’ route. Thinking of the meal ahead, we opted for a swim at Readymoney Beach in the Fowey estuary. Again we had the rain bespattered swim to ourselves while the storm raged safe beyond the headland. With no further distractions, we changed clothes in a bedroom kindly provided and settled in for the Michelin-starred experience.

A couple of hours later 'well fed-up and agreeably drunk', we took the bus back to St Austell and walked up to the B&B.

Next morning well fortified by the B&B B, we cycled down to the station though blustery but dry weather. Our target was Falmouth and beyond it to Trebar Gardens and beach. The glorious rain forest garden had been only too pointedly heralded by a tropical storm. Even so it was lovely enough (as was the lonely swim down on the Helford River) to let us forgive the vicious oath provoking uphill cycle ride from Falmouth. A large mug of unseasonable cocoa rounded off a pasty-picnic lunch. The walk up through the flower dripping jungle left us wondering why Trebar is missed out of the Cornwall Rough Guide - too much loved by the editor, we concluded.

Only one puncture to go (and tyre to change) before we settled down to a champagne (well Cava) picnic on the evening train direct from Truro back home to Bristol.

Low carbon, some adventure, rotten weather, great hospitality - classic Cornwall - worth it anytime, any weather.

DMBruce

NOTES
Rail Bristol - St Austel (FGW advance Senior return for two ) £40
Bus tickets "Diamond Pass" Free
Pub lunch after swim near Mevagissy £12.20
(Ferry (weather cancelled) otherwise £8)
so bus to Fowey (free)
Swim at Fowey 'Readymoney’ beach,
followed by gourmet dinner all in for two £170
Bus back to St Austel free
B&B St Austel (1 night double en suite) £65
Return train to Falmouth for two £5.90
Trebar Gardens £12
Picnic lunch £3.40
Express train St Austel-Bristol £13.90
M&S champagne(well Cava) picnic on train £12

Total Midweek break for two baby boomers at 60 £342
(£172 without Michelin meal)
(From London an advance £69 twin sleeper can replace the B&B even for under 60’s and there are good food cheaper options for an evening meal)