31 Aug 2014. <GB-ENG> Boscastle, & Land's End, Corn —

A promising day — fine and sunny. We got moving quickly and into Boscastle. There's a considerable slope down into the village, and Warren was a little concerned that we might not get back out (unfounded, we hasten to add!).

Boscastle has had a rather traumatic recent history. It is a very pretty little village, in a very steep valley, opening out onto a harbour at the bottom. In 2004 it was hit by a savage summer flood which destroyed much of the village — much like Granville in Queensland a couple of years ago, although in their case there was no loss of life. They seem to have made a full recovery, and the village is a mecca for tourists.

We went out to explore the harbour and headland area — a lot of climbing over slate paths and cliffs, but a very picturesque location. Although we didn't go up the opposite side of the harbour to visit the Forrabury Common, this is a fascinating survival of an ancient Celtic agricultural practice called 'stitchmeal': the Forrabury high ground is divided into 42 stitches, long plots or strips which are cropped individually by their tenants from Lady Day (25 March) to Michaelmas (29 September). At other times the land becomes common grazing land for the entire village. Each stitch becomes its own little ecosystem. Modern-day farmers don't like this practice, liking larger patches that would allow a form of monoculture, but the National Trust has determined that this type of farming will continue here, if only to provide a living picture of the historical past.

We watched some kayakers leave the harbour and paddle out to sea, and we watched a little trawler powering back in to harbour. We then walked back into the village and had a light lunch/morning tea — no, not scones for a change. We're in Cornwall, so a nice nosh of Cornish pasty seemed to be in order.

We then wandered down to the Museum of Witchcraft, which seems to attract a lot of tourists into the area. Quite a fascinating place. They have collected from most of the best-known practitioners of wicca in the UK and even from the USA. Some of the exhibits are simply bizarre, but others are somewhat thought-provoking. Warren was interested in examples of St Brigid's Cross (or Bride's Cross), a good luck charm we had seen in 19th century dwellings in Ireland, and was also fascinated by the Rowan Cross, another good-luck charm that he has come across in his science fiction reading. There were also references to the three witches in Macbeth, who in Act II weave this spell:

Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.
Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.
Harpier cries, "'Tis time, 'tis time."

Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch's mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat and slips of yew
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab.
Add thereto a tiger's chawdron,
For the ingredients of our cawdron.

Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

Well, this sounds like a damned good spell. Some people think that our Will had some inside information from some practitioners of the craft. Whatever the real story, it seems that a lot of spells in the post-Shakespearean age have a significantly Shakespearean tone! There was documentation of the various witch crazes, dating back to Elizabethan times. Interestingly, many of the 'witches' so tried were basically competent herbalists who had a better cure record than the recognised medicos of the time. We wandered the museum, just musing at the various belief systems that were documented there — it even looked at the Knights Templar, the Freemasons and the Rosicrucians, and even Christianity.

Enough of that. We left Boscastle and decided to light out for Land's End, only an hour or so away. Got there with plenty of time to walk around. This is the westernmost point of the British mainland — so this means that we have become members of the select group of 'end-to-enders', having driven from John o' Groats at the north-eastern point of Scotland to Land's End at the south-western tip of Cornwall. Land's End has been given over to a tourist concession, so it's much like an amusement pier. We, however, simply walked the clifftops, almost around to Sennen Cove, a long mile (according to Sue) northwards. The views were fabulous, out to the Longships Lighthouse, 1½ miles offshore, and across to the Scilly Isles. There's a rather good saying about the weather here — 'If you can see the Scillies, it's going to rain; if you can't see them, it is raining.'

Longships Lighthouse

We then went back to a rather generous layby we had noted on the way out, on the A30 between Land's End and Penzance.

Distance driven — today, 88 miles ( 142 km ); to date, 6,826 miles ( 10,986 km )

30 Aug 2014. <GB-ENG> Port Isaac, & Tintagel, Corn —

An early start, and our first stop was a 3-day shop in Launceston — we're now in Cornwall! We decided to make our destinations today Port Isaac and Tintagel, two spots very close together on the northern Cornish coast.

'Doc's' cottage
and Bert's restaurant

Looking down the hill
from 'Doc's' cottage

'Why Port Isaac?' you ask. Well, if you've ever watched the British TV series Doc Martin, with Martin Clunes, you've seen it. Port Wen, where Doc Martin has his practice, is actually Port Isaac. The village has really benefited from its TV exposure. The village streets could never cope with the traffic that now arrives every day, so they have set up large carparks at the top of the hill, with a 700 metre walk down to the harbour. We were able to walk about, easily recognising the Port Wenn School (The Old School Hotel, Bar and Restaurant), Louisa's Cottage (the cottage beside the Old School Hotel), the Pharmacy (Buttermilk confections), the Doc's house (a house up Roscarrock Hill), Bert Large's Restaurant (the building opposite and below the Doc's house on Roscarrock Hill). We were also able to find Aunt Ruth's house and the Police Station! We had fun exploring and reliving the enjoyment we had had with Doc Martin!

We went into the hotel behind the Lifeboat Station and had a most enjoyable (and very filling) lunch of Port Isaac haddock and chips! On our way out of the village, we noticed Bert Large's van sitting near the top of the hill! This makes our trio of towns with clear relations with TV shows — Avoca in Ireland (Ballykissangel), Plockton in Scotland (Hamish MacBeth) and Port Isaac in Cornwall (Doc Martin).

After our time in Port Isaac, we made our way about 10 miles eastward to Tintagel Castle. Anyone who is into the Arthurian saga will know of Tintagel. Well, very little at Tintagel dates back before about 1200, and there is no archaeology that links Arthur to the site — but believe what you will! Tintagel Castle was built on a rocky headland, accessible only by narrow neck of rock — hence "Din Tagell", 'the fortress with the narrow entrance'. There was evidence of "Dark Age" occupation by British chieftains in the 5th to 7th centuries. But the legend comes from Geoffrey of Monmouth, who wrote in the 12th century in his "History of the Kings of Britain" that Geoffrey, Duke Gorlois of Cornwall, shut his wife Ygraine away in Tintagel to protect her from the lusts of Uther Pendragon. Uther, however, enlisted the aid of Merlin, who transformed his appearance to that of Geoffrey, and in this guise Uther fathered Arthur upon Ygraine.

Is this Merlin's Cave?

Good story, but definitely not history. Nevertheless, this brings numerous tourists (including the Hams) to Tintagel. The 13th century castle was constructed by Richard of Cornwall. It made little strategic sense, but it was a good piece of 13th-century PR — by building this castle, Richard tied himself to the legend of Arthur, and gained a lot of prestige in doing so.

Anyway, we wandered this old site for a couple of hours, then went out to the tea-room and had morning tea — coffee with scones, jam and clotted cream. Luxury! We then walked back up the cliff to the village, and on to the Old Post Office.

This is a National Trust site, and claims to be virtually the only post office that has never sold a postage stamp! In fact, it was originally built of local slate as a 3-room hall house in the later 14th century. In the 16th century its thatched roof was replaced with slate. in the 1870s its then owner, William Parnell, became a sub-postmaster, and it was used as the village's letter-receiving office — hence the name!

After our time in Tintagel, we drove out to find a layby to give us a good start for Boscastle, a nearby village, in the morning.

Distance driven — today, 60 miles ( 96 km ); to date, 6,738 miles ( 10,844 km )

29 Aug 2014. <GB-ENG> Travel — Stratford-upon-Avon, Warw ⇒ Devon —

Today became basically a housekeeping and travel day. We left Stratford, going towards Cornwall. On the way, we were passing through Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. We called into Gloucester Motorhome Services Ltd, who we had emailed nearly a week ago. Tom Pritchard, the director, was most apologetic — freshly returned from holiday, he was only just getting on to answering our email. He wasn't in a position to help us directly, as he was booked out till the end of October -- all those Brits wanting to holiday in Spain until the weather gets better back at home! But he did put us on to two other firms who could help, and we have booked ourselves in to each in turn, on September 16 and September 18, the first for a general service, and to check the state of our engine and clutch, and the second to set up our gas supply for continental use. This means that we have two weeks to kill, and we're starting this soujourn in Cornwall — so after leaving Gloucester's vicinity, we made a beeline towards England's Southwest tip. We travelled nearly 200 miles, finally coming to a stop on a rather generous layby on the A30, in Devon just short of the Cornwall border.

By the way, John Keats wrote of Devon after a visit in March 1818, "It is a splashy rainy misty snowy foggy haily floody muddy slipshod county", and a local wrote "Devon, Devon, six days of rain and one in heaven". Well, we had a little rain — but only while we were driving. (Apparently Devon averages 200 days of rain per year!)

Distance driven — today, 187 miles ( 301 km ); to date, 6,678 miles ( 10,748 km )

28 Aug 2014. <GB-ENG> Stratford-upon-Avon, Warw —

Another day in Stratford, with heaps to do.

First up, Warren went into Maccas and spent two hours trying to catch up on the blog — didn't succeed, but caught up a couple of days. When he came back, we went for a walk along the Avon, through parkland, and then crossing on the "Foot Ferry", the original old chain ferry built in 1937, and still being cranked form one side of the Avon to the other, near the Royal Shakespeare Company's buildings.

We then walked a little further westward on the northern side of the river, and came to Trinity Church, where Shakespeare and most of his family are buried. If you haven't heard his epitaph before, it's worth repeating:

Good frend for Jesus sake forbeare,
To digg the dust encloased heare.
Blese be the man that spares thes stones,
And curst be he that moves my bones.

We then walked back towards town, passing on the way Hall's Croft, the home of Shakespeare's daughter Susannah. Another well-kept Elizabethan home, dating back to 1613, with a garden to match. John Hall, her husband, was a well-to-do and well-respected physician in Stratford.

From here, we walked back past the King Edward VI School and the Guild Chapel, buying a couple of fresh bread rolls for lunch in the van. While we were eating, the heavens let loose, as they had been threatening to do all morning.

After lunch, with the weather drying up, we drove out to the farm where Mary Arden, Shakespeare's mother, had been brought up.

There's a slightly funny story about this farm, in that when the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust bought the two adjoining farms, they had thought that one of the buildings was Mary's home, and only through research in 2000 did they find that it was actually the farm next door! Good thing they had decided to preserve both! Here we watched a fascinating display of hunting bird behaviour — they don't call it falconry, as no prey is killed in the demonstration — and, moreover, in Shakespeare's time, under penalty of law only trained falconers were allowed to work with falcons, kestrels, even eagles — but owls didn't fall under this edict!

Distance driven — today, 10 miles ( 16 km ); to date, 6,491 miles ( 10,447 km )

27 Aug 2014. <GB-ENG> Stratford-upon-Avon, Warw —

Today we commune with the Bard himself. We're in Stratford-upon-Avon, the home of William Shakespeare. The Park-and-Ride we were hoping to use had a height restriction, but they pointed us to a pay-and-display parking area right in the heart of Stratford, at the Leisure Centre, which caters very well for Motorhomes. We parked there for the day, while we walked the city.

Our first destination was Anne Hathaway's cottage, about a mile out along a country lane. Anne was Shakespeare's wife. This visit resolved one question we had had for some time — in his will, William left Anne his "second best bed" — why was this?

The 'Hathaway Bed'

We found that, in a house of this time, the best bed was reserved for house guests, so the "second-best bed" was in fact the marital bed — an entirely appropriate legacy! By the way, the word "cottage" is entirely inappropriate for this 12-room house, the house in which Anne was born and brought up by her well-off farming parents, and it was where Will wooed Anne — in fact, he wooed her so well that the banns for the marriage, normally read over three consecutive Sundays, were by special dispensation read only once — and the birth of their first child Susanna came 6 months later! Will was 18 and Anne was 26 at the time of their marriage, but it obviously worked!

Anne Hathaway's cottage has this marvellous garden, totally self-sufficient — it needs to be, as the plants (mainly vegetables and herbs) are true to the time, and the seeds are not readily available any more! We were taken round the garden by one of its gardeners, who pointed out all the plants and the ways they were used in the time of Shakespeare — a most interesting tour.

We went to the associated tea room for our usual coffee and scones — this could be a tour description in its own right!

The bed where Will was born

Then we walked back into town, to Shakespeare's Birthplace. This is a wonderful place, well worth the visit. There's an exhibition, relating his life and achievements, and then you go outside, round a corner, and there is his father's home, in which he was born. After his father died, William extended the house and turned it into an inn, the 'Swan and Maidenhead'. By the way, his father was not exactly hard up — he was mayor of Stratford, had numerous properties around the town, most of which were leased out and returning him good income, and he also had a thriving glovemaking trade that he ran from this house. We walked around the house, exploring its nooks and crannies, and then went outside, to a real treat! There were a couple of players from a group called Shakespeare Aloud. They were performing scenes from Shakespeare's plays on request — they were very good, most entertaining, and fulfilled every request we heard while we were looking on! They were even accomplished musicians, and performed some of the songs from the plays!

We watched them for at least 20 minutes, then went on to Nash's House and New Place. This is a different site. Nash's House was the residence of Elizabeth, Shakespeare's granddaughter (and the only one he ever knew, as she was eight when he died), who married Thomas Nash. Interesting as a house, possibly more interesting as a garden — the garden behind, an Elizabethan Knot Garden, is truly enthralling.

There are statues in it now that derive from many of Shakespeare's plays, and the topiary is fascinating — one could even say bizarre! Shakespeare's own house in Stratford, after he had become a success, was New Place. This was the largest residence in Stratford, and would be a magnificent place to visit, but for the fact that it was demolished in the eighteenth century. But in its place is the beautiful Elizabethan garden referred to above!

We then went over the road to the Guild Chapel. This building was founded in 1269 by the Guild of the Holy Cross, but most of what we see is 15th century. In 1553, following the suppression of the Guild, the Chapel was given to the city of Stratford. In 2001 it was given over to a trust, ho are now in the process of conserving and renovating the building. You can still see remnants of its medieval wall paintings. Shakespeare's schooling was in the Edward VI School run by the Guild in the upper story of the adjoining building.

After this, we walked down to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, and then down to the banks of the Avon. The place was alive — river cruises in narrow boats, children playing in the parkland, swans on the river doing what swans do!

We watched one of the narrowboats passing through a lock — fascinating!

Finally, we went back to the van, drove out to a Morrison's Superstore for our 3-day shop, then returned to the Leisure Centre parking area to spend the night!

Distance driven — today, 10 miles ( 17 km ); to date, 6,481 miles ( 10,431 km )

26 Aug 2014. <GB-ENG> Coventry, Warw —

Today dawned wet and not particularly inviting, so we decided to go back into Coventry to get our hair done (Susie's shampooed, Warren's cut), and to post off a few cards and gifts to Oz. We had lunch in Debenham's — they really do have nice restaurants — and then walked down to the Coventry Transport Museum. Coventry was a major manufacturer of bicycles before branching our into the automotive industry.

If we ignore the companies that disappeared fairly early on, the following are Coventry makes: Rover, Humber, Swift, Hillman, Riley, Triumph, Daimler, Armstrong-Siddely, Jaguar, Morris, and Singer! And the (original) film The Italian Job, with the exciting Mini chase through the tunnels of Turin, was filmed in the sewers of Coventry during September 1968!!

The fact that Coventry was such an important manufacturing site was the reason for the German air raid of November 14, 1940, which we described yesterday.

In the museum are two rather amazing cars — the Thrust2, which held the world land speed record of 633.468mph from 1983 to 1997, and the ThrustSSC, which set the record of 763.035mph — supersonic! — in 1997 and holds it to this day.

They also have a simulator ride that takes you on that incredible record-setting pass, so your intrepid explorers went on the simulator. The measured mile is covered in less than 4.5 seconds! Of course, they had to do this twice within an hour for the record to be ratified! Apparently their next car is in the pipeline, the BloodhoundSSC, which they hope will exceed 1000mph, or Mach 1.4!

The museum also has an incredible collection of model cars, trains, planes — anything to do with transport — all collected by Tibor Reich and his family. (He ran a thriving textiles business in Stratford, but made his name designing the fabrics for the QE2 liner and the Concorde.)

After another enjoyable day in Coventry, we returned to the van, and after Susie had had a walk in the Memorial Park, we set off towards Stratford-upon-Avon. We have pulled off in a layby off the A46, about 6 miles short of Stratford, leaving us just a short drive to the Park-and-Ride in the morning.

Distance driven — today, 23 miles ( 37 km ); to date, 6,471 miles ( 10,414 km )