The Ham Nomads

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 )