Sunday 15 May 2016

SNAPSHOT - CORNWALL - PART I

 L I T T L E B E A R W O L F

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T W E N T Y S I X T E E N

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S N A P S H O T 

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T R A V E L 

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D E L A B O L E  -  T I N T A G E L  -  B O S A S T L E  -  B U D E  - 
P O R T  I S A A C 

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P A R T 
I

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Dusk in Port Isaac

Tintagel - Tintagel Castle - Tintagel Cliffs - Boscastle Cliffs
Aloha, Ahoy

This month's travel snapshot feature focuses on the south west coast of the UK.
My new years resolution was to indulge in everything in life; I thought celebrating my birthday (28 years old...eek) was an excellent way to start a new chapter in my personal life but also to escape on an adventure for a few days.

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  In the western most county of England lies Cornwall.
A rugged cliff edged county with the most scenic beaches in England.
It's hard to not lose touch with reality when camped out on the coast of the Celtic Sea.

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Over a four day road trip across the south coast & into the west, I spent time in the north within the village of Delabole, climbed the many steps up to Tintagel Castle, trekked the cliffs in Boscastle, fell in love with the surf in Bude & found myself never wanting to leave Port Isaac.
Cornwall is truly one of the most magical places on Earth.

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The landscape is mainly untouched. The sheer rock faces of the cliffs, the swirling tides and surf, the little fishing villages located on harbors set in steeped valleys; make it feel like you've truly traveled to another time and place. A far cry from city life.

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Let's talk of geography and history for a minute...

History tells us that the county was first inhabited in the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic periods. With continued occupation by the Neolithic & then Bronze Age peoples.
Homeland of the Cornish people, Cornwall is recognized as a Celtic nation. The landscape reflects the counties history.
Cornwall forms the tip of the South West peninsula of Great Britain and is fully exposed to the weather coming in from the Atlantic Ocean.

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I stayed at The Poldark Inn just outside of the village of Delabole.
A little inn with a quiet nature, stood just inland from the cliffs. 
If you get the opportunity to stay there or visit the inn, do take a walk to the left of the building; a narrow pathway that leads through the fields all the way down to the cliff edge. 
You can see for miles across the ocean, to the left the little fishing villages and to the right striking cliffs.
The rooms were comfortable (the shower was amazing!) and I had several great night's sleep.

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The first stop of the trip was Tintagel, which is surrounded by history, myth & magick.
The village and nearby Tintagel Castle are surrounded by the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the round table.

A beautiful castle set upon the cliffs above the bay below. The legend of Merlin's cave & the castle are certainly not to be missed if your in the area.
The village also features the stunning 14th century post office.

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Tintagel Post Office
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I loved walking down the hill to the bay, then climbing the steps to the castle ruins. The statue of King Arthur stands tall as you approach the top.

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The King atop of the cliff
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Taking a breath and admiring the view is a must for anyone who's made the trip.
I genuinely felt that this was one of the most beautiful and peaceful places that I have ever had the pleasure of visiting.

[Do stop in the little gift shops within the village too, some really cool treasure to be hunted.]

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Tintagel Castle
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After the long winding walk down to the bay, I came across where the tide meets the beach.
I felt as though I had entered Middle Earth, Westeros or perhaps even just traveled back in time.

There was something incredibly calming about watching the waves crash against the rocks, despite the loud crashing sound.

I enjoyed the climb up to and along the cliffs. Do take time to explore the second part of the location and walk along the cliff top to the church.

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Exploring & Trekking
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After a stop for a drink, it was time to head to the inn (as mentioned above) to check in. Taking time to drive along the coast path through the winding country lanes. For reference if your car has a small engine, do proceed with caution. A couple of 'you can do it, please make it up the hill' moments did occur throughout the trip.

Delabole is named after Delabole quarry, there's also a beautiful church (St. Johns) if you're stopping by. [For those new to the blog - I love architecture particularly of the Gothic and medieval design. Churches included.]

The slate quarry is one of the largest of it's type in England and has been operated since the 15th century. Making it the oldest working slate quarry in England.

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View from the cliffs
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I loved Tintagel and I think the time I stayed there, will stay with me for a long time. If you're looking for a great place to getaway for the weekend, I do certainly recommend staying in Tintagel and exploring the nearby locations.

I hope you've enjoyed this part of the adventure, do pop back for the next parts of the adventure; featuring Boscastle, the beaches at Bude & the stunning harbor at Port Isaac.

Keep a weather eye on the horizon.

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Love & Peace

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- Content belongs to it's respective owners -
L I T T L E B E A R W O L F - KG Ⓒ 2016 -

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