Home Tomorrow, We Hope

The past month has flown by, as we contemplate our last day here. Since arriving in Eastbourne we have wanted to do a short walk on the downs. On Monday we set off from Eastbourne and, getting up on the top, "Just ambled like." westward in search of Beachy Head. We approached it from a bit inland since we had started from the Meads. With unerring skill, we overshot Beachy Head and ended up at Belle Tout, the original light house on that stretch of the south coast. It is now a private home very close to the cliff edge. I believe it has already been moved away from the edge once a few years back.

As we stood looking at it, another couple walked around the end of it and as we chatted with them, they mentioned the National Trust cafe just about a mile ahead of us, so that was all the motivation we needed to carry on. The cafe is located in a small cluster of buildings called Birling Gap. Aside from the cafe, the National trust owns the land around and a rowhouse very close to the edge. The end cottage, we learned had been sold to a London artist for one pound , provided that she pay for demolition when the sea starts to take it. The whole group of buildings has about 15 years before the cliffs give way and they all fall into the English Channel.

After an excellent lunch, we regained our legs and set off to walk the four miles back to Eastbourne. This time we stayed by the cliffs and enjoyed the views and the birds. There were some strenuous climbs, but we tottered on past Belle Tout again and back to Beachy Head where, every year, sadly, people throw themselves off. This is the current lighthouse down at sea level as opposed to up on the cliffs.

We had the brisk wind at our back this time and it helped us up and over the hills. Still, our legs were tired when we got back to the house. Sheelagh learned the limits of her knee on this walk. Some of the light, from angel rays, as Sheelagh calls them, on the sea and a bright sunlight as we neared Eastbourne made it all very beautiful for our stroll on the downs.

On Wednesday, we hope to go over to Brighton for a look around, and then an early start to Gatwick on Thursday for our trip back. As is normal with us, there's a civil servant strike on here on Wednesday, so we are not sure what the impact will be on our trip home. They handle the customs points for incoming passengers.

A Glimpse Behind the Golden Curtain

After leaving Stroud and making our way south, we have been visiting Sheelagh's cousin Jan, husband Brian and two boys Timothy and Mattew. Brian and Jan teach at a private school here in Eastbourne. Their boys attended the school until 2010 when Tim, and now Matt have moved on to Ardingly. This is a private high school which takes its football (soccer) very seriously. Tim is also very musical and is doing very well in the school choir and orchestra. A week ago the choir performed at Westminster Abby.

Matt, who is very talented in football, was seen and courted by the school when he played in a football tournament 3 years ago. Both boys were playing with their respective teams on Saturday. Sheelagh went to Ardingly to watch Tim, and I went into London with Brian and Matt for a game against a school there. They have played against Eton and Harrow already. Too bad, as I hear the post game tea at Eton is special.

The interesting thing for me is the obvious philosophy of excellence at these schools. Because Ardingly's focus is football, they search the country and elsewhere for the best players and bring them here because you only excel when you play with the best. Dame Judy Dench's grandson is in a drama class with Tim. Imagine what the teacher would say if he came in and said, "My grandma said..." The choir needed a piano so they got a Steinway, you need the best. Yes, there is lots of money in the school, but they don't just have rich kids. They go out of their way to try to make it possible for all kids to come.

The results are impressive. The teams that I watched played very hard, and Matt's team won. But the point was, only, "the best" effort was acceptable. The parents that were there made it clear that they wanted the best on the field. The team arrived in their school blazers and ties. They treated each other with respect. In the cafeteria after the game I didn't hear one boy who didn't speak politely to the kitchen staff. It was very interesting to see. The best behavior seemed also expected.

I know, it was only a glimpse. It is safe to say it isn't perfect. One parent Sheelagh saw was a good example of a bullying father. But I came away with the thought that it is very worthwhile  for us, and our nation, to strive for the best for ourselves and our kids.

As We Were Going to St Ives

it's a lucky thing we didn't meet the man with 7 wives. The road was only wide enough for us. St Ives is a beautiful spot. It started life as a fishing village and has grown into a very popular vacation place because of the three lovely beaches. Artists and surfers call it home. The Tate Gallery from London has built a branch here because of St Ives artistic history. Again, the weather co operated and we had a fine afternoon wandering the narrow streets, exploring the many galleries and enjoying the views.

Doc Martin Is Out

Today was moving day, so we were up, packed and cleaned up by 9:30. Our lovely Cornish holiday was at an end. As one final treat, Malcolm and Delyth took us to Port Isaac, the home of the Doc Martin TV show. This little village is painfully cute. There is a bit of a newer community on the upper level where we parked. and then we walked down the hill to the old village. Beside the parking lot we saw Bert Large's restaurant van.

The walk down was quite steep, but the lower you got, the more familiar it became to Doc Martin fans. The house used as Doc's surgery is really Fern Cottage and is easy to pick out. The school is an old school which is now a restaurant. Bert's Restaurant is a cottage with a deck running along over the harbour. The pharmacy was the hardest to recognize as it is a candy store, and not where I expected it to be.

The old village is a maze of tiny streets surrounding a very protected harbour. It was great fun to have a stroll around, and the locals are happy to tell about the show. They said the town is just packed in the summer with fans from all over the world who love the program. This time of year is a good time to visit.

We endured the longish drive home to Stroud, and move on to Eastbourne tomorrow. We'll have to go to London first and then out to Eastbourne. We look forward to our visit with Jan and Brian and the boys, and will look back with fondness at our time here in Stroud and Cornwall. Our wonderful friends here have been charming hosts and excellent tour planners. Thanks Delyth and Malcolm, for a memorable visit.

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Yesterday was beautiful. In spite of the weather report, which we didn't believe, we set out through Redruth and Truro to find these wonderful gardens buried deep in the countryside of Cornwall. In 1777, the Tremayne family, who had held the estate since the 1500's, embarked on laying out a garden. Over the next 150 years, they turned their estate into this magical place. The gardens reached their zenith during the turn of the 20th century. In a short time, after losing 16 of their 23 gardeners in WWI, it fell into disrepair.

It remained in a state of shambles until 1990, when a board, put together by the Tremayne family, began the job of bringing it back to former glory. Blackberry brambles and ivy had covered everything. It's amazing to see the before and after pictures. It is very much a working garden and in the veggie and orchard parts they are comitted to saving the heritage vegatable and fruits. The tea room serves meals made with their harvests - which we had to sample. We wandered for hours and saw about 1/2 of what there is to see. 

Cornwall In November

Some people have asked us why we were going to Cornwall in November. It can be iffy any time of year, but November!? Well, let me tell you it's beautiful in November too.

The trip down from Glasgow was smooth, and after a pleasant day in Stroud where we had tea with Derek, on Saturday, Malcolm packed the car for the great southwest. The drive down was about 4 hours over the moors, and through lovely rolling country. We stopped to look at Jamaica Inn, made famous by Daphne DuMaurier. The final stage was along tiny lanes bringing us to Treweellard and the Bolthole owned by friends of Malcolm and Delythe. As we approached we saw a sign for a craft fair. To quote Malcolm, "You never know from those signs. It could be close by, or it could be 10 miles away." It had Sheelagh rolling around the back seat in mirth. On Sunday, Sheelagh and I went to the C of E for the 9:30 service. There were 12 of us and the vicar was not expecting such a turn out and we had to share his order of service. The vicar played the mouth organ for the music and it was great.

In the afternoon, after a Sunday roast at the local, we went to a Christmas craft fair near Penzance. There was a band playing at a big house with lovely gardens and a walled garden.

On the way home in the evening, we stopped in Sennen where there is a beautiful beach and art galleries. Sennen is a tiny fishing village with thatched cottages and a huge beach where the surfers were hard at it.

It was wonderful to snuggle down with a cup of tea and  2 episodes of Spooks, (or MI5 for North Americans) before bed.

PS

In the past I, Sheelagh, have been heard to say some critical things about Glasgow. No longer. On this trip I learned Glasgow gave the western world the tea room. In 1871, a tea importer decided to place a few tables and chairs in his shop so that ladies, being tempted to the city centre by the new fangled department stores, could rest and refresh themselves with cups of tea. The concept took off. The city that gave us such a wonderful idea can do no wrong in my book and I will not hear a word against it.

Bye Bye to Dorian

Well, it's hard to do, but we had to do it. We met our boy for the last time for this trip. We met at a very shee shee tearoom for lunch. The lad had to go to class and today, we are not able to get together. It has been a great visit, with low stress and lots of fun. We've seen a play, we've been to two great services, we've been to Edinburgh, we've been to Falkirk and we have eaten lots of good food.

After Dorian had to go we made our way to the beginning of a walk of the square mile of science. This is an amazing walk where we saw the work places and homes of world class scientific innovators. I won't list them all because to be fair you won't recognize most of them, but they did in fact change our lives. Above we see a statue of Lister who did work on antiseptics (Listerine). A beautiful wrought gate with all the names on it. The bottom picture is a display for the Hunter brothers who were great surgical innovators.

Finally we went in to see the Charles Rennie MacIntosh House. They wouldn't let us take pictures, but is a very beautiful house. I added some pictures from a book they were selling. We also had a look at the art display at the Huntarian that we missed the other day.

Today we have cleaned up our place and we will be off to Stroud. ETA about 10:30 PM.