travelphilosopher

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Armchair Travel Inspirations During Covid-19

Armchair Travel Inspirations During Covid-19

Most of the world has been put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and the travel and hospitality industries have been hit hard while people were on lockdown. Even before the lockdown was imposed here in the UK, I was still apprehensive about travelling in January because you simply don’t know where people have come from if you are staying in a hotel. I’d been planning a trip with a friend in…

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Beatrix Potter's Lake District Hill Top House

One of the main attractions in the Lake District is Hill Top, which is Beatrix Potter’s old farmhouse in Near Sawrey, a small village near Hawkshead, and although it can be a bit of trek to get there it’s worth it. The rustic charm of the quintessential English village has been preserved with love and care, and the farmhouse is now owned and taken care of by the National Trust. Bought in 1905…

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National Trust ~ Working Holiday Review

National Trust ~ Working Holiday Review

Volunteer holidays are altruistic, yet these days it’s also a booming business where you can pay to work as a volunteer. There are many different types of trips, and some may not be as genuine as they make out, but the National Trust is a charity that is well-established and is much loved in the UK. The National Trust helps to preserve the countryside, areas of natural beauty and places of…

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 7: Truro

The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 7: Truro

Truro is the capital and county town of Cornwall, and it’s the only city. I went through it upon my arrival and decided to do a day trip there, and as Sunday had been forecast with rain and gale force winds, the best thing to do was to go sightseeing in a city, It’s about 40 minutes by train (15 minute walk into the city) or and 1.5 hours by the T1 bus which is quite a nice scenic route that…

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 6: The Penzance to Land's End Walk

The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 6: The Penzance to Land’s End Walk

Another early start, and this was the day I had been looking forward to, but also the one I had been apprehensive about. When I told the woman at reception I had planned to walk from Penzance to Land’s Endshe looked at me as if to say I would’t make it and suggested a walk from Porthcurno instead. As I was walking with Cara, I had more of an incentive and if I was struggling I could always get…

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Penzance to Land's End Walk ~ South West Coast Path

Penzance to Land’s End Walk ~ South West Coast Path

This is a classic walk on the South West Coast Path that will take you the best part of a day, where you get to stand on the most westerly tip of the UK mainland. The weather plays a huge factor as to whether the walk is safe because it’s coastal, remote, and the weather conditions can be brutal. About 4 hours after our walk there was a Force 9 gale brewing, and it would have been impossible to…

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 5: St Ives and St Michael's Mount

It was time for me to leave Lizard, and it was an early start on a Friday morning. I’m not great with early starts, but it was necessary to make the most of the day. Cara and I were the first ones up, and we quietly made egg on toast for breakfast, downed with some black coffee. It was about 6.30 a.m., and the Lizard was tranquil. We were on track, and got to Penzance around 8ish, and put our…

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St Michael’s Mount is a stunning tidal island in Marazion, which is about 4 miles from Penzance. It’s a historical landmark, and is one of the first things you see when you approach Penzance. When the tide is low, you can walk across the causeway to the mount, or go by boat if the weather conditions allow. Originally it was a Benedictine Monastery and dates back to at least the 11th century, and was purchased by the St Aubyn family in 1650, who still live there today. A day trip to Marazion and St Michael’s Mount is an unmissable experience if you are in Cornwall and worth planning into your itinerary.

The Town Hall and museum

Marazion is an ancient town that used to be a huge thriving business market before Penzance began to become more developed and supplanted it. Today, it’s much quieter with a few shops, a town hall/ museum (only open seasonally), some galleries, a few hotels and restaurants. The beach in particular is exceptional, with views of St Michael’s Mount, a seafront walk, a play area for children, and the beach itself is a deep golden sand. There is a wonderful independent cancer charity shop there (open for very few hours a day as it is run by volunteers), independent galleries, and shops that sell local and handmade items. For those who want a snack there is a pasty shop, and most hotels have a restaurant and bar that are open to the public.

There are a couple of car parks near the beach, and it’s a good idea to take cash because some don’t take cards, but the best way is to get the bus (U4 or A2) that go through the town. They are irregular, so do plan your visit as to when you wish to arrive and leave, or alternatively walk from Penzance which is about 1.5 hours to walk around the coast and is just under 4 miles.

https://www.firstgroup.com/cornwall

  St Michael’s Mount

Most people come to Marazion to visit St Michael’s Mount, which is open Sunday to Friday seasonally, and is closed on a Saturday at the time of writing. The shops, village, harbour and cafes are free for visitors to visit, but you do need to pay to visit the castle, or the gardens separately (or a joint ticket), which is free for National Trust members. The church dates back to 1135 and you may attend a Sunday service there between May to September, but do check for dates and times. You do need to plan your visit because the mount maybe closed if the weather or sea conditions are poor.

https://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/plan-your-visit/opening-days-times

On the mount you can wander around the village and harbour where there are free guided tours three times a day (except Saturday), and Barge House which as a visitor centre has a free permanent exhibition of the history of the mount for those who can’t visit the castle. The postcard display in particular was impressive and gives you a feel of how special the place was in bygone years, and is a delight for those who collect stamps or postcards to see. There are also two picnic lawns so you can really can spend the day on the mount and enjoy the beauty of it.

Many compare the mount to Le Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, France which is much larger than the Cornish counterpart. Both were sanctuaries for pilgrims, and the the mounts are still symbolically used as sites for pilgrimage walks. Legend has it that the Cornish mount was named after the French version and was ‘given’ to the monks by Edward the Confessor, but then the Norman Conquest happened, so there were more pressing matters as to whom owned what. Monasteries, and priories were dissolved by Henry VIII from 1539 during the Reformation, so ties between the two monasteries were severed, and St Michael’s Mount came to be used as a fortress due to the advantageous position of blocking enemies off by sea.

Le Mont-Saint-Michel  is listed as a UNESCO  World Heritage Site where all the buildings on the mount are protected, and St Michael’s Mount is run jointly by the National Trust and St Aubyn Estate, where Lord St Levan (third) in 1954 bequeathed most of the mount to the National Trust with an arrangement for a 999 year lease to allow the family to live there and to oversee visits to the castle. The National Trust looks after the causeway and the upkeep of the grounds and conservation, which helps to preserve this historical landmark for the future.

The shops sell their own range of chocolates and jams among other items.

Crossing the causeway can be fun if you are there to watch the tide go out, otherwise you can get a boat (it’s a tiny one that seats up to 12) that leaves from one of three landings; the closest being the Purple landing which is Chapel Rock (the rock on the right hand side of the causeway) to get there or to come back if the tide is high.The others are the Orange landing, Gwelva and the Green landing, Top Tieb which are west of the causeway.

https://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk/plan-your-visit/causeway-opening-times

Chapel Rock is to the right where you get a boat to cross over to the mount

Just by the causeway there will be a sign of the estimated time the causeway is likely to be open, but it’s worth checking before you arrive. Many people will take off their socks and shoes to walk part of the way when the tide is low enough. When I visited, there were lots of people being given piggy backs across the causeway, and it’s a short walk of about 5 minutes. Given the at times short opening of the causeway (4 hours usually), it’s likely that if you spend the day there that you will have to do one leg by boat. I did a short visit of an hour so I was able to arrive and leave by the causeway, mainly because I didn’t want to miss a bus back to Penzance.

Once you step onto St Michael’s Mount you can feel it’s such a special place immediately. I wandered around the grounds and the shops, and spent time at Barge House looking at the history of the area. This is a visit you need to plan because of the short opening hours, and also because it’s weather dependent too. It’s definitely worth putting a day aside to visit this very special and historical place; plus it’s fun to walk there on the causeway! Don’t forget to wear sturdy shoes, and a warm coat and scarf as it gets quite breezy on the island.

St Michael’s Mount ~ Marazion, Cornwall St Michael's Mount is a stunning tidal island in Marazion, which is about 4 miles from Penzance.

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 4: Helston to Coverack and The Lizard

The kitchen was uber busy in the morning, with people creating full English breakfasts, with sausages sizzling, fried eggs bubbling, and the smell of bacon wafting in the air. Helen was leaving and we had coffee together while watching the gulls circling on what was a wonderfully clear day. She’d clipped her tyre and needed a garage to check it out before her journey back home, and was calmly…

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Helston Museum ~ The Museum of Cornish Life

Helston Museum ~ The Museum of Cornish Life

The Helston Museum, also known as the Helston Folk Museum and The Museum of Cornish Life, is a bit of  hidden gem in the historical Cornish town that sits on the north side of the Lizard Peninsula. Helston is also a major hub for bus connections and that’s how I stumbled upon this amazing museum. I found it purely by chance as I was wandering around the town with an hour to spare as I waited for…

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 3: Lizard to Poldhu Cove

The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 3: Lizard to Poldhu Cove

I was so glad I chose to stay at Lizard for a few days, in truth I picked it because there was availability for more than a couple of days, and because there were walks nearby. I had no idea how beautiful and calm it would be. The plan was to walk to Poldhu Coveand get the bus back, that way I could take my time and have a relaxed walk. Most people in the hostel had a fry up for breakfast, while…

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Coverack via Kennack Sands to Lizard Point Walk ~ South West Coast Path

Coverack via Kennack Sands to Lizard Point Walk ~ South West Coast Path

This is a popular section of the walk between the two hostels of Coverack and Lizardwhich can be done either way. I found the signage to be better from Lizard to Coverack, compared the Coverack to Lizard route which I did (as I was staying at Lizard), and had to look backwards for signage to make sure I was on a permissible path. I started out at midday after arriving by bus to Coverack (the L2…

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Brant Fell, Biskey Howe, and Orrest Head ~ 3 Fells in 3 Hours

Brant Fell, Biskey Howe, and Orrest Head ~ 3 Fells in 3 Hours

The Lake District is renowned for walking, but sometimes you don’t want to get up at the crack of dawn, or want a leisurely walk where you can just chill. You can never tire of looking at Lake Windermere, and for those who are on a day trip or who don’t want to walk all day, here is a short walk where you can see three viewpoints (four if you include Post Knott) in under three hours.

You can do…

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Lizard Point via Kynance Cove to Poldhu Cove ~ South West Coast Path

Lizard Point via Kynance Cove to Poldhu Cove ~ South West Coast Path

Distance ~ 8.9 miles /14.3 km approx

Difficulty~Moderate (a few rocky descents and some moderate steep climbs)

Time taken ~ 5 hours (including rest breaks)

The South West Coast Path is a coastal path that runs covers Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Cornwall, and is over 630 miles. The best thing is to pick and choose which sectors to do because you can’t do it all in one go. Bear in mind that the…

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 2 : Falmouth to The Lizard

The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 2 : Falmouth to The Lizard

The German girls left about 7 a.m., so I had the dorm room to myself, and it was quiet and peaceful in the hostel. It was a Tuesday morning and I was in no hurry as the hostel at Lizard Pointdidn’t open for check in until 5 p.m., so I had the day to do some sightseeing. Luckily the hostel has lockers that you can leave items in, so I left a few items of clothes for my return journey there to…

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The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 1: Penzance

The Cornish Adventure ~ Day 1: Penzance

I decided to embark on a Cornish adventure, courtesy of National Express who had given me a free return ticket anywhere on the UK mainland to make up for the flat tyre on a previous journey. The furthest north I could go was Aberdeen, and furthest south was Penzance. I’d been trying to convince a pal to visit Land’s End with me, but nothing came of it, so this was the ideal chance to visit the…

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Ambleside ~ Day 4: Queen Adelaide's Hill

I was the only one leaving that day and everyone bar Trisha, the new girl who arrived the day before got up early. She had planned to go to Scafell Pike, and we’d expressed concern because she was going alone, and also the weather forecast wasn’t good either. All the others seemed to have a lie in as I quietly got up and tried to pack. By the time I had made and eaten my breakfast everyone else…