Cornwall May 2009 - part 1

[Dawn]

OK so we have a little bungalow booked from this place -> Holiday Bungalows at Rosecraddoc Lodge, Liskeard, Cornwall, UK

I can't recommend this place enough. But more of that later...

Saturday 23rd May
Adrian insisted we would be on the road by 7am today. First reaction was but I found myself on the sofa drinking coffee at 5.30am and Steven woke at 6am because he was excited. We had the car loaded, remembering to pack the dog and we pulled away from our house at 6.56am precisely.

Steven saw the selection of travelling sweets in the car and announced that he was "a mint guy" and helped himself to a polo.

Five minutes down the road and Adrian mistimes some traffic lights and has to slam the brakes on resulting in the dog shooting off the back seat. Luckily she was wearing her car harness or I would have been extremely likely to give him a sound thrashing but I let him off with a light and promised Willow I would hold on to her everytime he had to brake.

At 7.15am I scream "STOP" and Adrian pulls over and waits while I locate and sign the log for the cache outside Arundel hospital.

We overtook our first caravan around Portsmouth. Of course the stupid thing was snaking all over both lanes so it was a bit of a gairy manoeuvre getting past it. .

8am - Southampton
9am - Ringwood, after pausing briefly at Rownham services to empty dog and recaffeinate big humans. Small human had apple juice and a chocklit muffin.
10am - Bridport.

Roads now full of stupid caravans and motor home thingys all driving at 30mph because they're being towed by a stupid 1.6 Ford Focus. Was so busy shaking my fist at caravans and retuning the radio I drove straight past a planned cache stop.

Nearly got run off road somewhere in Dorset by a truck driver who doesn't understand the rules of the roundabout. Luckily I was driving at the time so the doggle remained firmly in her seat.

Quick wee stop for dog and humans.

Passed Archie's house at 10.50am. It's no longer pink and is now a putrid shade of terracotta.

By 11am I'm bored. We hit the M5 at Exeter and - oh that's where all the traffic is. Strange lane set up means some cars are trying to go left across 3 lanes to exit to the services and the Devon Show and other cars are trying to go right across 3 lanes to get on to the M5. We were part of the latter group and it took about 30 minutes to do a couple of miles.

Midday stop at Okehampton for drinks and to consume our picnic - yes there was fruit in it.

We reached Cornwall at 12.55pm.

Stopped at Liskeard for milk and some fruit supplies and some pasties for tea.

Drove up to bungalow place and found our little home for the week. Had phoned the owners in the week to get the code for the key box so we could just let ourselves in when we arrived.

Photos...

Sitting room area


Steven's room


Main bedroom


Bathroom


Kitchen



It was all very nice and clean and very well equipped. The location is lovely. There's not even a reception place at the park - it's very secluded and perfect for a quiet base. And of course the doggle is welcome. Most of the bungalows available to rent are dog friendly and I saw a couple equipped for wheelchair access too.

Oh and this was waiting for us when we arrived.



As you can see it went down very well.


That was it for the first day. Just unpacked, took the dog for a walk up and down the park, ate our pasties and our cream tea and just chilled till bedtime.

[Isafari]

Great start Dawn. Just one thing.....who's Archie?

[daveann]

oh looks gorgeous

[Hex]

I guess you have never had the the children's TV show "Balamory" inflicted upon you?

see here, here, and here

arrrggghhhhh i can feel by brain melting...

[Dawn]

Archie lives in a pink castle and just as you go down the hill into Honiton there's a house on the left which has castle bits on it. It was for years painted pink so it was nicknamed Archie's house. Now they've repainted it.

[Taja]

That cottage is a lovely base! All the necessities in a small package--with a bit of space, when needed!

Sounds as though Willow has become quite the traveler!

[Isafari]

see here, here, and here

Thanks for that

[lisaw]

Lovely bungalow! Definitely have those earmarked for the future

Archie is one lucky inventor - he has a house in Windsor Great Park as well

[Claire]

Archie!!!!!! Oh the irony!

[lozzy]

What a lovely looking place. home from home.