by on

Cornwall has many small ports and tiny coves that shelter fishing vessels from the often very rough seas of the plymouth shipping forecast area. That they also have provided landing grounds for smugglers over the centuries – Brandy for the Parson, Backy for the Clerk – is well known… It’s also an area rich with English naval history where the tale is more one of Rum, Bum and Backy – at least the Backy was a constant!

Today Cornwall remains a county of small but still important ports and also retains those coves which, whilst now graced by wet-suited wind-surfers, carry a romantic tradition of smuggling and piracy. Fowey and Par service the china clay industry of the St.Austell area. Charlestown, built for the China Clay industry, houses some large sailing vessels and Polkerris provides a quiet cove for families and water sports. Here are some photos from Charlestown and Polkerris…

Charlestown Harbour
Vessels in Charlestown Harbour

Charlestown Harbour
Charlestown Harbour from the clay loading ramp

Polkerris
Polkerris

Polkerris
Enjoying the beach and climbimg the cliffs at Polkerris

Polkerris
Fishing from the harbour wall at Polkerris

Polkerris
Looking across the bay towards Par from Polkerris harbour wall

by on

1. What kind of fantasy creature would you like to be, if you had to choose any – vampire, elf, wizard etc.?

Vampires are not fantasy – I’m Half Vampire… Check out the Tooth – terrifies my Wife’s cousin’s children (and some of the adults too!) 😉
2. If you had to choose one sport in which to be the best in the world, which sport would it be?

DX hunting on the Airwaves.
3. How you met the love of your life?

Please see Fireworks….
4. What name would you like to give to your first/next child?

First child is Alasdair – not intending to have any further additions to stock 🙂
5. If you had time travel machine would you travel to the future or to the past?

Difficult – Some fascinating bits of the past, like the dawn of the diesels in the 40’s and 50’s that I’d find very interesting.   Who knows what the future will bring.  There’s some certainty in the past – think I’ll go there.
6. Did you follow the religion of your family or you have your own believes?

Yes – Church of England.
7. What kind of talent you wish you had that you don’t?

Would have liked to be better at sports but I guess we can’t all be sportsmen 😦
8. What song no one suppose that you like?

Move on Up – Curtis Mayfield.  I was a Heavy Metal man but I always loved this soul track. Of course, time moves on and liking Heavy Metal / Blues music is like throwing a stone in a pond – the ripples go ever outwards and you find yourself interested in an ever increasing range of music – It’s fair to say that I now like most things across the spectrum (though I don’t like non-mainstream Rap – generally I struggle with the idea that it is somehow music… But that’s me being an old git and obviously some people like it 🙂
9. Which’s the last movie that you saw?

I don’t get to go to the movies since our son arrived… The Lord of The Rings (Return of The King).   Nowadays I usually wait for the DVD or TV version of a film that I really would like to watch.
10. Which one’s your favorite holiday?

Anywhere in Scotland or Norfolk
11. If you could have your own hotel, in any place in the world, where would you choose?

As Above – but probably with a preference for Scotland.