
Today we took our bikes and rode the Camel Trail, which follows the river Camel from
Wadebridge, to
Padstow. The only expense we incurred, other than getting there, was the £3.40 to park all day. We
didin't even pay for the sugar for our coffee. Dearly Beloved got some free vouchers from the paper (which he
freegans from the train) and gets coffee from Starbucks, we also gather tonnes of sugar, ketchup, salt, pepper from the occasional trip to
Mc Donalds or other huge companies who wouldn't miss them.

So, on arriving close to
Padstow, after the five mile bike ride; we stopped and enjoyed the incredible views. (Sorry about the face pulling, but I'm blowing on hot coffee).

We parked up the bikes and walked into
Padstow.

The tide was dropping all the time, revealing the sand banks and the wading birds.

When in Cornwall, try to have a Kelly's ice cream, they are still a major employer and have
hudreds of people in their factory in
Bodmin; we didn't succumb today.

It was another overcast day today, but
Padstow was as busy as ever. It was thick with tourists, typically the Phoebe and Quentin types, who didn't know what to do with
Tarquin and Tabatha now they'd given nanny the fortnight off! They had arms like stretch Armstrong, laden down with bags of surf clothes and the multitude of goodies sold by Ricky Stein!

In some streets,
Steiny boy had three shops next to each other selling: art, clothes and the cafe, in another street he had a pasty shop, several chippies and of course his three story, bar on the roof terrace restaurant. It might be over kill, but it brings tourists to
Padstein all year round and keeps people employed.

We on the other hand, just soaked up the ambiance, took our picnic and found a bench by the harbour and sat, ate our sandwiches and drank our coffee. We then snuggled up in the afternoon sun and listening to a folk musician busking and watched the tourists try to keep their children from falling in the harbour and spending all of their merchant banking city bonuses!

After snoozing together for a while, just generally being lazy and on holiday; we walked further from town and towards the beach. We've never done this before and I can recommend it. We walked through a field that led to the war memorial and we met with a line of benches at the top of the hill. The views of Rock and the estuary were wonderful.

After taking as much sun and lazing around as we could cope with, we headed back. The hedge rows were groaning with crab apples (
Malus Sylvestris) and by the time we got back to
Wadebridge, we managed to pick half a basket full. The blog about what I did with the crab apples will follow later!

Our journey by bikes was so slow as we stopped to watch the Canada geese and their aerobatic displays, to watch the wading birds and so often just to sit by the estuary and watch the world go by. We didn't go to a fancy restaurant, we didn't step foot inside any shops, not even for a coffee but we had a fantastic day because we had time and each other.
17 comments:
What a lovely day you have had. I'm really glad you enjoyed it so much. It looked perfect from beginning to end. Jane xx
How lucky are you to have such amazing places on your doorstep? Lovely pictures, thanks for sharing your day out. xxx
Have to say I love how you also blog about what a great time you are having along side all the frugal living stuff. Its just great. thanks. brought something home to me, that did.
Frugal Queen. Have you ever thought about writing a book? I know there are many books out there, already covering many aspects of Frugal Living, but I really do feel strongly that you could find a captive readership for any book you wrote based on your experinces. You ionly need to draw together the best of this blogs pieces and just add an introduction and there you go, a instant book! I would buy several copies of it to give to people.
I know two others who have written books along vaguely similar lines and both have done very well. Mark Boyle, the money less man has written a book which has gained a lot of publicity, and someone else who runs an allotment site on the net, also produced a book about allotment growing, which I've seen in several bookshops. Your ways are very influential and many are now following this blog. In these hard financial times, you need to be heard by a larger audience.
Please do give this some serious thought you would be onto a winner.
John x
http://plasticisntnice.blogspot.com/
That would be my idea of a great day too.
Hi FQ, Thanks for the comments about the blankets, if you'd like one I'd be happy to send you one, the Minder is gradually disappearing under the ones I have made so far.
Hi Hester, I could send you the wool I have that I'm not likely to knit with and then you could crochet me something from it? froogs xx
We cycled along the Camel Trail on our last visit to Cornwall a few years ago. Your pictures reminded me just how pretty it is as you approach Padstow.
Dr Beeching may have killed off vast sections of railway business in the 1960s, but the legacy of bike trails that re-use the old trackways has been an unexpected bonus.
Brilliant and I bet you felt great not being conned into coughing up your cash in Padstein. The best things in life are sometimes free. I'm enjoying your staycation!!
twiggy x
How strange - and wonderful! I have been reading a book by "Annie Sanders" called "Warnings of Gales" in which three families take a house in Cornwall for three weeks in the summer - and they go on the bike ride along the Camel Trail too. It's lovely for me to realise that sometimes these writers actually write about things that really exist. Absolutely loving the blog - fantastic reading!
Ahhhh...I am all lovely and relaxed now after that lovely ride out, thank you. xxx
Great photos of your day out. Thank you for sharing, it is nice to see another part of this big world that we live in.
Have a great day,
Tania
Hi Froogs
That sounds like a great idea, my email is on my profile, drop me an email & I'll send you my address.
Hugs Hester
Great photos and what a lovely day you had, glad I'm not the only one who pilfers sachets of sauce and sugar from larger outlets hehehe
Great photos and what a lovely day you had, glad I'm not the only one who pilfers sachets of sauce and sugar from larger outlets hehehe
My husband and I did this train on a tandem and I can honestly say my Bum will never be the same again but, it was a lovely way to spend a day. We too walked the walk you did and the views were lovely it is a beautiful area and I know Rick Stei is everywhere but he is giving people employment so you've got to love him. Glad you had a happy day.
Love Jill
I love it, my next trip i have to remember to pack a flask
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