Somewhere for "outdoor types"...!

[rushie]

(Thumb),

For those members in the UK (or indeed abroad) who enjoy mixing their love of shipping with fresh air, walking and stunning scenery, then I can recommend the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, the most Southerly point in the UK.

We stayed in a 5* Youth Hostel...and yes I am middle-aged...overlooking Lizard Point. The Point and the adjacent Coast Point is a superb place to view the busy shipping lanes entering and exiting the English Channel.

Although the weather wasn't very good, with Force 7 to 9 gales off the sea right in your face, sweeping rain and thunder and lightning, there was still plenty of shipping to view. The weather made it even more lively seeing the ships battling the oncoming gales. The sizes of ships we saw varied from 2000to 300,000tons.!

The Youth Hostel is self-catering, communal dining area and lounge, but do have a number of private bedrooms. There are B+B's, restaurants and a decent pub in Lizard village for alternative venues. There's also the nearby River Fal and Falmouth for more shipping.

I recommend it...so there...!

Rushie (Thumb) (Pint)

[treeve]

Hi Rushie, Glad you enjoyed your stay here ...
I sincerely hope you reached Kynance, Poldhu and Cadgwith,
and not least, home of my ancestor, Landewednack, where
the centre of the earth was forced up when two continents
collided, giving the locals serpentine aplenty. What did you
think of the Devil's Frying Pan, then? Best Wishes, Raymond

[rushie]

Hi Raymond,

We visit Lizard at least once a year, as it's ideal - just down the road from sunny South Devon. We usually stay in your metropolis of Penzance for at least a week a year, with numerous sortees Westwards.

The whole county (and Devon too) is superb. We're lucky to live on the doorstep.

I can recommend the breakfast at the Hells Mouth cafe just past Godrevy...that'll do you for the day..!!

Cheers,

Rushie

[treeve]

Godrevy is one of my favourite spots .....
Just completed an oil painting,
stormy skies and the afternoon sun striking the strait ...

[trotterdotpom]

Thanks for reminding me about the Lizard. In 1966 I was appointed as Supernumary Assistant Keeper at the Lizard Lighthouse, my first - doesn't seem like 40 years to me!

I was only there a few weeks but still have vivid memories of the place. There was quite a community at the lighthouse with cottages for the families of the keepers on the Longships and Wolf Rock lights as well as the Principal and two Assistant Keepers on the Lizard. My own accommodation was fairly spartan, consisting of a large room with an old ship's bunk in the middle (possibly from the Victory!). I must have had some sort of cooking facilities but I can't remember them.

The engines to run the compressor to supply air to the fog horn (in frequent use during the "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" while I was there) were reputed to be the oldest of their kind still in serious work, ie not for fun. I remember running around heating things up with a blow torch, without the faintest idea what I was doing, to start them and, to my amazement, they always took off. On top of that, the engines and the engine room were immaculate (Trinity House Standard!) and looked like a hospital. I hope it has all been preserved.

The Principal Keeper at that time was called Jack Phillips and he gave me a bad report, the old git, but I survived, ner ner!

I remember the pub up in the village too - quite a walk but worth the trek. It didn't have a piped music or gaming machines then, hope it hasn't now!

Nearby is Helston, home of the "Flurry Dance", which was a full day's trip to get a tube of toothpaste and a bellyful of, I think, Devonish Ale - is that still on the go?

Nowadays, I believe the Lighthouse cottages are available for holiday lettings - see Trinity House website - and don't forget Marconi's shack just nearby - I think that may be open to the public at times.

John T