Day Eleven – Wednesday 23 May, 2012

Padstow – Port Isaac – Tintagel – Bath

Temperature – 24 degrees

Weather – early morning overcast to sunny

Accommodation – The Old Crown Lodge, Kestel (outside Bath)

We set off for Port Isaac a short distance from Padstow after a lovely stay in Padstow.  Port Isaac is the location for the Doc Martin series and it is a tiny seaside harbour village.  As usual, we found the parking area and set out for the ten minute walk.

Isn't it pretty?

Although David and I aren’t avid fans we do enjoy the series and we managed to find the settings used in the series:  the pharmacy is actually a sweet shop; the restaurant is a private home overlooking the harbour and Doc Martin’s home is also a private residence.  The streets are very narrow and generally they are used for pedestrians only.  The village has a thriving lobster and fish market as well as a well-stocked art gallery of quality pottery and paintings.

We enjoyed a coffee at a teeny tiny café overlooking the lanes and wrote some postcards to the Grandmas and grandchildren which will probably arrive after we return.

About half an hour up the road and down some narrow lanes we visited Tintagel the ancient ruined castle of the legendary King Arthur.  David and I came away wondering if he really did exist both coming away with a different viewpoint after viewing the film and reading the signs over the sight!  It certainly is a spectacular area and the island has been used as a form of defence for over 2000 years.  Objects collected indicate the area was used during the Bronze Age and objects have been collected from the site indicating early trade with the Mediterranean.  Evidence of Celtic kings in the 6^th and 7^th centuries has also been revealed.

Me...the pack horse with a beautiful background!

The site is located on a craggy cliff accessed via some steep wooden steps over the Cornish coastline.  We had spectacular views up and down the coast as the sun was shining…..so much so David and I had to wear our hats.  The current ruins date from the 13^th century and were built by Richard, the Earl of Cornwall.

Not a lot left but beautiful nevertheless....and a real work-out for the legs!

A wander around the village of Tintagel was a hot affair and many shops sell all the paraphernalia associated with King Arthur, Merlin, witches and spells.  The ‘new age’ crystals, oils, tarot cards also get a work out.  Tintagel also has a wonderful old building built in the 1500s which was the post office until the 19^th century.

About 3pm we set off for Bath some three hours away.  This is a big drive in UK terms however we did not want to miss the countryside so took the less major roads and enjoyed the scenery on the way.  Although we are often ‘oohing and aahing’ over the views it is impossible to take photos as there is nowhere to park on the side of the road. 

We checked into an old pub just outside Bath and enjoyed the old pub, the meal and comfortable lodgings.

A lovely day all round!