| Duration: 7 days (5 days walking, 2 days travelling) |
| Accommodation: Mohun, National Trust Cottage at Pont Quay |
| Distance from London: 4 hrs on the train (Par Station), or 6 hrs drive |
| Must See: Fowey, Polperro, and Lantic Bay |
| Hidden Gem: Pont Quay |
Cornwall
Cornwall is the ultimate UK holiday destination. It has a mild climate, dramatic coastline, and abundant holiday home choices. It’s where the Land ends and the Atlantic begins. The county heavily relies on tourism. Most businesses only operate from May to October.
Cornwall is another country?
People who grew up in Cornwall will tell you that Cornwall is the God’s own county. Its beauty is unbeatable. They will tell you they are Cornish, as opposed to English. They have their own language and flag. Although there are fewer than 500 people speaking Cornish today, the Cornwall flag, which is a white cross on a black background, can be seen everywhere in Cornwall.
Why Fowey?
It’s an Estuary with a few villages/towns dotted around. Plenty of scenic walks. Easy access to water, if you enjoy sailing, stand up paddling, or just try out boating. You can even rent a boat for a few days while you are there. The family stayed in the cottage opposite us seemed to use boat as their choices of transport. I saw them go shopping at early morning every day when the tides were high.
National Trust Cottages
Most of the National Trust Cottages are refurbished historic buildings in beautiful natural settings. They are fully equipped with cooking facilities, and utensils; always clean and well maintained; even stored with walking maps and books; very reasonably priced as well. The rental income goes back to the charity. It’s a win-win, when you can stay in a charming home, while the rent contributes to the charity cause.
Mohun
There are many National Trust Cottages in Cornwall. The one we are going to is at Pont Quay, located on the upper creek of the River Fowey. It was an Inn at a bustling Quay. In the 18th century, the quay would be full of schooners and barges. Sailors would be busy unloading china clay, limestone and rocks from the nearby bays in exchange for locally produced flour and agriculture products. The banks on both sides would be agricultural land with Mills along the creek.
Now it is a tranquil retreat where you watch the tide go in and out, mallard forage on the water, occasionally, there will be a kingfisher or an egret. Dense woods cover both sides of the bank. Hiking trails emerge and then disappear into the woodland. The lime kilns used to produce fertiliser for the farmland, have now become shelters for bats. A handful of stone houses are still standing around the quay.
The cottage we booked was a one bedroom small dwelling under the extended roof of the main house. It had a flood gate to keep water out during high tide. In fact, there was a warning note as we entered the cottage about a 5.4m tide during the time of our stay. The living room window looks directly onto the Quay. I was intrigued to see how much the water would come up during the high tide. There was also a warning about not to park your car at the Quay area and not to let your children or dogs onto the Quay during the high tide.
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