Train from St Erth to St Ives and Back

I have been promised this trip for more years than I care to think about!

St Erth to St Ives by train is a lovely little journey and well worth the effort. The sun was shining when we arrived at St Ives and we could just see Godrevy in the distance ...

and then we saw this ...


Very modern!

We began the walk down into the town by looking across the hotel towards it ...

and stopped at the slipway by the Lifeboat Station to look at the boats you could hire if you wanted a trip around the Bay ...

Having walked along the promenade we made our way up the narrow streets and this name stood out ...

Teetotal Street - No good for me to live here!

We were heading for St Nicholas Chapel on the hill ...

from where we had the most amazing views ...

A helicopter flew over the Coastguard Station ...

and as we made our way back down we passed the oldest house in St Ives ...

according to the plaque on the wall ...

After a picnic lunch sitting on the wall opposite Smeatons Pier Lighthouse ...

we walked back to the station to wait for the train back to St Erth.

Tide Race at Portreath

It was Tide Race day and the sun shone!!! There was frantic action on the beach ...

with even the littlies taking part ...

and even Jo took her shoes and socks off! A first I gather ...

Once the building had taken place it was a matter of waiting for the inevitable ...

For some reason Phil's brother and his friend decided to watch from the sea ...

and after the last sand castle had succumbed it was time for the prize-giving ...

Great fun - made all the better by the good weather.

Once the competition was over the boys went in the sea and it looked really inviting ...

I'm ashamed to say I haven't been in this year - just managed a paddle or two!

Sad Goodbyes

It was time for Simon and the children to return to Berkshire today - not a happy day. Once the car was packed and goodbyes were about to be said Mike and I were given a present. It was a lovely cushion with the words "Grandchildren - all the pleasure -none of the pain". Needless to say I blubbed like a good'un!

Football and a Party

It was footie day today because Tesco had been advertising a Skills Roadshow and they were coming to our local branch at Redruth. The boys got dressed in their kit and Ellie went along because she had to! Who had as much fun as the boys? Yes - Ellie!

In the evening we had a 'bit of a do' as all the family were in Cornwall and it is a 'special' year for me. With my birthday being in November we're not sure how many of them can get back down, so adding a few friends to the numbers we had an enjoyable evening. The boys sorted all the food for me which was just great!

Someone was tucking in!

I felt quite a fraud when they all sang Happy Birthday but the cake was good!

At the end of the evening we all went out on the veranda and Mike and Simon lit a lantern and set it off from the head of the harbour.

Cream Teas and BBQ

For weeks we've been saving the vouchers out of the Western Morning News so that we could go to Callestick Farm for cream teas and get the 2 for 1 offer. There are loads of different places to go but Callestick is quite close and we like it there. We always cause chaos but it's a lovely tea and the lady is getting used to us as we went there twice last year. This time there was a large model cow for the children to sit on ...

and luckily it was a dry day so we could all sit outside ...

After tea we had a wander round the farm animals ...

and the children had a play on the swings ...

We had planned a BBQ on the beach for the evening and were really hoping that the rain would stay away. Jo and Paul had ordered a Cantonese meal from the village so they brought it to the beach with Fred and while Jamie cooked ...

the kids played cricket ...

and I built stone piles like we'd seen in Scotland ...

As it got darker we collected driftwood and made a fire ...

Golf and Crafts

Ellie had her special treat last Saturday so today was the turn of Jack and Cameron to get their wish fulfilled for a round of golf. They went to the Radnor Golf and Leisure complex which was where their Dad had lessons when he first started golf back in the 1980's. After sharing a basket of balls on the Driving Range and a short spell on the practice green ... they set off on the nine-hole course with Grandad acting as official photographer ...



They are great little golfers and apparently several players who were also on the course were watching and admiring their swings! At the end of the day it was Jack who won with Cameron second and Dad made the ultimate sin of signing an incorrect card so the boys disqualified him!

Meantime Ellie and I were at Jo's enjoying a craft afternoon making cards. Ellie was picked up by Jo in her MX-5 which made the boys very jealous ...

and I got a lift over in our car before Mike joined the boys. Jo had us cutting and sticking all afternoon and here are the results ...