Wandering about South-England
2. Had a break near Saintbury at a picnic area on the way to Oxford.
3. Driven through the magnificent landscapes of the Cotswolds Hills: typical English countryside with some quaint stone-built villages such as Moreton-on-Marsh and Stow-on-the-wold.
4. Had a view of Bleinheim Palace at Woodstock, just before Oxford.
Friday 15 sunny/hot (224 km) 09.50 leaving Oxford.
12.00-16.00 Windsor, *** (Berkshire) the castle, (25£), the park (lunchbreak), Eton College. 307 m 18.30 arrival in Winchester, (Hampshire), capital of Wessex under the Vicking King Alfred 390 m the cathedral, Wolvesey castle ruins, Wolvesey Palace, Jane Austen’s house. (BB “The Kings”,88 Chesil Street, 60£, dinner at Pizza Express: pizza “la reine” /pollo salad, 17,95 £) Saturday 16 sunny (306 km) 09.30 leaving Winchester.
11.00-11.30 Stonehenge ***(Wiltshire), view of the worldwide famous site.
12.00-14.30 Sherborne *** (lunchbreak), St Mary the Virgin’s abbey, walk through this nice village.
18.00 arrival in Brixham. (South Devon) 580 m (BB Maypool Park, splendid and luxurious cottage looking onto Dartmouth, 1 Maypool, Galmton, near Brixham, South Devon,90£, dinner in Brixham: fish and chips at the harbour, 6,45£) advice: don’t waste time in looking for any accommodation in Brixam (very little). Stop before.
Sunday 17 sunny (322 km) 09.30 leaving Maypool.
13.00 arrival in St Austell. (CORNWALL) ( Allen’s BB, 15 Southbourne Road, 50£) 14.00-15.00 Mevagissey (lunchbreak) 16.00-16.30 St Mawes, Henry VIII’s castle (outside).
17.30-17.45 Fowes, St Catherine’s castle (built by Henry VIII, outside). 738 m 18.15-19.30 Polperro *** fascinating fishing village.
20.00-21.30 Looe. (dinner at “The Golden Guinea”: rice/chicken, 17,80 £) 754 m 23.00 back in St Austell. 780 m note: ferry from Brixham to Dartmouth and from Fowes to Polruan (2£ each short crossing with car) Monday 18 cloudy morning, very windy/cloudy/ little rain then sunny in the afternoon (151 km) 09.30 leaving St Austell.
11.00-11.45 Lizard Point ***, England’s most southerly point.
12.00-12.45 Kynzance Cove *** !3.00-14.00 Mullion Cove. (lunchbreak) 832 m 15.00-19.00 St Michael’s Mount *** isle or peninsula according to Tides. (2,40£ 2 return tickets at High Tide – causeway at Low Tide- 11£ 2 entrances to castle) 855 m (BB Wheal Rodney Hol Park, Gwallon Lane, ” The Marazion”, near St Michael’s Mount, 58£) 19.30-22.00 Penzance. (dinner at “The Turk’s Head: rice+fish/lasagne,23,75£) 860 m 22.30 back at “The Marazion”camping. 874 m Tuesday 19 sunny till early afternoon/ very very windy at Land’s End then cloudy. (85 km) 11.30-13.15 Porthcurno cove ***(beach), The Minack Theater, carved out of cliff headlong the sea 889 m 13.40-16.00 Land’s End *** England’s most westerly point.(lunchbreak) 893 m 16.20-18.00 Sennen beach (surf) 897 m 18.30-19.00 St Just 19.30-19.45 Pendeen Lighthouse 902 m 20.00-21.30 Zennor *** where D.H.Lawrence wrote part of “Women in Love” 914 m (dinner at “The Tinners’ arms”, tagliatelle/salad, 18.10£) 22.15 back at “The Marazion”camping.(BB Wheal Rodney Hol Park, 58£) 927 m note: surprising countryside landscape getting to Zennor scattered with some menhirs and some tin houses, testimony of the ancient mining activity. Wednesday 20 sunny in the morning and cloudy in the afternoon (134 km) 10.20 leaving “The Marazion.” 11.00-13.30 St Ives *** (Porthgwidden beach) 936 m 15.30 arrival in Padstow *** 990 m (BB Tregavone Farm, Mrs Ethel Dennis, St Merryn, right before Padstow) (dinner at “The Fo’c’sle”: fisherman’s pie and beef-rice) 16.30-18.00 Bedruthan steps*** (impressive skimmed ocean waves hurling against massive cliffs) 996 m 18.20-19.20 Costantine Bay (beach) (surf) 1002 m 22.00 back in St Merryn. 1010 m Thursday 21 cloudy morning/sunny afternoon (161 km) 10.00 leaving St Merryn.
11.00-11.30 Port Isaac 1032 m 12.00-14.30 Tintagel *** King Arthur’s castle, the Old Post Office (lunchbreak) 1044 m 17.00 arrival in Ilfracombe (North Devon) 1110 m (BB Glenton Guest House, Nobby and Joyce, 83 St. Brannocks Road, 40£) (dinner at “Ciao Italia”: spaghetti aglio olio peperoncino, spaghetti vongole, pizza margherita,25£) 18.30-20.00 Ilfracombe’s small beach, carved out of cliffs. (see www.Tunnelsbeaches.Co.Uk) Friday 22 cloudy (185 km) 09.00 leaving Ilfracombe. Exmoor National Park (Lynton/Lynmouth-Porlock-Dunster) 10.00-10.30 Lynton/Lynmouth 11.30-12.30 Porlock , small village with many hayroofed cottages. 1142 m 12.30-14.30 Dunster, the castle’s gardens with the Old Mill (7£), the castle (outside) (lunchbreak) 1154 m 18.00-18.30 Cheddar gorge, winding along rocky cleft for 1 mile.
19.00-22.00 Wells (Somerset), the cathedral, the Bishop’s Palace. 1225 m (BB Mendip House , Vanessa&Chaker Mouelhi, 46 Portway, 48£, dinner at “Rajah Restaurant”: king prawn byriani/mushrooms byriani, 30.45£) notes: 1. Avoided Porlock Hill: very steep dangerous roads: followed signs for alternate route.
2. Passed through Glastonbury, the “new age” small town, seen the Torr Hill with its Tower, for some supposed to be the Avalon isle or a breakthrough to afterlife.
Saturday 23 sunny (266 km) 09.00 leaving Wells 12.15-14.15 Dunstable, near Luton Airport. (lunchbreak) 1380 m 15.00 arrival at the Car Hire Center, Luton Airport + bus to airport 1392 m 19.30-22.30 flight Ryanair 3564 Londra Luton-TV San Giuseppe note: spectacular flight passing from day to night tot. 2.238 km Final Notes: 1. Prices are always meant for 2 people.
2. Lunchbreak consisted of sandwiches, tuna, yougurt, fruit and water bought at “Tesco “.
3. Car rent 376.26£ = 556.43€ 4. Final mileage: 1.390 miles = 2.235 km 5. Petrol: 141,6£ = 205,32€ = 397.555 Lire 6. Price/l = 90p= 2.525 lire circa 7. Km/l = about 10 8. Cost of holiday/each = 1.250 € 9. *** = what we liked most Final Advice: 1. Avoid parking downtown: a fee is always due, sometimes up to 2£ per hour! 2. Look for accommodation not late than 4-5 pm.: in Winchester and Brixham we nearly prepared to sleep in the car! 3. When possible, stay at a countryside BB, it’s so relaxing! (follow BB Farm) 4. Spend some hours at the marvellous sandy beaches/coves.
5. Be prepared to sudden weather changes especially in Cornwall.
