So we finally booked into Padstow. We have been talking about this for years, but finally we found a “cottage” and booked up in October Half Term.
On the Saturday morning, we set off around 10, with a slight hangover about the car – and headed off down the M4, M5 and then out into the wilds of Cornwall. Sian had been trying for an hour to get her fantasy football complete on her phone in the car. Unfortunately every time she thought she was complete, the reception disappeared, or the screen went blank. It is a little annoying that connection is so patchy – still first world problem and all that…
As we got to the edge of Exeter, I realised I had run out of road, so desperately got the old Sat Nav on and just before the turning it sprung to life with a “Next Exit you plank”…
After some time, and not a huge amount of traffic we found our selves close by, we decided to detour to St Merryn, as the Times has announced that Rik’s place our there was in the top 25 pubs for something or other – so we tried it, it wasn’t even in the top 25 of pubs I’ve been in, just in Wales, in towns beginning with D, with bar staff called Owen. But actually it was okay, we had mussels for Sian, Sausage and mash for Kate me, and a burger for me Kate. Too many onions in the gravy, meant that my burger moved to Kate, who then found it had too much cheese on it – which it blumming well did – a smallish burger, quite probably really meaty tasting, with a massive dollop of melted strong cheese – mental man.
As I was driving we didn’t stay long, and before we knew it we were slowly driving through Padstow, marveling at the number of people, and tiny streets and looking for the car park. We parked up, and then had a couple of hours to spend, so we thought we would have a look around and see what was what in Padstow. 10 minutes later we were bored, so decided to go for a pint in the first pub on the list the – The Harbour Inn, it didn’t allow children in the bar bit, which was fine because there were some nice comfy sofa’s free, they served San Miguel and the toilets were outside…
After shooting back to the car, then moving it to a longer stay car-park, we loaded ourselves up and walked across the to the new house…
It was pretty good, a litle small, but there wasn’t many of us – you access the place by putting a number in a little “safe” just outside the door, which open’s up to reveal the key, the combination for Malt Cottage incase you are nearby is: 0788.. There are so many rental places, nearly every door way has one of these little key safes. So anyway, now we got comfy in the house, it was difficult to drag our sorry asses out, but strictly came on, so that was an excuse.
Down to the harbour and it was packed, completely autumnully packed, I just cannot imagine how rubbish it must be in the Summer. People everywhere, and dogs, my oh my, dogs everywhere – and I do mean canines. We looked into two pubs – packed, so we wondered over to the other side of the harbour, and managed to secure a table in the Shipwrights for the first of very many Korev beers. We had a couple and um’d and arr’d about food, but in the end had a look into The Old Custom House around 9:00 and managed to nab a table by the door. Straight in with the beer and grub, and as quick as a flash it was fish pie time – yummy.
Back to the ranch pretty early, and to bed – which was surprisingly comfortable.