Pirates of Penzance

This trip, covering some staycations outside London but within the U.K., is to run alongside my London trip (if the system can cope with this!) Like the London trip, it starts with the 7th March date which is when I returned from Mexico. So after almost six long months under one roof, I'm finally on my way for six days in England's far south-west. Over the last two months, restrictions have gradually eased, with all the shops now open and crucially for me, pubs and restaurants. And I'm now into my second haircut. But it's a time of premature optimism before the second wave of the virus gets into gear a month from now......

Penzance is an attractive fishing town of about 20,000 people and while it wasn't a haunt for lawlessness as portrayed in the Gilbert & Sullivan opera, it trades on the romance of piracy much as Tombstone is famous for the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. The 5-hour rail journey from London has taken me through increasingly alluring locations of Exeter, Plymouth, Truro, Redruth and Camborne---the latter being important tin-mining centres in the 18th century. The journey hasn't been without its anxieties, with compulsory face masks and when the journey threatens to become busy, a face shield as well. But before nightfall I'm safely checked into a comfortable hotel a stone's throw from the station.

The next day is gorgeously sunny and with my walking boots on, I take a short bus ride to the picturesque fishing village of Mousehole (pronounced Mousle). My weekend newspaper has listed some coastal walks around the country and fortuitously includes a hike from Mousehole to the next village, Lamorna. Access is via the South West Coast Path, a 600 mile trail running from northern Somerset all the way round to Dorset. Other people must have read the same article because there are many places where the narrowness of the path forces people to find a passing place. On one of these I place my right foot off the path and find---air! Well, they do say, have a nice trip. Fortunately the ground is soft and the only casualty is a patch of mud on my right knee.

Retracing my steps, I continue past Mousehole to Newlyn, more or less an extension of Penzance and an attractive fishing port in its own right.Read more