May 8, 2018 — Zennor, Mousehole and Lands End

Woke to fog and mist. Had a leisurely breakfast but the weather didn’t improve much. The weather report swore it wouldn’t rain so we went on the Penwith Driving Tour in one of our guide books. The first stop was Zennor so we started on the A30 but soon had to leave it for smaller . . . and smaller roads. We arrived in tiny Zennor behind a tour van full of pensioners so we followed them from parking to St. Senara's Church and spent the next half hour stumbling over them, avoiding their flash cameras and incessant chatter. The church is famous for its Mermaid Chair that we saw and photographed. We walked around a little but there isn’t much else in Zennor and the mist was very heavy. Saint Senara’s Church, Zennor, Saint Ives TR26 3BY; tel: +44 (01736) 741488; guenolesenara@hotmail.co.uk; Click here for Saint Senara's Church web site

It was raining by this time so we decided to skip Lanyon Quoit, a megalithic tomb in a field, and Trengwainton Garden and go to Newlyn to look through galleries. On the way we passed an abandoned mine with a huge chimney so we stopped for pictures . . . in the fog and rain. Later discovered this was Carn Galver Engine House and a National Trust Site. I had to dry my camera and clean the lens but did get photos. We continued on to Newlyn, followed a sign to parking and soon found ourselves out of town. Do they do this to discourage tourists? At that we decided to continue to Mousehole which we found at the bottom of an extremely narrow road. However, they did have parking! Hooray for Mousehole! Carn Galver Engine House National Trust Site of Cornish Mining Heritage, B3306 near Zennor; National Trust web site for Cornish Mining Heritage

We cheerfully parked in Mousehole and started to look around. There is a very nice gallery beside parking and the young lady there recommended two local restaurants so we checked the nearest, 2 Fore Street, and liked the menu. Then we hiked up to The Coast Guard Restaurant which was more elegant but had a dull menu. We quickly walked back to 2 Fore Street for lunch. We both got the crab soufflé with green salad and a side of bread and olives with a Minervois wine. It was delicious, just perfect and the portions were excellent, much smaller than the overlarge ones we’ve been getting here. Thus, we cheerfully ordered rice pudding with rhubarb compote in ginger sauce for dessert. Great combination! Restaurant 2 Fore Street Mousehole, Cornwall TR19 6QU, tel: +44 (0)1736 731164; Click here for 2 Fore Street Restaurant in Mousehole

We walked around Mousehole and out the pier where I got great photos of Saint Michael’s Mount since the sun had finally come out and the fog dispersed. A friendly clerk suggested we follow the local bus when we left because the bus would clear the extremely narrow road for us. This was her strategy and a great idea. When it was time for the bus, we got the car and followed it out of town. We cheerfully ignored our daffy GPS and followed the bus to A30 and continued to Lands End, a beautiful drive on real roads. It was late and much was closed but we walked out to the point and took some pictures and walked along the cliffs to the First and Last House and back thoroughly enjoying wildflowers on the way.

Retrieved the car and took the A30 home . . . a much easier drive than earlier. Had cheese and crackers for dinner and watched Trump pull the USA out of the Iran Nuclear Deal on television. They are now analyzing it to pieces and no one agrees . . . because no one knows what will happen. News people love to predict the future and of course that’s impossible.