The Coincidence Meeting At Boscastle, Cornwall

Boscastle, Cornwall

My wife and I had been away on a long weekend break. On the journey home we decided to take a longer, scenic route which took in the north coast of Cornwall. It got to about 11 o'clock and I saw the sign to the coastal village of Boscastle.

I asked my wife if she'd like to visit there, so we could have a tea or coffee while overlooking the sea. She couldn't make up her mind, but I took the turning anyway. When we reached Boscastle I drove into the only car park.

As it was out of the summer season the very large car park was virtually empty, so we found a spot to the middle of one side. As we parked another car stopped directly behind us about four rows back.

My wife went to the back of our car to make some tea - we had a flask of hot water, milk and tea bags with us. I glanced in my mirror and remarked to my wife that the man in the car behind us looked like Mick, a friend of some 30+ years.

To cut a long story short it was our friend and his wife.

Now they live some 150 miles from where we live and they too, unbeknown to us, had also been on a weekend break. They were also on their way home, some 180 miles away.

So a strange coincidence because:

(1) They arrived at the car park a couple of minutes after us.
(2) They parked directly behind us, when they could have gone anywhere in the car park. If they had we may well have missed them.
(3) Neither of us knew the other would be anywhere near Boscastle.
(4) As Mick and his wife drove into the car park they were talking about coincidences!

So, are such coincidences purely by chance - or a meaningful coincidence or synchronicity? Guess it depends on what you believe  - but, whatever, we spent a pleasant unexpected time together,

It's a funny old world!

Snow In Cornwall

Cornwall had some snow! Not a frequent event other than perhaps on the moors - so I felt I had to snap a few photos while walking the lanes. Nice to see the snow, as long as it doesn't linger too long.

Newquay Harbour, Cornwall In 1875 and 2019

Newquay Harbour, Cornwall 2019

I snapped the above photo of Newquay Harbour looking down from the balcony of the Fort Inn. This must have one of the best views in Cornwall as, in the  opposite direction, is Towan Beach and a long stretch of coastline..

However, I used this photo today to compare with how the same scene looked way back in 1875. The main difference being the railway lines stretching onto the middle pier. For a period Newquay was used to export china clay.. The trains enabled workers to load the sailing ships direct from the railway - now only the pier remains.

Today Newquay is a busy holiday resort, known for its surfing and numerous sandy beaches.

Newquay Harbour, Cornwall 1875

A Flavour Of Cornwall's Eden Project: 15 Photos

We went to Cornwall's Eden Project yesterday. It was a funny old day weather-wise, there was hail stones, blue sky and even a few dark clouds, but it was all very pleasant. Today's post, therefore, simply consists of 15 photos snapped as we walked.

Various shades of Heather

First sight of the Eden Biomes

My wife signs her name in the hail stones

Walking through the gardens, towards the biomes at Eden Project

Getting nearer to the Eden Biomes

Inside the Rain Forest Biome 

Rope Bridge in the Rain Forest Biome

Waterfall in the Rain Forest Biome at Eden Project, Cornwall

Painting of The Spirit of Colita de Gavilan in the Rain Forest Biome

Orchids alongside bamboo in the Rain Forest Biome

In the Mediterranean Biome

Various plants in the Mediterranean Biome

Colour inside the Mediterranean Biome

The festivities of Dionysus: wine, fertility - and probably more wine

Time to go: leaving the Eden Project

Roche Rock Stories

Roche Rock and the Chapel

Today we follow on from my previous post The Mysterious Roche Rock, Cornwall. Following are three legends / stories about the chapel / hermitage that have been passed down over the years.

Looking through one of the Roche Rock chapel's windows

Tristran (Tristram) and Iseult. Tristran was a nephew of King Mark of Cornwall - in the 6th century - and he was given the responsibility of escorting the King's bride to be, Iseult, from Ireland. This seemed an easy duty to perform but Tristan and Iseult sipped a love potion - well, it's easily done - and the two fell helplessly in love. Needless to say, King Mark wasn't too pleased with the news, so the lovers took flight - and guess where they took refuge? Yes in Roche Rock's chapel, which may have been a hermitage at the time.

There are various versions of the Tristran and Iseult story. In some King Mark finds out about the relationship and sends Tristran to be hanged. Somehow Tristran escapes and the King decides to forgive the lovers - but banishes Tristran from the area, He travelled to France brokenhearted. .

Inside Roche Rock Chapel

Saint Conan. Another story is that of the Celtic saint, St.Conan, of the 6th century. He took refuge at the chapel to commune with his God. He must have done a good job as he became one of the first Bishops of Cornwall. He left Roche Rock to install himself at St.Michael's Mount - a small island off Cornwall.

Gundred. One more brief story for today, the tale of Gundred. Her father was a leper.and had to remain separate from the local society by living in the Roche Rock chapel. Gundred tended to all of his needs. Daily she bathed him with water from a Holy Well, about mile from Roche Rock. The well became known as St.Gundred's well and is still there today The photo above shows a view from one of the windows high on Roche Rock. This is looking towards the village and church.

The Mysterious Roche Rock, Cornwall

As the evening shadows fall on Roche Rock, and it's tiny chapel, the wind howls heartily over the heath-land. It is definitely not a place for the faint-hearted. The ghost of an old tin miner casts his shadow with no earthly presence to be seen ... gulp ...

But luckily, while I visited Roche Rock, there was a blue winter's sky and the dangers had dissolved in the sunshine.

Okay what we know about Roche Rock is that a small chapel, or maybe a hermitage, has been built on natural rocks. Many say that these rocks are granite, but they are wrong. They are a mixture of grey quartz and black tourmaline. They are very strong and have supported the chapel since the 1400s - the chapel was dedicated to St.Michael in 1409. The rocks themselves are a little bit older - they were created some 270 million years ago!

Around the Rock is one of the last areas of heath-land locally. It probably looks much as it did a thousand or more years ago.

I'll mention some of the stories and myths about Roche Rock another day. But below is an old picture of Roche Rock together with a description (in old English) by John Norden in 1584:

A verie high, steepe and craggie rocke, upon the top whereof is placed a cell or hermitage, the walls whereof are partly wrowghte, and that with great labour, out of obdurate rock. It standeth upon the wylde Moares, farr from common societie"

Also see Roche Rock Stories

Robin Redbreast In The Sunshine

Brrr! Quite chilly and windy this morning, but while out walking I saw this lovely young robin almost basking in a moment of sunshine. We had a brief chat and each went on our separate ways.