CAPE CORNWALL AND ST JUST

Cape Cornwall is the second most prominent headland on the West Cornwall coast after Land’s End.  In my very first post at the start of this blog, I cautioned that Land’s End is not the cheap option it once was, due to the ‘Disneyfication’ of the site with a range of shops and attractions.  Some people like that sort of thing, but for those who do not, I strongly recommend a visit to Cape Cornwall, where you will get the same “end of the world” feeling without the fanfare.  There is a National Trust car park (free to members), and a refreshment van, and that is about it, apart from the Cape Cornwall Club just above the headland, which offers golf and accommodation.  For those who want to stretch their legs there is a path around the headland, and wonderful views of Land’s End and the Longships lighthouse.  The Cape is crowned by the chimney which is all that remains of the Cape Cornwall Mine, a tin mine which operated between 1838 and 1883.   Another option for walkers is the path descending from the car park to Priest’s Cove, from where the South West Coast Path heads southwards, passing Ballowall Barrow, a Bronze Age burial chamber (English Heritage, free entry).

Cape Cornwall is reached by a minor road from the vibrant small town of St Just, England’s most westerly town.  The town was a thriving hive of activity during Victorian times thanks to the area’s tin-mining activities.  Up to the 17^th century medieval miracle plays were performed in Plain-an-Gwarry, the natural grassy amphitheatre in the centre of St Just, and this continues to be used today for more modern festivities such as the annual Lafrowda Festival in July, a colourful music and arts festival.  St Just is also home to the original Warren’s Bakery, founded in 1860, which now has branches all over the county, and which makes some of the best pasties around.

Live streaming webcam view of the Cape Cornwall Club golf course.

Map of the area. 

Cape Cornwall (Judithili). Photo by Judithili, via Wikimedia Commons.

THE LOUGHOR ESTUARY AND SALT MARSHES

The north coast of the Gower Peninsula largely consists of an expanse of salt marshes which, while bleak in nature, provides an ideal environment for the production of the highly prized lamb from the sheep grazing here.  There is an abundance of nourishment from the plants growing in the marshes: Samphire, Sorrel, Sea lavender and Thrift.  The salt marshes stretch westwards from Crofty and are fringed by a number of villages.  Penclawdd and Crofty are known for their cockle industry, which dates back to Roman times.  Penclawdd was once a thriving sea port exporting copper goods, coal and seafood, and there used to be coal mines in the area.  Salthouse Point is a man-made area which formerly played a role in the area's shipping history, and later formed part of an army practice range.  Now the Point is an important wildlife habitat.  

Towards the western end of the salt marshes is the village of Llanrhidian, which offers wonderful views over the marshes.  There are similarly impressive views from Llanmadoc further west, while down below is the Whiteford National Nature Reserve where, in addition to a variety of wildlife, there are wildflowers and orchids for botany enthusiasts.  Between Llanrhidian and Llanmadoc is Weobley Castle, a fortified manor house which dates from the 13th century and which belonged to the de la Bere family until the 15th century.  The castle offers one of the best views of the marshlands and mudflats.    

Map of the area. 

The salt marshes below Weobley castle - geograph.org.uk - 1311232. Photo by ceridwen, via Wikimedia Commons

KILMORY AND KILDONAN

The southern end of Arran is rich in history, particulary in the vicinity of Kilmory and Kildonan.  Near Kilmory is the ancient Torrylin Cairn, a Neolithic chambered burial cairn. When the cairn was excavated in 1900 eight skeletons were found along with a variety of artefacts.  Back in the village foodies will want to seek out the Torylinn Creamery which produces Arran Dunlop, a former champion in the British Cheese Awards. 

Kildonan, named after the Irish monk Saint Donan, lies at the south-east tip of Arran.  The village boasts one of the few sandy beaches on Arran, and offers wonderful views across to the coast of Ayrshire, to Ailsa Craig and the island of Pladda.  Kildonan Castle, built by the MacDonalds, the Lords Of The Isles, to protect Arran's strategic position in the Firth Of Clyde, only retains its 13th century keep today.  The castle was used as a hunting lodge by the Scottish kings including Robert III.  In the 16th century the castle passed to the hands of the Earls of Arran.

Live streaming webcams from Kildonan Hall.

Map of the area. 

Scotland, Isle of Arran, Kildonan, shore with Drimla Lodge. Photo by Vincent van Zeijst, via Wikimedia Commons

 

LOCHINVER

Last year, a report in the Guardian hailed Lochinver as "Scotland's new foodie hotspot". The report described a revolution which had taken place in the area which had seen the arrival of several high class restaurants including one at a hotel, Inver Lodge, which had contracted its kitchen out to Albert Roux, best known for Le Gavroche. On a more down-to-earth level, the Lochinver Larder is famed for its pies, which are available to order online from its website.

Lochinver is the capital of the region in north-west Scotland known as Assynt, and the Assynt Visitor Centre, a free museum and tourist information centre, is located here. The town is overlooked by a striking mountain called Suilven, and Lochinver is the starting point for one of several routes to the mountain. The helmet-shaped mountain looks impossible to climb from a distance, but in fact it is allegedly not that difficult. Lochinver's harbour is the busiest in the Highland region, being visited by fishing boats from as far away as France. The boats land their catches for sale at the evening fish market. For more leisurely pursuits, visitors can arrange boat trips from the harbour.

Map of the area.

Lochinver panorama - geograph.org.uk - 826486. Photo by Gordon Brown, via Wikimedia Commons.

BUCKIE

Buckie, which lies at the mouth of the Buckie Burn, has a long-standing fishing industry, involving both the catching of fish and processing, with the fish-processing plants based here producing such delicacies as fresh and frozen langoustine and smoked salmon. There is also a shipyard devoted to the building of and repairs to a range of craft including fishing vessels. The Buckie and District Fishing Heritage Centre shares the town's fishing tradition past and present with visitors. The harbour is named Cluny Harbour after the family which built it in 1877. A former harbour called Buckpool Harbour has been filled in and converted into a park, and it is the finishing point of the Speyside Way (or the starting point, depending on which way you choose to do it). In summer there are boat trips, some of which venture out into the Moray Firth in search of the pods of dolphins for which this stretch of water is so famous. Buckie has a number of churches, including St Peter's, whose twin spires tower over the town.

Map of the area.

Buckie Harbour - geograph.org.uk - 223399. Photo by Ann Burgess, via Wikimedia Commons.

CULLEN

There are many delights for food lovers in Scotland, but one of the most enjoyable to my mind are the lovely, warming soups which are especially welcome in the chilly climate of this northern corner of the British Isles. One of the best known Scottish soups is Cullen Skink, which tastes much better than its rather uninviting name suggests; its main ingredients are smoked haddock, potatoes and onion, smoked haddock being a regular feature in the diet on this stretch of coast. On his visit to the town, Samuel Johnson, in his usual forthright manner, declared himself to be disgusted by the sight of "dried haddock broiled", so much so that he refused to eat it for breakfast. But don't let him put you off trying this local delicacy.

Cullen is a resort built on two levels, set on the beautiful Cullen Bay. The lower part is the fishing village of Seatown, built in the typical style of a traditional Aberdeenshire fishing village, while the upper village, a former royal burgh, has a square boasting an ornate market cross dating from 1696. The two parts are separated by a disused railway, whose viaducts are used by walkers and cyclists and offer wonderful views, matched only by the views from the local Golf Club. The wife of Robert The Bruce died in the area, and her organs are thought to be buried in Cullen's Auld Kirk, which dates from at least the 14th century. Cullen Burn is believed to equate to the River Celnius, which was mentioned by Ptolemy in "Geography", written around 139-161.

Map of the area.

Seatown and Cullen Bay - geograph.org.uk - 688640. Photo by Ann Harrison, via Wikimedia Commons.

ARBROATH

Walking around Arbroath harbour, there is one inescapable sensation: the smell of smoke. Arbroath is the home of the famous Arbroath Smokies, the smoked haddock delicacy which is produced in the smokehouses beside this picturesque fishing port. The smokies are smoked over a hardwood fire of beech and oak set in a half whiskey barrel. In spite of their name, the smokies were first produced in the little fishing village of Auchmithie, a few miles up the coast. If the smoky, fishy smell gets your taste buds tingling, you can buy the smokies hot off the barrel.

Arbroath is the largest town in Angus, and as well as an important fishing port, it has grown into a popular seaside resort. One of the longest established attractions on the seafront is Kerr's Miniature Railway, much beloved by families, which was established in 1935. Another popular activity is to walk the Arbroath Cliffs nature trail between Arbroath and Auchmithie, which offers the opportunity to observe sea-bird nesting grounds among a spectacular coastline peppered with sea stacks and interesting rock formations. The ruined Arbroath Abbey was built in 1178 and dedicated by King William the Lion to Thomas Becket. The Declaration of Arbroath, a reaffirmation of Scottish independence, was signed here in 1320. The town's history is on display at the Signal Tower Museum, located on the seafront by the harbour.

For a list of events in Angus, follow this link.

Map of the area.

Arbroath Harbour. Photo by Karen Vernon, via Wikimedia Commons.

HOWICK AND CRASTER

On the way from Boulmer to Craster, Howick makes a worthwhile detour, with its 18th century mansion Howick Hall boasting wonderful terraced gardens, woods full of rhododendrons and wildlife which includes the increasingly elusive red squirrel. The Hall was the home of former Prime Minister Earl Grey, whose family history stretches back to the 14th century. It was also the birthplace of Earl Grey tea, blended by a Chinese mandarin for Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. The history of Howick goes back much further than the Grey family. It is here that archaeologists have unearthed the earliest Mesolithic round-house ever found in Britain.

Craster is a traditional fishing village which is famous for its smoked fish delicacies such as smoked kippers and smoked salmon, which are prepared on the premises of L. Robson and Sons. The local kipper pate can be sampled in the harbourside pub, The Jolly Fisherman, which is also known for its crab sandwiches. A short walk from the village, following a grassy shore dotted with sheep, will take you to the impossibly romantic ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle, run jointly by the National Trust and English Heritage. Begun by Thomas, Earl of Lancaster in 1313, the castle’s gatehouse was converted into the keep in 1380 by John of Gaunt, once the most powerful man in England. The castle was the scene of ferocious battles during the Wars of the Roses, and it was after this period that it went into a decline. Of all the castles in Northumberland this is my personal favourite. There’s just something incredibly haunting about this place. The first time we went there, we picked our way through groups of lambs running excitedly down to the shore, their worried mums following on behind. After visiting the castle, on the way back down, a sudden and unexpected sea mist rolled in, and looking back up towards the castle it made an incredible sight as it swirled around the ruins.

Map of the area.

Craster Cottages - geograph.org.uk - 1363253. Photo by Andrea Hope, via Wikimedia Commons.

WHITBY

When James Cook landed in Botany Bay in April 1770, dodging angry aborigines and lethal funnelweb spiders, he must have thought wistfully back to the picturesque town of Whitby, with its friendly natives and non-threatening wildlife. He must have ached for the romantic sight of Whitby Abbey, hovering spookily over the old harbourside, with its narrow ginnels separating sturdy old houses with their jumble of pan-tiled roofs tumbling down towards the water. For it was in Whitby that the young James began his seaman’s training. The house where he lodged during his apprenticeship is now a fascinating museum.

The first time we visited Whitby we were bemused by the number of people wandering around the town in strange clothing. It was the month of April, and unbeknownst to us Whitby was hosting one of two annual Goth festivals. Thanks to its association with Dracula, whose story was set in the town, Whitby has developed into a major draw for people who style themselves as “Goths”. The bigger of the two Goth weekends takes place around the time of Halloween in October, but the event in April is also very well attended. During the weekend we were treated to some memorable sights, including a pair of dogs dressed in matching black cloaks. In spite of their often scary appearance, the Goths are actually really nice people, and our visit to Whitby on this occasion was made all the more enjoyable by this event.  Dracula enthusiasts should also head for the Dracula Experience.

Whitby is famous for the quality of its fish and chips, and the most famous fish and chip restaurant in the town is The Magpie, although it has become something of a victim of its own success, with queues often stretching out into the street. Those who don’t like having to queue, however, have plenty of other alternatives to choose from, as there are several other exceptionally good fish and chip venues in the town. Best to ask a local for advice on where to go, although you’ll probably get as many different answers as people you ask. Apart from the aforementioned Abbey and Captain Cook Memorial Museum, another activity not to be missed is to take one of boat trips which leave from the harbour, including sailings on a replica of Captain Cook’s HMS Endeavour. One of the commercial activities which used to take place out of Whitby was whaling, and there is a relic of that time in the form of the whale jaw bone arch on the West Cliff. Another product of the area is jet, a lustrous black mineral formed from the fossilized remains of trees from the Jurassic period, which can be found for sale in many of the shops mainly as jewellery.

For a list of events in Whitby, see here.

Live streaming webcam view of the Quayside.

Map of the area.

Whitby and the River Esk (2011.10.19). Photo by Geir Hval, via Wikimedia Commons.

CROMER

By the time we get to Cromer, we are entering the stretch of coast known as the North Norfolk Coast, one of those prized parts of the British coastline beloved by second home owners, Norfolk being near enough to London to act as a magnet for weekenders up from the “big smoke”. In fact, the area proved a magnet for the well-heeled as long ago as the turn of the last century, when the area around Overstrand on the coast just before Cromer, was nicknamed Poppyland by the journalist Clement Scott, whose romantic descriptions of the area drew the rich and famous, including Winston Churchill’s father, leading to Overstrand becoming known as the Village of Millionaires. This transformation of the area into the playground of the rich is visible all over North Norfolk with the rash of smart, upmarket cafes and restaurants, shops and galleries.

Cromer is known for its crab, to the extent that when crab features on the menus of Norfolk pubs and restaurants it is invariably listed not just as ‘crab’, but as ‘Cromer crab’. Cromer started off as a fishing village, in fact it was predated by another one with a different name, Shibden, but this one was swallowed up by the sea. Cromer’s history as a resort dates back to 1779, when the first bathing machine appeared on the beach there, prompting visits from rich banking families from Norwich. The resorts’s development continued apace in the 19th century, helped along by its sandy beach and bracing, elevated clifftop location. Many resorts pride themselves on their sunrises or sunsets, but Cromer can boast both sunrises and sunsets due to its unique position on the coast, where it starts to curve round to the west. The town is dominated by the church of St Peter and St Paul, which has tallest church tower in Norfolk, standing at 160 feet, and built in the 14th century. All of this history is on display in the Cromer Museum. The resort has a pier complete with a Pavilion Theatre which puts on shows during the holiday season.

Cromer has the distinction of having been the base of the man considered to be the "greatest of the lifeboatmen".  Henry Blogg earned this description by being the most the most decorated lifeboatman in RNLI history, with 387 rescues under his belt resulting in the saving of a whopping 873 lives.  He died in 1954, but his memory lives on in the form of the RNLI Henry Blogg Museum, a small museum with exhibits honouring the great man.

For a list of events in Cromer see here.

Live streaming webcam views of Cromer Pier.

Map of the area.

Seafront, Cromer - geograph.org.uk - 1825367. Photo by David Hitchborne, via Wikimedia Commons.

MALDON

The historic town of Maldon lies at the point where the Blackwater River opens out into a wide estuary. The estuary at this point is thronged with pleasure craft, which can be observed from a promenade accessible from the quay. Among the town's historic points of interest are the Church of All Saints with its triangular tower and the 15th-cenury Moot Hall. The town has been an important centre for salt over the centuries, due to the proximity of the salt marshes, and Maldon Sea Salt remains a sought-after product on the supermarket shelves to this day. The town’s geographical position also led to it becoming a major maritime hub for trade both within England and across to Europe.

In Viking times, the salt was a contributing factor in the town’s attractiveness as a target for attacks, prompting King Edward the Elder to camp there in the 900s in an effort to hold back the Vikings. An old English poem called The Battle of Maldon tells the story of a raid in 991 by the “Northmen”, who were camped on an island in the estuary. Maldon has its own version of the Bayeux Tapestry in the form of an embroidery depicting scenes from the Battle of Maldon. The tapestry, which resides in the Maeldune Heritage Centre and was designed by Humphrey Spender, was created to mark the 1000th anniversary of the battle.

For a list of events in Maldon see here.

Map of the area.

Boats in the distance at Maldon, Essex - geograph.org.uk - 833314. Photo by Gill Edwards, via Wikimedia Commons

WHITSTABLE

The mere mention of the name Whitstable conjures up the heady aroma of freshly caught seafood. Not only is the town famous for its oysters, so much so that there is an annual Oyster Festival in July, but once upon a time there was a short railway line linking Whitstable to the cathedral city of Canterbury which was nicknamed the Crab and Winkle Line in honour of the crustacean gourmet delights to be had at the Line’s seaside terminus. The Crab and Winkle Line, its route laid out by Robert Stephenson, had the distinction of being the oldest regular steam passenger railway in the world. However, the line was closed to passengers in 1930 and thereafter was used only for freight, but was finally closed down altogether in 1952. The route has now become the Crab and Winkle Way, linking Whitstable with Canterbury for cyclists and walkers.  The story of the line is told in the local museum, along with the story of its maritime past and displays of some of the many fossils found along this coast.

Nowadays Whitstable is still easily accessible by train, being just over an hour from London, and this has contributed to its popularity with Londoners hungry for seafood, to the point where it has earned the nickname Islington-On-Sea. The Oyster Festival is obviously a big draw, but added to that is a thriving arts scene and an abundance of charming fisherman’s cottages and of alleyways formerly used by smugglers. Attractive shops, restaurants and cafes all add to the appeal of the town. A reminder of the earlier days of the oyster trade is on display on the Island Wall, the road running parallel to the beach: a restored example of a vessel known as the “oyster yawl”, this particular one named Favourite. During the Oyster Festival, children are invited to come to the beach to revive the tradition of “grotters”, glowing shrines built of oyster shells to mark St James’ Day.

For events in Whitstable and surrounding area see here.

Live streaming webcam view of the beach.

Map of the area.

Whitstable Harbour