Wednesday 30 January 2013

Reviews

This is the church at Herodsfoot - the walk we did on Saturday. A lovely tucked away, secret little place.

I’ve been fortunate enough, over the last year, to do several reviews of dog friendly accommodation for an annual publication on where to stay with your dog. While I don’t get paid for this, it means they pay for me and another (plus Moll of course) to stay somewhere for 2 nights in return for a write up and photos.

I usually take Viv who is in dire need of some respite, but she is stuck in London at the moment poor love and unable to get back. As you can imagine, I’m not stuck on volunteers to come with me, and each time we go, it turns into an adventure as we never know where we’re going, what the place will be like, or who we’ll meet.

Last Friday we turned up in the dark, in driving wind and rain, already wet due to a quick walk with Moll on the way up – and of course it was wetter than I’d realised. Unfortunately, having made our way down a very long potholed drive, the place we were staying in didn’t have any heating. Or rather, the night store heaters had been turned off.

The lovely fellow there gave us some logs but they were wet, so we had to go back and ask for kindling. He came over with a sackful and soon we got the woodburner going, but it was still icy. Then I saw the electric cooker. “I know,” I said, putting both ovens and all hobs on. We stood in front of the cooker with the doors open, hands outstretched, and breathed a sigh of relief as the warmth began to permeate.

And gradually, we warmed up. Though there was a nasty point at around 9pm when we were just about to settle down to watch a DVD when the power went off. We realised it was due to the coin meter having run of money, so went back to the farmhouse as we didn’t have any £1 coins. Oh, and did they have any hot water bottles?

Luckily they returned with more heaters and a handful of £1 coins. So we got the place warm and manifogled a hot water bottle out of the empty wine bottle we filled with hot water – they make very good substitutes.

So after a dodgy start to the weekend, we ended up doing two great walks for Cornwall Today and all was not lost.

Except that we’re both brewing pretty vicious colds and coughs……

10 comments:

Sally said...

Sounds like quite an adventure. I hope your colds pass over asap! xx

Flowerpot said...

It was testing, Sally - just glad we both have a sense of humour! I'm OK at the moment, just got a cough lurking and terrified I won't be able to sing at the Poly gig!

Chris Stovell said...

Next time I'm sighing with a little envy when you're reviewing somewhere warm and comfortable I shall remind myself of this!

Akelamalu said...

Ah but would you recommend that place as somewhere to stay? ;)

Hope you're feeling better soon. x

Flowerpot said...

Chris - it made boating seem quite tropical!

Flowerpot said...

Ak - it was in a lovely location with fabulous walking nearby.

Anonymous said...

Not surprising you have colds after all that excitement!! And I'm not surprised you aren't stuck for volunteers to take with you!

CJ x

Flowerpot said...

Cj - atchoo!

Rena George said...

I adore little secret places like Herodsfoot. One of my favourite things about Cornwall is that you can find magic around every corner, as I’m sure you’ve discovered many times on those fabulous walks of yours.

I think I know that place you stayed at by the way. Isn’t it called Faulty Towers?

Keep walking, Sue…we’re all loving these stories. xx

Flowerpot said...

Rena - you're so right. That's just what Cornwall's like! Glad you enjoy the stories xx