Another overcast day the caravan site is so peacefully in the early morning with the early risers going about their business nice to have friendly people around you to have a chat with. Popped in for the last time on the touring group of Caravan Club members enjoying their group breakfast for their suggestions on which site to stay at in St Mawes and if there was a site at Marazion with power and showers. Haven't been game enough to use our tiny one, as it is basin, shower and toilet all in one just enough room to stand. Thank god we are small frame and haven’t put on weight.

Plan of attack was to take the road back to St Austell, right on the A390 motorway and left on the A3078 main road to St Mawes. Well we thought the short cut on the B3287 to join the A3078 at Tregony would be okay, as it was yellow on the big map (small two way road like St Austell to Mevagissey). Bad mistake it started out like that then changed to the lovely hedged one lane and the winding woodland canopy lane. Thankfully there was very little traffic coming from Tregony and this is where we had our first hair raising experience of a wrong turn that took us down tiny rocky alleys between houses with one inch to spare either side at the exit. Fab would have been proud of Richard’s driving.

Seeing it was only 11.30am we thought we would bypass the Trethem Mill Touring Park and head to St Mawes, which is the principal village on the Roseland Peninsula, situated on the mouth of the Percuil River.    An important port in medieval times and now a picturesque harbour with a small fishing fleet, it is protected by the most perfectly preserved of Henry VIII's coastal fortresses, St Mawes Castle. The village remains a centre for a range of watersports activities with lots of yachts moored in the bay and across the bay you can see Summers Beach. St Mawes is very small lining the harbour front we walked by a range of pubs, cafes and restaurants, and some interesting shops and galleries.

Walked along the Quay to see the view as the ferry to Farmouth came in for the next group of waiting passengers. It would be lovely to arrive at a coastal village and the tide was in not seeing fishing boats on seabeds.

Enjoyable stroll up to St Mawes Castle passing gorgeous thatched houses and looking at people reading and soaking up the sun on the side cliff path benches to the rocky Tavern Beach.
What a commanding view from the St Mawes Castle a charming clover-leaf shape originally surrounded by octagonal outer defences, St Mawes was designed to mount heavy 'ship-sinking' guns. But particular care was also taken with its embellishment, and it is still bedecked with carved Latin inscriptions in praise of King's Henry VIII and his son Edward VI. It owes its fine preservation to the fact that unlike Pendennis Castle, it was little developed after its completion.

After walking around The Lost Gardens of Heligan yesterday Richard wasn’t in the mood to walk further along the hill to Lamorran House Garden, plus the tummy was rumbling and it was time for a shared pasty, with scones and coffee/tea at the little Bakery on the harbour quay.
As the day was still young we cancelled plans to stay at Trethem Mill Touring at St Just in Roseland and continue on to St Ives on the west coast of Cornwall. Exiting St Mawes was interesting Fab would have again been very proud of Richard with his reversing and turning skills in a dead end alley between homes (miscalculated corner turn). Once we calmed down the picturesque drive through the countryside to catch the King Harry Ferry to cross the river at Trelissick was a blessing with very few cars. As we were about to drive off the ferry the chap in front rolled back and Richard had to toot him, which he was grateful for and by chance he was going in the same direction as us so we followed him to St Ives.

The Satnav thankfully bypassed the town centre took us via the residential area to Ayr Holiday Park overlooking St Ives Bay and Porthmeor Beach. The site is hidden behind the houses and on arrival you see lots of holiday homes, but behind them is a series of naturally sloping fields with marvellous views. Once pitched is was time for a cuppa and soak up the sun and views across the sea.