Day 46  - Lizard

 

Date: Saturday 19^th June 2010   Distance: 31.44 Miles

 

Lovely breakfast! Couldn’t manage the hot croissants as well so was told to take them for lunch. Really nice people. At Gweek we spent an hour or so at Seal Sanctuary that though expensive we felt it was worth it. It had a beautiful location on the Helston River and was such a contrast to the bird sanctuary with plenty going on and a chance to engage with the animals.

 

We saw herons but disappointingly no kingfishers on the river despite all the branches hanging over the water.

 

We stopped at Mullion, the Old Inn for a couple of pints and yet more fish and chips and mushy peas for Bob and because Pat is thinking of her weight she had a cheese and pickle sandwich and the breakfast croissants instead!!! Bob’s peas were yellow anyway and his left over batter was shaken into bits all over the table by a rogue seagull. Vandal!

 

We rode to the Lizard, owned by the National Trust and England’s most Southerly point. Unlike Lands End it has kept it’s natural character without side shows and massive commercialism. It was a lovely walk down a very steep and narrow rock daisy bestrewn lane from which you could walk to the lighthouse or village on footpaths. There were gorgeous views out to sea.

 

We rode back to Gweek via Goonhilly Satellite Station which now has a Future World Exhibit along with all the satellite dishes that you can see for miles around. We had visited this when the children were young and there wasn’t too much to see. I think it was just a bus tour then. It still had a look of abandonment. Around it there are pleasant nature reserves full of heather and invisible wildlife.

 

We dined early at Gweek and hurray they cooked fresh vegetables, before a long trek back up the lanes to the farmhouse, discovering all that’s left of Merther-uny church of the 1500s. It was a rough hewn stone with Celtic- like inscription( in memory of the vicar,so an old book on the area said.)  We had cycled 31 miles but it was an easier day overall.