The holiday itself we shall be walking 70 odd miles along the Cornish coastal path from Padstow to St Ives, although today, Day 1 is effectively a rest day in Padstow as we leave tomorrow morning.... Given there is 6 nations rugby on today I could say this was down to cunning planning but actually it was just fortunate planning having decided that, given the Pope had been at a conference in Wales most of the week, it made more sense to do a smash and grab and break her out of Wales and head straight down South, hence late night arrival and extra day here.
..... Blog posting delayed by beer drinking and eating...
.... Where was I... Oh yeah... Day 1....
So... Having had a hearty breakfast we headed to downtown Padstow. We strolled the few and narrow lanes of Padstow and found several potential pubs to hang out in for the rugby; the most memorable moment being the time we walked past a large pub with awning no less and Popey announcing we could watch the rugby there, I said "how do you know they show it", my eyes keenly scanning the sign advertising some of the food on the menu .... "the sign says they show it!"... So whilst I know Popey reads approximately 3 times faster then me, I had by now finished scanning the sign and despite claims of beer battered cod I had still not read anything about the rugby... "where does it say the rugby is on?" I asked, not because I didn't believe her but I just couldn't see it on the sign.... It was that point that Popey drew my attention to the 10m long banner by the side of the pub announcing "6 Nations Rugby here live" in lettering about a foot tall.... "oh" ....
Anyway as it was just still a little early for the pub we found a sign for the local conservation project "The National Lobster Hatchery" or something like that. So we decided, given it was not just any ordinary Lobster Hatchery, but the National one no less, that it deserved a visit.
As we headed towards it, it began to rain a little and we noticed, as we turned a corner quite a queue forming. I have to say I was a little surprised, but given it was the off season and only just before 11am maybe there wasn't much on in downtown Padstow so the Hatchery was obviously an unexpected but popular choice. Popey had clearly been thinking the same as it was with some surprise she said to me "gosh, that is quite a queue"... "yes",I said "I wonder what it's for, do you think the hatchery is that popular?" .... It was with that a local who we had been walking alongside gave us both what can only be described as a bizarre look as he told us "Rick Stein is doing a book signing in his deli from 11 to 12".... It was then we realised that the first posher looking establishment with the queue was in fact HQ Stein, the deli bar to be precise, and the more drab looking corrugated building at the far end of the car park was in fact the Hatchery!
We did quickly dive into the deli to catch a glimpse of the man himself, but we were too early, so we had a shot of the Lemonade they were handing out (didn't go so well with the after taste of black beauties cough sweets).
The Hatchery was, well a hatchery, but also quite an interesting project to ensure that Lobsters have a safer home to start their little lives. It was quite an interesting mini tour, and given I ticked the gift aid box on the way in I got a one year free pass so can return again for free should I wish.... Within a 12month period.
Have seen all we could at the H we headed out to find the queue had now completely gone and Rick was still dutifully sitting at his desk with a cup of coffee looking ever so slightly bored. So we did what we clearly had to do, buy a book, get it signed and have our picture taken with him!!
After all that excitement it was definitely time for a pint!
We headed back and found ourselves a nice little table in the corner of the ever so slightly well advertised rugby pub. Which is where we stayed watching the Italy Scotland game (rubbish), followed by the Welsh France game (brilliant) whilst nursing a couple of pints of Doom Bar (given this was the local brew it had to be the done thing)....
As we had dinner booked at Paul Ainsworth's place (no 6), and if you don't know who he is then, well he is another great chef, we decided to watch the first half of the England game from our B & B... Have to say it wasn't terribly hard to rip ourselves away from the tv at half time as the game was pretty poor.. We were the first people to arrive at the restaurant which was actually quite nice, the place soon filled up, so having just us to serve at the beginning meant it was all quite relaxed and the staff had the opportunity to be a little chattier. Without going into too much detail we both had enjoyable first courses, and both had the same (and equally delicious) mains of steak and ox cheek (yum!).... The cheese taster we shared and we were pretty sure the waiter got the cheeses mixed up, but they were all still pretty good.... Unless you've been to Paul's before it probably goes without saying the the choice of allege puddings to select was the Great British menu winning dessert "Taste of the fairground" which we duly ordered and scoffed!! Ummmm mmmmm.....
Having carb loaded then with good beer, and heaps of sugar we struggled back to the B and B in order to get a good nights rest before the start of the walking!!
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Location:Padstow, Cornwall
there was rugby on and I didn't catch it? Crap. I was watching the Italians play Wales the other day on the turbo, and Dee Dee asked me why I was watching rugby. Because, I say. IT'S FUNNY! :-)
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