Today we had an early start as I had pre-booked an entrance time to St. Michael's Mount which is an island just off the southern coast of Cornwall and near to Penzance.
Once again, we were so fortunate that the weather was perfect for our tour. Since it was early morning on a Sunday, traffic was minimal and we arrived at the parking lot in short time.
This amazing castle is considered to be the most famous of Cornwall's landmarks, and I can say that visiting is certainly a unique experience. The mont is dedicated to St. Michael, who, according to Cornish Legend, appeared to a group of Cornish fisherman in 495.
In the 1100's, a Benedictine Chapel was built on the granite crag and by the 14th century, a castle stood on the site. In 1659, the Mount was purchased by Sir John Aubyn and was used primarily as a second home during the summer months.
In the 18th century, the family decided to use it as their permanent residence. The building was refurbished with a new wing and finely decorated Victorian apartments. The residence was held by the same family until 1964 when the property was granted to the National Trust by the 3rd Lord Levin.
What makes the Mount St. Michael so unique is that it is an island that can be accessed via causeway certain times of the day when the tide is out. And, so, I had booked the time slot so that Marty and I could experience reaching it via the cobblestone path. We were excited to begin the trek over.
Within a few hours the access causeway would be covered with water as the tide rolled back in.
I don't know about you, but I found this to be quite an awesome experience. We only had an hour and a half on the island today before walking back would be impossible. You can see some of the people who opted to do just that.
There was no way I was going to take off my shoes to wade through the water to get back! Luckily, for a very small fee, the transport is available via small boats, carrying a dozen people at a time, back to the mainland.
Once on the island, we made our way to the bottom of the path that began the trek up to the top of the crag.
I'm not going to lie. It was extremely challenging and my cranky knee became extremely angry, despite my relying on walking sticks for mobility. Basically, one hikes up a steep hill that has various sized rocks scattered along a windy path.
We were sure to make some stops along the way. Here's a view looking up.
And here's a view taken from the platform just beneath the castle, pointing towards the mainland.
And, once at the base of the castle, it's another challenge to make it up to the front door.
But I did it! Soon we were walking through the front door.
This painting is an example of one painted on enamel. It's only about a 5x7, but the features look more like a photograph, and that is due to the medium which was used to paint on. I find the result to be quite a delicate look.
We admired some beautifully decorated Victorian rooms
as well as a phenomenal library.
The dining hall was long and still had some stained glass windows from the time it would have been part of the monastery.
There was a beautiful chapel, and we listened to a pipe organ accompanying what sounded like a choir of angels inside the chapel, as they prepared for an 11:00 AM service.
The chapel is devoted to St. Michael, which really shouldn't come as a surprise.
The outside offered some delightful views
Since we had opted for the boat ride on the return to the mainland, we decided to spend some time walking around the grounds and admiring the beauty.
Enchanting.....don't you think?
Soon we were in the boat, headed back to the mainland where we walked back to the car and Marty made the short drive to our next destination.
It was yet another National Trust site, Tregwaiton Gardens. There is a house on the property, but it is a private home and not part of the National Trust Site.
I must say, they certainly do have an awesome view to enjoy!
The property was sold to Sir Edward Bolitho in 1925, and he set out on a plant hunting expedition to Burma and Assam. They brought back many unusual plants which have had no problem adjusting to the Cornish climate.
So many hydrangeas scattered among ferns.
And this deep purple hydrangea stood out brilliantly with the greenery in the background.
It seemed that every path had something unique and different to offer.
As you can see, there was plenty to keep us busy for a few hours. By this time, we were both ready to come back to the room and just relax before walking down to dinner. We were able to stroll along the promenade that borders the water as we made our way to the Bistro where I had booked a table.
It was run by three very entertaining young men who seemed to enjoy making their customers happy.
Another fabulous ending to an awesome day!
Before I end, let me share an interesting story with you. As we've been visiting these sites along the southern coast of England, I've learned a significant amount of information pertaining to US forces during World War II and their use of the villages along the coast for training exercises to prepare for D-Day.
I heard about towns that were bombed and villagers that were forced to evacuate. So, in looking at this island off the coast, I couldn't help but wondered what caused it to be spared. So, I asked one of the guides that very question. And what he told me was this.
Adolph Hitler's foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, was enthralled with the island and he would often take family vacations there. He had previously served as the Nazi's ambassador to Britain and had hoped to purchase a home on the island.
His plan was to spare the island so that after a successful German invasion of Britain, he would be able to claim a house on the island and be crowned Lord of Cornwall. Obviously, that didn't work out, but his strategy certainly did safe guard this historic gem so that we can enjoy the beauty that it has to offer. Very lucky, to say the least.
Until tommorow.....
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