philjit
Arch-Enemy of Idealism
Registered: Jan 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 13002 |
Cornish Dreaming
After a 12 year gap I finally went back to Cornwall this weekend. For those that don't know, Cornwall is the last county in the South West of England. It has its own flag, and own language (a deritive of the celtic tradition in the same manner as gaelic and welsh). Cornwall is, in a very hippie kind of way, a magical place, steeped in history from prehistoric times, and earliuer. The Pilgrim Fathers set off from Cornwall to start their life in the New World, and their accent is the probably starting point for the american accent. I stayed in Tintagel, which is a the former castle home of Uther Pendragon, and is considered by many to be the birthplace of Arthur. Anyhow, here are some of the photos, we stoped at Stonehenge on the way down there, on a very wet and windy morning.
A pretty glorious structure to stand around is Stonehenge, porobably built at about 4000 BC and in my opinion a calender and astronomical viewing point. The surrounding area of the plain is full to the brim with barrows (burial mounds) and the place was no doubt a very holy one. Although its not in the picture, there is a visible earthwork that leads away from the circle down the hill and goes about 8 miles all the way to Avebury (the home of an even older stone circle). There is a high resolution picture of Stonehenge here.
This is the approach to Tintagel and the headland. The structure on the right is the original church for the castle circa 400AD.
This picture is at the base of Tintagel head. Tintagel itself is a jutting pennisula that has eroded from sea and wind over time. The cave behind me is known as Merlins Cave. When I last came here you could walk down there but the sea has taken its toll. The cave will eventually collaspe in on itself and the head and main castle site will become an island in the Atlantic.
Fresh water pouring into the sea. I drunk some. I am still alive. Who needs prufication when you have natural fresh water huh?
Tintagel's medieval Post Offfice (10th Century) complete with genuine old lady looking at me and wondering why I am taking pictures of her. I expected her to accuse me of being a german spy at one point.
An evening on Tintagel head (well the church actually). There were shitloads of seagulls about hence the looking upwards. I didn't want to be shat upon.
A walk along the cliff top towards Lands End and a conversation with a rock.
This rock is talking to me love! It said it makes a good seat.
The rock was right.
After walking for an hour or so along a very hairy clifftop with sheer drops to the sea we made it to Lands End. Only a 3147 mile swim to NYC  If you are wodnering who Lynne and Cary are I have no idea. Basically if you want your picture taken at the signpost you have to pay and you can choose what to put in that sign. I refused to pay because I am a tight git.
This is the Eden Project. Two biodomes, one tropical, the other temperate, set in the side of a disused quarry on the Southern coast. A very worthwhile millennium project, and proof of some of the outstanding British architectures being created today I think. Very cool place indeed, and paid for throug the European Union Regional Development fund after the government here decided it was not a viable project in terms of the returns it would get. Clearly they were talking bollocks, the queuing traffic when we left went on for five miles at least.
Inside the tropical dome. it was very hot in there.
Inside the temperate dome. Much more to my liking in temperature terms.
That's all the pics I am putting up here. If you are in England already, or plan to come here then a trip to Cornwall with a rented car is well worth it.
Last edited by philjit on 07-09-2002 at 08:01 AM
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07-09-2002 07:26 AM
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