The wind and the trees

At first, when I came here, I was surprised about the shape of some trees.
I took this photo when we were coming back from Tintagel. It seems to me telling enough:
If you see these trees you know in which direction the wind blows.

King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table

Tintagel is a little village on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall. There are the remains of Tintagel Castle which is associated with the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table.
This place was actually an ancient settlement which had one hundred houses and an estimated population of about one thousand people.
It was built at the top of the cliff with an impressive view over the sea. It was only accessible in two ways: a small harbour at the bottom from the sea and a footpath from the land, so this place was easily defended in case of invasion.
You also can see The Old Post Office built in the 14th century which became a tourist attraction.
You can see spectacular photos from this place at the Gallery.

The treasure trail

Today I learnt an interesting way to find out about an area. It's a sort of game called Treasure Hunt and it consists of a trip around a place or several villages which is ideal to do with the family.
If you buy a trail, you get a book where you can find a detailed route and several clues which help you to solve a mystery murder or find hidden treasure.
This way leads you to find out a lot of information about each visited place which otherwise you wouldn't know.
We went to Roseland following the way signed on the map. It was an exciting experience and an interesting way to find out more about this area of Cornwall.
You can see the photos at the Gallery.

Eliot Arms. Square & Compass

Near to the main road in Launceston you can find The Eliot Arms, a typical English pub which dates from 1625.
Inside, it is unusualy decorated with a lot of household goods and other memorabilia which remind us of past times.
You can have a look at the gallery to see more inside photos.

Carnglaze Slate Caverns

Carnglaze Slate Caverns are the only slate quarry in Cornwall set near St. Neot in the valley of the River Loveny, a tributary of the River Fowey, in the middle of Liskeard and Bodmin.
It has been worked for over 500 years, especially in the 18th and 19th century. The slate is mainly used for roofing and flooring in buildings, and it has a blue colour different from other slates of Cornwall, which are greyer.
This place is occasionally used for concerts and can seat 300 people.
At the end of the visit, the tourist guide told us that most of the slate in the area is from Spain, even the slate on the roof of the ticket hut. I was surprised and I asked the reason why and they told me that the Spanish slate was probably cheaper.
You can find more information at its web page and see more photos at the gallery.

Exeter, ancient and modern

Today we went to Exeter. It seems to me a perfect mixture between tradition and modernity.
Exeter is an ancient town with an important past as a Roman settlement, in fact, its name has a Latin origin.
Nowadays, it's a very important commercial centre and you can find chain stores and independent shops which stock designer labels from around the world in its streets, especially in the busy city centre.
Historical buildings stand by modern buildings in a perfectly balanced urban landscape.
More photos from Exeter.

The Second World War in Boyton

Today the weather was occasionally sunny, so I went for a walk in the Boyton countryside and I took some photos around the border between Devon and Cornwall.
Near to the river which forms the border, there are the remains of a Prisoner of War Camp which has been turned into a farm workshop.
Initially, the camp hosted Italian prisoners and later German prisoners. All of them worked at local farms doing general farm work. They were even given extra food to supplement their diet in exchange for making additional goods, like baskets or trays.
People were living together harmoniously until the locals discoverd that the leather which the prisoners used to mend boots and shoes was actually from the leather belts of the farm machinery.