Mad Dash to Cornwall.

Last Christmas we wanted to see the Christmas lights in Mousehole Harbour, but didn't get there because my Mum was ill over the holiday.  This year we decided that we would go and booked a hotel room just for one night in Camborne, which was just half hour's drive from Mousehole.  

According to our satnav it is a 3.75 hour journey without stopping.  Being as it was Tuesday and a bank holiday the roads were fairly quiet and the weather was good our travel went quite well. We did stop at a service area just south of Exeter;  a surprising place as we didn't expect much, just a drink and loo break but came across an ex-Little Chef with really nice food.We eventually got to Camborne as it was starting to get dark so pretty good run down.

After an early dinner in the pub next door to the hotel we set off for Mousehole and we managed to park quite easily in the pay and display car park just outside the village.  Here are some of my photos taken by iPhone and as ever I'm surprised how well the photos turned out.

At the entrance to the village

This was the sight that greeted us as we got to the harbour. Three sailing boats, a whale and a Loch Ness monster lighting up the water. On the left harbour wall were a church and some trees.

Stocking, baubles, Christmas pudding and present were on the back wall.

There had to be a mouse too, with a lightbulb too.

The streets around the village we light with strings of lights too so it really was a colourful sight. A church in the backstreet had a nativity scene all light up.  The whole village really goes to town with their lights.

Not to be outdone the nearest town to Moushole is Newlyn, who had their own lights and a took one of an anchor the side of a building (this photo I took from the car windscreen, so I'm surprised it turned out as well as it did).

On the wall of a pub was a mermaid (you can see our sat nav in the bottom of the pic).

And a few other light decorations too.

We headed back towards Camborne and stopped of at Marazion where we saw St Michaell's Mount lit  up not a good pic as the Mount is so far away, but can be seen just right of the We,come sign

We travelled back home the next day but instead of whizzing straight back on the A30, we headed towards Newquay then Bude.  There was a sign along the route which took us to Widemouth Bay and stopped briefly to take in the views.  Seeing the waves coming in to the coast it was easy to see why this bit of coastline is popular with surfers.  We walked a short way along the cliff top and took a few photos.  I like this one, taking advantage of the long shadows from the winter sun.

Isn't the sky fantastic?

And looking across the other way.

David wasn't keen on stopping in Bude, too many people so we went on to Holsworthy (didn't stop there either) then Okehampton.  Lovely tea shop there had tea and scones and oh dear, there's a wool shop just across from there.

Two balls of yarn were calling to me to buy them.  What was I to do!

From Okehampton we headed towards Exeter then took the Lyme Regis road back into Dorset.  We don't go there often so it was a pleasant walk around the town and the quirky shops there and seeing the sun go down over the Cobb.

And of course there are Christmas lights in the town. 

After a stop in Dorchester for an early dinner we were soon home.  It too all day and were tired by the end after our two day there and back trip, but got today to recover before I go back to work tomorrow.

It was worthwhile to get away albeit for a short time and lucky to have had such good weather too.