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Tintagel, King Arthur's castle and the Wild North Coast |
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Thursday, 09 August 2007 14:23 |
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Tour Four
TINTAGEL, KING ARTHUR's CASTLE AND THE WILD NORTH COAST
 The Legend of King Arthur continues to fascinate and attract people from all over the world. At Tintagel, the evocative remains of a Norman castle conjure spirits of Knights in Shining Armour, Ladies wearing floor length dresses and pointed hats - with a colourful swatch hanging from the top - (and perhaps imprisoned in loft garrets and in obvious distress!). And they are built on the foundations of a much earlier stronghold occupied by a Cornish King. It's position must have made it virtually impregnable!
Small fishing villages inhabit sheltered inlets all along this rugged, inhospitable coastline, with spectacular views everywhere.
But we start our tour at St Agnes Head, where we can see west as far as St Ives and Cape Cornwall, and east as far as Trevose Head.
Old mine workings abound around the village of St Agnes and it is possible to visit a very small tin streaming operation at Blue Hills, Wheal Kitty about 2 miles NE of the town and see how it all happened in the C19th.
Continuing North East along the coast road, we pass through Perranporth - named after the Patron Saint of Cornwall, St Piran - and home of the Lost Church of St Piran, which can be found in the middle of sand dunes and has spent many hundreds of years completely covered by the sand! And on to Newquay - wonderful setting, beautiful beaches, headlands and harbour - and on to Padstow, where lock-gates now keep the water in when the tide recedes.
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Through Wadebridge, Port Isaac, Boscastle, where there is a "Witches Museum"
and on to Tintagel, Lengendary Home of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - were they all equal around that table or was King Arthur using early C6th spin!?
In any event, the site of his castle is certainly impregnable on three sides - and the fourth side would have looked a bit intimidating to a would-be attacker! Take the Landrover vehicle down to the castle to save your legs - and again on the return.
And HOME via Bodmin Moor - perhaps visiting Dozmary pool, where King Arthur's famous sword 'Excalibur' last saw the light of day before sinking below the water - Pencarrow House - a small stately home - Roche Rock - Castle-an-Dinas and Trewithen Gardens.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 23 August 2007 23:47 )
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