Since my last post I left Dorset, passed through Devon and arrived in Cornwall, the main focus of the trip.

First stop was Bigbury-on-Sea, just to have a peep at Burgh Island, a tiny island off the shore where an Art Deco hotel {where Poirot was once filmed} sits. It was a bit grey and windy that day and not as pretty as it probably is in sunshine; I just stopped for a few photos and some lunch sheltered by rocks on the beach before heading to my first Cornwall stop, Mevagissey.

Mevagissey

As part of my explorations into what best suits me as a traveller now, I had booked myself into a variety of Airbnbs, actual B&Bs and one hotel. For various reasons I soon discovered that self catering is best for me, and I cannot rate Airbnb highly enough in terms of quality of places to stay and ease of use. It’s a fantastic system. {If you sign up using that link you’ll receive £25 credit! And I’ll get a little something too.}

Cannot get enough of the boats.

However, the B&B I stayed in in Mevagissey was lovely and cosy, and really well situated, just 200 yards level walk {something you quickly come to appreciate in this part of the country!} into the village.

While staying there I visited the Lost Gardens of Heligan, which is a magical place. I’ll let some of the photos I took show you why.

Near the beginning are two huge sculptures, this giant head, and the ‘Mud Maid’ below.

The Mud Maid

The Jungle – the main reason I wanted to visit the gardens. Because of Cornwall’s subtropical climate, these jungly plants can flourish here.

Rope bridge in the Jungle area of the gardens

There’s a sign before you get to the rope bridge saying something like, if you want to walk across the rope bridge and are in the queue here, you have about a half hour wait. It never occurred to me it must {of course} get that busy! There were so few people it was like walking in the jungle {albeit with handy wooden walkways} alone.

Just like in the real jungle. With walkways.

Cornish views from the gardens to the sea {that horse is called Izzy}

Beyond the jungle, there are several different areas to the gardens, including a network of pathways in a more English countryside style, Italianate gardens, greenhouses and a wildlife hide for bird watching, some Secret Garden style corners, and an area called Sikkim which has been left as it was discovered in 1990 by Tim Smit {of the Eden Project}, all overgrown and wild.

Hugest magnolia I’ve ever seen

Hugest rhodedendrons I’ve ever seen

That evening I ate one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten in a restaurant called the Sharksfin. Not just because the food was incredible {it really was}, or the service excellent {that too}, but also because of the freedom I’ve been blessed with that enables me to roam around in the world by myself and not feel uncomfortable or lonely eating alone. I could sit there eating my moules mariniere, sipping my rosé, and then tucking into a chocolate brownie with ice cream, feeling completely present to the experience, writing a little in my journal, and just soaking up the atmosphere.

More in a couple of days, when I also manage to make some actual art.