We went in to find a surprisingly large site with various pools and enclosures containing a number of different seals, one of which has an underground viewing area where you can watch the seals swimming underwater.
The most heavily populated pool, and the most entertaining, was the Convalescence pool, which contained a number of seals, who were not considered fit enough to be returned to the wild – some of which had been in residence for many years. Most of these were basking in the sunshine at the side of the pool, and some of their constant fidgeting and arguing was very amusing – I never realised quite how noisy seals could be! Some of the younger seals also seemed to be swimming round the pool, then jumping out at the older ones basking on the side, provoking a number of mainly good-natured fights.
This park is in a lovely setting alongside the River Helford, where, if you want a change from the seals, you can see various seabirds in and above the water, or on the exposed mudflats if the tide is out. The Seal Sanctuary certainly makes a good half-day out -as well as the entertainment provided by the seals, they serve the best Cornish pasties Angie & I have ever tasted in the café!
After our visit, we decided to explore the Lizard Peninsula, which is a beautiful area of countryside and coastline. Worth a visit is the Mullion Meadows Craft Centre containing, among other things, Trenance Chocolate Factory (a small chocolate factory and shop), Gallery Anthony (an art gallery selling paintings and art materials), and Home Farm Candles (a candle shop selling a huge variety of perfumed candles – including some unusual fragrances). We then proceeded to Porthleven, where we spent some time on the beach, while Kathryn explored the rock pools, after which we went to the Harbour Inn for dinner, which was thoroughly enjoyable. We then made our way back to Treva, where we relaxed for the rest of the evening.
On another day, we decided we would visit St Michael’s Mount.
It was always one of my ambitions to visit Mont St Michel, in Normandy, which we did two years ago, and I have never been so disappointed with a tourist attraction as I was with that place. How a place that can look so serene and tranquil, rising majestically out of the sea as it does, can be so full of tacky gift shops, bars and restaurants, and absolutely rammed with tourists, I really don’t know.
From afar, I have always looked upon St Michael’s Mount to be a poor relation to it’s French counterpart, looking like a shed on top of a hill in comparison. I was actually quite surprised to see advertised tickets to visit the castle, as I thought it was church, but I thought we should give it a go. I was really pleased we did.We (particularly Kathryn) enjoyed a very short, but rocky, ferry ride across to the island. As we approached the harbour, I could see it was surrounded by an attractive, but small, village area, which included a café, restaurant, and a couple of gift shops. Being a National Trust site, these were quite “up-market” establishments, with food and gifts of good quality available; we had lunch in the café, which was surprisingly quite reasonably priced, bearing in mind we were something of a captive audience. It was also very nice!
After we had eaten, we made our way up a steep, uneven path to the castle. This proved to be a revelation – it was a beautiful little castle, with a real homely feel about it. The rooms were not particularly large, but were very decorative, without being ostentatious. Within the castle was a beautiful little chapel, with some very attractive stained-glass windows. Overall, the castle was welcoming and appealing, and I would love to have been able to spend a few nights here.
Looking out to sea from some of the windows conjured up imaginery images of stormy weather, with wind howling outside and waves crashing on the rocks below, whilst being tucked up in a cozy little room in the castle, with a fire roaring in the stone fireplace.
Although we didn't visit it oursevles, you could also buy another ticket to see the castle gardens. You could look down on the gardens from the castle, and they looked wonderful - surprisingly widespread and varied.
Overall, I would thoroughly recommend a visit to this site - it really is a lovely little place, full of character and charm, and has some interesting history attached to it.
That evening, we decided to have dinner at the Lamb & Flag Inn, on the A30 at Canonstown. As other family members had it to us (thanks Nick & Sara!), and also recommended making a booking, I phoned to reserve a table. It proved to be a wise move, as people who arrived after us were being told they would have to wait for some time, whereas we were shown to our table immediately. I am not surprised it is a popular pub / restaurant. The food proved a roaring success; not the cheapest place to eat, neither prohibitively expensive, the quality was excellent, with a varied menu, pretty much wholly consisting of local produce. A special mention must be reserved for the chips they serve, which are by far the best chips I have ever tasted. The portion sizes were also more than ample (even from the Children’s menu), and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals, and returned to Treva fully satisfied.
