Out and About

Days out have been curtailed by the seemingly incessant rain, followed by two weeks of Wimbledon-watching.  But on the good days and with Zac up for some shortish rambles, we have been out and about, enjoying the scenery in this area.

However, for this outing to the theatre with friends one evening, Zac had to stay at home. We went to Sterts Open Air Theatre situated a couple of miles from my home in a village on Bodmin Moor. Essential items are - warm clothing, a cushion and a warm blanket, because it gets a bit chilly in the evenings. 

And this is the band we'd gone to hear - 3 Daft Monkeys! Yes, I know there are 4 members of the band, but they only recently acquired a drummer, so there may well be an adjustment to their name.

It was a very enjoyable evening, excellent music, the chance to 'get down and dance' and to watch the little son of two members of the band, 2 year-old Arlo, dancing away on his own and also with a partner. His sense of rhythm was astonishing for a child so young and he's a real scene-stealer. Unfortunately, my only photos of him were too blurred to be any good - he was quite a fast mover!

On another day, it was a drive around the narrow lanes and nearby villages, stopping for photos of interesting places.  

To the north-west of St. Cleer is King Doniert's Stone, consisting of two pieces of richly carved stone dating back to the 9th century.  The inscription is believed to commemorate Doniert, the last King of Cornwall, who died around 875.

 Onwards next to Colliford Lake, a huge reservoir covering more than 900 acres on Bodmin Moor, near to the village of Bolventor; it offers excellent fishing opportunities and also has a very popular 50-acre leisure and adventure park which offers trails and footpaths,  play areas, wetlands, picnic areas and a cafe.

However, I prefer the quieter parts, where I can absorb the beauty of the area and listen to the skylarks while Zac plods around exploring the many enticing smells.

My car provides shelter from the stiff breeze while I sit and read . . . 

 . . . . and the boot is my coffee-making area.  

Zac cooling off after his adventures.

 Leaving Colliford behind, we head towards St Neot village, negotiating some VERY narrow lanes (and praying that nothing will come the other way!)

 The bridge in the photo above was built in order to preserve the ancient one pictured below when heavier vehicles than the original horse and cart traffic threatened to destroy it.  

Finally, we reach the very pretty village of St Neot; 

St Neot Church and its neighbour, The London Inn, a traditional English pub with wooden beams, thick walls and cosy rooms.  I can vouch for the excellent meals as well!

 The Parish Church, dedicated to Saint Aneitus. 

 The Holy Well of Saint Neot

The legend of this holy well is that it used to contain 3 fish; an angel told Saint Neot that as long as he only ate one fish a day, their numbers would never decrease.  But at a time when Saint Neot fell ill, his servant cooked two of the fish; upon discovering this, St Neot prayed for forgiveness and ordered that the fish be returned.  Upon entering the water, both fish were miraculously restored to life. 

 I hope you enjoyed my travels in the areas around my home.