We are off for a week to Port Gaverne just a stones throw from Port Isaac which is we’re the TV series Doc Martin is set. I have to admit I have never watched the program but I am aware of its existence and the fact that Martin Clunes plays the main part.
We were up early and soon finished the packing, before picking Helen’s dads Telegraph and then picking Helen’s parents, this was going to be the annual gathering of Helen’s family for fun and frolics by the sea.
We headed off to the M25 traffic was moving a a good lick, Helen started the general knowledge crossword and had us all engrossed so much so that we missed he turn off for the M4. Turns out that it did not matter we went the M3 A303 route instead. Turns out that the A303 is a much more scenic route than the M4/M route. Traffic queued at times when the road went from dual to single carriage way.
Just after half way we stopped at Mantacute House National trust property, which has well maintained gardens. The house is fairly normal for properties of that era. One more recent owner of the house was a collector of samplers and we purchased three for Helen and her sister s to do during the weeks holiday. I created a panorama http://neilbaldwin.netpanorama-cornwall/montacute-house-national-trust/
We arrived at the property and everyone else was already there we had take more or less 5 hours for the journey which was pretty reasonable. the property is about 3 hundred yards from the cliff edge with views of the sea from the raised decking . The views in land are also rural and elevated.
We had taken a batch of my pasta sauce for the evening meal and it was easily prepared, despite having to deal with an electric hob.