Epic UK tour coming to an end help wanted

Re: Cornwall

I agree everyone should visit the Eden centre once in their lives, but busy is an understatement. Get there as they open the gates.
The Lost Gardens of Heligan are not far from there, and even better, at any time of year. Not to be missed.
When on Honeymoon on the Lizard Peninsula, we stayed at a pub called Trengilly Wartha near the village of Constantine. Expensive but very well worth a visit for dinner. The wine list runs into 3 figures (types, not prices) and the brandies and Armagnacs number over 50. I think the food was pretty good as well....
Trebah is great. So is the walk from Constantine up the north bank of the Helford to Mawnan Smith and back. In fact anywhere along that river.

Re. Hampshire and Dorset: if you like gardens then get the "yellow book", available in most garden centres, £1 per county. In our neck of the woods I'd recommend Hillier's arboretum, near Romsey, also Mottisfont Abbey. Abbotsbury gardens near Weymouth are also superb, as are Longstock gardens near Stockbridge and Hinton Ampner near Alresford. The list is endless so I'll stop there.
The countryside around the Purbecks, especially Corfe Castle and Golden Cap is good walking country.

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I don't think anyone has yet mentioned Cothele House, a National Trust property and one of the most original Tudor houses in the country - it still has no electicity and the furnishings include a unique collection of Flemish tapestries. Other special features include a clock with no hands. pre-Victorian kitchens and some good gardens, though they don't compete with Heligan or Eden.
At this time of the year, if you go to Cothele, do so early because of the lack of artificial light.

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I am back and what and exhilarating time we had in the South West. Biggest tides and F9 - F10 winds from the South.

Most places were closed up, Fowey was blocked off by the fuzz as high water approached. Looe was also closed and I was advised against Polperro. None of the ferries were running which made life a little more difficult.

But I had a great time, went to Fowey, Falmouth, Boddinick, Megavissey, Bodmin, Par and Charlestown. Missed a few places due to my navigators skills in the passenger seat; and the lack of ferries.

Was quite disappointed in the maritime museum, Liverpool's is better IMHO.

Thank you all for the help you gave for my planning.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>
 
Sorry that you were disappointed in the NMMC. I wish you had contacted me before you visited and I would have given you a conducted tour with pleasure. It would have taken about 3 hours however. Going round in under 1 1/2 hours, which I suspect you did seeing the distance you travelled, could well be disappointing.

There is a lot to see and do and I suspect you missed quite a bit.

If you come this way again PM me in advance.

PS Only just realised that you should not have been admitted!!! Only official Guide Dogs are permitted to enter and they get in free!

Bob

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Thank you for the offer Bob, I appreciate that. I do intend to visit again if only to spend a few days in the library, 10/10 for that.

Disappointed may be a little strong, but I felt for a national museum it was a little too yachts and not enough ships and history. I felt the name was incorrect, it should be the National Sailing Museum.

I really liked the interactive floor, it was good fun and great to show my land lubber guest what makes the sport so interesting. She did quite well on the tiller too. I loved the windows in the basement that was stunning. The boat pool was great fun, I was reluctant to play in case I screwed up but actually managed to sail the model yacht quite well.

Seeing some of the dinghies was interesting and the interactive screens dotted about worked quite well. I was impressed by Mirror 1, where did they find that?

Would have liked to have seen more on....

RNLI
Wreckers and Pirates
History of UK maritime
Docks and those who worked there.
Customs

The above is already catered for in Liverpool, but I suppose I expected a little better as it has been labelled the 'national' museum. We spent a little over three hours inside, a smoking area would be nice, why is smoking banned on the balcony?


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>
 
"RNLI
Wreckers and Pirates
History of UK maritime"

I have a suspicion that you missed the 2 storey Cornwall Gallery and the Packet Gallery, or some of it, as there is quite a bit on Wrecks etc there. There is a fascinating video in that Gallery of a Cave rescue when the RNLI Inshore boat capsized and was wrecked.

The museum is adjacent to the Falmouth Lifeboat Station so, apart from some publicity and collecting boxes for the RNLI the rest is left to them.

Did you see the rat in the Packet Gallery?

We have over 120 boats in stock and can only show a small proportion at any one time. Space is very limited. Many have come from the NMM at Greenwich who kept them in store with nowhere to show them.

The older boats are of course all sail. There is an offshore racing power boat in the Flotilla Hall and a Hydroplane. There is a beautiful clinker open motor boat in the entrance lobby. Last year's set of boats included a steam launch. The main exhibition is changed every January and it is planned additionally to change the Flotilla hall partially in July.

The exhibition is constantly evolving but, the museum being entirely reliant on visitors for income with no government income at all, cost is very important.

As far as ships are concerned, these and their history are generally covered by Greenwich unless they have direct Cornish Connections. The NMMC collection is limited to about 30 ft owing to space restrictions.

Glad you liked the library, I could spend weeks in there. I suspect that it may well be the best stocked maritime library in the UK.

As an ex-smoker I quite appreciate your point but the balconies are timber and if we got a hot summer (2005?) there would be a strong fire risk. People can also be standing below and would be at risk from dog ends(sorry) and ash.

Hope that this answers some of your points but I am only one of the volunteer staff there and the above are my personal opinions and not official.


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Think I must agree to a point. Was excited watching them build it, went round it when it was a shell and was still keen, then they finished it, and I started looking at cost to the content, and still have not come to terms with it.
If they have another locals free day I may try and go and have another look around, but as yet the current programme does not justify me forking out there sort of money.

Brian

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I think that there will shortly be a "West Briton" offer that may make you want to try again.

By the way, down at the yard yesterday and another boat has now been placed right across your stern. They really are packing them in this year.

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