A Favourite National Trust Property from a Different Slant.

 I have been visiting Lanhydrock since I was a young teenager and my mum remembers seeing the Robartes family who lived there on their trips or Bodmin. Our visit this time was a little different. Like all NT properties booking ahead is essential and I had done this before we left home. This time arriving at the correct time shouldn’t have been difficult considering our B & B was less than 3 miles away. How then did we manage to get lost in the Cornish lanes so that when I finally reconciled that my navigating skills had failed and resorted to the Sat Nav we found ourselves 6 miles away? Whoops!

We arrived with what we thought was time to spare only to find at this venue our tickets were not checked on arrival at the car park but down at the Gatehouse by the house. Despite a rapid walk down we were about 10 to 15 minutes late but fortunately encountered another understanding ticket collector who happily let us in.

It was rather like arriving in a ghost town. Admittedly it was still only about 10.45 and of course the numbers are limited but there was hardly anyone around. The stable yard is usually a bustling area with a cafe, outside seating and ice creams for sale. Sadly none of this was open. It was ideal however for photography with so few people to obscure the view!

The house was open with the now usual social distancing and a limited number of just the bigger rooms available to be seen. They had taken the theme of one of the Lady Robartes opening the house to the public for the first time. Each room had a notice “written” by her. There were subtle little additions referring to the need for distancing.

She didn’t beat about the bush with her notices.

We then headed into the gardens which were looking splendid in the September sunshine.

It is worth considering as well that only 2 of the 5 gardeners have been working and there are no volunteer gardeners.

I had Naked Lady envy referring of course to the Belladonna lilies.

Sadly the two that I planted in our garden have done nothing.

Farmer Husband spotted a plant that he would like in our garden so it will be going on his birthday list. 

Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’.

It was then time for a picnic lunch. No roast dinner for the farmer today! We spent a little time reminiscing about our visit on our honeymoon when we had Sunday Roast in the Servant Quarters restaurant. The cafe in the car park was doing a limited menu and although it is important to try and support them we didn’t feel too guilty having spent out in both the shop and plant centre. Spot the essential of any 2020 picnic!

It was then down to the bottom of the estate at Respryn for a walk along the river. Another idyllic spot.

My mum often talks about coming here with her dad as child to go fishing. I suspect it was a quieter spot back then.

The medieval five arched bridge has a fair bit of traffic using it. Width of vehicles is carefully controlled by concrete walls either side making a very narrow entry and exit. It was quite amusing watching vehicles negotiating these with real danger of a scraped side to their car!

Our day was not yet finished! It was then off to Harlyn Bay for a picnic cream tea on the beach with my sister, brother in law and mum who were also staying in Cornwall. 

There was even time for Farmer Husband and I to take an early evening walk along the cliffs.