Winter in the UK

Hi everyone,

With our big EU adventure behind us we headed back to the UK for Christmas and the New Year with family.  We spent time in Kent and had a nice Christmas with Nicki's parents in Norfolk.

Walking in Cornwall

Nicki prepares Christmas Dinner..

... and The Cake

Chilly mid-winter, mid-afternoon walk

From Norfolk we coached and trained south to Plymouth.  We spent a week there exploring the city.

Mayflower model in Plymouth Maritime Museum

Trying out local ciders

Lovely nautical-themed Gypsy Moth pub

Plymouth Gin Distillery

Just another couple of Sea Furies

From Plymouth we trained west to Falmouth.  We've visited Falmouth several times over the years, including making landfall there on our voyage from Australia.  It's a lovely town.

Accommodation

One weekend we walked the 4+ miles from Falmouth to the Pandora Inn.  One of my n-times great uncles is reputed to have been a Lieutenant on HMS Pandora.  The ship was sent to find and return to England the HMS Bounty mutineers.  The ship was lost on the Great Barrier Reef but a group of mutineers were returned to the UK.  The pub has a lot of memorabilia and a model of the Pandora.  

The Pandora Inn

HMS Pandora model

View of the Pandora Inn

We tried many pubs in and around Falmouth.  Our favourite was The Chain Locker where we had our first pint on arrival in the UK from Australia.  Lots of nautical memorabilia including a poster marking the visit of the Fremantle-built HMS Endeavour replica.

We took ferries across to Flushing and to St Mawes, going for long walks as well as exploring the towns.

Flushing Ferry

One of many nice cloudscapes

St Mawes

St Just in Roselands church

One day we trained further west to Penzance then bussed to Land's End.  Spectacular place.  Had lunch at the Last Inn in England pub.  I last visited the pub while working in the UK in the 1980s.

Penzance

A view from Penzance

Land's End

Breezy & Chilly

Last Pub

We spent a day at Hanry VIII's Pendenis Castle.  It was in use all the way up to WW2.  A battery of naval guns were used in action during WW2, consuming half their ammunition driving off a group of E-boats.

Dry moat "killing ground"

One of the battery of WW2 6" naval guns

Cannons in the grounds

Cannons in the castle

View from the castle

We had a great time in Plymouth and Falmouth.

Heading East

It was time to get on a jet plane and head down-under.  Felt like we were home as soon as we entered the Qantas Club.  It was a long flight.  The view of Rotto on arrival was spectacular.

Qantas Club at Heathrow

Climbing out of the UK

Descending into WA

Great to be home!  Looking forward to speaking at next week's FSC Cruising Group's Topics Night.