Nice Monday 8th Sept

 Saturday already 22nd June Falmouth to St Austell

A slightly later start in the morning, leaving the hotel at 9.30 am and heading to Tregotham Tea gardens. We got down to one of the upper reaches of the Falmouth estuary where we were met by Rod and John who were to give us a tour of the tea gardens, they were both very nice, John spoke quite terribly terribly, but happy to show us around. The coach took us back up the lane a bit and then we walked through a bit of dense vegetation ( called the Jungle) where they explained why and how they grow tea there. Basically the climate is wet and mild, and the winds off the estuary bring more moisture in the form of mist, most mornings.

 listed building next to which they have built some conveniences to match in 

The Jungle 

Looking over the tea plants towards the river Fal, it is very deep and quite navigable, 

The tea plants take about 6-10 years to mature enough for harvesting, and we were shown what and how to pick the tips. Given a little tea bag to fill up.

We have to leave it a couple of days to wilt, then roll it into small cigar shapes, then leave it to oxidise and turn reddish brown ready for brewing. 

We walked through a bit more forest to  another tea field, that was still waiting to be mature enough to be harvested, then down along the river side, Past Rod’s shed, where he works with wood.

The beautiful colour of foxgloves we have been trying to photograph as we sail past the hedgerows

This lane isn’t sealed but a lot of the roads and lanes are lined with trees, and quite often meeting over the road, even some of the main roads can be like this, it is so green! = lots of rain and it is spring! 

Then back to where we started to be taken up the lane and down a bit to OPurdy’s where we sat in the garden, under umbrellas and had some Tregotham Classic tea and scones with jam and clotted cream - that way round for Cornwall, the other way around for Devon, all was very nice and I must say the tea was lovely.

Walked back again along the river, a field was pointed out to us that had markings of where the Americans  practised their aim or firing range before the Normandy invasion, boats that had been left to rot on the National trust side of the river 

Time for teas tasting in a small room they call the reading room, with Rod and John left to right, was interesting, seems I like the lighter teas not the stronger ones. 

Of to our hotel after a quick visit to the supermarket for supplies, salad for tea, toothpaste and fruit, then we arrived at our hotel, a bit fancy, Princess Anne has stayed here, There is a Spa, swimming pool, golf course etc. Oh and tennis courts.

Tea in our rooms, then We went for a walk with Ken the driver along the cliff path for about 25 minutes either way, to a place called Charlestown, where some of Poldark was filmed, had a drink of tonic in the garden, there were some slightly inebriated young people, who sounded just like the ones you see in the shorts for those reality programmes on TV. Ken said please don’t judge British Pubs by that experience, and we walked back to the hotel.