My Perfect Cornish Weekend
Day 1 - Saturday
Wake up slowly at 8.30am relishing that special feeling of being in a hotel bed in Cornwall; open the curtains and look out onto the Fowey Estuary. Watch the boats drift past for a few minutes, then make a coffee. Read our books for a half an hour, then get up and get organised. Head for Pinky Murphy's Cafe for 10am and order their breakfast platter and a latte - cold meats, haloumi, tomatoes, yogurt, nuts, honey & warm toast. Feel slightly smug about the yogurt, nuts and honey.
Some time around midday, take the 15 minute journey by car to the Eden Project and lose ourselves in the Rainforest Biome, pretending that we are traipsing through an Indonesian jungle. Sample the Catalan fish stew in the restaurant and have a quick play in the Core interactive education centre before leaving around 3pm. I love the Eden Project, but there are yet more Cornish adventures to be had.
Head back to Fowey and take the Polruan pedestrian ferry across the estuary. Walk slowly along the coast path towards Lantic Bay for an hour or two, before making our way back to Fowey on the ferry. Take a breather for a little while, before heading to The Red Herring cafe for pizza or tapas. Get an early night - this holiday lark is tiring.
Day 2 - Sunday
Repeat the start of Saturday morning including the visit to Pinkys for breakfast. At 11am make the 55 minute journey to Falmouth for a trip to the National Maritime Museum. The interactive exhibits are perfect for adults and children alike - the Waterside remote control boats are impossible to walk past without trying. The building is impressive, made from slate, granite and green oak to reflect its waterfront location. Once we've finished interacting, toddle outside for a browse around the local shops including the absolute must stop, The Quay Deli. Pick up some antipasti treats to take back home.
Stop for a late lunch on the way back to Fowey at Pandora's Inn, near Mylor Bridge. They serve lunch until 5pm - bliss. Sit outside on the pontoon above the river and enjoy the sunshine (this is, after all, my perfect weekend). Order the baked ciabatta bread filled with hand-picked Cornish white crab meat and a glass of the Argentinian Chardonnay. Make the final journey back to Fowey.
Finish my perfect weekend with dinner at The Other Place, one of Rick Stein's top 5 seafood restaurants in Cornwall. Order the hand line caught mackerel and home made chips with mushy peas to complete my Cornish foodie experience. Walk through Fowey one last time, before heading back to the hotel for a peaceful sleep. A weekend in Cornwall feels like a million miles from everyday life and a perfect rejuvenation exercise. Drift off thinking 'how soon can I get here again next?'.