Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie

Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie. Another year and another week down at Archie’s favourite location, The Park at Mawgan Porth ( I have lost count how many times we have returned).   We booked Lowenek which is our favourite accommodation amongst the many different types and sizes of accommodation that The Park has to offer.  We return here as Archie loves the quick walk down to Mawgan Porth beach, the dog friendly accommodation is ideal, the onsite restaurant The Kitchen is very good either to eat in or they offer a takeaway service which is the same menu as if you ate there, to take back to your accommodation. Also it only takes about an hour and a half to get there.

There is also the Merrymoor Inn right down on the beach, again just a short walk away and then The Falcon Inn at St Mawgan which you can walk to from The Park.

As I said above, we have had enjoyed many previous holidays at The Park, so I will not repeat similar photos that have already appeared in previous blogs, so please take a look at these.  I will only add new photos of places we haven’t visited before.

Saturday 22nd April 2023

We left home at 11.00 am in the pouring rain.(typical after the lovely weather we had the week before!!).  The journey didn’t start very well as just before the Tamar Bridge there was accident so we were held up for a while.

We stopped at our usual place at Cardinham Woods for a walk through the woods, and luckily by this time the rain had stopped and it was dry – well for the moment.  However when we came to eat our picnic lunch it started to rain again, but being British we still sat out on a picnic table and Archie enjoyed helping us eat our egg mayonnaise rolls (his favourite picnic food).

We arrived at The Park at about 2.30 and it was still raining and quite miserable.  However Lowenek was nice and warm and cosy as the heating was on.  We unpacked the car  and then had a nice cup of coffee.

Archie was itching to go down to the beach and looking at the weather forecast the rain was due to stop at about 5.30 p.m. so he would just have to wait a little longer. He would be very unhappy if he didn’t get to visit his favourite beach at Mawgan Porth on the fist day of our holiday. Unfortunately the tide was almost in so not much beach.

Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie

I realised when unpacking that I had left some croissants in my freezer at home so I had to pop into the Cornish Fresh convenience store down by the beach on the way back.  This shop is fantastic and sells absolutely everything you would need including fresh pasties, croissants, filled baguettes and alcohol.

We ordered a takeaway from The Kitchen and enjoyed it with a Glass of wine. As on previous visits we entertain ourselves by having an Uckers tournament (sad I know).  So we played 2 games and it was a draw.

Sunday 23rd April

Got up and enjoyed a croissant for breakfast.  It was dry and a bit sunny although the sun didnt stay out for very long and the clouds thickened.

We were going to visit some friends who have a caravan at Perranporth who go down  every other weekend but with the rainy weather forecast this weekend they decided not to go which was a good idea as the heavens opened, but it was supposed to brighten up in the afternoon and for the next couple of days so fingers tightly crossed).

We decided to stay around The Park today so we booked a table at The Kitchen for a Sunday lunch which would actually be the first time we had tried it here.

We thought a walk out to St Mawgan would tire Archie out and for us to walk up an appetite, as we do not normally eat much at lunchtimes on any day of the week.  We started off and then the heavens opened and we got soaked.  We got back just in time to dry off before going down to lunch.

We both chose the roast beef  and it was a big plateful and we enjoyed it very much accompanied by a glass of red wine.

Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie

Archie behaved himself so after a cup of coffee back at Lowenek we had a walk down to the beach. The tide was  out a long way so Archie had a good run around. Then the sun decided to come out and we sat at an outside table overlooking the beach at the  Merrymoor for a drink and making the most of the warm sunshine and very pleasant, a complete difference to the wet morning.

The sun stayed out and it was actually nice enough to sit out on the patio area at Lowenek.  However it didn’t stay out for very long but it stayed dry.

After a large lunch we knew we wouldn’t want much more to eat but I did bring back a filled baguette from the Cornish Fresh shop in case we got peckish a bit later on.  We did consume it at around 7.00 p.m.

As we had walked quite a long way today totalling about 7 miles, we had a relaxing evening, Steve reading, me watching the TV and Archie sleeping.

Monday 24th April

We decided to go to the Lost Gardens of Heligan (somewhere we always said we wanted to visit but had never got around to it).  It was about a 22 mile drive away from The Park, so not too far.

I have to say that we were rather underwhelmed.  It cost £22.50 per adult therefore £45.00 in total for us both. Dogs do get a little paper doggy bag, but don’t get excited as it consisted of 3 little gravy bones and a pooh bag.  Also dogs have to be kept on a lead the whole way around, even though on some of the paths it would have been perfectly okay to let them off.

We saw and did everything there was to see and do and the guide said to see everything it would take a couple of day – really????  and a minimum of 4 hours to get a taste of the gardens.  We did the whole thing including having lunch in the cafe in around 2 hours, so definitely not worth the money.  Also there was supposed to be a metal sculpture of the Grey Lady, but she was not there.

The Jungle and Lost Valley were pretty I have to say the stand out display was the huge rhododendrons which were quite spectacular as they were in full bloom.  However at a different time of year then it would be a different story.

We decided to have some lunch at the cafe and there was a nice outside seating area with lots of at tables and chairs. I went in to order some food some food and was asked for my table number. I said we were sat outside and the tables didnt have numbers only to be told that they could not serve any food out there. I questioned why and was told it was too far for the waiters to carry the food and crockery had got broken.  I was quite willing to wait for my order and carry it out myself but “no, it was prohibited”. So what was the point of these outside cafe tables and chairs when you could not use them for food.

So we had to sit inside which was very warm and although dogs were allowed it would have been much nicer to sit outside.

We each  had a bowl if soup and you had the choice of a cheese scone to go with it or Heligan bread. We chose the Heligan bread expecting a nice thick slice of special bread but all it was, was an ordinary bread roll which was most disappointing.

Are we glad we visited, yes, would we go back definitely no due to the extortionate entrance fee.

As we were very close to Mevagissey and another place we wanted to see we headed there.  A pretty little harbour and narrow streets filled with interesting independent shops and worth a visit, and it didn’t cost £45 to look around it.

We also saw some other people walking around who we saw at the Lost Gardens of Heligan so they obviously had seen all they wanted to see with time to go somewhere else!

We got back to The Park around 3.30 pm and had a cup if coffee on the patio at Lowenek and as Archie had been on lead all day it was down to the beach to let off some pent up steam.  The tide was out a long way so he had a good old run around.

We then decided to walk down to the Merrymoor pub for a meal in the evening which was very good.  Steve had s steak and I had chimichurrie slow cooked beef served with rice and tortilla chips.

We got got bacck to Lowenek about 8.00 pm for a coffee and then watched tv (no uckers), Corrie takes precedence.

Tuesday 25th april

Weather forecast was supposed to be a lovely sunny day, so I got up and put on some shorts only to take them off again immediately as the forecast had changed to cloudy and windy all day.

We decided to do our trip to Padstow and then take the pedestrian ferry over to Rock which we have done a few times before and Archie loves the long walk across the beach.  Although it was now sunny and dry there was a bitterly cold strong wind which we had to battle against along the beach. There were plenty of dogs also having a  great time on the beach and Archie had to go and say “hello” to all of them.

It was a long and windy walk to the headland and along the way passing some seagulls having a  feeding frenzie and fighting over a shoal of either spratts or sand eels that were close to the shoreline.

It was then back on the ferry and back to Padstow for the obligatory pasty for lunch.

We then had a short walk along the camel trail and back to the town centre for a cup of coffee where we found a sheltered and warm pub garden. Then back to  the car, just stopping to buy 2 slices of carrot cake to enjoy with a late afternoon coffee back at Lowenek.

Archie was absolutely shattered after his beach walk so promptly fell asleep (along with Steve who also had some shut eye).

We chose to have a meal at The kitchen tonight. We both had a bowl of soup which was very nice and to follow Steve had a cajun chicken burger and I had a mushroom tagliatelle which I have to say was very tasty, although having soup first was a mistake as neither of us could eat all of the mains.

Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie

We then had 2 games of uckers with us each winning a game so yet another draw.

Wednesday 26th April

We left the park at about 10.00am and drove to Porthleven , a drive of about 1 hour 15 minutes.  We have vistited on a few previous occasions, but I wanted to go back to go to the glass and gift shop to buy a couple of sun catchers for our stair window.

We have never walked to the opposite side of the town over to the beach so this would be a first.  However, we could only walk a little way along the beach as the tide was right in,.

We then had to climb up some steep steps and onto to the narrow road before the cliff path and on the National Trust Penrose estate.  We walked along the cliff path for quite a way taking in the spectacular views out to sea.

We then retraced our steps back to Porthleven and stopped in the harbourside cafe for a pasty and cup of tea. We sat outside and were warned by the waitress to be wary of the resident seagull who was sat on the roof with his beady eyes fixed on us.  He was waiting for any chance that he could to steal a bit of pasty.  However I was not going to share my pasty with anything so held on to it tightly.  However as soon as we got up to leave he swooped down and moved the plates with his beak trying to find a tasty morsal, but all he got was 2 paper serviettes!!

Then it was a stop at the Porthleven Glass and Gift shop which was the main reason I wanted to go back to Porthleven.    I wanted to  buy a couple of stained glass suncatchers that I wanted to  display on our stair window and I did find 2 that I liked.  This is a lovely shop and where we  bought our flame glass lamp a few years ago which has pride of place in our lounge.  You can see a photo of this (near the end of my blog) for our holiday in 2021.

We then visited Steve’s sister on our way back to The Park who lives about 10 miles away from Porthleven for a cup of tea.

We arrived back at The Park about 5.00pm. having had a good day and the weather was also kind as it stayed dry all day.

Decided to have a takeaway from The Kitchen to enjoy with a glass of wine back at Lowenek

Thursday 27th april

We woke up to atrocious weather in the morning with heavy rain so we decided to stay put and play uckers until the forecast improved around lunchtime.  I  wish however we hadn’t as we had 4 games and Steve won 3 -1.

As predicted around lunchtime the rain stopped and it dried up. As Archie was still tired from the previous days with all the walking we had done we thought a short walk down and along the beach would be enough for him today. Trouble is Archie has to go and see every dog that is on the beach so he probably walks twice as far as we do. We then sat outside at the Merrymoor and enjoyed a drink in the warm sunshine.

Then back for coffee and a slice of lemon drizzle cake I bought from the Cornish Fresh shop on the way back to Lowenek.

We had a meal in the kitchen with both of us choosing the creamy mushroom tagliatelle which was very tasty.  It was so tasty that I will definitely replicate this at home.  Steve had a dessert of sticky toffee pudding and I had a trio of ice cream and sorbets.

Friday 28th April

Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie

The weather was cloudy but at least it was dry for the moment and today was supposed to be the best day of the week for weather.

We decided to go to Trevose Head and parked in the National Trust car park passing the entrance to Mother Ivey’s Bay  holiday park.  We walked along the coast path to Dinas Head where the Trevose lighthouse is situated.

By this time the sun came out and it turned quite warm.  We followed the coast path and at the top of the hill you looked across and saw  Harlyn Bay.

We walked down a hill and saw where the Padstow lifeboat station is situated which is quite remote and actually quite a long way from Padstow.

We then retraced our steps back along the coast path passing  Boobyes Bay and ending up on the beautiful sandy beach at Constantine Bay.  Archie goes mad on the beach and enjoys digging and rolling in the sand.  He also laid down in the water on the shoreline and just paddled a little out into the breaking waves but he is not keen on venturing out too far.

The sun was out in full force and it was extremely warm now, but sat on the beach in the golden sand looking out to see it was lovely – why do you need to go abroad?

Then it was back along the very narrow road back to The Park.  It was now mid afternoon so we picked up some pasties from the Cornish Fresh Shop and ate them on the patio at Lowenek washed down with a  G & T.

I started to pack in readiness for the early departure in the morning as we have to vacate Lowenek by 9.00 am which is very early.

As it was still dry and warm in the early evening  we decided we would walk down to the Merrymoor a bit later for our last holiday evening meal. However that changed as suddenly a thick sea mist came down so we changed our minds and got a takeaway from The Kitchen instead.

We the had 2 games of uckers, me winning both. So overall it was a draw 5 all.

Saturday 29th April

Homeward bound today so packed up the car and then went and had a cooked breakfast in the kitchen before the journey home.

Back home unpacked,  washing machine on and back to normal and the holiday a distant memory, but it was a nice break.  Although we had done a lot of walking so looking forward to a bit of rest!!!

Next year 2024 we have actually booked somewhere different and are off to Beaulieu in Hampshire so watch this space when I will report back.

Mawgan Porth Holiday 2023 with Clumberdoodle Archie