Synopsis: A busy day, visiting Restormel Castle and Lanhydrock. With a bit of a walk to, from and in between. Travelled by train from Exeter. An enjoyable, interesting and quietly relaxing day.
(selection of photos from Flickr photo set – use link above to view album)
I’d recently become a member of English Heritage and was browsing their guide book when I stumbled upon Restormel Castle, and also noted that it was close to Lostwithiel railway station. I also noted it wasn’t far from Lanhydrock. It didn’t take a lot of mental effort to fathom a joint visit was possible, travelling by train, and hence today’s outing. I wrote this blog post on the go, therefore its style reflects this and is a little different to my normal style.
[07:34]: My train departed from Digby & Sowton railway station. I call it a station, but it is really more a 'platform', as is the way with railways these days. I'm afraid no one was serving cups of tea in the canteen in best historic tradition. Still, comfortably seated and chugging, of a fashion, along.
Up at 05:30 this morning. That's dedication for you. It was just becoming light as I got up. I have a lot to cram in today, which will include a good deal of time spent on trains. At least time on a train isn't wasted time, like time in a car, since I can catch up on news and emails as I travel. And, of course, in common with so many train passengers, I spent time looking out of the window. And today, one of the things I noted was the number of groups of men out cycling. Great to see so many getting fresh air and exercise in such an eco-friendly fashion. Where the women are, I'll leave you to surmise. I suspect half of my readers will say, slaving in the kitchen, and the other half will say, watching TV and gossiping.
[09:30]: Here I am crossing the River Tamar over Brunel's the Royal Albert Bridge, with the Tamar Bridge (road bridge) visible from my train window. Saltash is visible far below.
[10:08]: Arrived in Lostwithiel. Walking into the village I crossed over the medieval Lostwithiel Bridge (Grade I Listed). Popped down to the Church of St Bartholomew (Grade I Listed). I didn't have a lot of time to spare, but as I was passing by so close I thought I'd take a quick peek. I discovered the church was closed. The museum and the toilets were also closed. I must be in Cornwall.
[11:02]: What an impressive ruin I discovered Restormel Castle (EH) to be. I now understand that it is considered to be the best preserved example of a Norman Motte and Bailey castle in the country. On approaching the castle, I saw that the ditch, the original castle moat, encircles the castle as it always has.
[11:15]: The ruins are a lot more substantial than I had expected from the various images I had seen. Many of the walls of the interior rooms are still standing. In conjunction with the useful interpretation panels dotted about the castle, it was very easy to imagine life for those living in the castle.
[11:36]: Around the rear of the castle one can see the walls of the chapel, which juts out on the right of the image below. By now, the clouds had begun to part, and the sun put in a showing. The castle looked splendid. To capture something of the majesty of this venerable old ruin, I took this panoramic photo.
[12:24]: As I came close to Lanhydrock, I entered Great Wood, which stretches all the way to Lanhydrock. I noticed that the trails in the woods are wide and waymarked, although I didn't discover information on the day. Subsequently I found that there is information available at Cycle Lanhydrock. But this refers to trails north of Lanhydrock, in various 'plantations' (Lodge, Bazley, Walter, Cotislost, Roundhill, Hart and Timber). See: 'Trails map'. I cannot, at this time confirm the relevance of the trail markers I came upon in Great Wood as information on the National Trust's Lanhydrock's web pages doesn't seem to make reference to them. Cycle hire is available at Lanhydrock.
[12:49]: Arrived at Lanhydrock (NT). And feeling hungry. First stop, find a bench in the garden and have something to eat. I was able to find a nice wrought iron bench that looked out over the formal gardens to the side of Lanhydrock House.
[12:50]: Whilst eating my lunch, I was suddenly greeted with a loud peal of bells. A wedding party was flowing out of the church and onto the lawn in front of me (I was to discover later, the second of the day). Just as the photographer was getting into full swing, the skies opened. It was such a shame. I made a quick dash for cover into the house.
[15:06]: Ok, it's my old preoccupation with bathrooms that's come to the surface yet again. I'm afraid, because my bathroom is quite ancient, I take a delight in finding bathrooms that are actually older than mine. But, whatever my reasons for taking this photo, I do think it merits a place in my album. This is my kind of bathroom.
[15:12]: What I find very appealing about Lanhydrock is the completeness of the interior furnishings. Whether it is the rooms in which the family lived, or the rooms in which the 'staff' (the family declined to use the word servant, indicative of their liberal leanings) worked, every corner of the house is very fully furnished. I did like this room, which is particularly sumptuous.
[16:04]: I had a little bit of time to spare before setting off for the railway station. I used this time to have a little stroll around the garden. Although the garden season for this year was coming to an end, there was still a good deal of beautiful colour to be found. I particularly liked this patch where the light illuminating the plants is made dappled by the backdrop of trees.
[16:34]: This is described as: 'Laundry Trailer, in use until 1969'. I overheard a conversation in which it was said Lanhydrock put their laundry out to widows in the community, which they deemed a worthy thing to do. This is interesting, since my own grandfather, abandoned to a workhouse, was brought up by a widow, who described herself as 'laundress'. Possible parallels?
[16:52]: Time for me to be headed home, as I've a train to catch. At the end of the very long drive of Lanhydrock I came upon this lodge. Past the lodge I crossed a road, passed by what looked like another lodge, and then picked up a tarmacked lane. Specimen trees are to be found along the entire length of this lane, which I take to be a Lanhydrock connection.
[17:07]: This tarmacked lane, which follows the course of the River Fowey, I mistakenly thought might have been a dismantled railway. I now think it’s merely an extension of the main drive to the house. Whatever it was, I followed it all the way to Bodmin Parkway, from where I was due to catch my train home at 17:41.
The route I walked today can be viewed from: ':- Lostwithiel to Bodmin' (Bing Maps) The discrepancy in distance (8.2 miles walked today, 5.6 miles on route map) is because of distance involved in strolling around Lostwithiel, Restormel Castle and Lanhydrock gardens all added to the total mileage that I clocked. The distance from Lanhydrock to Bodmin Parkway was 1.8 miles, a distance I walked at a very casual pace in 48 minutes.
And one final note, a bit of an aside, although it could lay claim to being a cultural aside, is that a film adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night or What You Will was filmed at Lanhydrock in 1996. If you can turn out a copy of this film, it might be just the ticket when it comes to setting the scene for a visit to Lanhydrock.
Previous visits of mine to Lanhydrock:
* 22-29 June 2008 Treyarnon Bay Camping Holiday, Cornwall (Blog post)
* 23 July to 16 August 2008 - Summer Holidays (Blog post)
* 26 June 2010 Lanhydrock (Flickr photos)
Walk Statistics:
Total Distance: 13.25 km / 8.2 miles
Moving Time: 3hrs 18min
Stopped Time: 1hr 01min
Total Ascent: 275 metres
Maximum Elevation: 124 metres
Buses: (none)
Trains: Digby & Sowton to Lostwithiel – off-peak day return with Devon & Cornwall Railcard: £11:50
…… Normal ticket price, without railcard discount (33%) would have been: £17.40
Train out: 07:34 – 10:08 (2hrs 34mins) – one change
Train return: 17:41 – 19:44 (2hrs 03mins) – one change (from Bodmin Parkway)
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