Painting and digging

I am currently sitting in reception surrounded by piles of files, books, stationary and other bits and pieces as the back office is given a lick of paint - a job we have been trying to do for a while but time has not allowed. The back office is Richard's domain; as the accountant of Tregongeeves Farm Cottages, River Valley Holiday Park and Little Winnick he has a great deal of paper work and organising to do so he deserves a snazzy new office to do it in!  Along with that outside there are holes being dug and drains up, with a small project to improve drainage on the site.  We are already blessed with excellent drainage here so it is not a huge worry, however we have noticde a bit of standing water when we have down pours so John is busy digging French Drains (I always thought a drain was a drain) and inspecting existing drains to work out where they go.

This week has been fairly quiet for us in terms of outings.  We did visit The Eden Project on Friday for a wander - it is magically there at the moment with Father Christmas and reindeers.  Jessica is still a little bit too young to understand it all but we really enjoyed watching lots of excited children.  It is worth keeping an eye on the Eden website as they organise such brilliant events and activities for the whole family - we are looking forward to the World Pasty Championships in March!

Jessica and I headed into Charlestown on Thursday.  We took our flask and biscuits again and sat on the beach watching the waves crash and the tide coming in. Which was all very lovely until the sea got a little too close to us and the pushchair for my liking - I had to work out who to move first to avoid complete soaking.

Having been away a bit recently we are appreciating even more how child friendly Cornwall is and how much places cater for little people.  In St Austell Tengo Cafe now has an upstairs playroom which parents can sit and enjoy a coffee whilst the little ones play with the good selection of toys.  The Eden Cafe, also in St Austell run a huge amount of free sessions which you can drop into such as Tots Rocks (we love this) and nursery rhymetime, always a hit with children especially if you need a little bit of a break.  A short walk from Little Winnick Touring Park, Pentewan Sands has a soft play area which you can use for free if you buy a coffee - it is huge and a great way to burn off energy.  If you are planning a visit don't hesitate to ask us about child friendly places - we have a long list of recommendations.

Christmas Cheer - why not visit Cornwall?

Little Winnick has all sorts of uses; this week I raided the hedges to make my wreath for our door at home.  I had great fun searching the hedges for my holly and chopped the bottom off the fir tree for the base.    I am also loving being in the office with the radio on and all the festive tunes.  However it does make me think that soon the New Year will be here and with it the start of season two.  With only 16 weeks until we reopen the winter season is whizzing by as quick as the summer season did.  We do hope to welcome many of your back and hope you will take advantage of our 7 nights for the price of 5 offer.

We are still having lots of little adventures.  On Sunday Richard and I had morning coffee and biscuits down on Trenarren Beach.  A bit of a hidden gem I can't rave enough about it.  You wander down through a small hamlet passed Trenarren House which used to be the home of acclaimed poet A.L Rowse down a steep track to small beach.  The tide was in for our visit so it was a tiny beach but there is a seat  with the most breathe taking views.  We sat there enjoying our coffee and homemade Christmas biscuits and didn't see a soul - it was magical - just the sound of the waves in the background.

This week I am actually working on the information folder for our cottages.  Tregongeeves Farm Cottages are a coupe of miles from Little Winnick and offer luxury accommodation all year round.  Due to a couple of cancellations with have two cottages available over the New Year - why not pop down and recharge your soul in Cornwall.

Online booking is LIVE!

We have now returned after a two weeks away up country - one week in London and one week in Cricket St Thomas - which was just wonderful and we feel almost fully charged.  Jessica is being looked after by Granny so I have the afternoon to crack on at Little Winnick.

Despite being closed we still have lots to keep us busy here.  As I type I am in reception doing the blog and updating the website and information sheets for when you arrive whilst Richard is busy tucked up in the back office paying bills and sorting out energy suppliers.  We are both snuggled in our winter coats as a wooden reception building is not the warmest at this time of year!

Perhaps the thing I have been most excited about over the recent weeks is the new booking system and we are pleased as punch to say you can now book directly online and make payments through the system.  To say it will make life easier is an understatement.  Of course you can still give us a call at anytime to make a booking or with queries but hopefully you will find booking online and checking availability a help.  We do very much look forward to welcoming you and your families to Little Winnick.

One of our guests who flew to Cornwall in their own plane took the picture of the site which we are so very grateful for.  You can see how well we are situated to access the wonderful Kings Wood and miles of paths that connect to the South West Coastal Path and down to Pentewan Beach.

Work in the bottom field is finally nearing completion after months of digging, flattening, chopping and general tidying.  Pictured is the work in progress - it looks a lot different now.

Richard and his Dad have spent this week digging holes to establish better drainage around the arrival area. At times the work has been like a needle in a haystack with no plans to help however they have successfully managed to locate all their drains.

Whilst it is a little bit quieter we are getting to enjoy the festivities around Cornwall.  St Austell had its lights switch on last week and I have to say it is looking lovely.  We also went to Fowey Christmas light switch on and then their market the following day which was very Cornish and lovely!

2014 seems like a long time away but it is approaching fast and it is wonderful to start to plan days out for the future or perhaps even a holiday?  Visit Cornwall is a brilliant source for what is on when so why not take a peek and plan a stay with us around one of the many foodie, literary or traditional Cornish events that happen throughout the year.

2013 season has come to a close

Well that is it, today we finally close the 2013 season - as I type I am in reception waiting for the last guess to hand in their barrier pass for what has been a wonderful 2013 season.  Whilst waiting I inputting details of all our 2014 bookings into our shiny new booking system which will go live very soon.  In the meantime if you would like to book for 2014 please do give us a call on 01726 843687 or email mail@littlewinnick.co.uk.

As I mentioned in the last blog we could not have asked for a better start to our new venture with fantastic weather and brilliant guests and hope that 2014 will be equally as good if not better!

Although the season has come to an end we will still be down here beavering away with a long list of work.

As a treat to ourselves once we lock those gates shortly we will be off for lunch at the Market Cafe in Mevagissey and a walk around the harbour - Cornwall in the winter is just fantastic with rough seas, dramatic skylines and bracing walks - I will take come pictures for the next blog, which will continue throughout the winter.

Storm in a tea cup

Hello,
Sorry it has been so long since my last blog, Richard, Jessica and I have been on our holidays; after our first season here we were in need of a bit of a holiday.  Some may say that it was a bit of a bus man's holiday as we stayed in a static caravan in Weymouth - but static vans are just perfect for little people into everything!  We managed to time it just right with great weather meaning will could enjoy the likes of Portland and Chesil Beach.  Never fully off duty we had a look round the touring park and checked out their facilities!  We are back now for a few weeks then off again in November to see family who didn't get to see much of us over the summer.

I am very pleased to report the storm seemed to pass through Cornwall last night without too much damage - we have no fallen trees to report and just a few more puddles after the heavy rain that the wind brought with it.

As for us, we have our hands full with Jessica who is, as of last week, walking.  We hoped she would wait until the end of the season to do it as having a crawling baby in reception was one thing, having a running toddler seems like a whole different kettle of fish.

Last time I told you about the work in the bottom field that is happening.  It is still going on and it is amazing how huge the field is now at lot of the dead wood and bushes have been removed.  The work has allowed us to clear out the leat that runs along the boundary of the site.  Until this week it hasn't really been flowing, however after a lot of hard work removing bathes and such like which had been dump in there many moons ago and the leat is running really well which can only be a good thing for the drainage of the whole site and surrounding area.

In the coming weeks Richard and his dad will be digging trenches on the site in preparation for more water points and hook ups in the rally field.  The hope is to get as much ground work done as possible before Christmas to allow time for the ground to recover.  I shall be planting hundreds of daffodil bulbs to compliment all the daffodils that are already here.  I shall also be looking into what trees we plant in the bottom field to replace all the dead wood.

As our final week of 2013 season approaches we find ourselves reflecting on our first year.  We are so grateful to so many of you who have come to stay here and hope to welcome you and your families back for years to come.  As the site changes over the seasons it is a pleasure to see our vast and differing collection of guests come and go.  From the German tanks that scared the life out of me when they arrived, to guests who come for a few nights and end up staying weeks, to the couples with their dogs wandering down to the local pub to the children who arrive knowing no one but leave in tears not wanting to leave behind their new best friends.  The site feels quite strange with only a handful of people on it now.  We could not have asked for a better start to our new venture and a huge thank you goes to you for helping is enjoy every minute of the 2013 season.

Great autumn offers

It seems that there are some great offers to make the most of autumn sun.  Heligan is offering a new Winter Pass.  You pay to get in once and for just a £1 upgrade you can go back as many times as you like between now and February.  And if that is not enough children get in free.  What a brilliant idea especially as it is such an interesting time to visit the gardens with the fabulous Harvest Festival taking place too.

The Ship Inn in Pentewan is now offering a Thursday night carvery for just £4.99.  Famed for their delicious carvery this is a real bargain - you might even see us there!

Yesterday Richard went to The Eden Project to attend an event publicising cycling around Cornwall.  Not only are there some new routes opening there are more opportunities for people to enjoy a cycling break in Cornwall.  Locally the Pentewan Cycle Hire will deliver bikes to the site for the day, however the Re:Source Centre in Bodmin will be offering weeks hires from £50.00 next season with them delivering the bikes to you and collecting them at the end of your stay.  We think this is a brilliant idea as we know only to well how hard it is to squeeze everything in when you come on holiday especially with little people in tow!

This weekend saw a Rally on site with guests coming from all over Cornwall.  The Cornwall District Branch of the Caravan and Camping Club enjoyed their stay so much they have already booked up for 2014.  The group arrived on the Friday and spent Saturday decorating their vans for a window dressing competition on Saturday night which was judged by our Wardens followed by complimentary pasties.

Bookings

Jessica and I are in charge (or so we like to think anyway) for the next few days as Richard and Alison have headed off to the Caravan Show in the New Forrest.  They are on the hunt for some new static caravans for River Valley Holiday Park, our other site a mile up the road.  So I am here writing the blog whilst Jessica is in her highchair attempting some colouring and waiting for guests to wave at.

This weekend sees our first rally on the park with the us welcoming the Camping and Caravan Club - Cornwall District Association.  It is the first of many rallies planned over the next twelve months - we just hope the weather brightens slightly for them as right now it is a bit murky.  This rally is happening in the main touring field however we have a large rally field which is ideal for rallies, groups of friends, clubs or even as a wedding location.  If you would like to find out more about holding a group event in the rally field please give me (Heidi) a call on 01726 843687.  This weekends rally will see a caravan/motor home window decorating competition which we have the important role of judging along with a pasty supper on Saturday night.

It has been an exciting week here at Little Winnick, we are finally getting a super doper booking system.  In times gone by Judith and John used to run their holiday businesses from a chalk board and a note book.  Now I will let you into a secret, at the beginning of the season we didn't know how busy we would be, we had missed all the big advertising opportunities and after another very wet winter we were slightly nervous about the weather.  So we took the bold decision to run the booking systems on an excel spreadsheet not too dissimilar to the old systems Judith and John used.  My, what a decision that was.  Not only were we busy, but we were full most of August so I am sure you can imagine I had a few sleepless nights worrying about double bookings and whether the excel spreadsheet and more to the point whether we were up to the challenge.  Luckily it all went okay but I could not go through another season juggling over 90 pitches like that.  So within the coming months you will be able to check availability and make bookings on line.

Talking of bookings, you can now book for the 2014 season by giving us a call.  We already have a lot of bookings coming in.  If you have stayed with us before and would like a specific pitch or pitches please do give us a call and we will do our best to reserve it for you.

This week has seen diggers on site.  It has made us smile all the speculation we have heard about what people think we are doing.  Despite some interesting rumors we are merely tidying the bottom field and finishing some clearing work we started earlier in the year.   I am myself hoping to get down to the bottom field for half an hour on Saturday to harvest the last of the blackberries to keep us going over the winter.

The week will end with a bit of a party for us.  On Friday nigall the staff from Tregongeeves, Little Winnick and River Valley are off out for our end of season/Christmas party!  I am sure it must be one of the earliest Christmas parties but some of our team head off for hotter climes over the winter so they like to have a celebration early.  We are all heading to the Polgooth Inn for tea.

CAPTURE CORNWALL COMPETITION

It is competition time here at Little Winnick!  We have loved meeting everything single one of our guests over the summer and have loved hearing about all your adventures throughout your stays.   Believe or not some people have never been to Cornwall and have no idea what it is like.  So we thought we would run a little competition - to see your best pictures from your holidays that 'Captures Cornwall'. The winner will get  a two night stay here at Little Winnick, with pasties on arrival!  So what do you have to do?

1. Email us your picture(s) you think 'Captures Cornwall' at it's best.  It could be from around Little Winnick Touring Park, a beach, walk, eatery or what every you think captures Cornwall
2. Email us all entries by 31st October 2013 to mail@littlewinnick.co.uk.
3. Please include within your email, where the picture was taken, who took the picture and when it was taken along with your full postal address and contact number.

By sending us your pictures you are allowing us the rights to your picture and as such we can use it within publicity produced by and for Little Winnick Touring Park.

Autumn arrives in Cornwall...but the sun is still out

I think most campers will agree that there is certainly a chill in the air, however I can confirm when the sun is out it is still very powerful and warm.   If I am honest with you we are moving into our favourite time of year here.  Don't get me wrong, summer in a sunny Cornwall is awesome, however hot days in September and October feel extra special, especially as everything is a little bit quieter and calmer.  

As locals we know that there are some brilliant events in the coming weeks and we also know the best places to find a roaring fire to snuggle up next to after a long bracing walk.  My favourite fire to nestle in to is at the Polgooth Inn.  The fire is in the heart of the pub, and with a pint of local ale warming your insides you can't go wrong.  The Eden Cafe in town also has an amazing fire.  The large open burner has sofas all around it so you can enjoy a lovely treat off their menu whilst being tucked into cosy chairs.  Right now, at this time of year when it is still warm enough to enjoy the lunch time sun but you want to feel like winter is coming my all time favourite place to go is the Duchy Nursery just outside Lostwithel.  Their food is brilliant, their plants are fantastic and their shop will want you make to buy everything.  But my favoutite thing is sitting outside in the sun whilst smelling their wood burner that burns away inside...there is something about that smell that gets me ready for the winter!

If you are planning a visit to Cornwall before we close for the winter on 31st October why not plan it around one of the many events up and coming over the next few weeks.  In fact I found something on every weekend - all of which are worth a visit.

Roseland Festival - 21st September - 6th October.  The full programme can be found here, but with lots of community events, talks, shows, dining and a quiz you are sure to find something of interest.  The Philleigh Way Cookery evenings looks particularly good.

Cornwall Food & Drink Fair - 27th - 29th September.  We loved this last year with all things foodie and Cornish showcased in one location.  We would advise going early though as it does get very busy.  If you don't manage to fill yourself up on all the tasters then why not treat yourself to lunch at The Old Grammar School - we love their food.

Boscastle Food, Art & Craft Festival - 5th - 6th October.  This small village knows how to enjoy food -and this year the programme looks even better than usual with famous chefs, cooking demonstrations, talks, barn dances and concerts this is one not to be missed.

Falmouth Oyster Festival - 10th - 13th October.  Love them or hate them oysters are a bit like marmite. But the festival celebrates the start of dredging season and brings together music, food and crafts to celebrate.

Seed to Sow - Lanhydrock - 17th October.  Join the garden team to collect seeds in the Herbaceous Border and learn how to sow them and care for them in the Plant Nursery.  Maybe you can get a garden looking as good as Lanhydrock!

Spooky Halloween Trail or Tour at Pendennis Castle - 26th October - 3rd November.  Enjoy following a spooky trail around this impressive English Heritage property.

Little Winnick News - we look forward to welcoming our first Rally to the park later this month and are looking forward to the numerous rallies we have booked in for 2014 both in our purpose built Rally Field and within the park itself.  

We have a comprehensive list of works for the winter - some of which we have already started including putting in pitch dividers on certain pitches.  We will be sprucing up the toilet blocks, developing the planting, installing a new booking system, and a few other things!  In between on this we hope to have a little holiday ourselves.

The chickens have already gone on their hols.  Currently they are at our holiday cottages in a warm stable whilst we clean their pen as they have red mite which is very common at this time of year.  They will however be moving to our back garden fairly soon for their winter break.  I am most pleased about this - Richard is less than pleased that they will be spending the winter with us!

Little Winnick's Foodie top ten

We have had lots of friends visiting so have been enjoying Cornwall with them, which to be honest is a rare treat over the summer months.  We have been off enjoying breakfast at The Lewinnick Lodge- set on the edge of the cliff the stunning views are perfectly complimented with great food at reasonable prices.  There were thirteen of us and three babies so we opted for breakfast which was just lovely.  Most of the group had food envy for my waffles with bacon and maple syrup, whilst I looked on enviously at the hearty Cornish breakfast.  After we had eaten we headed on to Watergate Bay to enjoy the sun.  It was stunning as the tide was the furthest I have seen it out.

We also ventured over to Padstow.  The more energetic biked from here, whilst the more sensible biked from Wadebridge along the Camel Trail which is a brilliant way to get to Padstow.  We were rewarded with a pasty from the award winning Chough Bakery.  There are delicious with the addition of clotted cream making them extra special.  We then strolled around the pretty village taking in the lovely shops and in particular Rick Stein's small empire.  His cake shop is very good!  We then indulged in some Roskilly's ice cream.  I had cream tea flavour, which was divine and well worth every single calorie!

Finally we went for a stroll around The Lost Gardens of Heligan.  It is the best I have seen the vegetable patch and put my efforts to shame,  it was beautiful and despite the car park being full it didn't feel like it was full of people.  We were spoilt for choice at lunch with their delicious selection  - I opted for Marconi cheese which was a good choice.  Now it is back to work and back to the diet!

I have had a lot of people asking in reception about places to eat so I thought I would give you my top ten recommendations as we love food!

Little Winnick's Foodie top ten

1. Sam's on The Beach - Polkerris, PL24 2TL 01726 812255 - The funky, converted old life boat station has an amazing atmosphere, stunning views and food to match.  With fresh fish special and pizzas you will be spoilt for choice.  Book to avoid disappointment.
2. Lewinnick Lodge - Pentire Headland, Newquay, TR7 1QD 01637 878117 - A beautiful pub/restaurant offering food throughout the day, particuarly nice when the weather isn't great to be tucked up in the warm watching the rough sea.
3. The Kings Wood Bar & Restaurant, London Apprentice, PL26 7AP 01726 63780 - A lovely local restaurant, 2 miles up the road.  The food is good - great for a special occasion.
4. The Ship Inn - Pentewan, PL26 6BX 01726 842855 - A lovely proper Cornish pub serving local Ale and good home cooked food.  The pub is walking distance from the site along the cycle trail.
5. The Market Square, Mevagissey, PL26 6UD 01726 844422 - A small cafe offering quality food, freshly made to order.  The couple who run it are lovely and do fantastic breakfasts.
6. Austells - Beach Road, Carlyon Bay, St Austell, PL25 3PH 01726 813888 - St Autsell's only 2 Rosette restaurant Autsells is a foodies heaven.  We have been lucky enough to eat here a few times and the food is divine and worth every penny.  
7. Charlies Boat House - Charlestown Road, Charlestown, PL25 3NJ 01726 63322 - A small converted boat house in the heart of the picturesque Charlestown.  With great sharing platters and locally meat it is a great place to visit - especially if you like cocktails!  I had the steak the other day and it was delicious.
8. The Polgooth, Polgooth, PL26 7DA 01726 74089 - A really good, local Cornish pub, not to far away from Little Winnick.  The pub boasts home-cooked hearty meals and great ale too.  In the winter there are roaring fires to warm the cockles and great Sunday roasts too. 
9. Drift Wood Beach Bistro, Pentewan Sands, PL26 6BT 01726 844189 - Within walking distance this beach hut has stunning views out to sea.  Although part of the Pentewan Sands campsite non residents can visit the cafe and enjoy their great food and stunning views.
10. Alorada Portuguese Restaurant, East Quay, Mevagissey, PL26 6QQ 01726 842055 - A small family run restaurant, serving delicious Portuguese food, overlooking Mevagissery Harbour. 

Next week I will do our top ten walks

Bank Holiday Fun in the Sun

Well, despite it being a bank holiday it looks like the weather is not going to rain on our parade.  After a mixed day yesterday today it is bright with a slight breeze and tomorrow is set to get even better; which is fantastic news for our full camping field - and for our guests in the Rally Field.  On site we have the normal touring field but we are also very lucky to boast a Rally Field too.  The large field is a fantastic space for people to gather for celebrations, club events, reunions or just for a weekend away.  We already have a number of caravan and motor club rallies booked in for 2014, friends coming for a long weekend in the field, a possible football tournament and even interest in a wedding being held there.  If you would like to use the Rally Field please do get in contact with either Heidi or Richard who can discuss options with you.

As the bank holiday comes and goes we say goodbye to the summer season which has been just fantastic and welcome in our seven nights for the price of five which begins from Sunday 1st September.  That means over the coming weeks you could stay seven nights for as little as £40.  Please do give us a call or email us if you would like to make a booking with us.

September is a wonderful time to visit Cornwall, not only is it quieter but it is also often very warm too.  Dates to put in your diary include:

• 8th September - World Bellyboard Championships at St Agness
• 12th - 15th September - Heritage Open Days with free entry to
• Lanhydroch
• Gribbin Daymark
• Glendurgan
• Godolphin Garden
• Porthcurno Telegraph Museum
• East Pool Mine, to name but a few
• 14th September - St Ives September Fest, with exhibitions, poetry, walks and festivals
• 21st September - Roseland Fesitval - a community festival celebrating all local things.

New additions to Little Winnick

I know many of you have been following this blog since we started it back in the dim and dark months of the the winter.  I think it is fair to say we have experienced some pretty big highs and a couple of pretty big lows.  As you will have seen it has been a mammoth effort to get to where we are but last week we achieved what we thought was a long way off at the start of the season - we put out the full sign!  This is a huge achievement with all 90 pitches let the campsite was a hive activity.  You see taking over a campsite in January is not a great time to start marketing your new venture as all the camping books go to print late summer/early winter. So we literally have relied on word of mouth, pitchup.com,UKcampsites and our own website.  It was a lump in the throat moment seeing the sign full and knowing it has all been worth it.  So although I have said it before, thank you for helping us achieve our dream.

A busy site means we are busy people too.  Although Richard has spent seasons working at our other site, River Valley, this is my first season on a site - what an experience it has been!  We meet the most amazing people from all walks of lives who have interesting stories to tell about their adventures and travels.  At the moment we are working very long hours, along with Jessica, our one year old who LOVES meeting people.  She has perfected her royal wave and has a little frown when guests don't wave back at her!  She is on the verge of walking but we are hoping we can make it out of high season before she works it out as that could add a whole new dimension to having her at work with us! Between us we have had a variety of jobs - but this is by far the best one, of that you can be sure.

We now have 5 new additions to the site; Honeycombe, Vanilla, Strawberries, Chocolate and Lemon - they are the chicks!  Who are becoming little stars in their own right.  Sadly we have lost two of the big chickens, however we still have Shelia and Bernard - the proud parents of their five balls of fluff.  The chicks love bread if you have any going spare and they love seeing people.  They are so comical to watch as they dice under mum for shelter and warmth.  I am currently trying to persuade Richard they should come and live with us over the winter when the site shuts!

This weekend sees the very popular St Ewe Country Fair - although only a small near by village they put on a large family fair every year that is well worth a visit, with stalls, dogs show gun dog display, a  fair to name but a few - well worth a visit on Sunday.

Another must is enjoying the Mevagissey Male Voice Choir who perform ever Monday down in the village.  Their harmonic sea shanties gives you goose bumps.  While there why not enjoy fresh fish and chips.

Wonderful walks on your door step

Goodness me, we have had a wet 24 hrs, however I am very pleased to report the sun is out and it is looking bright and feeling warm.  Luckily the rain has drained away very quickly and left everything looking nice and refreshed now.  The outlook for the week is good too, so we are looking forward to a bit of a bright week now (fingers crossed!).  Which is brilliant news for the Charlestown Regatta and the Fowey Regatta.

I always think after a good dumping of rain is a good time to get put and go for a walk as everything is lovely and refreshed and looking at it's best.  There are so many brilliant walks in Cornwall it is hard to know where to begin but we we stumbled across one that strokes the edge of the site.  Why not start it from Little Winnick and enjoy a beautiful circular walk?  If you would like to explore a little more how about the Hall Walk - my all time favourite walk I have to confess; taking in a magical cove and the village of Polruan, with a river taxi back to Fowey at the end -  it is real adventure walk.  Or why not venture onto the North Coast with a circular walk from Rock.  The tiny village has become 'the' place to be seen in Cornwall with exceptionally high house prices.  The circular walk will let you enjoy some stunning houses.

As for our day off on Sunday; the rain stopped play so we didn't make our day out.  Instead we had our friends round for a big hearty breakfast and let Jessica play with her friends.  In doing so we got to eat whole heap of the Kittows Bacon I keep raving about that we sell in reception and eggs from the chickens we have outside reception.

Talking of chickens we have some news.  We recently acquired Joan to keep the others company, sadly both Joan and Doreen decided to sit on eggs and refused to eat, which is very common in bantams, so sadly they passed away.  However the very, very exciting news is that Shelia is proud Mum to 7 chicks.  We are keeping an eye to see how many are girls and how many are boys but so far mother and chicks are doing fine.  They are in a small run until they are big enough to walk the ladder up in the big pen.

Camping resets the body clock

I am not making it up, according to the BBC camping is good for you, so why not coming and reset your body clock!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23530408

a wall of ice cream

Many things happen in this job that make you have a smile, today it was the wall of ice cream boxes that I looked up to after processing a booking - 18 boxes to be precise, now I know I am short but I couldn't see over the top of them.  We stock the utterly delicious Callestick Farm Ice Cream, and despite my best efforts we sold out this week so I have ordered  a few extras to ensure that doesn't happen again.  I have also ordered in the weather to accompany the ice cream.  We also have daily bread, milk, and Kittows bacon, burgers and sausages. The smell of the bacon in the morning is so lovely!

I have to tell you we are pretty overwhelmed at the moment with the amount of bookings and people we have on site.  Obviously we had hoped we could make Little Winnick a success and had a few plans up our sleeves, but in our first season we never expected things to take off quite as they have, and to all of you who have come and stayed or who are coming, thank you, we really do appreciate your custom.  We are operating at all most capacity at the moment, which is fantastic and I can not put into words the atmosphere around the site.  It is heart warming to see how quickly children who have just arrived, make new friends and play together like they have known each other forever - nationality, language or age seems no barrier for children playing together.  The play park is being well used, and the box of toys, sports equipment and games field are proving hugely popular.

There is lots on in Cornwall in the coming days if you are coming to stay.  The Charlestown Regatta gets under way next week, with a children's sports evening on Tuesday and much more lined up.  If castles and knights are more your thing then head over to Pendennis Castle for Medieval Jousting on 7th - 8th August.  Or if your prefer admiring horses then why not pop along to the Tregony Heavy Horse show on the 11th August.  A particular treat coming up is the St Ewe Country Fair.  Despite being a very small village the Fair is a highlight of the local calendar and well worth a visit.

If you would like to have a care free holiday why not hire you bikes while staying from Pentewan Cycle Hire, they will deliver your bikes to Little Winnick so you can go off exploring.  Or how about walk the Coastal Path which you can access by walking to Pentewan - if your legs aren't up for walking back you could always walk a section of it and then hop on the bus back!

This weekend sees Richard and I have a well deserved (even if I say so myself) day off.  As our youngest staff member (our daughter) turns one on Saturday.  So despite making her work on her birthday we shall be  off on a family day somewhere on Sunday, our final destination is yet to be decided.               

Happy Campers at Little Winnick

You do have to laugh doing this job sometimes.  I just wrote a whole section about how the weather men get it wrong and how we have had no rain at all despite storms everywhere else.  Well I just went to take our signs in and you guessed it...it's raining!  Only slightly and it is nice gentle warm rain - the nice type of rain.  To be fair I have had some very sun burnt people int the reception today as we have had a glorious day.  The moral of the story here is don't worry about the Cornish weather - what ever the weather man says is wrong (unless he says it will be hot) and if it is raining here, a mile down the road it probably isn't!
On site at the moment we have a lovely mix of people, from our seasonal pitches, who have become good friends with us and other campers to the local children staying with their families from St Austell and Mevagissey to the good selection of Belgium, Dutch, German and Swiss.  We need to learn more languages!
We have been pointing many campers in the direction of the trail this week.  With paths going directly from the site to Pentewan Beach where you can enjoy the Driftwood Cafe or pick up the South West Coastal Path.  Or you could walk or cycle back up towards St Austell going via the vast Kings Wood.  Or how about wandering up to The Lost Gardens of Heligan to enjoy a lovely slice of cake. 
If you would like to explore Cornwall without the hassle of taking you car don't forget you can catch the bus from right outside the site, it takes the worry out of the skinny roads for you.
Right now Cornwall is relatively quiet, despite some local schools breaking up the Friday just gone many children don't finish until this week so we have an influx of people from Friday.  We have spent the week stocking the shop, ordering more tea in fact as Smugglers Brew is proving very popular with guests.  We have a large ice cream delivery coming on Thursday (I will have to sample for quality control again), cutting grass, putting up the new football goals posts for you to enjoy, getting even more toys for the toy baskets in reception for you to borrow whilst staying here and much more!
Can't wait to see many of you in the coming weeks.

Summer season begins

The summer season well and truly starts this weekend with the children breaking up and what stunning weather to welcome you with.  Having run River Valley Holiday Park for almost 20 years as a family we have a wealth of experience and love the summer season - even if is a little busy.  So you can be reassured that when booking with us we can offer you all sorts of nuggets of information gathered throughout our lives here and from visitors; including interesting places to visit, places off the beaten track, secluded beaches, how to get cheap entrance tickets to attractions, local garages should you need one (hopefully you won't), camping advice and numerous local walks.

With so many of you arriving in the coming weeks I guess now is a good time to introduce the team we have.  So, the Clemo family own the site, made up of John & Judith and their grown up children Alison (who looks after River Valley) and Richard.   You will see John and Judith around the site. I am Heidi and I am married to Richard, and along with our daughter Jessica who will be one in a few weeks, we are at Little Winnick most of the time. Steve & Jude are our on site wardens who live in the park home with their dog Tia and are always very happy to help.  We really look forward to welcoming you to the site.

So how can you get the most out of Cornwall?  Firstly, we are always here to help, with reception open 8.30am - 8.30pm we can point in the direction that you are thinking of heading - even look up things such as whether the Mevagissey to Fowey Ferry is running or as proper locals, give you directions which your Sat Nav might miss!

You might like to consider planning you stay a little and booking things in advance to save some pennies. For example you can book Eden Project tickets here and save nearly £10 per ticket.  Or if you are thinking about visiting some of Cornwall's stunning gardens pick up a Great Gardens of Cornwall leaflet in reception. You pay full price with the leaflet at your first visit then after that you get discounted rates at all other featured gardens.  As Eden is the most expensive visit one of the other gardens then head there to enjoy a discounted rate! To see the featured gardens click here.

A number of places offer a 7 day ticket once you have visited one, such at Newquay Zoo, Kidworld, Springfield Fun Park and Pony Centre or an annual past if you Gift Aid at The Maratime Museum in Falmouth or The Eden Project.

Don't forget if need supplies for your days out we have freshly prepared sandwiches, fresh bread, rolls, cakes, drinks, cheese, tuna, crisps and much more do keep you going on day.  Perhaps most importantly in this weather we have a very well stocked ice fridge.

HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT

The heat wave continues in Cornwall and we love it.  But we must let you know that bookings are coming in thick and fast so if you want to come and stay over the summer holidays book soon to avoid disappointment.  If you want to see what others think of us then have a look at UK Campsites or Pitchup.com

I am sorry I have not blogged for a week or two - I was given a week off to visit my parents in Norfolk.  I flew from Norwich to Newquay - it took less than an hour and was brilliant!  Why not consider visiting us by plane or train

to avoid all the traffic?  I took the picture opposite of St Austell Bay - I was a little gutted we didn't fly over the site to be honest.

So what is the news from Little Winnick?  Well the ground works has been completed for the new barrier we are installing.  Guests will be issued you a barrier pass in exchange for a £10 refundable deposit with the barrier being positioned on the entrance and exit to the touring field.  This will give you added security and ensure the site remains lovely and quiet without too many cars - many guests have already expressed delight at this improvement.

I also have news on Shelia the chicken - she is sitting on some eggs and has been for two weeks so we could hear the patter of tiny claws early next week - although this very hot weather could make it really tough for the chicks to escape their shells, so keep everything crossed for her.

We love people to have fun here so we have installed goal posts on the rally field, so you can enjoy a good kick about away from the tents - or why not borrow the rounders equipment from reception and have an old fashioned game - we may even organise a game or two in the coming weeks.

26 degrees - we are smiling!

You read it right, 26 degrees was recorded on the wardens thermometer today that sits outside their bungalow - it is official - Little Winnick is a sun trap!  It has been glorious today.  Now there is a little fly in the ointment, in that tomorrow is meant to be wet, but after that the weather man told us it is going to be hot, hot, hot!

This seems like an ideal time to remind we are still offering 7 nights for the price of 5 so why not make the most of the weather and quiet Cornwall before the school holidays and come and have a lovely break with us, starting from as little as £60 for the whole week.

Not a good place for the diet

So I have concluded the Little Winnick reception/shop is the worse place to be when on a diet.  I made a Victoria Sponge that has a layer of some of the local black current jam in it and scones using Trewithen Dairy yoghurt.  I have never made scones with yoghurt before but my mother in law (who some of you may have met at the site) assured me it was how she did it each week for the cottages - she was right it is amazing  - this is the recipe in case you want to make some.  Anyway, it means I had to have a slice a cake this morning (quality control) and it is only 11am.

As I was uploading things for the website and blog I was amazed by the super fast broadband, it still amazes me how quick it is.  This is true across the whole park which is covered by 5 points to ensure you can access the WiFI wherever you are.  If you would like to connect up just pop into reception to purchase log in codes.

My first guest in reception this morning made an interesting comment as I was rushing around unloading the papers, bringing in the fresh milk and sorting out the bread.  He said 'I bet you can't wait until this place closes and we (the guests) all go home'.  My answer was NO!'.  We love our lives, it is a lifestyle that is our families way of life.  We fail to get through a meal without debating things or making plans.  We thrive off seeing guests enjoying the park and everything that is near by - the park feels like it has lost it's soul a little in the winter when it is empty.  On rare summer days out we are busy snapping pictures for the blogs and bursting with enthusiasm to share with people.  Next week we are going out for Richard's birthday to Bedruthan Steps for lunch- a very child friendly local hotel that does yummy lunches...I will update you what it is like in due course.

Talking of the winter and the rest of the season (obvioulsy not meaning the two are the same!) we have had interest recently in seasonal pitches for the rest of the season and storage over the winter.  Currently we are offering seasonal pitches 1st July -1st November with winter storage for £1400 on a hard standing pitch - this includes your electric and use of the facilities.  Please give Heidi or Richard a call if you are interested.                                                                          

The sun has got his hat on...

Hip Hip Hoooooooooooooooray!

Wow what a week, it has been lovely and sunny and finally the evenings are feeling warm too - perfect barbeque weather or tennis weather.  Guests are in fact enjoying Wimbledon from their pitches as I type thanks to the new aerial hook up points on the hard standing pitches.

I must apologise for the delay in blog since the last one; it has been very busy, I sat down to do it on Monday evening when I was working but I had a stream of bookings which kept me busy right up until home time.  We have also had a number of guests extending their stays - many wanting to stay and see the Mevagissey Fireworks on Saturday night.  The fireworks are the finale to the Feast Week and are some of the best I have ever seen being let off across the harbour. 

If you fancy planning a trip around another local festival why not come down for Fowey Regatta.  Throughout the week there is lots on, but in our opinion the highlight is the stunning Red Arrow display which takes place down the estuary and out to sea.  It is without doubt worth a drip down to Cornwall for.

Locally St Austell has re-launched it's Feast Week, last held in 1946, the new Feast runs from the 5th July- 13th July.  The week is packed with shows, talks, cookery demonstrations, open air services, marches and plays.

In August we have the Charlestown Regatta to look forward; with a traditional Cornish Flora dance, carnival, donkey derby (with real donkeys!) and a mini triathlon the week is packed with lots of things for the whole family to enjoy.

Cornwall - the new Hollywood

Cornwall is set to star in not one, but two feature films this summer.  Out now is 'Summer in February' featuring Dan Stevens who starred in Downton Abbey.  The film is based on a true story about a colony of artists in Cornwall before the First World War.   We are seeing the film tomorrow so will keep you posted as to what we think of it - we have heard only good reviews so far!

Then in August Richard Curtis's new film About Time, which was filmed around St Austell last summer will be released.  About Time is the latest in Richard Curtis's long line of rom-coms; based around a time travelling lover the film features local beaches such as Port Holland and Porthpean House.  I am a bit of a Richard Curtis fan so I can't wait.

I sometimes think we could make a film out of running a campsite - no two days are the same and no two guests are the same.  So what is it like for us on a day to day basis?  We begin by collecting the papers that guests have ordered, then we bring in the mornings bread and milk delivery.  We stock fresh bread from a local bakery in Mevagissey - it is so yummy, even if I do say so.  We then turn our attentions to bookings - usually we have had some enquiry's over night so we crack on with allocating them pitches and confirming what they would like. Then throughout the morning their is a steady stream of people visiting the shop - both from on site and people popping in from near by sites and off the trail.

A quick check of the toilet block usually results in us returning very hungry as the smell of bacon waffs across the site.  As of this week we will be stocking Kittows bacon - if you are a bacon fan you have to try it - it is the best bacon I have ever had.  Around 10.30ish is our coffee time, and time to take stock of the morning thus far and plan the rest of the day. The rest of the morning can be one of many jobs; cutting the grass, strimming, meanding bits and bobs, stocking the shop, paying wages and bills, meeting and greeting guests.  After lunch we begin the big job of cleaning 24 toilets, 32 hand basins, 12 showers, 6 sinks, and 5 floors.  I have just about perfected the art of getting a streak free shower cubicle...after lots of practise!  This usually takes around 2-3 hours depending on the guests.  Then we head back to recpetion to check in people who usually turn up off the road or tend to those in the shop. Then we need a rest!

Something fishy going on

Guests are brilliant!  Today a guest walked into reception with three trout for me; he caught them yesterday.  I have always wanted to try proper fresh fish. By that I mean, just landed and cooked within a few days. I am currently swatting up on what to do with a whole fish via YouTube - my kitchen might end up a bit of a mess by the end of the evening but I am hopeful I might be able to gut them...maybe.  Surprisingly down here it is not that easy to get fresh fish over the counter.  The best place to head to is Mevagissey where there is a little stall on the quay selling fish caught that day.

Then there are the green trucks/tanks/very impressive vehicles that left this morning.  With a top speed of 42mph and real diesel guzzlers it is no wonder their owners took to their tandem  to get anyway.  For some reason the big green trucks made me smile every time I walked past them - I just hope you don't get stuck behind them.

One of my favourite  jobs is to walk around the site.  Steve, one of the site wardens does this a lot with his dog Tia, but I love doing it admiring all the different styles and equipment people have.  Last night we watched with a rye smile the Apprentice where the candidates had to sell at the Caravan Show.  Of course down here you don't have to go far to get all your essential camping items.  Within walking distance is White River Outdoor who are one of the best supplies of camping and caravan equipment in the area.

A bit of good news for the TV fans amongst you, we have install aerial points to a number of pitches so you can get perfect signal when on site.  If you would like a pitch with a aerial point please do let us know.

PS it may have rain over night but it is glorious today, really sunny again - I have completely the wrong clothes on today!

The return of the ice cream bike

My wheels!

Now hopefully I will not curse the weather but  it is gorgeous at the moment.  Two days on the beach this week have resulted in a house full of sand but it is worth it to hear the crashing of the waves and see our little one exploring the sand.  Day one was spent on this coast at Porthpean - I have mentioned it before but it is such a lovely little spot and a little bit of a hidden gem.  The car park is £3 for the day and there is a small shop on the beach selling ice creams and bits & bobs.  There are also toilets.  As for the beach itself it is clean and sheltered and has a large selection of rock pools to explore.  If you fancy a change whilst there you could venture up onto the coastal path; Duporth and then Charlestown are only a short walk away.

Treyarnon Beach - stunning!

Our second beach this week was Treyarnon Bay which is on the north coast.  The large sandy expanse was very quiet and sheltered but the waves were big.  The beach, which has lifeguards present is stunning and bigger enough to hold the crowds I am sure it would attract on a Saturday.  Again the car park was £3 for the whole day and there were toilets and food on offer - we took a picnic which was just lovely.  After the beach we strolled along the flat cliffs taken in a bit more of the coastal path - it is such a different coast to the south coast.

Jess & Daddy enjoying Treyarnon Beach

After a visit to the north coast why not pop into Kingsley Village - this shopping outlet stocks locks of local bits and bobs and has a fantastic food hall that does amazing cakes and meat for the BBQ.

The sun also means the ice cream bike is having her first official outing of the year.  She is my little project that I invested in when I first moved here - she used to go around our other campsite - River Valley.


 But she has been promoted this year to a spot on the trail.  I will be selling Callestick Farm's finest soft scoop ice cream, along with some of the more traditional ice creams and cold drinks.  A guest has just this minute come into reception at 10.11am and asked if I am going around the site with the bike - keep you eyes peeled for me I may give her a test run around!  If not we have a freezer fully stocked with yummy ice creams in reception - the new Lemon Curd flavour is yummy scrummy (we tested it to make sure it was okay for you!).

Dog friendly all season

Having watched our dog being born (he was a puppy from my Nan's dog - our Dad said we could have a dog if there was a black and white one - Henry was the runt of the litter and had a black white tail!) he became embedded into our family life.  We had 18 wonderful years with him and he really became part of our family.  Currently our family here in Cornwall have Ginnie who is a scatty black Labrador - abused as a pup we rescued her, but she is still very scared and frightened of things however she loves running around on glorious walks.

Basically we love dogs and welcome them with open arms here at Little Winnick.  With direct access from the site to miles of walks whether through the Kingswood, on the Pentewan Cycle Trail, or National Cycle Way or onto the Coastal Path your four legged friend(s) will be spoilt for choice.

We even have a dog walking field, where you can let your dog have a good old run around and explore.  Within walking distance you can enjoy a meal at The Ship Inn which welcomes dogs, or slightly further away is the Polgooth Inn - both serve fantastic food.

We hope to welcome you and your four legged family members soon!

Egg-static

Doreen or Shelia laid an egg!!  This is such exciting news, I am certain this is the start of lots of eggs (hopefully!).

So weeks like this is while we live in Cornwall.  Summer has most certainly arrived here.  The days are warm with a gentle cooling breeze and the evenings are glorious.  I am working this week, but tomorrow day I shall mostly be having a picnic on the beach - perhaps punctuated with a little paddle just to cool off.  We are either going to Pentewan beach which you can walk to from the site or we might head for Porthpean.  Both are pretty quiet and ideal for children.  The more adventurous of you can bike to Porthpean from the site - ask us for directions if you would like to pop there.  Then Wednesday we are having a BBQ.  In the day I shall walk up from Little Winnick to Lobbs Farm Shop.  It is one of my favourite farm shops and does brilliant meat.  Their meat balls are amazing - and easy to cook on a camping stove it you are staying :-).

This week also sees the Royal Cornwall Show - a must for the locals to meet each other and a fantastic insite in the Cornwall way of life.  At present I am not going but someone from the Clemo clan will be going so hopefully pictures will follow next week.

Snap shot of bank holiday weekend

As promised here are some of the pictures from the bank holiday.  We had a brilliant weekend, it was lovely to meet lots of you and see all your lovely tents, vans, motor homes, pets and children.  My favouirte was the VW camper van with matching trailer!

This weekend is a lot quieter as half term comes to an end and the children return to school.  As I mentioned in the last blog though we are now offering 7 nights for the price of 5, meaning you could have a weeks stay with us from £55.  

After a mixed week of weather, I can confirm as I sit here in the office typing it is glorious - blue skies with a slight breeze.  Fingers crossed it stays that way as my brother gets married this weekend (we are very excited!).

Bonkers bank holiday

Wow, what a bank holiday weekend!  With well over fifty pitches booked out the park really came to life (and brought a little proud tear to our eyes in doing so).  I have left my camera at home, but I promise some pictures soon.  With a VW party in, which was connected to the Cornwall Camper Company, a local group and many people making the most of the fab weather the site felt like it had found it's old mojo.  Bread, milk, papers, homemade cakes, retro sweets and ice creams were flying off the shelves faster than we could restock them - we hope to see many of you who celebrated the bank holiday back again soon.  Don't forget if you did stay you can leave a review for fellow campers at UK Campsites or Pitchup.com.

With the busy bank holiday out of the way our attentions turn back to the 'to do' list which we do seem to be making some head way on.  Last week we drained the swimming pool...we didn't find anything exciting at the bottom of the murky water.  There is some debate around the family dinner table as to the plans for it - we will keep you posted when we know.  We hope to have the new toilet block painted in the next few weeks having painted the old toilet block prior to opening.  The laundry was officially opened on Friday (we forgot the ribbon to cut!) we have washers that cost £3 a go and dryers that are 50p a dry.  Or you could make the most of the washing lines and the glorious Cornish sunshine. Other than that it is just small jobs left on the list - for now!

Does anyone know how to encourage chickens to lay?  Bernard, Shelia and Dorren have been on strike recently.  They are malting so we think they might be a little stressed and will hopefully start laying again soon.  Any suggestions welcome though on a back of a post card - or email them to us!

Don't forget we have our seven nights for the price of five offer running from 1st June - 12th July - why not make the most of it and come and have a weeks stay with us?

Half term ideas

With the half term upon us it is time to start thinking up ideas of things to keep little people happy.  Here is my top ten:

1. Learn all about the Beast of Bodmin Moor at Lanhyrock.  Should be fun for children and adults alike!
2. On the 26th May visit Kernow Fest at The Heartlands in Redruth.  Not only is there a free event celebrating all things Cornish, Heartlands is also home to the mothership of play areas
3. Have a little pamper at The Cornwall.  A short drive from Tregongeeves the Spa is well worth a visit and a great escape from little people.
4. Visit Lappa Valley.  We went before we had children with friends who had a two year at the time - now it is a firm favourite of ours - where children come first and life is all about having fun.
5. Enjoy breakfast at The Eden Cafe and then take a stroll around St Austell.  The breakfasts are a real treat and the family friendly cafe means you can relax in a safe environment.
6. Visit the impressive National Maritime Museum in Falmouth - with Seahorse Rocks activities for children you can make creatures inspired by the Cornish Coast.  For lunch why not indulge in a hearty feast at Gylly's Beach Cafe.
7. Visit the small precinct of shops opposite Tesco's known as Holmbush.  Here you will find the best local butchers (in our opinion) selling great pasties - why not pick up some 'bangers' for the BBQ whilst you are there, grab a cake from Niles (custard doughnuts are our favourite), then head out for a walk.  We recommend visiting the bluebells at Luxulyan Valley at the moment.
8. Explore Porthpean Beach.  This local haunt is small secluded beach with rock pools to explore - it's an ideal location for a picnic.
9. Hire a bike for the day and cycle the Camel Trail.  You can cycle into Padstow and enjoy the small fishing village without the hassle of finding somewhere to park.
10. Do nothing at all!  Just relax at Little Winnick with a glass of wine in your hand whilst the BBQ smokes away in the back ground - perfect.

'tis glorious here today

My oh my what wonderful weather.  It is absolutely stunning here today, very hot with blue skies.  I have just made the mistake of sampling another ice cream.  Today's lesson is not to eat ice cream whilst working in reception as I am now covered in melted ice cream!!  I do have a warm glow about me though having strolled around the site taking some piccies for this; it is wonderful to see so many happy campers, people who didn't know each other at the start of week now having a beer together and hearing children shrek with laughter whizzing down the slide.

We have spent the day wisely cutting the grass whilst the sun is out to help up.  Richard is pictured in charge of the lawn motor - it is a job and a half cutting all the grass here.  Richard has also been busy in charge of the pump which is pumping the water out of the swimming pool.  Sadly too much is needed to be done to open the pool this year however we are currently deep in thought as to what will become of it in the future.

We have started to gear ourselves up for the forthcoming bank holiday - we have a good number of bookings and a number of guests arriving who will be here for a large section of the summer.  We already have two seasonal pitches on site which helps create a really lovely atmosphere as people get to know one another.  Please do contact us if you are thinking about a seasonal pitch.

Too many ice creams to choose from!

Hello!

Things are going well here - we have had a steady flow of guests; both those who have booked in advance and people off the road.  It is so lovely to finally be sharing all our hard work with people!  Still, no rest for the wicked, we have had the tree surgeons back on site today pruning more trees and are already turning our thoughts to future improvements in the close season.

We have also had a lot of interest from rallies.  We are very fortunate to have a large rally field which is separate from the rest of the site.  Accommodating up to 40 pitches we have already booked in people for this season and there us lots of interest for 2014.

Perhaps the most exciting news I have to share with you is opposite...the ice cream freezer has finally arrived.  The many problem we now have is I feel the need to have an ice cream each afternoon...

This week also saw some much needed days out for us as we had friends visiting and what an education in Cornish weather it was.  We headed to St Ives and on route the weather did not look in our favour - heavy rain and wind.  In fact we came close to turning round as we had a pregnant friend with us.  However as we turned the corner into St Ives we saw a glimmer of blue.  We headed straight to Porthminster Beach Cafe for lunch which I can sum up in one word - WOW!  The food was amazing.  We had Jessica who is 9 months old with us and the service couldn't have been better - she was looked after better than us in fact!  After an utterly delicious meal we headed onto a deserted Porthminster Beach - it was stunning; blue skies, clean sands and clear sea.  We explored the back streets of St Ives and admired much of the local art work whilst basking in the sun.

Our second outing saw us go to Fowey.  Although it is their festival week it was very quiet.  Yet more wandering around the streets, down the Espanage to Ready Money Cove, which again was deserted, it was so peaceful and relaxing. By the time we made it to the cove a grey, overcast day had turned into a scorcher and I was regretting not bringing a hat for Jessica.  Luckily I have a baby carrier for Jess as the tiny streets of Fowey are not great for pushchairs.  We made our way to The Galleon for lunch - another very accommodating baby friendly place to grab lunch.

Then one evening we were treated to a meal out at Sam's on the Beach.  What a location and what delicious food.  One of our favourite haunts did not fail to impress with a yummy crab and scallops pizza on the special accompanied by a scrummy local wine.  Well worth a visit - but book to avoid disappointment.

Our final outing of the week was Padstow via Griggs.  Griggs is a agriculture shop selling a great selection of clothes including Joules, Merrell, Frugi and Barbour to name but a few.  My friends got Hunter Wellies for half the price they had seen in John Lewis!  Padstow was busy but lovely - there is nothing better than exploring the fishing harbour, eyeing up the cakes & pasties in Chough Bakery or smelling the fish and chips from Rick's.

Now back to work...and the diet!

the dreaded sea mist

Now I am not going to lie to you.  Despite our sun burn from yesterday contradicting me, the sun does not always shine in Cornwall.  Today we have had the dreaded sea mist in for the best part of the day.  It started glorious, in fact I shocked the world with my lily white legs and put poor Jessica in a summer dress.  By the time we had done our four mile stroll down to Little Winnick the sea mist had come in from the coast and it is now flipping freezing.  The strange thing about sea mist is you can be in one place and it is dull and horrid, yet a mile away it is glorious and bright.  Luckily the week ahead looks much more promising.

My walk got me thinking about the glorious walks around here, we really are so lucky.

From the park you can walk into St Austell. It is about four miles but it is all on cycle trails through the valley so it is very enjoyable.  Then you could get the bus back as the bus stops right outside the site. We can recommend doing the St Austell Treasure Trail  (or any of the Treasure Trails - they are brilliant fun).  You get to learn so much about the place.  It is a great family activity that does not cost very much but gets you exploring a new location.  We have Treasure Trails for sale at Little Winnick  for £4.50.

We made it!

I think I should begin by thanking everyone that has helped turn the site around in the last three months.  It has been a long journey but we are a  fully fledged open site - yippee!  In the final week leading up to the site opening we have had WiFi installed across the whole site - guests can access this for free for the first 30 minutes then purchase access codes to use it throughout your stay.

We have also taken delivery of Bernard, Dorothy and Sheila (aka the chickens).  So far I have had one egg from them - so they are not the fastest layers in the world!

We have also tested the showers.  Richard (my husband) was sparkling on Tuesday after a number of washes to test the pressure and temperature.  It made me smile that he took shower gel with him each time.

Alison and I also took on the role of Cinderella, as we scrubbed the brick toilet block until it was shiny, the floors took a day to get clean...however they look great now.  We have also installed better lighting in the wood toilet block and the shiny new picnic benches are outside the front of reception so you can enjoy some of the yummy Callestick ice cream that arrived this week!

And most importantly we have welcomed guests onto the site. I will post some pictures from this week on Facebook later - as you will we have had absolutely stunning weather this week - it has reached the barmy heights of 18 degrees at Little Winnick - it really is a sun trap here