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The Little Winnick blog has now moved to here

Please do keep  in touch with what we are up to.

Robbed

Pasty making with helpers

I am not bitter, but I think I might have been robbed of my World Pasty Championship title.  You see when I was handing over my two pasties, lovingly made with the help of the girls and my neighbour, I let a gentleman go in front of me.  He ended up being the winner, so I am wondering whether my pasty got switched with his by accident?!  Whatever the result we had a fantastic day at the World Pasty Championships at The Eden Project.  With the entertainment and activities there was a real buzz.  The highlight was hearing The Fisherman Friend's sing the Cornish National Anthem - Trelawney.  It gave me goose bumps.  So we will not be selling world famous pasties in the shop this year - besides they take me too long to make!

The eagle earred among you made have heard me on BBC Radio 2's Simon Mayo's Drivetime on Friday evening - in fact I was the first caller on talking about making pasties.  My five minutes of fame!  The girls were so excited and a bit bewildered to hear mummy coming out of the radio.

Apologies if you have been trying to get hold of us at all today (Wednesday 9th March), we have been hit by a huge storm which has brought down trees and power lines.  It is funny how Cornwall seems to get hit very hard by storms that are not named and bypass the rest of the country.  Basically any road to Little Winnick this morning was blocked.

I am getting very excited about the summer.  Cornwall does the summer well and I am amazed by the number of exciting and often free events put on across the whole area.  This week I was reading with delight about Trebah's new Ampitheatre.  Whilst most of the performances need to be booked I am hoping to get to the Wennie & Jago's Giant Adventure on Saturday 30th July - perfect for the first weekend of the school holidays and it's free.

Follow the blog as over the weeks I undercover events, festivals and many free days out for people, families and dogs of all ages.

In the next few weeks you will notice a few changes to the website.  Behind the scenes we are busy working with Clear Mapping to develop a more up to date website for you to get all the information you need.

Could we be World Champion?

So last blog I finished mentioning the World Pasty Championships at Eden and how I would like to enter one day. That one day is, in fact, TODAY! I have entered. Eek!  I am excited/nervous.  I know I can make the pastry and filling but my crimping really let's me down. I guess I better get practising.   The big day is next Saturday - keep everything crossed for me.   Ultimately I am never ever going to even get close to entering any other World Championships, so it's a laugh just to say I have entered!

This week we have had a mixed bag with the weather, but this weekend has come good and today we had a glorious few hours down at Porthpean. This local beach is a real winner for families, with rock pools, sand and a small shop and toilets.  The children, ever optimistic insisted on going bare foot and enjoyed building our usual sand boat which has developed now to have a lifeboat made out of sand next door to rescue those in the big boat!  We do get some looks from people.

Watching the Countryfile Weather I have just been assured that today is the last day of winter. It feels spring like here, there is hope in the air with plants budding up, bulbs out and the camellia's in full bloom - especially the one in our front garden.

This week I am meeting a man about having coffee in reception, a lady about providing breakfasts on the park and continuing to organise my little project which I hope to run in June.   Richard is hopeful to get out on the mower and we are putting the finishing touches to the new play barn at Richard's mum's cottages up the road - it is looking very good at Tregonegeeves Farm Cottages.   We have had the first draft of the website from Clear Mapping, it looks fantastic and we are excited about a new project we are working with our booking system providers to make it easier for you to select specific pitches.

Blog back to regular ramblings

Pencarrow House

So, with the season within sniffing distance the blog is back weekly(ish).  I am taking the advantage of Richard putting the children to bed to catch up on emails, review bookings, plan bits and pieces and write this!  I certainly have the easier job right now.

Looking at bookings, we are filling up during the holidays nicely. Please do remember to give us a call if you would like to book, particularly if you want a certain pitch as we already have a lot of pre bookings.

Richard and I are busy working with Clear Mapping on a new website at the moment.  Whilst we are very happy with what we have, it is something I built myself and it is time to get the professionals in.  We are really excited to be working with Caroline again.  Last season we worked together to produce the park plan and have a few little projects on the go right now including the website rebuild.  One area Caroline is keen to expand is our photo library so if you have any pictures of the park or your Cornwall visit and would be happy for us to use them then please do email them to us at mail@littlewinnick.co.uk.

So it's full steam ahead to an early Easter opening.  Richard has been down at the park today turning on various things ready for pre opening testing.   I am busy beavering away on a very exciting weekend  and summer holiday project which I hope to share with you very soon as I am so excited and meeting with various suppliers.

The girls and I were out and about last week making the most of the half term activities.  Sunday we went to Pencarrow House to look at their snowdrops.  It is a lovely garden; well worth a visit with a big house (not open but you can peer through the windows) and grounds to explore.  I was very impressed with the cute little play area for the children.  Our girls loved the play house.

Monday saw us venture to The Eden Project for The Stickman Trail - it was well organised with lots of activities for children.  Then Thursday we ventured to Heligan.  Our favourite haunt.  They have done a lot of work over the winter, which I will investigate further and report back on, needless to say the cake and coffee was as good as ever.

Looking to the future we are excited about the prospect of The Pasty Championships at Eden in a few weekends time - an excuse to sample the best of the west!  And of course for me to practice - every year I think about entering...

Sun is here...

...Well, in my dreams the sun is here.  We are actually away visiting family in Norfolk at the moment and I rather optimistically brought the girls their first pair of shorts of the year today.  As my mother told me 'you have to get them when you see them' but I think by any standard I am deluding myself that we will get to wear them soon!

Cornwall is making the news right now for Storm Imogen who is battering the coast line, there are some stunning pictures across the internet at the moment.  The Pentewan Valley where we are situated has been on a high flood alert but as we are considerably higher than the river we are all fine thankfully but our thoughts are very much with those not so lucky.

On the whole, like the rest of the country, Cornwall has been very wet and windy this winter.  Thankfully we built the toilet block last year in a dry winter!  My theory remains though that a wet winter means a dry summer...lets hope I am right (there will be no money back guarantee on this theory!!).

Despite my groanings about the weather things are notably on the turn in Cornwall; the days are getting longer and at times warmer, the trees are budding up and there are lambs in the fields.  We even have a spring in our step.  With the opening of Little Winnick less that 6 weeks away we are starting to think about what the year ahead holds and what work we have to do before opening.

We are often get asked what we do in the winter.  This year I think it is fair to say we have had a well earned rest.  Richard is still working every day as he deals with all the back office running of our other campsite and his parents cottages.  We are also processing bookings on a daily basis and working on various little projects (I will keep you posted on these but safe to say I am very excited about a few events we are planning in the summer!).  But we are generally spending time together as a family and getting our own house in order before we are back to working weekend and one day off a week - which we love, but it is nice enjoying the odd lay in together as a family!

As our family gets a little bit older I am certain you will see more of the girls and I this summer.  Jessica is most excited about getting her first official work t-shirt.  Last year she had one with an ice cream on but she has decided she needs one like Mummy and Daddy this year.  Jessica is also planning many camping trips for us - apparently all at Little Winnick (well I have heard it is very nice!).  I am currently trying to convince Richard in order to pitch the tent by myself as he will be working I 'need' a Bell Tent.  If anyone can help me convince him it is essential I get one then please do get in touch.  I am particularly keen to hear from people who erect them by themselves- is it doable?  And so people recommend a 5m or a 4 m one?    Answers on a post card or via email!