The Fal River and inlet, an extensive estuary system, stretches from the capital of Cornwall, Truro, to the open sea between Falmouth and St Anthony Head.
Mission today was St Just and St Mawes in the Roseland, both on a peninsula with such a mild climate that ferns, moss, and palms abound, along with boats and ferries on extensive waterways.
Lady Viv, Annie her friend, and thereby of Mum's, & I had a day of sunshine, to explore.
We took the 'King Harry' ferry over the Fal from Truro to St Just, and walked through what first appeared as extensive, undulating Botanical Gardens with a series of ponds connected by a tiny stream, lots of paths and a series of close planted little gardens and patches of lawn. It was in fact a cemetery, all paths leading to St Just Church, perched on an off shoot of the Fal with views to die for!
There were a few boats, and sizeable yachts sailing on the Fal as we crossed on the ferry, the bank on either side heavily wooded and soooo green.
From St Just drove down into St Mawes. On a beautiful protected harbour, home to a small fishing fleet, and safe mooring for many yachts on one side, it has Mawes Castle, Henry VIII's fortress guarding the entrance to the Fals estuary on the other, facing it's twin across the Fals, Pendennis Castle. Cannonball fire capacity covered the entire entrance to the Estuary from these 2 fortresses.
Built in the 1500's, St Mawes castle is in perfect nick, and worth a visit. You can climb up to the highest battlements, to the kitchen in the basement and around the fortifications in the garden.
Lunch of steamed local mussels and a pint of cider at the St Mawes Hotel on the harbour was a precursor to a swim close by. The water was extremely cool, but managed a swim around some yachts and to a pontoon and back, all of me acclimatising apart from
the face! Homemade ice cream and coffees followed from the Hotel Tresanton - in a great position right in the Bay.
No time to kayak, but this is a perfect spot to explore that way.