At last, as far west as we are going - Padstow. We headed down to Newquay first for a bit of a look before heading back up to Padstow. However there didn't appear to anything of interest there so we didn't bother stopping.

The drive up to Padstow was quite spectacular. Cornwall is everything we imagined it to be. Even with the sun shining there is an air of wildness which permeates the rugged coastline and the windswept farmlands.The road will be traversing a flat plateau for a while, then it suddenly plunges down to a river flowing into the sea. The roads are little more than lane-ways bordered by high rock walls and hedges. At times it is difficult to gauge where the road is heading for until you are right on top of a bend or crest. And all the while there is the sea to one side - waves crashing onto the rocks and beaches.

Now, I suppose you are all wondering why we bothered to come so far across to the UK just to see a small fishing village in the middle of nowhere. Especially with the weather being so lousy. Well, the main reason for coming here (probably the only reason) is that we wanted to go to Rick Steins Seafood Restaurant in Padstow (he is considered to be one of the foremost seafood chefs in the world). Pretty silly I know, but there you have it. On the way to Padstow we stopped at a pub called the Cornish Arms, owned by Rick Stein, for a spot of lunch. Julie had a bowl of beetroot soup with pickled spring onions, while I had a bowl of Cullen Skink, a Traditional Scottish soup with smoked haddock & potato. Both dishes were superb. A taste of what was to be expected tonight.

Padstow itself is definitely worth a visit. A small fishing port nestled on some of the most spectacular coastline you will ever see. The English version of Honfleur, but not as touristy. The weather was holding up for us so we were able to take a leisurely stroll around the town - which, given the size of the place, didn't take long at all.

Getting back to our hotel, it suddenly dawned on me - we'd come all this way without checking that the restaurant would be open (lots of places close down for the winter), and we would be able to maker a booking. A quick Google search found the website - yes it was open, and there were bookings available for the 6.30 sitting. Done.

So, the restaurant, Was it worth all the trouble? Oh yes. It certainly was. The setting was elegant without being ostentatious. The service was what you would expect from a 5* establishment. And the food? Simply divine. I started with an entree of plaice fillets fried in a chickpea flour batter, with a wasabi and cucumber relish. For mains Julie had a fillet of local hake with thick cut chips, fried in dripping, served with mushy peas, while I opted for Seafood Dieppoise, a classic French creamy dish from Normandy with stone bass, monkfish, cod, scallops, mussels and langoustines, served in a garlicy creamy broth. Julie finished off with a souffle with a lemon sauce, accompanied by a serve of rum ice cream and orange segments soaked in a liqueur. To say that the food was good would be an absolute understatement. The fish dishes were superbly cooked and presented, paired with a glass of white wine which the waitress chose for us (delicious), and the souffle desert was divine - the most perfect souffle we have ever had, it was like eating spoonfuls of air. I don't think we will ever forget that meal for a very long time.

So, the main objective of our trip here having been achieved, tomorrow we are heading back over to Dover to catch the ferry back to France for the final eight days of our trip. Don't know where we are going yet - maybe Ghent in Belgium, or perhaps Cologne in Germany. Or maybe all the way south down to Marseilles or Nice in France. Might use the ferry trip to decide.