A quick escape for a few days in Fowey (Day 1)

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Day One: travelling down to Fowey

One of the advantages of living in Plymouth is that Cornwall is a short journey away. With our daughter and her husband moving back in with us until their new house is ready, we decide to give them some space. So, we pick up Bryony and head down the A38, A390 and B3269 to Fowey.

Fowey, with its stunning harbour, river scenery and great coastal walks and country lane cycling is an hour’s drive.

A quick phone call and we have five nights at Toynes House, just outside Fowey and just past the turning for Golant – a CAMC certificated location site.

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/certificated-locations/england/cornwall/fowey/toynes-house/

We arrive at 12.30 to a warm welcome from Bruce the owner.

His site is sheltered surrounded by trees that act as a great windbreak. There is some road noise as part of the site backs onto the main B-road into Fowey but you quickly grow accustom to it and actually it isn’t that intrusive. There is an orchard and a great little walk area for dogs as well. Basic facilities – just EHU, water tap and chemical disposal point. Fowey is a 20-minute bike ride down the hill (rather longer on the way back up); Golant the same.

 

On arrival, we drive into the field, attach the hosepipe to the tap and fill the water tank. Within minutes we have levelled up, unpacked and are ready for a cuppa.

Where upon, we hit a snag. The water pump won’t work. We can hear it running but no water out of any tap. We suck on the shower hose (not my best idea), we pump the taps on and off; I crawl under the Moho and bang the water tank on each side and base. We try every trick we know but no water. The pump keeps running but no water out of taps.

‘Airlock’ was the considered reply on all the forums. Only one person comes back with something different – “could be that the pump arm has jammed in the up position because you overfilled it OR worse, the pump has fallen off its mounting and is lying on the bottom of the water tank”.

Well, that’s a good cheerful start to the five-day escape. We decide on a short bike ride down to Golant to get an ice cream at the paddleboard centre, a consolation prize. Salted caramel crackling with a stunning river view.

The steep hill back up out of Golant? Not so pleasant, but thank God for E bikes eh?

https://www.fowey.co.uk/visitor-information/around-fowey/golant

At the top of the hill, we head down the road to the roundabout and take the lane down to the Boddinnack ferry. Fowey, as we expect, is heaving but it is still a nice stroll through the town to the quayside to admire the boats. 

Another steep hill back up to the campsite, where, on arrival, I decide both bike chains are in need of some oiling TLC. I’m getting fed up of all the chain clunking on both bikes when we change gear going up hills.

That night, I sneak out to do some astronomy. Given the surrounding trees and limited view of the skies its more in hope than certainty. The target is the North America Nebula. Alas, it’s very high in the sky and within an hour has disappeared behind trees. But I am rewarded with my first telescope views of Jupiter, where I manage to see the banding and all four moons lined up either side of the planet. Terribly exciting but no-one to share this emotion with!

If you are interested in doing astronomy whilst out in your motorhome, then there is an informative article about the night skies in the August edition of ‘Camping and Caravanning’ magazine from the Camping and Caravanning Club. It gives some useful stargazing tips about getting started and what to look for in our northern hemisphere summer skies.