Wednesday 19 August 2015

Far from the maddening crowd














As you can imagine, St Ives is a very busy place to live at the moment. It would appear that the world and his wife have descended upon the town this year. While that is Good News for a community that by and large depends on holidaymakers, it can be rather claustrophobic too. The beaches fill up very early on a sunny day, and you can feel hemmed in on all sides. I prefer to go later, when people are leaving to get ready for dinner. It's actually the best time (but don't tell them that); the warmth of the sun is a little less, but the sand and rock radiate their own heat. The colours don't possess the harshness that a mid-day sun can bring. They are golden, turning peachy pink as the evening draws near. There is space to play. An unadulterated view for this Mum, so that she can let her son run the length and breadth of the west end of the beach, without worrying.

But if I'm honest, we don't go to the town beaches that often during the month of August. And I think that's more to do with my own dislike of it than anything else. It feels rather impersonal, and a bit too garish what with all the windbreaks and primary colours of bucket and spade. And I feel as if the town has handed over itself to the visitor. There doesn't always seem room for the resident. Again, that's not a complaint. We get to keep it for ourselves for most of the year, and that's precious indeed.

The long summer holiday is a mixture of mad activity versus lazy hanging out days at home. What we get up do depends on what the weather looks like as I draw the blinds on any given morning. And anyway, the mornings tend to be a mix of quiet play for Olly and chores for me. There is always laundry, and floors to sweep. There are many Star Wars battles to be had, or Knex models to be made (which at the moment seem to all be models of mass destruction. Should I be worried?)

While it's all very well to sit and play in the garden, Honey still needs to be walked, and Olly still needs to run, play and explore. Especially if I'm to tire him out enough for bedtime. There are the various parks of course, and we are going to one of his favourites this morning. But there are our also our special favourite places that we return to time and again. They are quiet and unspoilt. They are the hidden gems of our local area. These are the places that belong to us all year round.

One of them is Rosewall. I have mentioned and written about our adventures up on the hill quite a few times here. But oh how I love it there. It's not a particularly high or steep hill. But there is magic up there. It is protected and untouched. That's not to say that it is unknown; Barbara Hepworth would climb the hill and look down on the landscape. You can see its' inspiring view in some of her work. Walkers of dogs, and ramblers visit. But there are never too many at any given time. In fact we almost always have the place to ourselves. I always feel a little smug that just a couple of miles away St Ives is teeming, while we are stood up high looking down on a majestic landscape whose only throng are the animals that live here too.

We've yet to watch the sun set up on Rosewall Hill, but it's on the list. I can't imagine anything nicer than sitting on top of the world with a flask of hot chocolate, the dog and the boy to contemplate the sun as it sinks below the horizon.

Leanne xx

(several of the above photos were taken by Olly. I think he did rather well).


29 comments:

  1. I expect it can be a little overwhelming at high season. I'm glad you have your more peaceful spaces to visit still xx

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  2. Good photos Olly, you take after your mum with a gift with a lens. How lovely to find quiet spots despite all the holidaymakers. I can imagine how crowded it is in town. The motorway here has been hideous on more than one occasion lately. We avoid it whenever we can. Rosewall looks like a beautiful place, glad you had a good time there. Fantastic butterfly photo by the way. CJ xx

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  3. He did beautifully. I think it's really wonderful that you're able to find the quiet places even when the tourists are around. It reminds me of the part of New York when I grew up, an area with lots of wineries, apple orchards, old mansions, etc., along the Hudson River. The tourists could be a nuisance at times but we learned to enjoy the area in between. You live in a beautiful place and I appreciate the way you seem to make the most of it.

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  4. What a beautiful place to escape to, I will have to explore it one day. I'm battling to get to and from work in Newquay, you can imagine how hellish it is there at the moment!

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  5. Great pictures Olly!!! And you too Leanne! How great that you have these quiet little places to escape to without all the tourists and hustle and bustle of the other goings on. I have to admit that I think the town would be too much for me in August, it was wonderful in April though! I totally get what you mean about the beach in the evening too, it really is beautiful isn't it, and I imagine it is pretty gorgeous too very early in the morning! xx

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  6. Your summer holiday sounds absolutely perfect Leanne. Olly did great with your camera. I can't even begin to imagine what James and Alistair would do with mine.... Enjoy the rest of your holidays my friend. Christina xxx

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  7. I spent some years living in Canterbury and felt much the same as you about the tourists, although I must say you're far more understanding than I was! Your plans sound laid back and wonderful. And great photos! Olly is a star! x

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    1. Hey Lou,
      I'm not always understanding! Are you the same knit nurse that I follow on IG? If so, hello! If not, hello!
      L xx

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    2. Hi Leanne - yes, it's me! I found your blog last year, I think, and like your photos and words - and honesty because sometimes life isn't all perfect, is it?! And hello to you, too! Xx

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  8. watching the sunset sounds like a marvellous plan x

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  9. i just wanted to de-lurk to say how much i truly enjoy your blog -- i can't remember how i got here, followed a trail of blog-crumbs, i imagine - but i'm glad i did.

    those photos are absolutely breathtaking - and i'm with you on wanting to avoid the teeming hordes. i get quite huffy when there are too many people cluttering up my favourite haunts. :) xo

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    1. Hey Mel,
      I do get huffy when all I want to do I go to the post office and have to face a multitude of pasty chomping holiday makers!
      Thank you for your lovely comments. I'm dead chuffed that you enjoy it here.
      L xx

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  10. We've spent many a summer holiday in St Ives and agree that late afternoon and early evening is the best time to be on the beaches. I suffer from the same love-hate relationship with festivals in Bristol, but they only last the weekend! Great to hear you've precious spaces to escape to when it gets too much to bear. I must remember to seek Rosewall out on our next visit. I remember a relatively peaceful walk up to the Knill monument and the views up there.

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    1. I am,originally from Bristol, and often return to visit my family. The funny thing is that I really enjoy its vibrancy and hustle and bustle. I see it as my city fix. Having said that, I am glad to leave it behind too!
      L xx

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  11. You have a great camera, wonderful detail on that peacock shot!

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  12. We always used to avoid Weymouth in August just for the same reason! After all we have the rest of year to enjoy it! It's much the same down at the harbour here but there is more places to escape from the crowd! I had forgotten about once and the amazing creations the children used to create! Sarah x

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  13. you need that place to lift you up, I can really relate to that. The horses are amazing! enjoy. X

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  14. I love the picture of the horses on the moors. When I was a teenager I used to spend my summer holidays riding on Bodmin Moor and have many happy memories of the expanse of space that was just perfect for galloping! xx

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  15. Olly obviously takes after his mum with the camera skills! How lovely to have such a well kept secret place to visit and evening trips to the beach when most of the tourists have gone sound idyllic. xx

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  16. Well done on the photos Olly!

    What is it about hills with sea views, who couldn't fall in love with them?!

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  17. Excellent photos Olly- you should take more and get mum to put them on the blog.

    It won't surprise you I am sure to know I am the same about crowds of people. Can't be doing with it. My friends think I am becoming a little too rural as I even get flustered in Romsey (small market town) :o) xx

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  18. You live in a beautifull county.

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  19. Great post title! If you do go up there with a hot chocolate one evening, please tell us about it. And excellent photos - especially that shot of the horses - well done whoever took them. xx

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    1. That one was definitely not a typo :-)
      L xx

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  20. I can't tell which are your photos and which are Olly's, great job. We loved St Ives when we visited a couple of years ago but I can understand what it must be like to live there with so many tourists arriving during the summer months. I suppose being local you have a bit of inside knowledge where to go to avoid the crowds, I'm sure you need to sometimes.

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  21. hello lovely. Im back and soaking up all i missed x

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    1. Hey Jane,
      So good to see you back!
      Leanne xx

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  22. Such excellent photos. Cornwall is so beautiful! Hopefully you'll get your beaches back soon :-) Have a great week xx

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  23. Going to the beach later in the day is exactly what we do too. Our beaches in The Hague are inundated with tourists in summer and I think heat-wise it's much more pleasant in late afternoon. Sometimes we treat ourselves to dinner too when the budget allows for it.

    Beautiful, beautiful photos by the way, Leanne xxx

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