https://www.visitcornwall.com/ Archives - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

And a cider and a pastie for the day that’s in it as we say Happy St Piran’s Day to our Cornish Celtic pards.

Those of us not among the 5,000 folks with a working knowledge of Kernewek, the Cornish language, will have worked out.

That pards are pals and ‘Gool Peran Lowen’ means Happy St Piran’s Day, named for the 7th-century patron saint of tin miners.

Cornwall, the south-westernmost region in England is, of course, a proud member of the Celtic clan.

With Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Brittany in France and Galicia in Spain.

Gaels force

Now all the Celtic cousins share language roots, varieties on national dress, musical similarities and a love of pipes.

All of which you’ll see at gatherings of the clans around the world.

And I’ve been fortunate to enjoy from the Barbados Celtic Festival through the World Piping Championships in Glasgow.

To Celtic culture in Santiago de Compostella and Finisterre on the Camino.

So that when one Gael celebrates anywhere in the world we all do.

From Eden to Shipton Abbot

Cornwall, of course, is a region well worth celebrating for its music, culinary and culture.

And while its most visited attraction is the Eden Project, the world’s biggest indoor rainforest, housed in futuristic domes Cornwall’s outdoors are unique.

All of which make it a favourite for TV dramas and films, everything from Rebecca, Poldark, Doctor Martin, Fisherman’s Friends to the latest, Beyond Paradise.

If you want the cornucopia of Cornwall then you can push the boat out for one of the more expensive private group tours.

Or go Beyond Paradise for just £20 when you can take a TV tour around Looe, the inspiration for Shipton Abbot.

Now we all know of the charms of Cornwall but you’ll hear naysayers in equal measure warn against going because of the traffic logjams.

Cornish pasty people

Instead let the plane take the strain and fly into Newquay with these airlines all serving the Cornish peninsula.

British Airways. Aer Lingus, Loganair, Swiss International Air Lines, Eurowings, easyJet and Eastern Airways.

And so a Happy St Piran’s Day to our Cornish Celtic pards and see you soon.

Countries, UK

Devon must be missing an angel

2nd May 20212nd May 2021 funtime65

With apologies to Seventies stars Tavares but Devon must be missing an angel… my angel whose first bolt out of lockdown will be the West Country in England.

It’s timely that a family wedding is drawing her back to her homeland just at a time when Devon has never been more in vogue.

Life’s a pitch

With The Queen herself championing Devon and the Devonian way with her admission that she favours cream on jam which we discussed.

Were you paying attention? Well, we know our old friends at Pitchup.com were.

And with good reason as they have another good reason to laud it over their Cornwall neighbours.

Because Devon has only overtaken Cornwall for the first time in listings for campsites.

So what do we put this all down to?

Well, it’s partly down to the relaxation of permitted development rights.

And so landowners can now open up temporary sites without having to apply for full planning permission/licences.

And Devon has a far greater land mass to host those.

So as a sample Pitchup is offering Andrewshayes Caravan Park in Axminster from £23.50 a night.

Set among the Blackdown Hills seven miles from the Jurassic Coast.

They have a covered pool, adventure playground and soft play.

And what we all want to hear… a bar, cafe and takeaway in the school holidays.

Devon must be missing an angel but my creme de la creme is coming.

Get the campfire burning… she might even bring her voice too.

Deals, Flying, Ireland, UK

Heaven for Devon

27th April 202127th April 2021 funtime65

It is a right royal bunfight between two English counties which the Queen has now ruled on. So sorry Cornwall, it’s heaven for Devon… ONE decrees it’s jam on cream.

It’s actually timely that the Queen’s pastry chefs have revealed that Her Maj is Devonian in her scone tastes.

All of which is bad news for neighbouring West Country county Cornwall where it’s cream on jam.

Knowing look: Mary Berry’s giving nothing away

And why is this centuries-old row brewing again? Well, because supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is in the eye of the storm for putting out an advert where a Cornwall scone has the cream on first.

Creme de la creme

What we do know from living down near those parts is that Devon is the cream (we actually like Cornwall too but for the purposes of this article…)

And Ireland’s national airline carrier knows it too, or is coming around to it now.

Aer Lingus has announced that it is launching a direct flight to historic Exeter from August 30.

And helpfully flags up for those who don’t know the county the city’s Gothic cathedral and its quayside as well as its national parks Exmoor and Dartmoor.

And for paleontologists its Jurassic Coast in East Devon, with its 185 million years of history.

Beer on us

Devonians recommend Stuart Line Cruises to get around on your fossil hunt.

While we were taken too among the attractions by Beer. And there’s little surprise there.

Mind you, Beer is better known for its chalk cliffs and quarry caves.

I dare say there are lovely craft beers down here but real Cornwallians and Devonians drink cider.

Now don’t get us started on which is the better. Although we do know a wee old woman in Buckingham Palace who swears by one of them!

With Aer Lingus fares starting at from just €36.99 and four weekly flights on offer you’d have to be a dinosaur not to explore this magical corner of England.