Bob Lillie's Travels: Around Cornwall....Bodmin Moor, Tintagel, Falmouth, Etc.

We visited Rough Tor (417m) on Bodmin Moor which is the second highest point in Cornwall. We went up almost to the top for a view of Brown Willy (420m).

Rough Tor from the Car park

(Photo taken by my friend Eve)

Looking across the remains of a prehistoric settlement on the flanks of Rough Tor

See my previous post from my 2012 visit to Rough Tor for more details

http://boblstravels.blogspot.com.au/2012_07_01_archive.html

Showery Tor close by Rough Tor

Little Rough Tor with Rough Tor behind taken from the saddle between Little Rough Tor and Showery Tour

Brown Willy from the same spot

Mum on the saddle admiring the view behind which takes in the North Cornwall coast from Padstow to Tintagel

A Highland Bull grazing near the Car Park

A Horse and two foals grazing at the same spot

Next we visited Tintagel Castle. They make a big deal in Tintagel of the stories linking the castle with the King Arthur's Stories. Unfortunately, there is not much fact linking Arthur with the area as the castle is medieval and there was a late Roman/early Dark Ages trading community there before that. There is a considerable history of trading with North Africa, Spain, and as far as Turkey and the eastern Mediterranean area. They would have been exporting locally mined tin and even gold in exchange for spices, wines, pottery goods, etc.

On the path to the castle

Bees collecting honey from this bush

Mum and my friend Eve taking a photo of the Bees

The approaches to the castle with the Outer Bailey in the foreground and the Island with the rest of the castle behind

Back when I first visited Tintagel back in the 1950's there was the island was connected to the mainland by a narrow neck. However, 20 years or so a go this neck was washed away in a winter storm and has now been replaced by this bridge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tintagel_Castle

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/properties/tintagel-castle/history-and-research/history/

I have a notorious bad head for heights and the last few times I have not been able to summon the courage to cross the bridge

The next two photos are from colour slides I took around 1972 during a visit to the castle

This photo shows the neck before it was washed away

and this is the view across the inner bailey across to the outer bailey back in 1972. I apologise for the quality of the photos, but colour slides don't seem to maintain their quality over the years.

I chickened out again, my friend Eve had to proceed alone

I followed her progress from a Cafe below

The next set of photos are taken by Eve

Mum and I enjoying a coffee at the cafe

In the great hall in the inner bailey

A medieval tunnel. Whilst it's purpose is unknown, it may have been a storage for wine.

The medieval chapel

the outer bailey from the Island with the village of Tintagel in the background.

Looking up the coast towards Boscastle and Bude from the island across the medieval garden area

Next we visited Falmouth to find the grave of my great grandfather and his wife,Alice. It took a bit of finding and our only clue was a photo of the grave taken very soon after Richard's funeral in 1925. Alice died in 1933 and her details were engraved on the headstone then.

The original photo from around 1925

The names on the gravestone are Richard Billett who died in 1925, Wilfred Billett, Richard's youngest son who was lost at sea along with all his crew mates in 1915 and Elizabeth, a daughter who died aged about 6 months

Looking across the cemetery towards Swanpool. There some Billett graves there including Richard's brother John, but their gravestones have long disappeared

Richard's gravestone today. It has fallen down and broken into two pieces. The portion that was added for Alice is propped up behind the stone seen here.