Devon Cornwall Road Trip.

[wizer]

Hi Guys

DW reminded me tonight that we've got a wedding in Torquay in June and had been thinking of a bit of a road trip around that part of the country. The wife would like to see Newquay and Padstow, so we will venture into Cornwall but I don't think we'll be travelling any further down than that. Planning on taking a couple of weeks either staying at various B&Bs or trying to find somewhere central as a base.

I've been given full permission to seek out woodworking related things of interest and maybe even a short course or two. So I am trying to plot some sort of itinerary.

Obviously I know about Axminster and Yandles, which I might be able to squeeze in on the way back. I've seen that DC is in Totnes but I'm not sure if you can just turn up and visit and he doesn't do very short courses. So I'm looking for recommendations for woody related stuff in that part of the country?

 

[cambournepete]

Hi Tom,
You might like to have a look in the Toolboxin Colyton.
He's got lots of old hand tools.

 

[devonwoody]

Please call in whatever in June.
David & Charles have a book store in Newton Abbot and have a section of returned woodworking titles most times at around 70% retail reduction. Its within 200 yards of your route into Torbay, so bear that in mind.

If you are interested my property and workshop could be available at around £500K, subject to contract.

 

[Oryxdesign]

Padstow is nice Newquay isn't especially in summer.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Yes I'll give Padstow full marks for a visit as a tourist but there is nothing for woodwoorkers, you'll have to get there early in the day as parking can be a nightmare. Don't even think of eating at Rick Steins unless you've won the lotto, £30+ for fish and chips ain't on.

Alf knows where to go looking for tool bargains I'll leave it for her to comment.

As a tourist the places to visit are.....

In no particular order

Looe & Polperro

Fowey,

Charlestown, The Shipwreck & Heritage Centre is a must if your in to old Tallships.

Falmouth National maritime museum ain't bad either but too pricey for me.

Truro will please your swmbo but parking could be a problem, the cathedral is a must place to visit.

Last but not least don't forget to have a Cornish Pastie, a real one not one of those Ginster or Presto Pasties things, the best are made in the local bakeries.

 

[devonwoody]

Looe & Polperro arent the best for parking after 10am either

Come down in your Smart car and you should be able to drive round those streets anything larger means you might get wedged in between buildings or pedestrians.

 

[Alf]

I've seen that DC is in Totnes

David Charlesworth? Has he moved from Hartland? As for Padstein, well I suppose it's a tourist thing, but cripes, you wouldn't get me going there.

If you're doing Colyton then very probably worth going on to Second Hand Tools who hang out at Beer. Then there's Bob's Toolbox in Liskeard. The ones more local to me are on my website but it's all a bit further down the county. Alas, so is Trelowarren where the Cornwall Crafts Association principally hang out (they have a list of furnituremakers and other wood craftspersons, but I don't know whether any of them could be persuaded to let you have a visit) - but there is the gallery at Trellisick which occasionally has some nice pieces of furniture. The garden's nice there anyway, as indeed is the case with pretty much all the NT properties round this way. Some of them have some green woodworking one-day courses scheduled this year, but whether in June, I know not. Might be worth asking the NT's Cornwall Regional Office, which I think is still at Lanhydrock. Ooo, there's a range of workshops set up at Cotehele Mill that I keep meaning to visit as well. The Eden Project has more to interest the woodworker than you might imagine - don't miss the giant wooden pineapple if you go. Dunno if Heligan still has a resident woodworker, but I think the saw mill must still be going.

Umm, other than that I'm a bit blank. Obviously you're welcome to visit the chaos that is my workshop, although June's looking a bit dodgy so I alas I can't do a blanket "come any time" invite. Bung me a PM.

 

[Stravides]

I used to live in Newquay... Now moved hate the place - too commercial now.. All the local small businesses etc closed down. Went down last weekend to visit the parents - went looking for blanks and tools and could only find a single shop selling chisels and that was in Truro - they had 1 "set" which was older than the hills.

My dad remembered an old friend he had trained with, and I managed to get some blanks n toold from, but they are sooo few and far between I was glad to get home...

But definately padstow if yer touristin

 

[wizer]

Thanks very much so far guys. That has given me loads to research. Being the wood nerd that I am, I'm even willing to seek out saw mills or interesting wood suppliers.

I'm not sure why the wife wants to go to Newguay, probably because it's somewhere she's heard of that's supposed to be a bit 'hip'. Padstow is because of the Rick Stein connection and, whilst I'm a fan, I'm not particularly fussed about going there. But I have to keep her sweet to get my woodworking excursions in We'll have to eat at at least one of his places as "we can't come to Padstow and not eat at Rick Stein's place" :roll:

I'd love to go further down into Cornwall, I've always wanted to explore down there, but I'm a bit concerned with all the car travelling. We could do it gradually over the 2 weeks, but it would probably cost a bomb in b&bs

Alf, sorry, you're right about DC. Don't know where I got Totnes from. Thanks for the offer of a visit, I will contact you nearer the time when the Itinerary has been firmed up. You've given me plenty to look up, cheers.

A bit of green woodworking might be interesting if the weather's nice. Should hold wife and daughter's interest too. Other than that I think I'm more likely to find turning courses for one or two days.

 

[devonwoody]

Devon Hardwoods is not the sort of yard that lets you wander around, their stuff comes in by lorry and goes out when cut to customers requiredments, but Yandles will have some turning blanks.

 

[Daven]

Only place that is good in Newquay was the Aquarium - an that was over priced! :?

The high street is full of surf shops last time I was there - OK to visit if you are in the area but wouldn't make a major detour.

Tintagel should not be missed if you are in the area IMO.

South Devon - Sidmouth, Honiton and Paignton Zoo worth a visit allbeit not in a woody sort of way :wink: (May be moving down there one day soon!)

Dave

 

[wizer]

Paignton Zoo worth a visit

Good, need things to occupy the littl'n too, cheers

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Looe & Polperro arent the best for parking after 10am either

Come down in your Smart car and you should be able to drive round those streets anything larger means you might get wedged in between buildings or pedestrians.

I don't go after 9.30am

 

[Lord Nibbo]

Paignton Zoo worth a visit

Good, need things to occupy the littl'n too, cheers

Ah occupy the little ones, nothing wrong with beaches as long as no one else is on them, I suppose I'm lucky having a boat as I can get to beaches most others cant get to, Polkerris between Fowey and St Austel is perfect for small children and it has one cafe and a pub but if you don't mind a little walking Polridmouth (pronounced pridmouth) near Fowey is secluded perfection with no shops of any kind for miles so it's a cheap day out , here is a link to what most people miss http://www.themagicofcornwall.com/pages ... h_pics.htm

 

[devonwoody]

Dont worry about finding a beach, start at the south eastward end of Devon and round to the North eastern end and there are around 400 miles of them.

 

[Mrs Oryx]

We have stayed at Deerpark Lodge, owned by the Forestry Commission. This end of Cornwall and very nice for us.

They are cabins set around a lake - pretty rural, lovely forest to explore with bikes (trailer for hire to pull round little girls) though don't know how your back would be with that.

They also have hot tubs on the decks - lots of fun. Downsides for you might be - no phone signal, no wifi, not many tv channels.

We're off to their new site in the Forest of Dean in the autumn.

 

[wizer]

no wifi

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Thanks MrsO, will look into that, sounds just right.

 

[Chris Knight]

Bovey Tracey has a furniture exhibition - small but quite good last time I was there.

http://www.devonfurnituremakers.org.uk/news.php

 

[squib]

Not quite so woody but really fascinating foundry that is water powered and used to make scythes and sickles and then medical instruments in the war.....the big hammer is awesome.It is just off the A30 around Okehampton on the way down (northern route).There used to be a proper pub next door if its still open!

http://www.360cities.net/image/finch-fo ... on-england

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-finchfoundry

 

[wizer]

some fantastic ideas coming. Thanks guys. I'm really starting to look forward to this. It could well turn into three weeks!