Poldarkian

While most of our holidays involve trying to get out away from people, it's nice to grab the occasional bit of luxury, which is usually heading somewhere nice to eat. And for this trip that meant heading to Padstow, and mingling with the crowds.

We didn't go with the obvious (though we had a wander into Rick Stein's shop for a gander, though not his restaurant, or café, or cook school, or fish and chip shop, or patisserie), but rather Paul Ainsworth's home at 'Number 6' (his tv persona was more enticing, and the online menu worth salivating over). And blimey it didn't disappoint, with the man himself in the kitchen (unlikely in Stein's place).

Padstow itself was reasonably pretty, but given how busy it was it must be like fighting against the tide in proper high season (something confirmed when chatting to the waitress). Still, there were some nice galleries (and yes, a rather nice print was purchased to be shipped home, and a couple of little glass bowls will be packed safely into the cases), and heading up the hill away from the harbour we got some attractive peace and quiet.

With the sun shining there was time to head a little south, and take in some of the very obvious mining history of the area at Wheal Coates, near St Agnes. All it needed was Poldark moodily riding at breakneck speed along the cliff. This was a properly impressive coastline, the sea a beautiful turquoise, with big rollers hammering in under blue skies. A great end to a really nice day.