This artificial ruin was built in 1747 and it replaced an obelisk which had stood there before. It…read morewas built using medieval stones which were salvaged from the churches of St George and St Lawrence in Stonehouse. An artist in the 1800s wrote that the Earl of Edgcumbe had his workers build one folly, blew it up, didn't like how it looked so had it rebuilt and blown up again. This time he was satisfied with the result!! It's possible to climb to the top to appreciate the views of Drake's Island, Plymouth Sound, Breakwater and Embryo Point. I used to go over to Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park quite often and have climbed the folly two or three times. That part of the park is free to ramble around (you need to pay to enter the House and Earl's Garden).

What a fantastic and interesting place to spend a couple of hours. Perfectly preserved by English…read moreHeritage, this 'relic' shows how our ancestors lived. We strolled around looking inside the buildings and deciding which rooms were which. Stones in the centre with worn areas where corn was ground. Fireplaces for cooking and heating. A wonderful visit and we were glad that we took the time. There would be difficulty for anyone with disabilities to visit the site but, if you can manage it, well worth a visit.

So you think your daughter's boyfriend looks like a creep, do you? His bleached blond hair gelled…read moreinto spikes, his druggy face studded with all kinds of objects, tattoos up the yingyang, bad attitude, ragged clothes, carries a war-ax... Well, he may simply be honoring the Berserker. Southern England is pockmarked with ancient Celt/Viking/Berserker settlements all protected by the English Heritage group (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk) maintained for their educational and historical significance. These ancient warriors fought friend and foe while in a heightened state of uncontrollable fury, a madness known as bärsärkar-gång (going berserk). These were some very bad-ass hombres who'd charge into battle with no armor, no guns and no mercy, just drugged-out ornery bastards with blades. They'd line their settlement walls with the heads of their enemies. Some would ride into battle on small, nimble chariots where they could swing off to stab at a foe and leap back on. As the myth goes, no weapons could harm these "shape-shifters". They were civilization's greatest nightmare and no one wished to be captured alive by any of them. With lemon-bleached hair spiked up with honey, henna tattoos from head to toe, wolf or bear skins their only protection, hopped up on magic mushrooms and alcohol, they were feared by all including their own kind. I don't think I could be their friend. But it's worth a look-see while in this beautifully scenic region of southern England and maybe you could take a second look at your daughter's boyfriend. He just might be showing respect to the ancients. Doubtful, but it's worth a shot. (photos up when I find them)

We had booked an AirBnb in Bodmin, Cornwall for New Year's 2019, and one of the star attractions of…read morethis town is this jail, so of course had to stop and check it out! The Jail is located up a winding narrow side road, but the grandeur of the stone buildings takes your breath away. The tag line is that it's one of Britian's most haunted buildings and a major attraction is a guided ghost walk/night as well as monthly murder mystery nights. The jail is also a bit of a hot spot for fans of the TV series Poldark as some filming took here. When we were at this attraction in Dec 2018, you could see a lot of renovation going on to construct a hotel. We decided to skip the £10.00 fee for a jail visit and checked out the tea room instead. The Lemon Drizzle cake wasnt all that great, but Scones were decent. Its a nice place just to wander around, and you do get a sense of Cornish history. Yelp 302/ 2018

This place is truly a gem in Cornwall. The hotel side is fascinating and very very clean and…read morecomfortable. The staff were so polite. The food! The food seems to change but the food experience I had was to die for. Never have I had such tender lamb. Little pricey but it ain't McDonald's! This is top level food cooked by a top level chef. The ambience of the chapel restaurant is peaceful and very pleasant, ideal for a meeting chat or just having a decent conversation. No raising your voice necessary but ambient music playing. I can't praise this place enough. Oh, free parking! Yep. No greedy owners ripping you off for parking. Just a great all round experience.

Came here in the late afternoon for a quick visit. Since we're members entrance was free. Our…read moreEnglish Bulldog was welcome on the site as well. The site is very nice and green. Very quiet when we've visited with only a handful of visitors. Surprising. Because even though not the biggest, it is a very interesting and beautiful castle. The big 13th-century round tower was built by Richard, Earl of Cornwall. You can climb up to the top to enjoy the views of the beautiful valley. The castle also served as prison and was also used as the base for the Cornish Royalist defence of the county. A very pleasant visit. Nice history, great surroundings. A small souvenir shop at the entrance as well. We enjoyed it. We parked our car at the nearby Westgate Street Multi-Storey Car Park and Coach Park. Only a few steps away.

This is a is a Norman motte and bailey earthwork castle on a high mound overlooking the town. It…read morewas once the administrative headquarters for the Earls of Cornwall who owned many estates throughout the region. It is thought that a castle was on this spot as early as 1067. In the 12th century a stone keep was constructed and then in the 13th century Richard of Cornwall held the earldom and made many alterations to the castle. After his death his son moved the administration to Lostwithiel which resulted in the castle's gradual decline in importance. It later became a prison for a time. Worth a visit if you are in the area, especially to see the views from the top. There is a nearby castle shop as well for souvenirs.

Wonderful if you can find it…read more This property is deep in heart of Devon and it took some doing to get there. Since it was originally constructed as a monastery in 1278, it is in a secluded location. There are many winding roads and narrow lanes en route. But every child spends time learning about the explorers and both of my boys were particularly fascinated by Sir Francis Drake. So when choosing which National Trust homes to visit, the Drake family home seemed like a perfect fit. It turned out to be my favorite. A large part of my (and particularly my son's) enjoyment was due to the educational aspect. Not just some dry lecture, they had a young guy on site in period costume discussing weapons. In particular archery and some of the great military campaigns against the French. Really cool stuff. Inside Buckland Abbey, there is also wonderful information about Sir Francis Drake. Videos about his voyage around the world and his victory over the Spanish Armada. He grew up nearby, then purchased the abbey once he became one of England's most successful explorers and a favorite of the queen. There is a lovely Elizabethan Garden and the barn is used for special events and exhibitions. On the upper floor, there are also outfits that the kids can try on to visualize another time and place. Like many National Trust sites, there is an on-site cafe. We skipped it in favor of seeking out a local tavern and that was a bit of a mistake. This location is truly remote and it was a challenge finding other local options. When we visited London, we saw a replica of Drake's ship, The Golden Hind, moored along the Thames. I only wish my boys were writing their reports on Drake this coming term.

The entrance to Pencarrow House and Gardens is a mile long drive through dense woodlands, which…read morecontain amongst other things rhododendrons, hydrangeas and one hundred species of conifer. The car park is of a fair size, but would fill up quickly on a busy day. Adjacent to the car park is a shop and an area selling plants. The shop sells the usual gifts and paintings, but also serves as the location to buy tickets for the house and gardens. Be aware though, they don't take credit cards. The gardens are stunning, very well landscaped and looked after, and complement the impressive Pencarrow House - a perfect place for taking pictures. There are actually over 50 acres of garden, which include Italian and American gardens, however, we didn't get very far into them because of the unpredictable english weather. Guided tours take you around Pencarrow House, which take place every half an hour. For us this really brought the house to life, the guide was knowledgable about the furniture, paintings etc, adding in fascinating anecdotal stories in each room of the house. The house is still lived in to this day, and has recently recieved the license to conduct weddings ceremonies and receptions. Alongside Pencarrow House is the Peacock Cafe, appropriately named as peacocks and chickens roam free range through the area of outside seating in the courtyard surrounding the cafe. The cafe has a compact menu of dishes like salads, sandwiches and cake. All very tasty, but a little expensive for the size of the portions. But the cafe's setting more than makes up for it though. Pencarrow is a hidden gem in Cornwall and one we thoroughly enjoyed.

Boscawen Park is situated in the Malpas direction from Truro. It has several football fields and…read moreTruro Cricket club also have their field next to the park. There are also plenty of children's play equipment such as slides and climbing frames. This park is County Council maintained so is kept to a high standard. There are around 10 hard tennis courts which you can rent for an hour a time in the summer. However these courts can be quite expensive and are often in use around May time. There are toilets in the park which are generally clean and to a decent standard.