May Bank Holiday

In Cornwall anyway we were denied the opportunity today to indulge in moaning about the bank holiday weather: the sun has shone, although the northerly wind made my eyes water.

I left home in half a mind to visit the garden at Tregullow, which was open as part of the National Gardens Scheme. Tregullow is the home of the High Sheriff of Cornwall, Mr James Williams - seen in the photograph in black velvet and breeches at the head of the afternoon dance on Trevithick Day this year.

In fact I found myself heading in the direction of Helston, and then walking up Tregonning Hill from the hamlet of Balwest.

Standing beside the War Memorial at the summit I had a fantastic view from coast to coast, and I found shelter from

the wind in the Preaching Pit.

Afterwards I spent a small fortune on chicken manure and plants in a garden centre, before finishing the afternoon with one of the best cream teas around - in Sithney.

Trevithick Day

A few entries ago I told of meeting George Wilson, secretary of the Trevithick Society, while out walking.

This morning I had forgotten that today is Camborne's annual celebration of the engineering genius of local boy, Richard Trevithick. I thought at first that the leisure centre was on fire when I arrived for my swim and saw a huge cloud billowing up from behind the building: then the steam engines came into view.



In the afternoon, I watched through a haze of smoke and steam as the procession of engines made their way down Trelawney Road, and then back up Tehidy Road - the Camborne Hill of the Cornish folk song.

Julia Goldsworthy, our local Liberal Democrat MP until a few weeks ago when the election was called, was sitting in a trailer behind the last engine, looking as if she was glad to take a rest from the campaign to be re-elected, although she did flash me a big smile.

Someone called out "Bet Gordon isn't doing this today."
"No. Poor him", Julia replied.

Heather Hosking