'Rosamunde Pilcher' Tour for our German teachers

On Thursday 4^th April a  small group of  5 teachers from Germany travelled from Torquay to Truro; driven by Brian (of Top Cabs) to meet  with a Blue Badge Guide for a  ‘Rosamunde Pilcher’ Tour in Cornwall.  On meeting, the enthusiasm and anticipation of having an enjoyable day out was infectious and as the day progressed it was a bonus that Brian, the driver, was more than willing to accommodate all requests related to making the most of the tour.

 

After the brief stop near Truro,  St Michael’s Mount  was the first destination – an iconic castle set in Mount’s Bay  and the location used in several Rosamunde Pilcher  films such as ‘Wolken am Horizont’  and ‘Heimkehr’.  Arriving in the ancient town of Marazion at high tide meant that the journey to the Mount had to be by small boat. Thankfully the crossing was smooth, even if chilly. Once landed on the island quay  a steep climb had to be undertaken to reach the castle. The walk was warming and along the route there was time to hear stories and legends of the giant once lived here. The walk was warming on a cold day but the sun was shining down and views from the island of the Cornish coast with its villages and towns were spectacular. After touring the warm rooms of the castle, followed by surviving the cold winds on the battlements it was back to the harbour to catch the boat back to Marazion.  From here we made for St Ives – Rosamunde Pilcher’s ‘Polkerris’. En route we detoured around the village of Lelant to view Rosamunde’s birth place and home in later years as well as the church in which she married. The cameras continued to click!

On arrival in ‘Porthkerris ‘, which had such an influence on the artists about which Rosamunde Pilcher wrote,  the priority was to seek lunch in warm surroundings which is exactly what was done by descending on a small café in  one of St Ives quaint lanes known as The Digey. Here hot local food and …….. plenty of homemade cakes were consumed  before exploring the harbourside and town which featured not only in novels but also provided the backdrop for many German-made television programmes.
A  visit to the Carbis Bay Hotel, otherwise known as ‘The Sands Hotel’ in Rosamunde Pilcher’s most famous novel ‘The Shellseekers’ , rounded off the day. Here the expanse of St Ives Bay and North Cornish coast was the stunning view enjoyed from the conservatory whilst enjoying refreshment which varied between tea and a glass of wine!
A great day was had by all with there being many comments related to wishing to return to see yet more of Rosamunde Pilcher’s Cornwall.