Back from Cornwall. Pity. I would have liked to have stayed another few days at least.
We rented a lovely refurbished farmhouse near Bude, a short drive from the coast. The location, at the bottom of a muddy track two miles from the nearest pub or village shop, wasn't perfect but it was very quiet, the view was impressive, and the house - well, let's just say that, barring a multi-million pound lottery win, it's my dream home.
Slate grey flagstones in kitchen, dining room and hall; oak floors in the twin sitting rooms at the front of the house; old-fashioned latches on every door; wood-burning stoves in three of the ground floor rooms; five comfortable bedrooms upstairs, one with a proper en suite bathroom (ie it had a bath as well as a shower); and wooden beams high enough to avoid any unpleasant head banging.
The kitchen had been extensively modernised with a Rangemaster cooker and breakfast bar. The dining room in contrast felt like a very small baronial hall. All this plus wifi, Sky TV and a 'dogs welcome' policy. What more could anyone want?
With all these home comforts there was very little incentive to stray beyond the local area but we did drive to Padstow, 26 miles down the coast. The first time I visited this small fishing port was in 1967. I was eight and I was on holiday with my family in nearby Trebetherick (home of Sir John Betjeman). I've been back several times since but it's best to avoid in peak season when hordes of tourists threaten to overwhelm the narrow streets and picturesque harbour.
Today Padstow is best known for its connection with restaurateur, chef and TV presenter Rick Stein who owns a hotel, restaurant, bistro, cafe, patisserie, deli and gift shop in the town. And that's not all.
You might remember me naming the Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife as my favourite fish and chip shop in Britain. Well, after an unbroken 20-year run, the title now belongs to Stein's Fish & Chips, South Quay, Padstow.
It's a 630 mile round trip from Cambridgeshire (Anstruther, surprisingly, is slightly less, 580 miles) but well worth it. Warmly recommended.