Calstock; quaint and quiet.

After a very busy few weeks and the opening of my exhibition at the Castle, we both needed a break and to spend some time together.

But yet again August brought rain, and cool winds so we escaped to the shelter of Calstock. It is a small traditional village tucked in a valley on the Tamar estuary. Turner painted this area and there are lots of walks along the river and it’s valleys tracing in his footsteps. Calstock is famous for the viaduct that spans the river and takes the trains into Cornwall. It is vast and at all times of the day, reflected in the waters of the Tamar.

We stayed in converted donkey barn in the middle of Calstock with an artist and her husband. ( the beauty of finding quirky stays through AirBnB).

From Calstock, its a gentle walk along the river to the National Trust’s Cotehele house and quay. Passing lovely little boathouses and the boat yard it was so peaceful. A lovely cafe hut within the boatyard provided a lovely pit stop with an honesty policy on cakes and tea and coffee you could make for yourself.

It was a welcome break in the beautiful quiet backwater Cornwall in the height of the summer tourist season and a perfect place to reflect on the past few weeks and make plans for the next.

If you do ever go though, take some supplies with you if self catering. There is no longer a shop in Calstock although they were trying to start a mobile shop in a bus. I hope it happens. One place not to miss is the gorgeous little cafe called ‘Lishe’ and walking in the Tree surfing woods at Gulworthy above the Tamar river.