Cornish Adventures 2021: Newquay Zoo

On the last full day of our holiday to Cornwall, we visited one of our favourite local attractions; Newquay Zoo.

Every time we holiday in Cornwall, we always make time for a visit, so we couldn't leave without continuing our decades-old tradition.

Newquay Zoo is a small but lovely little zoo on the outskirts of the popular seaside town of Newquay, which you'll probably know is famous for its beaches and surf culture. It has an interesting collection of animals to see, with everything from lions and wallabies, to penguins and tapirs, although, there are few big creatures and most of their menagerie is made up of smaller animals like monkeys, lemurs, and birds. This doesn't make a visit any less exciting, but if you go in expecting to see elephants and giraffes, you will be disappointed. 

We visited just before midday on a slightly drizzly Friday last September. Due to Covid restrictions, we prebooked our tickets online, and also rented a mobility scooter, which cost a non-refundable £10, as the zoo rents them in from another company. It was easy to collect on arrival, and the helpful staff also provided us with a map of the recommended routes around the zoo as it is hilly in places, and the scooter had all the stamina of a sloth. 

We had a fun couple of hours wandering around seeing all the amazing animals and plants. I particularly loved seeing the slow loris, tapirs, capybaras, and otters, and even saw a couple of species I'd never seen before, like the wildebeest and the dusky pademelon- a type of wallaby from Papau New Guinea. The wildebeest were cuter than I was expecting, and had the most amazing long eyelashes. The pademelon had such sweet little faces. Also, have you seen the 'eyebrows' on the Philippine spotted deer? Someone should've told her that over-plucking is never a good idea.

I also enjoyed walking through the peaceful Japanese-style garden by the otters and hornbills, and looking out over the lake, which has little islands home to lemurs and marmosets, and is edged with so much greenery. We were a little late in the season to see the gardens at their best, but I always enjoy seeing the huge hydrangea bushes blooming in the summer, and they have so many interesting sub-tropical plants you don't see every day further north in England.

It only took us two and a half hours to get around the whole zoo at a leisurely pace- even with rest breaks- but as someone with chronic pain, I find its small size makes for an ideal day trip. It's big enough to be fun and interesting to visit, but small enough that it's less tiring to explore than many other zoos in the UK. It's still a challenge, but I usually only need a few days to recover instead of a month. You could stretch out your visit to a half day, but you'd be pushed to spend a whole day there without doing laps. It's okay, though- it leaves you more time to spend soaking up the sun or catching some waves at the beach afterwards.

Of course, we couldn't leave without browsing the gift shop. No, seriously; we couldn't. They cheekily make you exit through it. I didn't buy anything this time, but good luck getting out without making a purchase if you visit with kids. 

We had a great day at Newquay Zoo, and it was a lovely way to spend the last day of our holiday. We're heading back to Cornwall again this month, and I've no doubt that we'll be back for another fun day out. We just can't keep away.

If you're an animal lover and ever in North Cornwall, make sure you pay Newquay Zoo a visit. It's well worth exploring if you're in the area and want a break from visiting beaches and harbour towns.

When did you last visit the zoo?

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My Sealife Brooch Collection

I'm away on holiday in (hopefully) sunny Cornwall this week, and I thought it would be fun to show you which accessories I packed for my trip.

So, what does a girl pack for a week by the sea in Cornwall? Why, all the sea life brooches, of course!

I've built up a great little collection of sea animal themed brooches over the last few years (plus a Kraken and a palm tree), so when I was deciding which accessories to pack for my holiday to Cornwall. I knew these brooches would be coming with me.

I love theming my outfits based on the destination or occasion, and trips to Cornwall are always a good excuse to break out anything seaside, sea life or nautical themed. I'll be wearing at least one of these brooches every day, along with my awesome Vendula London Seaside Souvenirs backpack and purse, and a pair of Havaianas. Well, when in Cornwall...

Most of these brooches are old designs from Erstwilder, except for the lobster and palm tree, which were part of a set from Cath Kidston several years ago, and the galaxy-effect whale brooch, which I bought from Kimchi and Coconut last summer. If I had to choose favourites, I think I would pick the beautiful sea turtle brooch, Michelle Sea Turtle; the amazing Kraken brooch, From the Deep, as the design is epic and it's made from the prettiest resins; and the crab brooch, Huggable Decapod, because the marbled red resin is so striking. They're all pretty cool, though, and I'm looking forward to adding them to my outfits this week for trips to the seaside, cruising along the coast, exploring harbour towns, and whatever else we may get up to. Though, if we take a trip to Newquay zoo, I'll be mixing things up and breaking out my new Pete Cromer lemur brooch for the occasion. I mean, what's the point in having a lemur brooch if I can't wear it to the zoo?

Of course, I'll also be keeping my eyes open for anything new to add to the collection while we're drifting in and out of seaside gift shops, so I could come home with more than I arrived with.

It's a risk I'm happy to take.

Someone please stop me.

Which brooch is your favourite?

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Cornish Adventures 2021: Padstow

Every time we holiday in Cornwall, we always fit in a visit to Padstow, and on last year's holiday, we actually went twice. The second time was just on a whim to get fish and chips from our favourite chippy in the harbour, but hey, sometimes you just have to drive fifty miles to satisfy a craving.

On the first full day of our holiday, we drove the twenty-five miles east along the coast from Perranporth to do some sight-seeing around Padstow harbour. As it was a scorching hot day, we left early to try to avoid the worst of the heat, and had a gorgeous drive along the coastal roads, cruising the tight hair-pin bends past beautiful beaches like Porth, Watergate Bay, and Mawgan Porth (above).

It was already thirty degrees by the time we got to Padstow, and with barely a cloud in the endless blue sky and the sunlight shimmering on the water, the harbour looked so serene. It's a very picturesque port town, with a working harbour in the centre, edged by pretty little gift shops, bakeries, and ice cream shops, and while it's quintessentially Cornish, when the sun is shining, it doesn't even feel like you're in England. 

We parked in the harbour, and headed across to take in the views of the boats on the water, before dawdling at a snail's pace around the shops and eateries in the town. We wandered in and out of gift shops, browsed a great little book shop, and bought treats from a sweet shop to bring home. We revisited a gorgeous teddy bear shop called Abbey Bears that we always return to whenever we're in town, and I came away with a Jelly Cat Amuseables pumpkin for myself and the cutest sad-looking hard-boiled egg plushie for my younger sister. I don't know why the Amuseables amuse me so much, but I love them. Afterwards, we went in search of Rick Stein's patisserie, hoping to get some of their delicious pasties we'd loved for over a decade, but to our disappointment, we discovered it had been demoted to a Rick Stein coffee shop since our last visit four years earlier. We had to buy chocolate orange cookies, and a custard tartlet to share to try to console ourselves at the loss of one of our holiday favourites. Seriously, Rick Stein pasties were amazing and probably the best in Cornwall, so my tastebuds were sad.

Our sweet treats were enjoyed back at the caravan that evening, and they were delicious. 

After strolling around the town in the sweltering sunshine and visiting all of the places that caught our eye, we stopped for a rest with some cold drinks alongside the harbour, and just sat in the sunshine enjoying the gorgeous landscape for a while. It looked so pretty and tranquil, I could've sat there all day. We would have liked to have gone out on a boat excursion to try to spot some sea life, like we often do on Cornish holidays, but we realised neither of us was in a fit state to manoeuvre down a flight of stone steps on to a boat, so we went and got ice cream, and fish and chips instead. 

We got delicious 99's from a Kelly's ice cream van on the harbour, which is a go-to every time we're in Padstow. Trust me, their soft-serve ice cream is some of the best you'll ever try. We then parked a little closer to the Lobster Hatchery, and treated ourselves to fish and chips from Rick Stein's Fish and Chips. It's a place we discovered about fifteen years ago, and the food is so good, we've been returning to it on every holiday to Cornwall since. It's a little more expensive than your average chippy- they actually sell lobster and champagne, if you really want to treat yourself- but the food is incredible, so it's completely worth it. The fish is fresh and often locally-caught, the batter is the perfect mix of salty and crispy, and the chips are so fluffy. They're the best fish and chips I've ever tried, to the point I'd been daydreaming about returning since my last holiday there four years earlier, and am already looking forward to going back again later this month. We enjoyed last year's meal so much, we actually drove all the way back- twenty-five miles each way- later in the week just to get fish and chips from them again! It was totally worth it. Will we be tempted to do the same again this year? Probably. And I'm not even sorry.

Our trips to Padstow were short and sweet, but we had a lovely time visiting the iconic town again. It's a great place to visit if you want to shop for treats and gifts to bring home, or grab a bite to eat while enjoying beautiful Cornish scenery and a busy but relaxing atmosphere. Padstow's said to have some beautiful beaches, too, but in all our years of holidaying in Cornwall, I don't think we've ever visited them. One of these days, I'm going to have to change that. If they're as pretty as the harbour, they'll be well worth a visit.

Have you ever visited Padstow?

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Autumn Goals

I can't believe that we're already a week in to September! Where have the last eight months of the year gone?! I feel like I blinked and missed them- but that's probably because I've only left the house a handful of times all year, and haven't been out living life to the full. I honestly feel like I've missed the whole summer, and it makes me a little sad to think of all the things I've not done this year. 

But, hey; it's September and we're heading in to autumn, so it's time for fresh starts and second chances. I'm so excited for the last third of the year, and hopeful that I'm able to enjoy the next few months a little more, and make up for lost time. I'm already thinking about all the fun autumn things I want to do over the next couple of months, as well as some other less-seasonal tasks, and I thought I'd talk about some of them today to try to encourage myself to start doing them, and make myself accountable. Maybe it'll work this year.

These are some of my autumn goals:

Take a Holiday to Cornwall

Okay, it's not autumnal, but my first goal for the month is to make it through a week's holiday to Cornwall. We're going away soon, and I can't wait to be back by the sea in one of my favourite places, taking in all the familiar sights, sounds, and smells, doing some sight-seeing, and eating lots of yummy food. Some of the things I hope to do while I'm there include:

♥ Visit Perranporth Beach

♥ Explore Portreath.

♥ Go to Padstow.

♥ Spend a day at St. Ives

♥ Get Rick Stein Fish 'n' Chips

♥ Take a walk on the beach.

♥ Paddle in the sea.

♥ Sight see by tour bus.

♥ Go on a boat trip to try to spot some sea life.

♥ Dine at some cool restaurants,

♥ Find some good independent book shops to bankrupt myself in.

Take a Walk in the Woods When the Leaves Fall

I'd really like to take a walk in the woods when the leaves fall to take in all of the beautiful colours, enjoy the fresh air, and hear the leaves crunch beneath my boots. 

Crunch Through Fallen Leaves

Maybe I'm just a big child, but there's something so satisfying about the sound of dead leaves crunching underfoot, and getting buried in leaves up to your shins. I want lots of that this year, please. It reminds me of being little.

Visit a Pumpkin Patch

I've still never visited a pumpkin patch, and would love to go to one to pick out a pumpkin or two, and take a few photos for the 'gram.

Carve a Pumpkin

I wasn't well enough to carve a pumpkin last Halloween, so fingers crossed I'll be able to carve one this fright night. It's tradition.

Bake an Apple Pie

I haven't baked in ages because it hurts my back too much these days, but I miss baking something tasty from scratch, and want to try to make an apple pie this autumn. I mean, seriously- is there anything better than warming up with a freshly-baked slice of apple pie and custard straight from the oven on a chilly autumn evening? It's the best autumn comfort food ever.

Read Lots

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year for reading. I don't know why, but there's something extra cosy about curling up under a blanket in bed and burying your nose in a good book when there's a crisp chill in the air, and an explosion of autumn colour to inspire the imagination. I want to find plenty of time to read this autumn, and work on completing my Goodreads reading goal before the busy Christmas season slows me down. I'm currently on book 32 of the year, and only have another 8 to go to hit my goal, so it should be doable if I keep up my current pace.

Go to a Fireworks Display

I'd really like to make it to a fireworks display on Bonfire Night. I haven't gone to one in over a decade now, and I miss it. I used to go every year since childhood to the one on my local RAF base, and I hear this year could be the last year they have one, as they're set to build on the playing field where it's always been held. It'll be the end of an era, so I have to go one last time.

Make my Animal Crossing Island Look All Autumnal

In case you were wondering (of course you weren't), I'm still addicted to Animal Crossing New Horizons, and I can't wait to start enjoying the autumn season in game. I've just started a new island, and I'm looking forward to making it look super autumnal with pumpkins and spooky stuff everywhere. I'm currently working on building a farm area so I can make a cute little pumpkin patch.

Make a Halloween Cross Stitch

I've never made a Halloween cross stitch before, and I think 2022 is the year to change that. I just need to find a cool pattern I like.

Watch Lots of Autumn Movies

I love a good movie marathon during the autumn months, and I'm already itching to watch all the cosy autumn movies and creepy classics. Actually, screw horror movies, I'm most looking forward to rewatching Practical Magic, You've Got Mail, Hocus Pocus, and War of the Worlds.

Visit The Cotswold Wildlife Park

I haven't paid a visit to my local zoo yet this year, which is just wrong, so I'm hoping to find time to go in the next month or so. It would be weird to go a year without making the pilgrimage, and they've just had some Pallas cat kittens that I'd love to go see. 

Take an Autumn Drive Through The Cotswolds

I live on the edge of The Cotswolds, and it's particularly beautiful during the fall, when there's a backdrop of fiery colours everywhere you turn. Sometimes we go on autumn drives through the countryside and pretty little villages just to take it all in, and it's something I'd like to do again this year. You never know what you're going to find. 

Revamp My Bookshelves

There's one thing I must do this season, and that's finally finding the spoons to reorganise my bookshelves. I've been needing to  declutter and revamp them for a couple of years, and with piles of books getting closer and closer to the ceiling, I really can't leave it much longer. I began moving my DVDs out of their cases in to a couple of folders in August, so I just need to get some boxes so I can store the empty cases, and then I'll have more rooms for books, and be able to start organising them. I need to be ruthless and get rid of anything I no longer love or can't see myself rereading, and by the time I'm done, I should have lovely, tidy bookshelves with room left over for lots of new ones.

Have a Clear Out

I also want to try to start decluttering the rest of my bedroom. I'm so over all the mess. I've got too many things that I no longer use and a lot that I've just out grown over the years, as my tastes have changed, and I've got older. I want to go through everything and sell or donate anything I no longer want or need- even if I know realistically I'll probably not get enough 'good' pain days to do it all before the New Year. What would take me an afternoon pre-chronic-pain now takes me years. I at least hope to make a start on having a clear out, even if I only manage to get through one area, like my wardrobe or under my bed.

Buy a New Pair of Ankle Boots

I desperately need a new pair of black wear-with-everything ankle boots as I wore out my last pair, so I need to buy a pair this season. Hopefully I'll actually find some I like this year, as last year's selection of wide-fit boots was crap.

Start My Christmas Shopping

I can't believe I'm saying this because I'd swear it was Christmas two minutes ago, but it's the time of year when I like to actively start Christmas shopping. It might seem early, but starting early is the only way I can afford to get my family and friends gifts, and it's the best way to spread the cost and find the best presents before all the good things sell out. Time to get on it. I want to be organised early this year.

There are more goals on my autumn bucket list, but I've waffled on enough already, so I'll stop here. Plus, this is more than enough to keep me busy for a while. I don't know if I'll be able to achieve them all, but I hope I can, and I'm going to give them all my best shot. Wish me luck!

What's on your to-do-list this autumn?

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