Last Stops in the UK
21 July 2023 – Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
Padstow was a great place to stay for a bunch of days, as there were lots of interesting little shops and bakeries (including three Cornish pasty shops in a row – we ate at least one a day while we were there). Padstow also had a bookshop which was a test of my willpower, as well as a store selling lots of different cute stuffed animals. The grocery store there was unfortunately quite small, so to go shopping and pick up more propane, Jonas and my mom biked for forty minutes to the next town over and managed to carry everything back.
Bike trip to get supplies – Wadebridge, Cornwall
Because we were going to be in Padstow for a bunch of days, the plan originally was to rent a car and go on another road trip to see the surrounding area. Unfortunately, there was a mix-up with the rental car which we weren’t told about until an hour before we were going to go, so my mom, Jonas, and I decided to quickly catch the bus to see Tintagel instead. Tintagel is a site containing the remains of a 13th century castle mythically associated with King Arthur – it is supposedly where he was born and in some legends raised. There wasn’t that much of the castle remaining, but it was perched on a cliff with great views and a majestic new bridge was built connecting the site. There is also a cool cave on the beach (where Merlin supposedly lived) which Jonas and I climbed through to see the ocean on the other side.
Tintagel Castle, Cornwall
Tintagel Castle, Cornwall
Our next destination, also our last stop in the UK, were the Isles of Scilly, located between England and France. They are beautiful and felt a bit like we’d been transported to a tropical island due to the palm trees, white beaches, and warm weather (at least for the UK).
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
We went on a coastal walk around one of the islands and saw the remains of Cromwell’s castle as well as Charles I’s Castle, then had a picnic.
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
Isles of Scilly, Cornwall
We wanted to stay in the Scillies longer, but there was a great weather window for sailing to France so we only stayed two nights.
