New arrivals due very soon at Tregongeeves

We are very excited to announce that we are expecting some new arrivals here at Tregongeeves.  As regular visitors will know sadly our beloved Splodge the pig passed away a year or so ago.  Since then we have had River Valley's pigs - Cinnamon and Nutmeg up here as their paddock needed a rest.  Well they went home  a few months ago which left us here at Tregongeeves pigless.  The place is just not the same so Judith is eagerly awaiting the arrival of two new rescue pigs.  As soon as they arrive, which will hopefully be next week I will post a picture.  We are very excited.

On other animal news the chickens are gradually starting to lay again, although it is not the large numbers we enjoy in the summer.  Alice the Shetland looks a mess all the time at the moment as she cannot resist a good roll in mud - and we have qute a lot of that at the moment.  The sheep still look huge with their winter coats on.  Despite a local farmer and friend trying to persuade us to, we will not be taking on any lambs this year, as they are such hard work to bottle feed all the time.  I suspect very soon though as the weather improves we might see some chicks arrive on the farm.

Right now the cottages are shut for our winter works.  We are busy installing new tiles into the swimming pool and we have a stunning two storey playhouse to go up outside - although we do need a little bit of sunshine for this work to happen!  We are also giving the cottage a lick of paint and changing the following in some of them.

We do still have some last minute availability for the February Half Term so why not pop down for an early spring break with us.

Stormy but safe

Happy New Year from all at Tregongeeves Farm Cottages.  We had a lovely Christmas;  Judith and John spent New Year in London taking in the fireworks and enjoying some good food.    John has now headed off for his annual ski trip whilst Judith holds the fought at Tregongeeves (skiing is not her favourite past time!).  The cottages are shut until the February Half Term which means we are in full spring cleaning mode.  The Christmas decorations are stashed away for another year and the paint brushes are out.

The South West has featured heavily in the news over recent days after baring the brunt of some fairly unforgiving storms.  It has been a wet and windy few days; this morning we were awoken at 5am by a fierce thunder storm, which was directly over head - the lightning show was pretty spectacular.  Opposite is the view from Heidi and Richard's road on Friday when the hail came down so hard it was like a flowing river down the road.

As for Tregongeeves we are fairing okay.  The animals have been kept in on the worst of the days and the chickens have finally started laying again - only one a day mind you!  Even Ginny the dog is not that keen to go outside at the moment.  Over than a lot of mud we have thankfully come off rather well considering the terrible weather.

Locally there are reports of isolated flooding - I am sure you will have seen that Looe was flooded on the National News and in Newquay the loss of so much sand has revealed a shipwreck no one knew existed.  Other than that the area was well prepared and we are coping pretty well.  The sun today was a welcome relief to a tough few days.

One of my favourite things about Cornwall is how the mild climate makes the plants come to life earlier after the winter.  Despite the aforementioned weather the bulbs are well and truly sprouting and the first snow drops are about to come into flower.  For some reason this gives me hope that soon we will be in full spring here and then it is not long the stunning Cornish Gardens are a truly wonderful spectacle
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Child Friendly Cornwall

Living in a place it is easy to become complacent and take what you have for granted.  It is only having gone away up country recently that we realised just how child friendly Cornwall is and how you can pretty much go anyway and be welcomed with small people.  St Austell itself has an array of child friendly cafes that provide activities and entertainment for free.  Tengo Cafe on the main high street has just introduced 'Tengo Tots' with a large indoor play area, selection of toys and a good children's menu.  The Eden Cafe, also in St Austell not only has a lovely toy box and lots of highchairs but they also offer a number of free children's activities that you can drop into such as Tots Rocks (this is brilliant), which is every Wednesday from 10am or Rhymetime every Tuesday from 3.30pm.  Both great activities for a rainy day.  Pentewan Sands Holiday Park, a short drive away has a large soft play area which you can use for free if you purchase a coffee.

Cornwall also boasts a large number of attractions that are great for all the family.  For the younger ones why not take a ride on a train at Lappa Valley.  The park has a number of small trains for your to ride on, a maze, canoeing, play area and lots to keep small people amused.  The National Maritine Museum will entertain the whole family with lots of hands on exhibits and displays to engage everyone.

There are many great places to eat as a family here too.  Our favourite is Lewinnick Lodge in Newquay as it offers great food, with stunning views and is very child friendly.  For an upmarket experience visit the Bedrutham Wild Cafe.  Set on the cliffs this child friendly hotel offers non guest a brilliant child friendly cafe.  Great place to stop off at if you are enjoying the north coast.  Sam's in Fowey offers a lovely children's menu with lots of things other than chips on the menu such as homemade lasagne.

If the selection of animals at Tregongeeves is not enough for you then why not venture out to Newquay Zoo. The small zoo is laid out well and has a good selection of animals.  Newquay Aquarium is also worth a trip too.  A real treat is a visit to The Monkey Sancturay in Looe.  Located in beautiful grounds the sanctuary has a selection of rescure monkey.

Talking of animals everyone is well here at Tregongeeves.  In fact Judith will be adding to her wide collection of animals over the festive period as she adds Dave - the one eyed guinea pig to her collection. He belongs to her grandaughter who is away over Christmas so she has kindly agreed to look after him - what's one more to add to the collection!

'Tis the Season to be Jolly, tra la la la laaaaaaa la la la laaaa

Seasons Greetings!  Here at Tregongeeves life is like one big Nativity scene with the donkeys being moved around frequently to ensure enough grazing.  The sheep have grown their winter coats - it is actually surprising how quickly they thicken up.  The pigs - Cinnamon and Nutmeg - have gone on a winter jolly to River Valley Holiday Park to help graze a paddock down there.  We have had to say goodbye to some of the older hens so we are awaiting some new arrivals.  Alice the Shetland is, well Alice, sometimes happy some times grumpy depending on the size of the carrot you greet her with.

With the reduction in animal duties for a few weeks whilst the pigs are away and fewer chickens Judith does not know what to do with herself in the morning.  So much so that I received reports that when she kindly looked after Jessica, her grand daughter, over night, the breakfast treat was a chocolate digestive and a glass of milk in bed with Granny and Grandad!

St Austell Christmas lights

If you are visiting Cornwall over the coming weeks you are in for a real treat - it really does feel special down here with festivals and celebrations happening across the County.  If you arrive this weekend be sure to head to Padstow for their Christmas Fair.  The list of talented chefs giving talks and demonstrations is amazing.  If lights are more your thing be sure to head down west to Mousehole - the small fishing village is famed for their lights display.  If you still need to do a little bit of shopping then why not head in to Truro on a Wednesday for late night shopping.  The atmosphere is always alive with childhood memories provoked by the smell of mulled wine and chestnuts.

Father Christmas will be busy this month across the whole of the county.  To see the great man is person then why not enjoy a ride on the Bodmin and Wentford Railway and meet Father Christmas on the journey.  Or he is also at The Eden Project where you can meet his elves, go ice skating and partake in a trail Lappa Valley is running Santa Express trains throughout December with the chance to meet Father Christmas too.  Or closer to home St Austell is looking beautiful with a magnificent light display and Father Christmas's Grotto to visit.
around the site.

Half term fun

Hello, and sorry I have not managed to blog for a while - we have all been taking a few well earned breaks after a very busy summer season.  We hope this blog finds you well after the bad weather over the last 24 hours.  Judith was on patrol last night getting up a number of times to check everything was okay, but in fact we seemed to not get too battered down here.

Despite it being a little bit damp it is actually quite mild in Cornwall at the moment.  A few days ago Judith, Jessica and I walked to Heligan to enjoy the harvest that they have on at the moment.  It was so hot we ended up in just our t-shirts.  Obviously after walking around we had to enjoy a lovely slice of cake - the pineapple cake is Judith's favourite.

It is all change in the chicken run here- the old shed has been replaced with a snazzy new one, which looks beautiful after Judith spent her evenings painting it before the chickens went to bed.  The chickens are not lying very many eggs at the moment - this often happens when the weather changes, hopefully they will start again after a bit of a rest.  Everyone else is keeping well - the donkeys are often found in their shelter in the mornings during the winter months, whilst the sheep look like little clouds on legs as they grow their winter coats in preparation for the cold.

At this time of year there is nothing better than a lovely walk followed by a hot chocolate in front of a fire and a big slice of cake.  At the weekend we walked from Charlestown on the coastal path to Carlyon Bay.  It was just stunning.  We took a flask with us and found a lovely bench to

sit and take in the views whilst warming up with a cup of tea.  One of our favourite places to walk this time of year is Cardinham Woods, just a 20 minute drive away the woods are a stunning mixture of colour.  The cafe in the woods is well worth a visit to.  If you fancy a bit more of a challenge then why not try doing the Hall Walk over looking Fowey - get a river taxi back at the end of the walk to make it a memorable adventure.

Rainy day ideas

It is 3.20pm and it has just stopped raining.  Luckily the whole of the country is like this however the weather man did say it was meant to be sunny and muggy here today so it is always disappointing when you wake up to find that horrible lingering mist that we are occasionally blessed with down here.

Do not despair though; there is  always something to to keep you entertained in Cornwall and we proved that last week when my parents visited and they tested out lots of places with Jessica who is now 13 months old.  They highly recommend Newquay Aquarium - it was very child friendly and the cafe was very accommodating too.  With a child that is almost walking the layout was good and allowed little people to get right up close to the glass.

I had the pleasure of visiting Newquay Zoo with them and Jessica.  Not the world's biggest zoo but it is very well laid out and there are some nice touches like the tarzan trail for older children.   We went on a misty day and as often happens on a wet day here the weather had cleared by lunchtime, however with our water proofs and lots of trees to protect us we had a great time.  We really liked the petting area and the cafe was very good too with lovely freshly prepared food.

Continuing on the food theme we also visited Griggs Cafe and shop.  The food in the Cafe was lovely, it tasted fantastic and it was really busy too.  We will certainly be going back to sample the breakfasts there in the very near future.

We also spent a few days down at Charlestown as the old fishing harbour is playing host to a Norwegian film crew at the moment.  The production company have taken over the whole of the harbour and have even added an island, forge and market stalls.  Whilst we were there we saw a young boy climb down the harbour wall and a scene where there are coming off a tall ship being filmed.  They even had real life geese, chickens, donkeys and Shetland ponies on set.  It was absolutely fascinating to watch it being film.

If you are not able to visit Cornwall for a while then you can see it as it's best in Richard Curtis' latest, and apparently final block buster - About Time.  The film is set in London and Porthpean, just down the road from here.  It was filmed down here last summer, so the wedding scene where it gets completely washed out is fairly accurate we think!  It is a brilliant film - Richard Curtis at his best - just take a box of tissues with you.

Lots of dates for your diaries

I think most locals will agree that there is certainly a chill in the air, however I can confirm when the sun is out it is still very powerful and warm.   If I am honest with you we are moving into our favourite time of year here.  Don't get me wrong, summer in a sunny Cornwall is awesome, however hot days in September and October feel extra special, especially as everything is a little bit quieter and calmer.  

As locals we know that there are some brilliant events in the coming weeks and we also know the best places to find a roaring fire to snuggle up next to after a long bracing walk.  My favourite fire to nestle in to is at the Polgooth Inn.  The fire is in the heart of the pub, and with a pint of local ale warming your insides you can't go wrong.  The Eden Cafe in town also has an amazing fire.  The large open burner has sofas all around it so you can enjoy a lovely treat off their menu whilst being tucked into cosy chairs.  Right now, at this time of year when it is still warm enough to enjoy the lunch time sun but you want to feel like winter is coming my all time favourite place to go is the Duchy Nursery just outside Lostwithel.  Their food is brilliant, their plants are fantastic and their shop will want you make to buy everything.  But my favoutite thing is sitting outside in the sun whilst smelling their wood burner that burns away inside...there is something about that smell that gets me ready for the winter!

If you are planning a visit to Cornwall in the quieter months then why not plan it around one of the many events up and coming.  

Roseland Festival - 21st September - 6th October.  The full programme can be found here, but with lots of community events, talks, shows, dining and a quiz you are sure to find something of interest.  The Philleigh Way Cookery evenings looks particularly good.

Cornwall Food & Drink Fair - 27th - 29th September.  We loved this last year with all things foodie and Cornish showcased in one location.  We would advise going early though as it does get very busy.  If you don't manage to fill yourself up on all the tasters then why not treat yourself to lunch at The Old Grammar School - we love their food.

Boscastle Food, Art & Craft Festival - 5th - 6th October.  This small village knows how to enjoy food -and this year the programme looks even better than usual with famous chefs, cooking demonstrations, talks, barn dances and concerts this is one not to be missed.

Falmouth Oyster Festival - 10th - 13th October.  Love them or hate them oysters are a bit like marmite. But the festival celebrates the start of dredging season and brings together music, food and crafts to celebrate.

St Austell Torch Light Carnival - 16th November.  This stunning events sees the streets of St Austell lit up with stunning torches crafted by local community groups and businesses   The Family event creeps through the streets of St Austell with a carnival feel to it

Fowey Christmas Market - 29th November -1st December.  The beautiful village of Fowey is transformed with a Christmas market and Christmas light switch on.

Padstow Christmas Festival - 5th - 8th December.  With the harbour decked out and some of Cornwall's best chefs all under one roof then you will be spoilt for choice.  The small fishing harbour has a magical feel for this wonderful festival.