Mousehole | Maud
Milton is a ceramicist and artist who runs her own company ArtyFace.
She spent her holiday in Mousehole, here are some of her thoughts on her time
there:  We
had a lovely, relaxing and healthy week in Star Haze in Mousehole. We were glad
we chose to go by train and leave our car at home. The buses
to Newlyn and Penzance were regular and we walked along the coast easily and often.
It helped to slow us down and to make the most of being unrushed. In contrast,
our 7 year old and 9 year old boys enjoyed jumping around on the rocks, searching
for crabs and skimming stones on the sea. A lovely walk is to the Merry
Maidens, (shown) the ancient standing stones in Lamorna. It's a good 8 miles
in the opposite direction from Newlyn, along the cliff-top path. Make sure you
don't walk there on a Sunday because there are no buses back to Mousehole (hitching
back with cold and tired boys in the mist at dusk was an adventure!)  As
an artist I was very impressed by the high standard of galleries in Mousehole,
Newlyn and Penzance. There is a wealth of crafts and art from local and nationally
renowned makers. Don't miss the Newlyn
Art Gallery (right) which has a 100 year long history and was set up by the
colony of local plein air painters. The Penlee
Gallery in Penzance (the bus stops right outside) also has wonderful exhibitions,
there was one featuring the Newlyn School of Painting when we were there. In Mousehole
there are six galleries. I thought these three in particular had very good work
and should not be missed. The Essex Tyler Gallery (01736 731 109) is worth
a visit to see local paintings of landscapes and abstracts. The gallery was set
up by local surfing champion and raku potter who you can see handbuilding pots
at the gallery (when the waves aren't too good). The Sandpiper Gallery (01736
732 441) on the harbour front has handmade toys and crafts and atonoma as well
as beautiful and functional handmade pottery. The Millpool
Gallery has ceramic sculptures and vessels, delicate and covetable glassware
and painting and prints by local painters and printmakers. All far too tempting
for presents for other people as well as myself. We
had great food at the Cornish Range
(left) who serve locally caught seafood including lobsters (book during the summer
for evening meals). There was a priceless view from the restaurant at The
Ship pub right on the harbour but the food and wine were average. The most
delicious home made ice-cream was found in the Jelbart's ice-cream shop on the
bridge in Newlyn, try it with Cornish clotted cream! Fish and chips from the Mousehole
chippy on the benches overlooking the harbour were a tasty treat. The fish and
chips in Newlyn were rumoured to be good but we didn't get to taste them ... next
time! Best scallops from the W Harvey and Sons fish shop in Newlyn, 01736 362734
(open 8am to 12.45pm, then 1pm to 4.45pm Monday to Friday, 8am to11.45 on Saturday).
And the best fresh fish from JH Turner, 01736 363 726. All in all a great gastronomic
and artistic break for the whole family ... we can't wait to go back!Maud Milton, Summer 2002 |
