As the sun makes an appearance we set off from Charlestown to explore the nearby town of Fowey, and discover much more than a pretty face of cheek-by-jowl colourful buildings and a glistening harbour full of sailing and fishing boats.
These days Fowey is known for fishing, boat building and export of china clay, but in the medieval ages it was a major port and together with neighboring Poluran across the harbour provided more ships than London to defend Calais in 1347.
It has seen its share of war with raids by the Spanish, Dutch and French, civil war skirmishes and as a departure point for the D-Day landings in the Second World War as well as being a centre of air-sea rescue.
Fowey also has a colourful past with pirates and privateers, and perhaps a mix of the two. John Mixstow, or Michaelstow, of Fowey was a notorious pirate in the 15th century.
Then there were the privateers the Fowey Gallants, often accused of piracy, who operated out of Fowey and were infamous across Europe during the Hundred Years’ War in the 14th and 15th centuries. They were recorded in a poem centuries later:
Gallants of Fowey
Gallants of Fowey! Gallants of Fowey!
Good hands to get freights or take prizes – Ahoy!
Though I hang for it shortly, I’ll hazard the trip, and be one of the crew of that sea- going ship
May our wives as fearless be!
The anchor is up, and the harbour-chain down
And the bells they ring merrily out from the town
We shall soon find a Spaniard or a Frenchman, they say
And bring something back to this snug little bay.
Henry Sewell Stokes, 1871
There is an Australian connection too. Mary Bryant, born in Fowey in 1765, was sent on the First Fleet to Australia at the age of 21 after being charged with stealing a cloak.
With her husband (who she met on board), children and seven others she became one of the first successful escapees from the penal colony in an epic voyage of more than 5000 km across to Timor where they were recaptured. Once back in England her case attracted much attention and she obtained a pardon.
Back to the present day, one of our first stops as we wind our way down the narrow cobbled streets into the heart of the town is the information office which also houses the Daphne du Maurier Literary Centre. The author lived and wrote in the area and Fowey hosts an annual Daphne Du Maurier Festival.
After a crab sandwich and ginger beer at the oldest building in the town, the Well House, we pick up some local supplies of pasties, Cornish cheddar and smoked apple cheese, and Cornish cream horns.
As the sun is still out in between afternoon showers we decide to take a scenic drive via car ferry across the harbour to Poluran and on to Polperro.
This plan works out fine to begin with, but we soon discover we are not on a coastal road but driving down almost impossibly narrow winding farm lanes for ages.
We do make it to Polperro where we overshoot the car park at the top of the village and instead find ourselves down the narrow restricted vehicle access route.
We have to retrace our path to get back to more manageable roads but finally get back to Charlestown Harbour in time for a much needed drink at the Pier House Hotel.