Whenever I travel (and I’m just back from 15 days in the UK), I always search Google as well as local brochures and handouts for interesting and intriguing places to visit and photograph. This is a story of one such find.
On this visit, we spent a few days in Cornwall down in the extreme far southwest of the country. We booked the whole trip at very short notice as some flights appeared which seemed to be better value than normal and so searching for somewhere to stay in Cornwall could have been tricky. We have stayed in cottages owned by the National Trust (which owns many of the historic homes in the UK as well as large stretches of the dramatic coastline) and so they often have smaller buildings in places that would just not get permission to build these days. Our little home for this visit was this delightful little stone cottage with views of the ocean – perfectly furnished and just right for our stay:
If ever you visit the UK and are in need of somewhere to stay, these holiday rentals are always in lovely locations and in great condition! But you will almost certainly need a car and the narrow roads in this part of the world are not for the faint-hearted:
But this story is not about where to stay – I decided that it would be interesting to write about a little church quite close to our cottage in the tiny village of St Just on the Roseland peninsula quite close to Truro. The village is very small, but the parish church has been around since the 13th Century and is idyllically located by the side of an inlet of the tidal River Tal near St Mawes. The church itself is set within an almost tropical graveyard that lines the hillside above the river and is beautifully maintained. On our visit, the sun was about to set and so the light was magically highlighting the gravestones and flowers, but the tide was out and the reflections I was hoping for were just not going to be there. However, I enjoyed myself taking images of the church among the flowers:
The hillside was covered by a white variety of the famous English bluebells and with the sun highlighting the crosses and headstones, it made for an evocative visit:
The conditions in this little valley are perfect for the growth of moss and lichens on the stones. I noticed this pair of headstones with one dating from 1818 and nicely highlighted by the sun:
But I still needed my image of the old church reflected in the water of the river as the tide reaches its peak. Luckily, the tide table for the area showed that high tide was going to be at 8:30 the following morning and the sun rising in the east would light up the side of the church as it cleared the hillside. So next morning we set off again to the church and hoped that the clouds would be thin enough to let the sun peek through. Our prayers were answered, and we hiked around the river basin to get the view I had dreamed about:
But perhaps my favorite shot was from a slightly different angle and bending down to look through a gap in the trees lining the path:
I’ll continue with more stories from our visit to Cornwall in the coming days and weeks. Watch this space!
kmgunnart
10 May 2022That last photo with the reflection is my favorite as well.
Steve Heap
11 May 2022That one did come together as I had hoped. Make a nice painting!!
jim hughes
11 May 2022The mossy old headstones are beautiful. But you scared me off with your mention of the narrow, twisty old roads. In the U.S. we’re used to driving on 6 lanes of concrete 🙂 and on the right-hand (correct) side of course. I’d have to hire a local driver!
Steve Heap
11 May 2022Yes, I enjoyed that old graveyard – there were probably many older headstones there – just hard to find them. The roads in that part of the world are very tiny once you are off the main roads – often with high hedgerows with maybe a stone wall inside. This car was quite big by UK standards and would pretty much fill the road from side to side so if you meet someone coming towards you, either you or they need to reverse to the nearest passing spot which is a bit where the road is just wide enough for one car to pass the other. But it is quiet down there! Yes, they do drive on the right and many more stick shift cars as well. Gas is about $8.50 a US gallon.
Bob Decker
13 May 2022There is something serene about cemeteries. Many interesting photographs to be found in them. That said, I really like your images of the church. Nice compositions one and all.
Steve Heap
15 May 2022Yes, I could have spent more time here but there is always something else to see on a short visit. We were only in Cornwall for 4 days and out and about each one of those.
Anne
12 Jul 2022Firstly a big Thank You for supporting the National Trust, they are my favourite charity here in the UK . You have done a lovely job capturing the feel of Cornwall though I do think the bluebells are better in blue 🤣 Churches and graveyards can be so photogenic
Steve Heap
12 Jul 2022Yes, we are members of the USA version of the National Trust – have been members now for probably 45 years or more in the UK and then here. I’ll have to work on changing those bluebells in Photoshop!
Pauline Gregory
12 Jan 2023I happened to see a documentary last night in London regarding this beautiful paradise and will be visiting Cornwall to make sure i have the privilege of seeing it in real life as my brother has never mentioned it but lives in Truro. Absolutely breathtaking.
Steve Heap
12 Jan 2023It certainly is lovely. You need to watch the tide tables and arrive at high tide to see it at its best. Thanks for commenting!