Martin's Mag.

A few days in Cornwall at an interesting B&B, Venton Vean in Penzance. We thought we knew Penzance fairly well, but it has many undiscovered gems. Although not camping, we had the campervan, which meant we could eat fish and chips and pizza (not at the same time) with a good view.

On our way home we picked up two huge crabs from Newlyn, had a walk around Porthleven, a small coastal village to the east of Penzance, and, back home, Miles and Flora helped us out with the crabs. Maybe next time, Esme.

We took the bikes to the Fourteen Locks centre at Rogerstone, on the Crumlin arm of the Monmouthshire Canal north of Newport. Easy cycling as, even when not on the canal, the cycle path goes through the Sirhowy Country Park following the route of a disused railway. Good old Dr Beeching (younger readers, ask your grandparents).

Resuming a pre-covid tradition: crab sandwiches, chips and a cuppa on Beer beach, South Devon. While there is still a bit of Summer left.

Never let it be said that Weston Super Mare doesn’t do its best to attract new visitors. See Monster is a retired rig from the North Sea, transformed into one of the UK’s largest public art installations, inspiring global conversations about reuse, The work has taken longer than expected, but the public can explore the adjacent area, including an exhibition of the consequences of a mini tsunami which hit the Bristol Channel, particularly Uphill south of Weston, in 1981. Cheerier than it sounds.

A good place to cycle. The clue is in the name. We started at Ham Wall RSPB Nature Reserve, not far from Glastonbury.

A nature reserve, part of a school, along a valley south of the town.

At the far end of the Gower Peninsular. Bank Farm offers few luxuries but is the type of site we like. About a mile, over fields and dunes to the beach. Hot, as always. We wandered around the village and church and walked over Llanmadoc Hill to Cheriton and Llanmadoc, and to the beach for swim and sunbathing, reading, etc.

A national heatwave “red alert” is the perfect time to go to St David’s, as it’s always a few degrees cooler than everywhere else. We stayed, as ever, at Caerfai Bay. And later visited Laugharne in Carmarthenshire.

The ruins of St Non’s chapel. Non was the mother of St David in about 500AD.

Laugharne, Carmarthenshire.

Dylan Thomas’ house and writing shed.