Glendurgan Gardens - Easter Monday

The gorgeous weather over the Easter weekend warranted a trip out somewhere - but somewhere not too far away, to avoid the inevitable swarms of people clogging up the highways.

So we went to Glendurgan Gardens in Mawnan Smith. Having lazily left it till lunchtime to go out, there were cars queuing out to the road. Still, it was only about a ten minute wait in the end, and the attendant directing the cars wasn't too hard on the eyes either.

The gardens are large enough to swallow even a capacity car park and wandering round it never felt too crowded or uncomfortable.

Everywhere there were carpets of primroses and violets and in some places the early bluebells were coming into flower. The camelias and magnolias were almost over, but there were still some very pretty displays.

We walked down one side of the valley and sat on the beach at the bottom. The Helford was calm and sparkling, with some very expensive looking yachts in evidence. The water's edge was lined with small boys skimming stones.

Then back up the other side of the glen, past the maze (full of small children parents had obviously herded in to get rid of them for a good twenty minutes).

We had intended to go for a cup of tea, but their signage could do with some improving as all we could find were the plant sales and the loos. So we drove the ten minutes home and had tea in the garden. Job done.

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