The third day of our trip was probably my favorite. We started the morning by driving down to Lizard Point - the southern most tip in England. More beautiful trails to walk on and soak up the incredible views.
The kids built a lighthouse inside the lighthouse visitors center, which is along the coastline of the Lizard Penninsula. This was our biggest financial regret (not worth the ten pounds, but at least it was only ten pounds), but we learned a little bit and the kids liked making the foghorn noise!
Despite not being hungry after a HUGE breakfast at the hotel that morning, we couldn't pass up Ann's pasties, which are touted as being the best in Cornwall. We grabbed a few and took them for a picnic. And they were really, really good!
Our picnic spot was a fifteen minute walk down from the parking lot. Worth every step.
We hiked down to
Kynance Cove, which you can see in the background.
This was my favorite beach of all the ones we visited. I didn't capture it well with my camera, but Ryan and I agreed this beach rivals those we enjoyed in Thailand. The water was crystal blue, the sand was soft, and the huge boulder cliffs provided a dramatic backdrop. The sunshine was the cherry on top.
The last stop of the day was
Pendennis Castle in Falmouth. We arrived an hour before closing, so we basically had the place to ourselves. Gretchen wanted to race her daddy to the castle. He gave her a six-second head-start, and she beat him!
The girls and I headed out, thinking the boys were right behind us. After waiting a while, Ryan and Rooke emerged from the closing castle gates with weapons in hand! Ryan said the inner child got the best of him in the gift shop. So we battled it out right there!
Don't be fooled by her cute looks. Bridgette is feisty (and learning from her sister how to pose for the camera!).
One of the best parts of vacation for these guys . . . cartoons in the morning.
Saturday could have gone better. We kept striking out with our planned stops. The castle in Exeter was just about to close for a special service when we arrived. They let us walk in for a minute to peek at the inside.
Then we tried to do another beach stop, but compared to the beaches we'd already visited, the place was dirty and uninviting. And then it started raining. So we drove back to a castle we'd passed earlier. Only to find it out it's closed. On Saturdays. What big castle attraction is closed on a Saturday?! Thankfully, the farm shop, cafe, and gift shop were open. They didn't want us to see the castle, but they were happy to take our money! So we ordered another round of Cornish ice cream and brought home a couple jars of delicious chutney. From there, we headed to our hotel and crashed after four long days on the road.
We worked our way home on the last day of the trip via Windsor and a whimsical museum.
First stop was Windsor Castle. The standard was flying, so we knew the Queen was in residence. Rooke wanted to know why she didn't come out to say hi!
The audio tours were great. The kids each had their own device and Bridgette referred to her "phone" throughout our visit!
PBJ lunch break. Remembering to bring a knife would have worked out better, but my finger was sufficient enough for the job.
And finally, the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Center. The kids and I have read several Roald Dahl books this past year, including Fantastic Mr. Fox, which I read out loud as we drove on this trip (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was our collective favorite). It was great to walk through this tribute to the author and learn more about his life and inspiration for writing, as well as experience one of the best story times I've ever been to!
Ryan is trying to fend the kids off of our last treat with his plastic fork as Roald Dahl looks on.
And then we drove home, finishing The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe on the way. We were thankful for the time away together, safety in the car, new memories, and our own cozy beds welcoming us home!
