London, United Kingdom

Cousin Howard dropped us at St Erth station for the 0850 to Reading where we took the connecting bus to Heathrow (on board thy bus now). Howard has been so good to us and his constant reel of entertaining stories, historical tidbits and all things Cornwall/Kernow and Curnow have been much loved and well received by Dad and I.

Marazion, United Kingdom

Brother and Sister Greetings from Kernow (Cornwall). It’s been nearly exactly two weeks since Dad and I arrived here and we have flourished with her narrow hedge-lined laneways, her smiling chy (and tre) folk, her stoned built free houses and her low gas real ales (love ’em). I’m especially proud of Dad after we made it trekking the coast line from St Ives to the strategically-important Porthcurno over the last 4 days (admittedly day two was a rest day!). We saw many a surfer but no basking sharks. Many a grey seal but no Zennor mermaids. But rarely as it happens we did see a pair of Cornish Choughs! Tonight after a pint or two at Goldsithney’s Crown Inn, cousin Howard (my Dad’s distant relative – a Curnow – was a brother to Howard’s distant relative circa 1650) brought out the Kernow tartan in the form of a kilt and vest. It was a tartan that he’d designed himself to represent the Curnow Clan. While reminiscent of the Cornish tartan it’s predominance of purple was happily acknowledged. While the long Land’s End days persisted I counted the badger setts in the hedge rows and cast my wind-bashed face toward St Michel’s Mount (Penzance) once more. Feeling her miles now etched in my thighs (from days walked thus) I turned from her rising landscape to one where your neighbour is your keeper. Kernow bys vyken (Cornwall forever) Chris PS: Off to Copenhagen Saturday night for three days of family reunion (mum’s side), then Helsinki to Russia.

Porthcurno, United Kingdom

Home of the first ever telegraph transmission and no mobile phone signal! Not that we’re worried. Mostly Dad and I are just happy that we made it through gale force winds nearly blowing us off the cliffs from Lands End to Porthcurno.

Porthcurno, United Kingdom

All’s well in gail force Lands End, Cornwall. The walk has been great so far. And the family roots investigations have been fun. And this week with the walking dad is holding up extremely well. The knee brace I originally purchased after I nearly wrecked my knee climbing Mt Zeil in 2007 has kept dad’s dodgy one well supported. Today we trek to Porthcurno weather (and escape routes) permitting. After a hearty English (vego) breakfast in the Old Success Inn here in Sennen Cove we braved the gathering Atlantic storm.

Sennen, United Kingdom

A big day: Pendeen-Seenen. 15 kms around many a cove and headland. Past Cape Kernow where we could see all way south to Lands End. Lots of old tin mine shafts. One 15 min rain scud. We were ready including plastic garbage bag for dad’s rapidly deteriorating backpack. But basically great weather. We both got sun burnt faces! Dad, with my super knee brace, continues powerfully. Tho we’re both weary today. And so we were greeted in Sennen, with its Brit beach holiday frenzy, by the Old Success Inn and its 4 star accoms. In fact we’re quite impressed with the very comfortable digs. Tomorrow forecast is big rain. Hope we can still do our last leg to Porthcurno!

Pendeen, United Kingdom

Wonderful weather yesterday. And great coast line views. Dad used my Alice Springs knee brace on his worrisome knee and was smiling all the way with plenty of breather stops up the cove gullies. But today is atrocious with horizontal rain. So we caught a lift to our next destination and await the weather by going underground an old Kernow tin mine (Geevor and Levant Tin Mines – part of the UN World Heritage ancient tin mining sites).

Kernow means Cornwall in the Cornish language. Dad and I found this Kernow ale at Pendeen between St Ives and Sennor on the northcoast of the the southwest tip of Cornwall. A nice drop, right in the heart of our grandfather’s tin mining county.

Kernow bys vyken (Cornwall forever!)

Zennor, United Kingdom

Wonderful coastal walking having the North Atlantic in our ears all day and the easterly wind in our backs. Grey seals sleeping mid waters and granite rocks suddenly providing a minefield to clamber through. In Zennor we upon’d ye old Tinner’s Arms and quenched our thirst immediately on a few pints. Jubilee bank holiday and it was very busy in this one horse stone-walled village. Suddenly we were told they’d shut the kitchen as they were running out of food with bookings still to come in later in the evening. With no other options and things looking a bit bleak on the food side I asked a fourth time and the manager overheard me and ordered his staff to slip us in. We got a packed lunch for the morning as well. Amply supped and quenched we picked up our weary bones and walked up the hill to look for the B&B. As we approached very loud drums rolled though the thick stone walled cottage. “Oh no what was this?!”, we thought. It stopped when we knocked on the door at the back and lo and behold it was Sue the owner who played the drums. A very cosy upstairs room with a lot of character. I got talking to Sue and her friend John who played guitar and soon I was invited to join them for a jam. A great night with new friends. And when I snuck into our room upstairs Dad woke and said he hadn’t heard a thing! Incredible as the sound must have penetrated through the ceiling from the room below!

St Ives, United Kingdom

Arrived safely at our first B&B in St Ives. Dad sleeping. We commence walking tomorrow. At a very slow pace it’s an estimated 5 hour hike along the cliffs to the one horse town of Zennor, past ancient tin mines and stone walled fields dating back to 500BC. A lovely room with a view and our private bathroom tonight. Sea gulls outside singing that quintessential English fishing village soundtrack of melancholy and every house in town with bunting to the max for the Jubilee celebrations. Kernow bys vyken!

Marazion, United Kingdom

A lazy day around St Hilary Churchtown. Waited for our walk’s logistical support man, Russ, to transfer us to St Ives. Overcast is forecast for the rest of the week. Some rain forecast on the last two days of our intended walk (Wednesday and Thursday). Called in and saw Howard’s sister in law just up the lane by St Hilary parish church.

Marazion, United Kingdom

Dad and I have been enjoying Kernow (Cornwall) and I’m learning a lot about my dad’s side of the family. Our host, distant cousin Howard Curnow (two of our distant ancestors c.1750, were brothers: Andrew (Howard’s line) and Stephen Curnow (our line)), is a gold mine (or should I say tin mine) of information about our complex family tree in a land where the name Curnow is common. Have learnt a little Kernwyk (the Cornish language) and we’ve enjoyed the micro-brewed local ales. And especially the Cornish hospitality, which comes alive when surrounded my wonderful singing voices in packed pubs (we’ve attended the Cornish men’s choir practices a few times as Howard is an avid singer). I found this sticker ‘Cornishmen do it dreckly’. I can remember my grandfather used to say ‘Dreckly’. “We’ll get onto that dreckly”, he used to say when I asked him for something or other. It comes from ‘directly’, and means in a moment, not now but soon. But I always equated it with ‘never’ when my grandfather used to say it (but I was an impatient little boy in those days!).