Sadly, we have had to say goodbye this month to Freda, one of our long-standing Reception team.  Freda has been with The Idle Rocks for several years, and was loved by staff and guests alike for her constant smile and sense of humour, as well as her infectious laugh!  She even had a number of select guests who would deal with her and only her whenever they made reservations – even I wasn’t good enough!

She has left us to pursue a new venture, and will be running a village shop with her husband near St Austell.  I’m sure the local residents there will love her just as much as we did. 

We will miss her but we are very proud of her for taking on this new challenge.  We sent her off with some farewell gifts – a Dartington Crystal vase, a big bouquet of flowers and of course every girls favourite – a big box of choccies!  She still lives near the hotel so we are looking forward to hearing how it’s going in the New Year.

Cornwall calling- Last night (November 5th) St Mawes exploded in a blaze of colour with its first firework display.  Local fireman had tired of numerous callouts on Guy Fawkes night to deal with errant garden efforts, and came up with a brilliant idea.  Get the locals and businesses to put their hands in their pockets and contribute to one giant display.  They converted a barge into a stage and moored it in the centre of the harbour, then all that was required was touch paper and BOOM!

The display lasted 20 minutes and was an amazing fusion of colour, sparks and starbursts that lit the water in a most romantic way.  The thunk of rockets whistling way up into the sky and exploding literally right in front of your eyes was absolutely brill - I love the smell of cordite!

Next year, it will be even bigger and better I have no doubt, and we’re going to make sure that we throw the mother of all firework parties!  Can’t wait.

Having spent many years considering how I may spend my leisure hours later in life, I was surprised and delighted one Sunday afternoon to get an unusual invitation to meet a  lovely lady called ‘Dolores’.

When the day dawned, the weather was fine so I made my excuses to my wife Margaret and set off to meet an old friend, James Brown, who was to act as an intermediary. As arranged, I met James on St Mawes harbour quay, who then introduced me to Dolores—- a wonderful twenty-one foot Cygnus fishing boat that was gently bobbing at the bottom of the quay steps.

Having stepped aboard and received safety instructions we set off down towards St Mawes castle taking in all the sights - new build houses running down to the waters edge, thatched cottages, another establishment called the Tre-something, (everything in Cornwall seems to start with “tre” so it can’t be too important)!  We turned the corner towards Tolverne and  into the Carrick Roads and I have to say, the views from the sea of the whole area were (and are) quite stunning.

By this time James was slowing the boat to ‘troll’ and I was given a rod and line with lures attached that I could release over the stern.  I waited for the big catch… I had been regaled by James with tales of the large fish he usually brings home, or baits his Lobster and crab pots with so I was pretty optimistic that I was going to land a biggie.  We continued down towards St Just Church enjoying the peace, tranquillity, sunshine and suddenly a bite - a lovely Pollack taken by James but because of  it’s size (too small), it was slipped back into the water.

On our return to St Anthony’s Head lighthouse, we stopped and fished a little more, then raised the lobster pots to see what we had.  One crab which could be kept  and a multitude of small crabs all of which had to be returned to grow for another season. We returned slowly to the Harbour, relaxed and educated about all  those little beaches that can only be accessed by boat for a wonderful afternoon.

James takes guests for an hour, a day or  half day either fishing or just sight seeing with a stop at Smugglers Inn, Tolverne for Coffee , onto  Pandora Inn for lunch, Falmouth docks and Pendennis shipyard to see the sights that would take probably half a day, but anything can be tailored in. I hope you may take the opportunity for a lovely few hours R&R.  

Contact: James through:-  amanda.harley@mac.com