I last visited Cotehele over 5 years ago when it was Daffodil Day. We called there again for a walk and lunch. It is a lovely place to visit.

Cotehele is over 600 years old. The estate was given to The National Trust in 1947. There is lots of information about the estate in the Discovery Centre.

There is a lovely walk down through The Valley Garden.

To reach the Valley Garden you have to go down some steps and through an archway.

There is a pond and Medieval Dovecote in the garden

I was delighted to find some Gunnera, which looks like giant rhubarb growing near the path which enabled me to have a good look at it.

The leaves are really very enormous.

The Gunnera produces new growth from a pink fuzzy looking crown.

There are great views of the viaduct that goes over the river Tamar from the Valley Garden.

On arriving at Cotehele Quay I was pleased to find that the tent over the Shamrock, a very old Tamar barge, had been removed since the last time we visited.

There is an old hoist on the quayside which would have been used for unloading cargo. Coal and limestone were brought to Cotehele where the lime was extracted in lime kilns.

The date on the hoist stated 1863 which makes it 160 years old.

The winch was very old too!

There is something quite calming about sitting and watching a river.

It was well past lunch time so I was very hungry when we reached The Edgecombe Tearoom. I certainly enjoyed my pasty.

There’s always room in a bear’s tummy for an ice cream. I ate this one sat inside an old lime kiln before walking back up the valley.

Cotehele is a wonderful peaceful place. The house is very interesting too (we went inside back in 2018). Do visit if you get the chance.

My last visit in 2018 https://horacethealresfordbear.com/2018/03/27/cotehele-daffodil-day/

For more information about Cotehele https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/cornwall/cotehele

Horace the Alresford Bear 30/7/23