We visited the village of Boscastle today and met our lovely friends Al and Isabel. It is roughly half way between where we are working and where they’re staying while looking for a new home.
Boscastle is a very pretty harbour village, devastated by a serious flood back in 2004. Most of you will remember it as it was covered on the national news, with all the emergency services involved including the coastguard helicopters. Within the visitor centre they have some information detailing the timeline of that awful weekend, with flood markers so you could get an idea of high the levels were. We would have all been completely underwater where we were stood! It is difficult to believe the amount of devastation that was caused, but looking at the video of cars and full size trees slamming into the bridges, with filthy brown water surging through people’s houses and businesses it fills you with horror.
The bridges, river walls and buildings have been re-built and it really is a beautiful place now. We all met and had a sandwich in the National Trust cafe, along with the doggies, Hamish and Lucy. Their plans are moving in the right direction and we’re so pleased things are working out well for them, having taken a similar leap of faith as us to change their life.
After our lunch we left Al and Isabel and drove to Tintagel. As National Trust members we visited the old Post Office (normal charge about £5 per person) which is really tiny! Then we took the steep hill to the edge of Tintagel Castle. It is owned by English Heritage and costs around £5 again but we didn’t bother to go in – maybe next time. You can still see the remains from the coastal path but beware, it is a steep path down to the ruins!
It was lovely to have a really relaxing weekend, as the campsite is starting to get busier. Although the real busy six weeks of the summer holiday hasn’t started yet we’re already 90% full, and we’re still trying to fit groundwork in between pitching and cleaning.
Unlike the last couple of seasons, we’re pacing ourselves this time as we’re determined to not fall into the same trap again. Friends and colleagues kept telling us to slow down as we’ll burn out before the end of the season, so we’re putting it into practice this year.
Despite the odd difficult camper we’re absolutely loving the job and way of life – still better than endless financial deadlines and accident investigations we used to live our lives by!
