And so to Day 2, which dawned with clear and bright light over the harbour and the promise of a decent day.

However by the time we left the cottage it was already clouded over and looking grim to the west, where the weather is coming from.

When we are down here we like to have a look round the various galleries and are regularly amazed at the quality of art and crafts we see. We have seen some lovely jewellery and ceramics in St Just and a picture at the Lighthouse Gallery in Penzance, where we have bought from in the past. We set out this morning to Porthleven to check out a place we have used before just to see what they had to offer.

When we arrived we managed to park right by the harbour which was calm and peaceful and then I realised that the gate was closed to the outer harbour where all was turmoil. In a hurling wind we walked to the end of the harbour where it was anything but peaceful

and Maude was getting very windswept.

We checked out the gallery which was a bit of a disappointment and headed back to the cottage without delay as the weather was deteriorating. One thing we did buy, however, was our lunch.

Proper Cornish Pasties made in Helston with short crust pastry and beef skirt, just enough turnip and potato and nothing that shouldn’t be there. Delicious.

After lunch we walked down into the village to check out the Newlyn Gallery and also found the new Riverside Gallery that had opened in the summer with some very attractive things. By the time we finished it was pouring with rain and the harbour looked like this.

We were quite wet when we got back, but not to worry as we’ve got this to dry things out.

We also cook on it and it provides heat and hot water, just what you need on days like today.

Tonight we’re off out to the Tolcarne Inn down in the village; an ordinary looking pub that chef Ben Tunnicliffe has turned into a destination with his excellent menus. We had such a good meal there last year and I’m keenly anticipating more of the same tonight. I’ll let you know.

2 December 2015