Myths & Legends in Cornwall

 July 14-18, 2013


For the last few days we have been traveling through Cornwall experiencing one legendary tale after another. A 4D movie of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, experiencing what was once called the end of the world at Lands End, recanting the pirate battles at Penzance, passing through Robin Hood's Sherwood Forest, and following along the path of Merlin and King Arthur in Tintagel.

Lands End

                               

Cliffs at Lands End

Gwynver  Beach, Cornwall

We found a website that gives the general area of safe places to wildcamp in the United Kingdom. This has been very useful, except it does not give you the exact addresses. Instead it shows us a Google map dotted with push pins that identify places to wildcamp; half the fun is the hunt for the right place.

Hike to Gwynver Beach

King Arthur's Hall
Home of the Round Table

One of these locations was Tintagel, UK, the birth place of the legendary King Arthur Pendragon. This charming medieval village took us back in time to a period when knights roamed and the romance of chivalry was alive. As we strolled down the only street in the village we noticed the old post office made with stone and a thatched roof, we could not miss the reconstruction of King Arthur's round table, as well as a number of shops that sold Merlin's magical artifacts.

Slate stacked walls of Tintagel 

Tintagel, United Kingdom 

Path through cemetery 

Outside the tiny village was a maze of walking trails all leading to the Tintagel Castle and Merlin's Cave. We picked one and made our way through a large cemetery, into a medieval church still in use, and down to the cliffs where the ancient castle ruins lay. The castle was strategically build at the edge of the land on two boulders that looked as if they were floating in the sea. Clinging to the cliff side was a vertical set of stairs, we climbed down only to hike back up to the castle entrance. We stood at the top taking in the dramatic arches of coastal caves and the calm aqua blue water in the cove below.

Stained Glass in the Church 

      

View from Tintagel Castle Ruins

Merlin's Cave 

The cove we swam across

 Nothing is more refreshing than a jumping in the ocean after a hike on a hot day. So we trekked to the bottom and inched into the ice chilled sea in nothing but our skivvies. Our hearts were racing as we swam across the cove to Merlin's cave. We did not have water shoes on an the cave floor was covered in rough rocks large and small. Inside the cave was dark and the rush of the ocean breeze was more intense due to the funnel the cave created. As we made it to the end we celebrated our victory with loud voices that echoed off the walls feeling as if they were thrown back in our throats. Sunbathing was the only way to dry off so we sprawled out on two large boulders and baked in the sun.