The siren call of Asda Click n Collect was answered by other members of my family today, which meant that I could go for a walk instead of driving into St Austell and picking up the eggs and bacon which would become breakfast later in the morning.

My stepson Joseph, being much younger and fitter than me, decided that it would be a good idea to go for a run up the hill. I suggested that might actually kill me, but I was happy to walk that way. We compromised and walked together for the first part, and where the road became a footpath he hared off while I kept up my own steady but sedate pace.

The path overlooks the harbour, and provides what must be one of the most spectacular views in Cornwall. And that’s saying something as this county is not short of spectacular views.

Mevagissey Harbour from the footpath

A bit further along from the village is a little haven called Portmellon. The roads are quite steep, at least that’s how I see them although anyone with a moderate level of fitness would laugh at that, but the scenery is fantastic if you like beaches, green hills and wide sea views.

To give you an idea of how sedate my pace was, Joseph came running back towards me before I’d even got halfway along the route. And I was the one out of breath.

Portmellon. There’s a pub just out of the picture

We spent the best part of the day having a look around Mevagissey. Everywhere you look there’s a photograph waiting to be taken, and I’m resisting the temptation to plaster this blog with them.

I was once in a show called Carousel, where I played the part of Mr Snow, who had a fleet of sardine boats. I couldn’t get the song “When I Marry Mr Snow” out of my head while looking at scenes like this one…

Is that Mr Snow’s boat? No.

The afternoon saw the whole family back at Portmellon. We traipsed up those steep hills again, carrying chairs and drinks and boiled eggs in our rucksack. And when we rounded the corner, we realised that there was an important factor that we hadn’t taken into consideration. The beach that was there in the morning was now under water. NOW I remember learning about tides in my geography lesson in 1971. I wish I’d listened.

Anyway we parked ourselves in one of the few spaces next to the road that goes around the bay, and settled down for a bit to watch a few hardy souls mess about on the sea. The more adventurous of us (everyone except me) decided that they would join them and I volunteered to record the occasion by photographing it.

There were some advantages to the tide being in.

Back at the cottage in the evening, we got the barbecue out and enjoyed some unhealthy sausages and burgers under the watchful eyes of the local seagulls.

One other event of note today. I finally settled the argument about cream or jam first on the scones…

Sorted!