Holidays and Other Excursions

Tag: Osip

Cornwall 15 -18 May 26

Friday 15 May 26

Having not long returned from Lyon we were off again, this time on a domestic holiday with the hope of some sunshine and the TT providing the transport using the A303 as our way west as is usually the case.

We break the journey this time at Restaurant Osip near Bruton in Somerset.  The restaurant is deep in the countryside and a wrong turning takes us a little too far in the wrong direction.  Since our last visit they have opened rooms and so this time no taxi and we can stay put.

Merlin Labron-Johnson is present this time and as last time we have an excellent meal and a very quiet breakfast the following morning as we are the first downstairs.  Strongly recommended, certainly good as we have visited twice in about 12 months which is unusual for us.

 

Saturday 16 May 26

Time to head further west along the A303 and then the A30 to our first stopping point – the supermarket on the edge of Bodmin where a bite to eat takes about 30 minutes to arrive; I will leave out the name.

Jackie has just about finished shopping by the time I have managed to eat.  Our final destination is the St Agnes Holiday Park adjacent to the A30 and not overly far from Truro.  So far the weather is not very attractive – normally when we come west the sun shines but at the moment it is actually cold and we have not removed the top on the car at all so far.

The satnav is completely defeated by the A30 rebuilding – the holiday park has not moved of course but the A30 has been extensively altered around here since the last map update (2020 I believe) so I am glad that my nose seems to be able to find our destination.

Nice caravan, it feels pretty new.  Access to the hot tub requires going out, down and then up so not the easiest but otherwise fairly standard.  Hopefully the weather will improve!

 

Sunday 17 May 26

When preparing the itinerary for this week we had looked at places to visit and booked restaurants to suit depending on the destination.  The plan for today was to visit the Lizard – the most southernmost point of the mainland.  However the weather is not that nice again today and so it is unlikely that the driving will be attractive or the views worth viewing.

We have lunch booked for the Square in Porthleven and we do make the journey there.  Parking is not easy although we eventually manage to get a space.  We later find that the restaurant seems to have changed hands since our searching out decent places to eat and the experience is disappointing.  Nothing wrong apart from an excess of gravy on our plates and very restricted choice.  Disappointing day and we return to the caravan.  Still no sign of the weather improving.

 

Monday 18 May 26

Our plan today was to visit Trebah Gardens but once again it is raining and cold.  Neither of us feels like walking around the gardens in the rain as there is no pleasure in getting wet and we stay in our caravan.  At one point we contemplate using the hot tub – but it starts raining as we go out and so we retreat inside as we simply do not want to get a cold.

Dinner is booked for Mine a restaurant in Falmouth.  Whilst it is a bit of walk from the car park and it is raining intermittently the meal here was a lot better than yesterday’s and things are starting to improve.  In addition the restaurant is full on a Monday evening – so hopefully doing well.

On the way back to the car we see the local drug dealers in action.  A car with two occupants is approached by another scrote on a bicycle who stops by the car and then they do not even wait until we are out of sight before (I am guessing) drugs and money are exchanged.  I wonder where the police are?  it is impossible to report the event despite all the modern technology which exists as I do try – but there is no simple form to fill in – almost as if they do not want to know about potential crime.

We return to the caravan and hope tomorrow will be an improvement.

Cornwall 1.5.25

Osip menu

Osip menu

As we are going to spend most of the time we are away on this holiday utilising a caravan we are taking the large car as we will need the space – we have undertaken similar trips in the small car before but it is easier to get shopping in the large car as well as the cases and other bags.  This is also an ever increasing holiday.  Initially only a week away was planned and then we added a stop off on the way down to break up the journey and as our final stop insists on two nights over a weekend.   It eventually became 11 days when we read about another highly rated restaurant which turns out not to be too far off the A303 (our preferred route west) so we added a further extra stop on the outward journey and that enabled an additional location to be visited without having to rush around.

Having filled up with petrol it is the M3 first and then the A303 as we head towards Wincanton where we are stopping at the Nog Inn for the night.  We arrive and spot the inn on the right but completely miss the car park on the other side of the road which the staff confirm exists when we phone them – however at the second circuit of the one way system we find it with a member of staff able to direct us and so we get parked.

The reason for staying here is to enable a visit to Osip – a restaurant now located in a former pub nr Bruton.  A taxi has been arranged to take us from the pub to the restaurant so we wait outside the pub and it is on time.  Which is just as well as the destination appears to be in the middle of nowhere – it is definitely physically not in Bruton itself – although that may be the nearest town.

We are a little concerned as the initial vibes feel similar to those engendered at Restaurant Jericho in Nottinghamshire which we experienced a few weeks ago and did not enjoy.  Tonight was a completely different ball park and was enjoyable from start to finish plus the pairing wines were excellent as well – really complementing the taste of the food – something which does not always happen with tasting wines.  (Photo of menu copyright Jackie Whitbread).

Ali the taxi cab is also able to get us back to the Nog Inn at the end of the evening safely.  We are able to navigate the cobbles and the steps back to our room, where we settle down to sleep.