Two hours in Tintagel

Thursday's trip was on the buses to Camelford, where I stocked up on some charity shop DVDS for our movie nights in the caravan, and then on to Tintagel. The weather was still grey when I left Polzeath, and I was really having to sell myself the idea of going anywhere, but I knew if I stuck around the caravan for too long I'd get cabin fever. ( I'm the sort that needs to have 'adventures', however bizarre). However, the staff in the charity shop were friendly and helpful, and so was my bus driver, and the weather began to show some promise as we drove along a very curvy strip of coastline between Camelford and Tintagel.

I was following the Ley Lines to Tintagel, because as a teenager I'd been hooked on Mary Stewart's books about the Arthurian Legend (the Crystal Cave, the Hollow Hills and The Last Enchantment), and later on the wonderful Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Tintagel is home to an ancient castle and is, some say, the location of the Camelot of legend.

More about the remarkable Mary Stewart: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/may/15/mary-stewart

I've known my fair share of Arthur-followers. My good friend L, who suffered from bipolar disorder, and who died eleven years ago this month, had written extensively about Arthur, locating him variously in West Wales and Stroud. I once sat on a bench in Llandeilo, Wales, with L and her friend Laurence the bearded druid, who were earnestly discussing the arrest of Uther Pendragon. I did actually begin to wonder if I had slipped into a parallel universe, until I gradually realised that Uther/Arthur Pendragon was a road protestor (this was the 90s) and that that was probably wasn't his real name.

So I was prepared for wall-to-wall Arthur tourist tat, and, by Mithras, I was not disappointed! However, away from the jostle and sword-thrust of Fore Street, all is quiet. A footpath leads steeply down a green valley to the ruins of Tintagel Castle, perched high on the sea-cliffs. I did not explore the castle because my bus journey didn't allow for more than two hours in Tintagel. Another time ... I couldn't snap the castle because I'd have been shooting straight into the sun, but you can google it and come up with a thousand splendid shots. A modern bridge links the small island to the mainland. The view from the top out across the Atlantic, or back inland, must be amazing, particularly on a day when the waves are hurling themselves against the rocks, as they were today.

The sea was particularly blue, but I've chosen to focus on the purples and reds of the heathers, around Barras Nose headland, where I walked, looking back over the castle. They reminded me strongly of Scotland, and my mother's tweed suits of the 1960s. The short stunning coastal walk eventually took me to the clifftop Camelot hotel, which I am going to Google, as it apparently has affordable rooms as well as period features and palm trees. I guess it has fallen on hard times.

From there I walked back to town to check out the toy museum (selling golliwogs: not good) and the Willow Moon er, mystical shop, where I was served by a heavily made up gothic-looking woman. I am assuming she was a modern Wiccan, as the spare-change charity box on the counter was for the Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle. (I still haven't been there). The most astonishing thing about her was her nails. They were about six inches long, black, and curved like talons. I asked her if they were her own (yes) and how long she'd been growing them (about 25 years). I noticed that she had to scrape my change out of the till drawer.

Sadly, I lacked the nerve to ask her to pose for my blip, though she was perfectly friendly and would have made a fantastic subject. I do have friends who practise Wicca, so I wasn't afraid of having a spell put on me, just being reserved and not wanting to miss the bus.

Back in Camelford, I waited for the next bus along with a bearded Brazillian-looking guy with a guitar and skateboard. He was also going to Polzeath: it's that sort of place. It's the only place I know where you can step straight off the bus on to the beach!