I think I need to go on a “research” trip to the seaside town of Port Isaac in Cornwall, England. It’s calling my name {and I think it has been for sometime now}.
The holiday lets there are pretty spectacular and it doesn’t seem to matter where you stay {in the village or at a farm} they all look pretty picturesque. I think if I went though, I’d probably want to stay at Trevathan Farm which is just outside of town.
They have a farm store there that’s open year round that comes complete with a restaurant that’s open daily from 9-3 and serves breakfast and all manner of baked goods and tea. Talk about the PERFECT SPOT!
I could explore all morning, fuel up on pastries and tea in the afternoon and then hook all night while watching British shows on the telly. Talk about a dream vacation!
Did I mention gooseberries are in season and they’re selling them at the farm store right now!? I’ve never even tried a gooseberry before, have you? They’re so cute!!
Also, my favorite British real estate website John Bray Estates has yet another beautiful cottage up for sale and man oh man do they make 600 square feet look pretty magical.
I mean really, how is it possible to fit so much charm into such a small space?
This one, the Fisherman’s Cottage even has a green space in the back where there’d be plenty of room for a few raised garden boxes and even a small coop. Gaaa!! I love it.
Who wants to go? Anyone up for a trip to Port Isaac?
And if not Port Isaac, if you could hop a flight and visit anywhere right now, where would you go?
A girl can dream, right? 🙂
~Mavis
Andrea says
I love that you’ve done your research, Mavis! I feel the exact same way about the French countryside. We could be ex-pat “neighbors”!
Cindy Miller says
Where do you stay when you visit these places? Do you drive when you go over?
Jamie says
We stay in Air BnBs or small, independently owned inns when we go to the UK and we drive. Driving there is challenging, and it took us several trips to get used to the opposite side setup and all the roundabouts. Personally, it is much better (and oddly sometimes cheaper) than using public transportation in the UK.
Carole says
yes I have had gooseberries. My grandmother made the best pies and she made gooseberry pie. Gooseberries are the most sour berry on the planet, takes a LOT of sugar to get them edible.
Jamie says
I am really missing Wales right now. It is a fascinating area with lots of history and kind people. This is the best time of year to visit with lower chances of rain, mild temperatures, and usually few tourists compared to more popular regions of the UK. Their seaside towns are stunning too with lots of charming old buildings and roads to meander through and which almost always take you back to the sea.
Nancy Settel says
oh Mavis gooseberries are so incredible. They are very tart but oh so good. I had a gooseberry pie 30 years ago that I could still dream about (crust was made with real lard!!). I have had others since then but it was so good. I used to buy gooseberries from the Amish in Pa. (I’m in Delaware) and make gooseberry jam it is oh so good in the morning. Do buy some and try them you will love them.
Brianna says
I picked gooseberries a few years ago and made gooseberry jelly and it was a ton of work. They taste like a cross between a Granny Smith apple, green grape, and a hint of strawberry and currant. I found the tartness and flavor really nice, but the hubby did not like it. The bushes I picked from were beautiful.
I would love to live in a lazy fishing village away from the commercial America. We talk about moving back overseas, but it just is not a possibility for us right now. With the inflation though, it really has me looking hard.
Dee Patterson says
If you dare to leave gooseberries ( or goose gogs) long enough, they become like sweet large grapes. It’s a risky business as most birds like them too , especially blackbirds.
But, the answer is just to plant enough gooseberry bushes and then you can happily share.
Linda says
When my grandfather retired, he purchased a small farm in a beautiful little rural village. As children, my siblings and I got to enjoy being there. There was a beautiful orchard with plums, cherries, pear and apple trees, and all kinds of berries, including gooseberries. I can honestly say I only remember how tart the berries were, but I don’t remember grandma doing anything specific with them.
Wendy says
We had gooseberries and I hated picking them. The thorns were so bad. And they were so tart they were only good with a ton of sugar which we were trying to avoid. So I won’t be planting gooseberries at our new home garden.
S says
Ha, I also remember the thorns from picking them as a child (in upstate NY)! My mom always made gooseberry fool with whipping cream, which was sour and sweet and delicious. I just looked up gooseberry fool and it sounds like a classixcEnglish dessert.
Diane says
Ireland, that’s where I’d like to go! Although the pictures and descriptions today tell me a English countryside trip would be delightful.
Jennifer says
You also need to visit Morningside B&B in Port Isaac. Can’t recommend it highly enough!
Elaine McCarty says
I tried gooseberries a few years ago at a country fair in PA. They were fully ripe, I think as they were a beautiful golden yellow color with brown papery husks. They were a little tart, but really lovely.
If I was to have a get-away it would be in the lake county region of England. I went there about 20 years ago, and didn’t get to spend enough time there. I found it lovely, and friendly, and since it was off-season, not very touristy.
I am loving watching your garden grow, Mavis. Mine is all in pots, and mostly flowers this year – but we have a great farmer’s market with Amish produce and baked goods on Saturdays, so it’s all good.
Laura Z says
Those are actually cape gooseberries, sometimes known as a Peruvian ground cherry, They are related to tomatillos and are in a completely different family of plants. Gooseberries are more like a tart currant!
Laure says
Gooseberries are quite common in the rural midwest. They often grow wild here. They can often be found behind garages when at the back of property, where people might let the plants go wild. My understanding is they don’t travel well so that’s why they aren’t sold at big grocery stores. They’re extremely common in the Amish community — gooseberry pie, gooseberry jam, etc. I have never tried a green gooseberry. We waited to pick ours until they were purple and I always found them sweet…but I don’t like super sweet things, so maybe others wouldn’t find them as sweet. They don’t need tons of sugar in a pie, though, if picked when purple
Sue D says
I love Cornwall. I have family in London, and every time I go over, we spend 10-14 days going to new places and revisiting old favourites in England, Scotland, and Wales. Cornwall is on the list for a revisit next time I’m over.
Joyce Dvorak says
I have family in Cornwall, who actually rent out a converted stone barn as a bnb, and they took us to Port Isaac. It was fabulous! Doc Martin was filming that day, and we watched the lead actor exiting the druggist shop again and again. Very cool. The house is easy to find, but it’s a private residence and not available for touring. There are flowers blooming out of stone walls, and the hills are quite steep. There are tea shops everywhere. I recommend the Cornish pasties and cream teas.
Linda Sand says
I wonder if you can rent Doc Martin’s house in Port Isaac?
sandyf says
Hey! I am game. If you put a trip together-lets go. Seriously-a like minded down to earth budget friendly gals trip, you could make a little as out travel agent. My husband has no interest in travel anymore and I cannot get enough. That is on my bucket list-so let the fun begin! Cheers.
S. G. Sharpe says
I’m with you Mavis. Hooking, British TV, wandering around the home of Doc Martin? Shall I pack my frame right now?
LindaT says
I’d go. My husband is like Sandyf’s
and I love to travel. Haven’t for too long.
Terry a Mainah says
I believe gooseberries were banned here in Maine years ago because they were a threat to white pines. Not sure if there are new varieties or if the ban still holds. I did have them as a child and they were very tasty.
Julie P says
Green gooseberries are only good with a kilo of sugar per gooseberry! The red ones however are meant to be red, different variety, and they are much sweeter. I inherited green gooseberries when we moved here 26+ years ago and they sell on my stall like hotcakes I keep or gift the red ones usually. A bit of a glut this year so sold about 10lbs of those too. I make coconut gooseberry cake, a pal makes jam. I have made gooseberry fool. We spent summers when I was a child in Devon or Cornwall, it’s idyllic! Not so sure if it’s the same took my kids and Devon has become very touristy. But I’m up for a road trip to meet you all when summer is over!
Anne says
I totally think you should visit! But also…that cottage, the garden, the views – they remind me of nothing so much as the photos on your blog! I think you should prioritize afternoon tea and pastry and pretend that you have your vacation life at home ❤️
Jeanie says
We fell in love with Grange over Sands when we went a few years ago. Just the most charming little town. Lots of rolling hills and grazing sheep and little egg stands on the curvy roads outside of town. For gardening however, I would choose somewhere in Kent although we had a dreadful experience at a B and B there. We were to stay three nights and arrived about lunchtime. We placed our bags in our room and then expected we would take a little breath in the beautiful garden patio and regroup and were told that the B and B “down time” was every day from 9 am to 5 pm. They expected us to completely leave the property every day during those times. We couldn’t even come back to freshen up for dinner. It was very uncomfortable and they practically tapped their foot every morning until we were out the door. Yikes! It’s humorous in hindsight but it was rather awkward to be rushed out the door every day and then barred from coming back to even change clothes. We ended up changing for dinner every day in the local pub bathroom after slogging through gardens all afternoon.
Jillbert says
Port Isaac is super charming. I was there in late May and even saw Doc Martin being filmed. I didn’t want to leave. Cornwall calls to me.