After a final night at Looe disturbed by further generous helpings of wind and rain, we breathed a small sigh of relief when a respite in the weather arrived just after breakfast. We were moving on to one of our favourite fields just outside St. Minver Lowlands near Rock and packing and hitching up in inclement conditions is far from being an enjoyable experience. We almost made it. With pretty much everything and as it became time to hitch up, a vary large and very black cloud decided that our Looe total weather experience would be incomplete without the final thrill of a hearty hail storm. We waited it out sitting in the car, finally got the towing mirrors on and set off on yet another strenuous 40 miles or so.
We were looking forward to Rock. Not only would we have grass instead of a gravel hard-standing but, after our communication-free six days at Looe, we knew of a pub near Polzeath that had sold a fine pint of Cornish Rattler (cider) and provided free wifi – what a civilized combination. As a result of the severe weather suffered particularly by northern Cornwall last weekend, the grass in our longed-for field was decidedly squidgy underfoot but it was grass nonetheless and we soon had Billy Bailey installed without any traction problems.
Apart from the weather, all was well with the world. We arrived at Carters, the aforementioned pub, and found free wifi together with not one but two Cornish Rattlers; the original apple Rattler had been joined by pear Rattler. The nice barkeep provided me with their wifi key and a small sample of the pear cider which proved a bit sweet for my taste, though Carol liked it.
Subsequently, a jaunt around a local well-known supermarket revealed a few cider companies now producing pear cider. In my now distant youth I recall a drink that rejoiced under the name of Babycham, a so-called champagne perry, that was marketed at the ladies and was sold in very small bottles. (Well, we wouldn’t want to get the ladies tipsy now, would we?) I’m pretty sure that was a fizzy pear concoction. Maybe all this pear cider is a rebranded Babycham revival. A pint or two of pear Rattler should certainly get the ladies relaxed. 😉
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