Anyone who has watched the BBC series Doc Martin knows what that means! It's the Cornish way of saying someone is losing their mind. The reason for the phrase is simple--the Cornwall County Asylum was once located in the town of Bodmin. The place has a less than ideal history, way less actually.
Bodmin is also the name of a fascinating place called Bodmin Moor. The moor features neolithic tombs, old mining engine houses, strange rock formations, roaming cattle and sheep, a huge old quarry that provided the stone for the supports of the Tower Bridge in London, old mine diggings, menhirs (prehistoric standing stones) and more.
We did not get to explore everything the moor had to offer--that would take days or even weeks. But we did visit an engine house museum and the strange stone formations that stand on top of the old quarry. And we saw the hermit's stone house.
A Cornish engine house. These dot the landscape in Cornwall, and were used in the heyday of tin, silver, and copper mining.
Inside this engine house is a museum/interpretive site:
And then, on to the moor,
to the standing stones known as The Hurlers,
and then to the quarry and the strange natural stone formation called The Cheesewring that stands on top of it.
It was a bit windy! Well, Cornwall is usually windy. After all, it's surrounded on three sides by water, and it's only 25 miles from one coast to the other.
The was the home of Daniel Gumb and his wife Florence and their 6 children. Imagine living in a cave with 6 children!
Gumb carved his name and a date on the stone. He also carved mathematical formulas on the stones, and was considered by many as a hermit genius.
And there stands the Cheesewring, atop the quarry. The walk up isn't easy; there are many loose stones and some very steep and precipitous places to travel. As one who can get an attack of vertigo at any time, it was a challenge, but one I wanted to take. When I was here in 2016, this was as close as I got as the vertigo was particularly bad. But this time I was determined to get to the top.
Looking down into the quarry. There is an old railbed that can be walked right into the quarry, as you can see in the photo.
And we made it!
Every picture of Theresa and me at the stones has this strange rainbow-like appearance. The fairies at work?
My sisters, feeling accomplished for having made this tricky trek!
Judy wanted to climb to the top of these stones, but there must be a nest of bees in there, because they were everywhere. So she dashed over for this photo and retreated, leaving the stingers in peace.
Rocks, rocks, hills and views. What a beautiful place. What a beautiful day.
I love this picture of my sister Theresa. She looks so content.
As does Judy. We just sat there and looked. And looked and looked and looked, trying to fill our memories with the magic of Bodmin Moor.
I think this young man was feeling the magic too, as he stood quietly looking over the hills.
And then we said goodbye to The Cheesewring, and started back down.
One day I want to go back. This place has gotten under my skin and I can't seem to get enough of it. Will I make it back in this lifetime? One never knows, and I am getting older, but I would love to sit on those rocks again, looking over the beautiful Bodmin Moor.
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
Those south-western moors - Bodmin Moor, Dartmoor and Exmoor - are truly wonderful places, though very scary when the mist comes down. I'm glad you had such great conditions to explore the area.
ReplyDeleteAround Cambridge the expression for going off your head is "Going to Fulbourn" which is where the old mental hospital used to be. When we moved in to the house in Nutters Close we received a late Christmas card from friends, which had been wrongly addressed to Nutters Close, Fulbourn - I think you can see how their mind was working.
I've been twice and both times the weather was good, John, which I was glad of. It would be easy to lose your way here, I think--and there are many potholes and dips, as well as abandoned mineshafts that could be treacherous.
ReplyDeleteI laughed at your story about your address at Nutters Close! Where was their mind indeed!
It was so much fun to climb up to the Cheesewring!
ReplyDeleteWe had such a lovely day on Bodmin Moor. Another once in a lifetime experience for me. Thanks for posting about it. I love reliving it through your words and pictures.
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