The country park is just one large, beautiful garden and we were lucky that the camelias were in flower and we were treated to a riot of colour. We enjoyed a lovely woodland walk where, in addition to the camelias and rhodedendron, bluebells and wild garlic carpeted the forest floor (See flower slideshow at the end). We stopped to enjoy the view from one of the gazebos and had a cursory look at some of the historical defences that are still in the park. Through occasional breaks in the treeline, we enjoyed good views across the Sound and over to Mountbatten.
In the park on the outskirts of the village there were swathes of a lovely yellow-green coloured flowers covering the slopes. Entering Cawsand, with its quaint, little, narrow streets, we somehow managed to become separated as we each wandered off to look at different features. Thinking that JE had walked on, I set off up the hill to the edge of the next set of woods and when I still couldn't see her decided waiting was the best option. After a flurry of texts, we eventually joined up again, somewhat chastened by the experience. Wild garlic and bluebells clothed the floor and the hillside of the forest, running great swathes, mixed and jumbled together.
As we cleared the hedgerows and the wind could find us, the temperature dropped and we began to feel the cold, despite the bright sunshine. In no time at all, we were at the bottom of the hill at Rame Head. Although the SWCP bypasses the hill and the chapel, I would think that most walkers take the climb to enjoy the stunning panoramas at the top and to take in the peace and quiet of the chapel. Just to the right of the hill, wild dartmoor ponies were quietly grazing.
The views from the top were terrific and with intention of soaking it in, we decided to stop here for lunch. Out came the Jetboil, down went the rucksacks, up went the feet and the eyes closed.
An interesting feature about this hotel is that it was previously at Rame Head but the strength of the winds there disgruntled the guests and it was dismantled and re-built in Portwrinkle.