"That's typical British weather, that is!"

Last night we stayed at Woodacre Bed and Breakfast in Bramber, England. It was a very cute little place with a beautiful garden complete with rosemary! Those of you who know me know I absolutely love rosemary! This morning Vicky, our hostess, cooked us a full English breakfast. Guys, there is a reason there are no old Brits. Heavily salted bacon, sausage, eggs, fried tomatoes and mushrooms, toast, jam, cereal, and tea.  We shared a table with another family, and being an anthropologist and an Anglophile, I loved listening to them! I almost giggled out loud when, as it switched from misty rain to actual rain, the father said, "Will you look at that rain! That's typical British weather, that is!" But, he's right! After breakfast, we headed towards Land's End. Land's End is the first and last point of land in England and according to the English, is the last (and first) point of land before you reach America. Although, there may be a few spots in Ireland and France that jut out a bit farther.

The drive out was a mix of fog and rain but we passed by rolling green pastures, plenty of sheep and Scotch Broom. Scotch Broom is a bush that can grow 6-8 feet tall and has a yellow flower. I think it is actually rather pretty but in the Pacific Northwest it is an invasive species. It grows fast and is aggressive. Knowing this, I wonder if it is also an invasive species here in England because it is Scotch Broom....get it? Scotch Broom? Okay, maybe I just have a nerdy sense of humor. If you know British history, then you know that Scotland has been trying to get independence from England for years and both constantly make fun of each other. Scots love to annoy the English. We also drove by a town called Helston. This got me excited, why? If you have ever read Elizabeth Gaskill's North and South or watched the BBC drama version, you'll remember that the protagonist, Margaret Hale, is from Helston in the south of England. If you have no idea what I am talking about then I highly recommend you at least watch the movie. The story is an excellent social commentary of England's Industrial Age especially since Gaskill herself lived it. It also has a great romance. 

                  Scotch Broom

Land's End was claimed after the Norman conquest in 1066 by William the Conqueror to give to one of his buddies. It later passed into the possession of the Earl of Arundel in the 1600s. The first inn on Land's End opened in the mid-1800s. I first came to Land's End when I was two. Obviously I remember nothing, however, according to my parents, it was a very windy day and being a little two year old, my parents held onto my hands.  It took both of them to hold onto me because the wind was literally lifting my feet off the ground. I was a human kite. Later, my mom wanted to shop so my dad and I stayed outside but in the shelter of the buildings. My ever wise father told me not to go around the corner because of the wind. But what two year old ever listened to their parent? I think you can guess what happened next. Yes, I went around the corner and was soon flying east with the wind, and I do mean flying. My father quickly hurried after me to catch me. Now, fast forward twenty three years. It's slightly foggy and very windy. Winds were gusting up to 45 miles an hour and it was a bit difficult to stay balanced at times. Even though I have a hood on my coat, I soon discovered it was useless so I settled for the wind blown look. We took a walk along the cliffs and saw some spectacular views of the waves crashing against the rocks as well as some wildlife. Rabbits live along the cliffs. We saw several hopping around and saw plenty of burrows. I also thought it was rather ironic that one of the plants that calls the Land's End cliffs home is named 'Yorkshire Fog'. Speaking of fog, due to the fog, the foghorn was sounding frequently. At least 37 ships have crashed on the rocks, and those are just the documented ones. It is quite treacherous. There was a little note on one of the info signs that said according to the locals, if you can see the Scilly Islands, it's going to rain. If you can't see them then it is raining. Well, I couldn't see the islands but it wasn't really raining, it was just foggy and misty, yet I still got wet. Then, again, it is England! 

Cheers!

Elizabeth

Welcome to Land's End in English and Cornish. Land's End is in Cornwall.