5th March 2009
on the Trannack Road; Mr Benjamin Shipton used to live here;
he was the man behind The Cornish Stone shops,
my father looked after his garden and I looked after his cats.
Having just made the walk, I can now see why there is confusion over the number of fields in the name; although I had walked here many a time to Trevaylor Woods, this was the first walk of a date with my wife to be. Then there were three fields before we turned down the end to the exit gate; the last field had a stream running across it; there was another field up a high stile, but it was not really used much as the exit was not as easy as the end of the three fields . Now there is a drive all the way up this third field to the house. The field is therefore half the original size, and the pathway is now along the route of the old stream, so guess what, it is wet to the extreme. And the habitat for frogs and newts has been destroyed. It never really pays to walk through memory lane.
Let me put it this way ... I walked up a narrow lane, which is now wider than it used to be, as the stone edge is now in the centre - to the left is the lodge and its gound bordered by a stone wall and the right is a thicket as it ever was, absolutely chockablock with blackbirds. I then went through a new timber fence and gateway into a field in which stood a fellow not of infinite jest with his two horses. I passed through the stone wall using the appropriate opening into another field; thereupon I passed through a similar stone wall and similar opening into an apparent stream bed, walking in a strange and interesting way in order to avoid the slurpy mud and making audible suggestions regarding selfish and inconsiderate owners of land, let alone the loss of a stream of life, I then turned down the hill the usual way to the lower gateway as ever, whereupon I spied a triangle of land enough to support a nomadic tribe of nomads complete with camels, whereupon I also made audible sounds of disgust at the destruction of our countryside. I counted three fields. That is the route that I took ever since I first discovered the route from my parents when they took me to Trevaylor, in order to try and lose me.
You would have have gone through a gate then, which I consider a private one, ever since the fences were put up in the very early nineties! If you carried on over another stile you would have been in the fourth field which also leads out onto the Trevaylor road!
I know you can, but we (as children) only did it the once and decided that the exit was too dangerously located, father said we should walk up the road, which we always did. Father, grandfather, mother, aunt May and the whole family called it Three Fields, and as far as I am concerned, diversion through the last field or not, it is still three fields. Let me put it this way ... Bafff !!!
This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
