I lunched at The Wolseley with Graham Norton after I returned from Cornwall
IT WAS time to explore life beyond London, so last weekend I took myself off to Paddington train station to catch a Great Western Railway train to Penzance in Cornwall. For those of you (like myself) who have no idea where that is on the map, think Kinsale/Schull in West Cork and you get the general idea – location and distance wise.
I’d only ever heard of Penzance in the context of ‘The Pirates of, etc’. But after some research I found that it’s a coastal town that was home to the good, the bad and the ugly of the maritime world of the 17th century. I was intrigued and had to go.
As someone who loves a train journey, the six-hour jaunt was an absolute pleasure. The English countryside whisked by as I got stuck into my latest read – Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin (more of which later). But the lengthy journey also allowed me to catch up on replying to dozens of texts, WhatsApp messages and emails that I had accumulated. That’s the joy of the train; tea, chocolate and nothing to do bar sitting down and catching up on the world. By 7pm, the train pulled into Penzance station and I checked into Chapel House, a guesthouse unlike any I’ve experienced... for all the right reasons. The newly done-up listed building has just a few rooms and each one is immaculate. Mine came with a wood-burning stove and a sea view, so it was quite hard to leave it at night or in the morning. Needs must however and a short stroll up the road brings you to the Admiral Benbow pub. Low ceilings, mysterious snugs and endless nautical trinkets make this a wonderfully curious spot. Good food, fine pints and friendly staff made for a most enjoyable evening.
I’ve never been a foodie, but I have to give an honourable mention to the bacon sandwich I was served at breakfast the next morning. Using the freshest bread, perfectly grilled rashers, a slice of tomato and a soft fried egg, I was in heaven. I am still thinking about it a week later!
Onwards then to the Minack Theatre, out the road in Porthcurno, just a few kilometres from Land’s End. Built into the cliff face by an eccentric but brilliant character called Rowena Cade, this amphitheatre faces a stage that uses the roaring waves behind it as the backdrop. Initially used for local productions of Shakespeare plays, it continues to stage plays, music gigs and stand-up comedy. The descent towards Porthcurno beach, a crescent of sand facing onto a raging sea, is a visceral experience. This is pure Enid Blyton country with a twist of Daphne du Maurier. There’s a sense of adventure about the place and yet an air of mystery persists. It’s a writer’s meteorological muse! It was an early exit on Sunday morning as all news outlets warned of potential train delays due to a variety of storms including Storm Isha, but the six-hour return journey was as enjoyable as the trip down. It’s always good to get home early on a Sunday to regroup for the week ahead.
Listeners to the radio show have been suggesting lots of places to visit beyond London. The Cotswolds and York have been coming out on top, so I reckon York will be next on the agenda in the coming weeks. It’s odd having lived next door to this country and really knowing little or nothing of the place. But I should add, as much as I love it, there’s still no place like Connemara!
I’ve been so heartened by the warm welcome I’ve received from lots of the Irish people I’ve interviewed and befriended down through the years. I had a wonderful dinner with Craig Doyle and his brother Keith to reflect on what awaited me in London! They are two veterans of the city, who are doing brilliantly in the media game over here. They helped me settle in by just being kind (and fun of course).
On Tuesday, Graham Norton very kindly invited me to lunch at The Wolseley, a fine restaurant, which I later realised is a celebrity haunt frequented by the likes of Joan Collins.
Over steak frites and healthy salad (honest!) we chatted, among other things, about our respective worlds and compared notes on many aspects of the business.
We both agreed that the chat would be ‘in lodge’ and with that in mind, all I’ll say is that it was great craic, very informal and most insightful. It was very generous of Graham to take the time. I now owe him a glass of white wine which I’m already looking forward to. Although mine’s a pint.
I have an on-air chat with Chris Evans and his studio team, Vassos and Rachel, every morning. It’s always an eclectic conversational mix, and this week the chat turned to embracing your inner child and how that keeps you curious and easily entertained. Before I knew it I was quoting my favourite Irish poet, Co. Monaghan’s Patrick Kavanagh and his masterpiece, Advent. Anyone of my vintage will remember those opening lines from their Leaving Cert: ‘We have tested and tasted too much, lover– Through a chink too wide there comes in no wonder.’ Such a lovely observation about not needing to have or see everything. Mystery is an underrated gift.