Thriftism

We visited Trelissick Garden on a May afternoon and lucked out with a sunny, semi-warm day that was clear and allowed us amazing views. From what we heard, the views are pretty spectacular year round. This is one of the National Trust properties so it is free to get in and park if you are a member or if you are a member of the Royal Oak Foundation (for US citizens). I highly recommend buying a membership if you will be in the UK for any amount of time as it saves a lot of money in the long run. If you aren't a member, I'd still recommend stopping here and paying the  £13 ( at time of publishing post).  This English garden seems to be where Lewis Carroll got a few of his ideas or at least where the animators of the film got theirs. We loved seeing the tree with the hole at the base and the rose trees and other fantastical sights. Was wonderful for our toddler to play around in the large grassy areas and as with many of the national trust sites, there is a lovely cafe, sho...

Thriftism visits St. Michael's Mount in the coastal town of Marazion in Cornwall, England. This is a tidal island that can be reached via the causeway during low tide or by boat in high tide. Plan ahead if you want to walk as we got a little wet walking back to the mainland. It is approximately 15 minutes to walk the causeway.  It is a National Trust property, meaning that if you're a member, you can visit for free! I highly recommend doing the Royal Oak foundation if a US citizen as you get entry to so many places and free parking as well. If not, it is still well worth the entrance fee to see. This includes visiting both the castle and the gardens. The castle dates back to ~1650 while other buildings can be dated to the 12th century. Saint Michael's Mount is a National Trust property, although thanks to a unique lease agreement the St Aubyn family still live here! St Michael's Mount island is one of 43 islands that one can walk to from Britain. Once a Benedictine mon...

We walked along the South West Coast Path today near Kynance Cove. This is an amazing spot to hike as well as enjoy a beach day out here. With tidal pools that the kids can play in to clear waters and white sands, this is a great beach spot. Watch the tide times as you can get cut off at high tide and cannot access the caves as the water returns up. There is a high tide path to access the cafe from the car park as well as the South West Coast Path without walking on the beach.  The car park is a National Trust lot meaning you get free parking with your national trust card or Royal Oak Foundation Parking permit. If not a member, I believe it is around 4 pounds to park. This is a quick sneak peak of the portion of the trail we hiked today.  The entire trail stretches over 630 miles across wide ranging terrain all with gorgeous sea views and many historic landmarks.  **HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Download maps.me for offline map access and to view your location along with hiking ...