Hundreds of feet below the steep cliffs, seven dogs chased one another across the sands of Mawgan Porth Beach until they were exhausted, as their human companions watched with patience and amusement.
Farther out, lifeguards watched carefully as swimmers played in the surf of the Atlantic Ocean.
The view was breathtaking.
I was standing on the balcony of my room at the new and sparkling Scarlet Hotel in Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, England. Just hours before, the United Airlines plane I was on had approached downtown London and then made a large, sweeping turn to the west. I was thrilled, because I knew the landing pattern well.
More than 50 years ago, I had lived under the landing approach to London’s Heathrow Airport.
As the plane dropped lower, I scanned the ground. And there it was: the gentle bend in the Thames River, the island in the middle, the areas of green grass surrounding the river.
My eyes drifted up the slope from the river to the top of Richmond Hill, which overlooks the Thames, and I spotted the house I had lived in.
In a sense, I had returned to my second home.
I lived in England in the aftermath of World War II, when London was a bombed-out city, the result of the blitz.
Blocks of London were nothing but shells of destroyed buildings. My British schoolteachers had fought the Nazis. England had just been through hell, and the country had survived.
My admiration for the Brits has never died.
On most visits to their country and my adopted home, I jump into a rental car and head north to the Yorkshire market town of Helmsley, with its castle, Rievaulx Abbey, the Moors, the Dales and easy access to the towns of Whitby and York.
But this time I wanted to do something different.
I had never been to Cornwall and southwestern England, and it had been years since I had spent more than a day in the heart of London.
A brand new London hotel — the Park Plaza at Westminster Bridge — would provide easy access to Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Buckingham Palace and three Underground stations.
The plan was to go to Cornwall first, then make a three-day stop at Marlow, a picturesque town on the Thames west of London, then drop the car off at nearby Heathrow Airport and take the Heathrow Express train into the heart of London. Along the way, we stayed in lodgings that made an impression.
Cornwall
Mawgan Porth’s Scarlet Hotel opened late last year. I booked a room almost immediately, intrigued by its design and location.
In recent months, the hotel has won international acclaim from the world’s foremost travel magazines, and my initial concern was that all the praise had gone to the head of the hotel staff.
Not to worry. In years of international travel, I’ve never met a more congenial, friendly and down-to- earth staff.
The Scarlet bills itself as a “luxury eco hotel.” The place was designed by three women. They did well.
The views are unsurpassed, the rooms very modern and functional, the beds are comfortable, and the bar menu and the breakfast are magnificent.
Up the coast from the Scarlet Hotel is Tintagel Castle. More than any place in Great Britain, Tintagel is associated with the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The place is a must-see, situated on a headland that thrusts itself into the Atlantic.
The people in the village of Tintagel will tell you that the King Arthur legend was the result of the writings of Geoffrey of Monmouth, who lived in the 1150s, and Richard, earl of Cornwall, who built a castle on the site in the 13th century.
The truth is that King Arthur may or may not have lived at Tintagel — or even existed.
But every year, the castle is visited by thousands of tourists who believe it is where King Arthur and Merlin spent their time. It’s worth the trip — but be prepared for lots of walking and steep climbs.
Near Tintagel is the wonderful seaside village of Boscastle. The protected harbor is almost completely surrounded, save a small opening, by rock formations. It’s a fun place to hang out.
The Cornwall coast also offers miles of hiking trails next to stunning scenery.
Marlow
After leaving Cornwall, we visited Marlow, a smart little town on the Thames and not far from Heathrow Airport, which is known for its river locks, river rapids and the dozens of swans that make the Thames the river it is. The town is anchored by a wonderful hotel, the Compleat Angler.
The Compleat Angler is located on the Thames and has numerous rooms, particularly in its newer, 9-year-old wing, that have balconies or patios right on the river.
Marlow is close to Windsor Castle and is a great base for day trips to Oxford, the Cotswolds, Stonehenge, the famous White Horses of England and Avebury, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of huge stone circles that in many ways is more spectacular than Stonehenge.
Unlike Stonehenge, at Avebury you can actually walk through the stone circles and marvel at the work of those who built the place about 2600 B.C. Avebury has several parts: the sanctuary, Silbury Hill, a burial chamber called the West Kennet Long Barrow, and Avebury Windmill Hill.
On departing Marlow, we dropped off our rental car at Heathrow Airport and boarded the nonstop Heathrow Express train to Paddington Station in the heart of London.
If you’re carrying suitcases and plan to travel to downtown London from Heathrow, do not — do not — take the Underground from the airport to city center. If you take the Underground, you will find yourself manhandling luggage up the steep Underground stairs, twisting passageways and never-ending escalators.
The Heathrow Express, on the other hand, is semi-luxurious, nonstop service to Paddington Station. At Paddington, go straight to the taxi line and catch one of London’s famous black cabs to your hotel. The drivers are friendly, skillful and won’t rip you off. And they are highly appreciative of a tip above the standard 10 percent.
London
The Park Plaza Hotel at Westminster Bridge is extraordinary. We stayed in a quiet mini-suite on the seventh floor, with a bedroom on one side, a living room on the other and a modernistic bathroom dividing the two.
At the Park Plaza, London is at your fingertips. Walk across Westminster Bridge over the Thames and you are at Parliament, Big Ben and Westminster Abbey. Walk along the embankment next to the Thames, and you are soon at Whitehall and the giant mall and park that lead to Buckingham Palace.
The food at the hotel is good. But about 30 yards from the hotel is an excellent Italian restaurant, The Locale, run by Italians. If you are homesick, there is a Starbucks immediately across from the Locale.
Also near the hotel are three Underground stations. All are within a three-to-five minute walk of the Park Plaza and Westminster Bridge.
My two favorite attractions in the London area are Kew Gardens and Richmond, Surrey. Kew Gardens is a huge park beloved by Brits and Europeans who favor flowers, butterflies, trees and lakes. There is also Kew Palace, the home of George III.
Richmond Hill is the final stop on the Underground line that goes to Kew Gardens, and it has amazing views of the Thames. Just down the street from the hill is a park full of deer and other wildlife.
We stopped at the pub on top of Richmond Hill called The Roebuck for lunch. It was the afternoon before England was to play the United States in the World Cup, and my newly acquired British friends in the pub were in a jovial and optimistic mood.
I told one of the owners of the pub that among our neighbors when we lived on the hill was the esteemed British actor Sir John Mills. My mom soon became acquainted with John Mills’ wife. My mom decided I should meander down to the Mills’ house and ask out their daughter, Hayley. I’m not sure Mrs. Mills was in on this plot with my mom, but I suspect she was. I was 9 at the time, and girls were barely a blip on the radar screen. I never did knock on the Mills’ door.
As I recounted this tale to the guy at The Roebuck, the biggest grin came across his face. His parents live in nearby Twickenham, he said, and their next-door neighbor is Hayley Mills. He said Hayley comes over to his parents’ house every day.
His grin broadened. I laughed — and all the memories came flooding back.
You gotta love the Brits. I still do.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com
England Insider’s Guide
WHEN TO GO: Mid-April, May, June, September, early October and the last two weeks of December. Southern England, particularly southwest England and London, have a reputation for the warmest weather in the British Isles. Daytime temperatures can range from the low 50s to the upper 70s. But weather is ever-changing because of the maritime climate. A light, waterproof winter jacket can bring comfort for those rainy spells and brisk coastal winds. Also pack a light sweater.
If you don’t mind crowds, July and August are the sunniest and warmest — but it can be crowded! The English love the Christmas holidays. December can be dreary and short on daylight, but plenty of good cheer can be found at the Christmas markets, the country’s thousands of pubs, hotels and in the many theaters, where wonderful stage productions can enthrall.
GET THERE: United Airlines, Air Canada, Lufthansa and Delta are among the many major airlines that fly to England. In the summer — June through August — airfare can cost about $1,000 per person from Denver. September- December fares drop to $950 to $750 per person.
GET AROUND: Rental cars are the way to see England, Scotland and Wales outside of London. A week-long rental, with insurance included, costs about $600. Use the country’s superhighways — those classified “M” — in getting from Heathrow Airport to far southwestern England (Cornwall) or the north of England (Yorkshire). Once at the town you want to use as a base to explore these regions, you can then drive the narrow regional highways. If you’re staying in London, don’t drive a rental car. Use the Underground and, on occasion, the city’s famous black cabs, to get around the city. From Heathrow Airport to downtown London take the Heathrow Express railroad. Tickets can be obtained online at .
If you rent a car in England and head to the countryside, you need two sets of road maps, both of which are available in Denver. The first are the “Ordnance Survey” maps, which are excellent regional maps of Great Britain. But the best map is the British Auto Association’s (AA) “Motorist’s Atlas to Britain.”
The AA atlas can be a lifesaver as you navigate the narrow roads of Cornwall, Yorkshire and the suburbs of London. Also, if visiting historical sites outside of London, buy an “Overseas Visitor Pass” from English Heritage, the outfit that oversees and protects many of the castles, abbeys and Roman ruins that make England so intriguing. The pass will save you a ton of money.
The Underground is the way to quickly get around London once you are in the city proper. Buy an off-peak “Day Travelcard” to Districts 1 through 4. That will get you anywhere after 9:30 a.m. in London, plus my personal favorites in the suburbs, Kew Gardens and Richmond. Be sure to pick up Michael Brein’s “Guide to London Underground,” also available in Denver. It’s a large-print Underground map, neatly packed into a small plastic carrying case. It shows the entire Underground system and how to get to the “Top 50 Sights by Underground.”
STAY: Cornwall: The Scarlet Hotel (Tredragon Road, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall, England TR8 4DQ, Tel 016 3786 1800, Fax 016 3786 1801). Rates start at $348 a night including breakfast. See Room Report, Page 2T.
Marlow: The Compleat Angler Hotel (Marlow Bridge, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England SL7 IRG, Tel 084 4879 9128, Angler). Rates start at $280 a night including breakfast.
London: The Park Plaza Westminster Bridge (200 Westminster Bridge Road, London England, SE17 UT, Tel 844-415-6780, ppwlrese@pphe.com, ). Rates start at $345 a night with a hearty, all-you-can- eat breakfast included.
DINE: Cornwall: The Scarlet Hotel has a formal restaurant that serves top-notch, multi-course dinners for about $56 per person. The elegant bar serves a fine bar menu at a total cost of about $43 for two.
Marlow: The Marlow Bar & Grill (92 High St., Marlow, Bucks, Tel 016 2848 8544, Fax 016 2847 5761, ). A fine restaurant about 200 yards over the Marlow Bridge from the Compleat Angler Hotel. The menu has such diverse items as Mayan Chicken, flash-grilled steak and squash Parmesan tart, plus assorted salads. Cost for two: about $55.
London: The Primo Lounge Bar at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge has decent food at about $33 for two per meal.
The Locale (3B Belvedere Road, 020 7401 6734) is an excellent Italian restaurant about 30 yards from the Park Plaza at Westminster Bridge. It has a full Italian menu, with the cost about $38 for two people.
Wilton Arms Pub (71 Kinnerton St., 020 7235 4854) Near Harrods department store, the Wilton Arms is a classic, authentic British pub, tucked away on a quaint London street. Cost for a meal for two is about $25.
MORE INFO: VisitBritain is the National Tourism agency, and it suggests the following websites to plan a visit to Britain: travelinfo@visitbritain.org; .
Also: outlines the national rail network, including timetables and maps.
outlines the London Underground and bus network including maps and ticket information.
offers information about London theaters and theater productions.
Howard Pankratz
