What a remarkable day! We've watched the most amazing weather fronts coming across Cornwall all day - one minute pouring rain the next dazzling sunshine and blue skies. The height of the cottage and its stunning views gives clear sight of more than ten miles in all directions. We have literally been able to see the progress of the sunshine and the rain as it covers Liskeard and Plymouth in the distance.

Our day began with a wake up call.....only instead of an alarm clock delivering the news it was 7am, it was a small group of sheep trotting along the road in front of the house. We managed to ignore them for an hour or so but considering we are unencumbered by work this week, we were up and about at 8am.

We're starting to make inroads into getting ourselves comfortable, we did some essential shopping today and got ourselves a phone and an arial so we can now watch the TV. We also got some less exciting stuff like a vacuum cleaner and mops!!!

The dogs are loving this experience, our front door is open all day and they sit in the front garden watching the world go by and making friends with all our new neighbours. We are loving this experience, our neighbours are very friendly and we had lunch sitting in the front garden ourselves, chatting and watching the world go by with them!

This afternoon we've walked about six miles, to the Hurlers - three ancient stone circles, a part of one of which can be seen in this photo. They are from 2,500BC - so are nearly 5,000 years old. Even though this photo isn't the best ever, it shows much of the progress of mankind in Cornwall, stone circles from 5,000 years ago, a derelict pumping station from Caradon Mine - closed around a hundred years ago and the TV, radio and phone beacons - the symbol of our modern age. Normally when we're in Cornwall, we can't get signals on our mobile phones, here the signal is perfect!

The mines here (the pumping station in this photo in only a tiny part of the overall mining heritage) once employed around 60,000 people and our cottage was built to house some of them. There are lots of other examples of this type of old, roughly built cottage around here, many of which are now just ruins. (Mind you, ours is not exactly the height of luxury!)

Our journey of discovery of this beautiful, wild, moor is only just beginning and we are willing learners. Our walk took in a disused quarry, the Hurlers and some of the chimneys that are the main remaining visible signs of the mines.