O'er moorland and brae: White clay and white houses

Honestly, some days we are moving barely a few kilometres, and our switch suddenly gets stuck on 'Pause'. Luckily, we have few commitments. And we spent much 'Pause time' in Charlestown.

The hills around Charlestown are white, the colour of salt. But it is not salt that is being mined here, it is kaolin: a lovely light clay that is used to make fine bone china. We have it in Australia. But not in huge amounts.

This clay needed a harbour for export, so Charles Raleigh had Charlestown built early in the 1800s. Another rich man's harbour village. And Charlestown was busy for a good century. The pretty painted cottages rimming the harbour were home to boat builders, rope makers, and dock workers who shipped the clay. Boats came and went, as did time. Until the demand for kaolin reduced. But it was not wiped out entirely.

Even today, 30 or 40 ships a year leave Charlestown harbour loaded with the fine white clay, heading overseas. Today, though, the harbour is owned by a tall ships company, Square Sail. They own a fleet of big rigged, big sail ships which are in demand for filming and television productions, so Charlestown, today, is increasingly used as a film set. Film directors love the place as a location.

As a working harbour, it feels authentic. And because it has remained virtually unchanged for two hundred years it has been granted World Heritage status.

Today, the fisherman cottages on the hill are mostly Cottages to Let. Film crews sometimes use them, as do holidaymakers. Even the tiny Harbour Master's office, down on the dock, can be rented: by the morning, afternoon, day, or week. To while away the hours. To watch the sun set. To see the tall sails unfurl. Idyllic.