Cornish Capers

Over hill and dale

On our Cornish weekend we enjoyed perfect weather for exploring the spectacular coast by boat, while on land we took to a 2012 model year Land Rover Discovery 4 to unlock some of its less accessible secrets. The Discovery was ideal for the steep lanes winding down to picturesque villages and remote landing beaches still used by fishermen. The Hill Start Assist and Gradient Acceleration Control meant we could creep up hair-raising hills even when towing a boat.

Slipway rescue

At Rock we joined the slipway hurly-burly to launch a sleek Ribeye 785 for a trip up the Camel estuary. On summer weekends the place is awash with RIBs and colourful fleets of Cornish Shrimpers racing from the club. Thanks to its powerful 3-litre SDV6 turbo diesel engine and two-speed electric transfer box, which allows a maximum total towing weight of 3500kg, we also helped a grateful local recover a heavy sportsboat after his own 4×4 started to slide!

Enjoying the high life

Threading the narrow roads down to Port Isaac we were high enough to enjoy tantalising views over West Country hedges that few other cars provide, while the new 8-speed automatic gearbox shifted seamlessly through the gears.

Smile for the camera

In Port Isaac village, the lanes shrank to Lilliputian proportions but our Discovery 4’s Surround Camera System showed there was always just enough room to squeeze through. When we did have to reverse to make way for a passing car, the rear-view camera made it far less stressful.

Dining out in style

In the evening we drove into Padstow for dinner, where the sophisticated style of the new Discovery 4 looked just the ticket as we arrived at Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant. After a seafood feast fit for a king we were delighted to find that the electronic air suspension ensured a comfortable ride home even over the ruts and ridges of Cornwall’s country lanes.