The Wild Lizard Guide 2022

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FROM 2022 | £3.25

The beauty OF NATURE

Discover a feeling of untamed wildness quite unlike anywhere else on mainland UK

ART OF THE LIZARD WATER ADVENTURES TALES FROM OUR PAST

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Book a Collington’s Engineer for all your maintenance, service and repairs.

Call us for honest, free advice on 01326 572599 Visit our showroom: 16 Water Ma Trout, Helston, TR13 0LW www.collingtons.com

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Editor Hannah Tapping hannah.tapping@levenmediagroup.co.uk Content & Project Manager Dan Warden production@enginehousemedia.co.uk Content Rosie Cattrell Design Jamie Crocker – Spencer Hawes Marketing Megan Searle – Thomas Elliot Brown

THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FROM

For all editorial, production, marketing or design enquiries: 01326 574842 Credit Control Tracy Dart – 01326 574842 tracy.dart@levenmediagroup.co.uk Accounts Manager Charlotte Forster – 07714 718471 charlotte.forster@levenmediagroup.co.uk Managing Director Richard McEvoy – 07771 868880 richard.mcevoy@enginehousemedia.co.uk Client Managers Des Glover – 01326 369426 des.glover@enginehousemedia.co.uk Megan Watkins – 01326 369429 megan.watkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk Operations Team Miguel Belert – Joanne Stinton – Rebecca Hawkey Client Director Jonathan Perkins – 07587 072706 jonathan.perkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk CEO & Founder Ben Pratchett – 01326 574842 ben.pratchett@enginehousemedia.co.uk Chairman & Founder Andy Forster – 07711 160590 andy.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

P

oring over a map, the UK landmass feels, at least in size, insignificant when compared to the wider world. And yet, it is home to one of the most varied landscape tapestries in the world, of which the Lizard peninsula is a case in point.

We begin this year’s guide with a hopeful exploration of the work being done by Cornwall Wildlife Trust (page 12) and its network of partner organisations, to safeguard a future for our seas and the life systems they support. Then, after a look to our future and everything the Trust is doing to ensure one, from page 19 we take a trip back in time – in one case as far back as the 5th or 4th century BC – to tell the tales of some of the Lizard’s most historic sites. We later discover from page 23 that the Lizard’s historical significance lies not only in its man-made landmarks, but also in its status as one of Britain’s most revered botanical areas, before ending our tour of time with a trip to Helston’s Museum of Cornish Life (page 28) and a look at the progressive work taking place there.

As you flick your way through this year’s guide, it will become apparent just how inspirational the history and landscape of the Lizard really are, and from page 33 we discover a host of artists and makers who are applying this inspiration to their craft.

And for those who share our belief that good food is an artform in itself, you won’t be disappointed to discover the offering at Helston’s Local Food Hub, from page 42, nor Dan Dan the Lobster Man’s wonderfully literal take on seaside dining on page 49. ...happy reading!

Hannah ON THE COVER

COME JOIN THE TEAM!

This stunning drone shot of Kynance Cove was taken and supplied by Liam Alford.

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Call Richard McEvoy on 07771 868880 or email richard.mcevoy@enginehousemedia.co.uk

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FROM THE TEAM AT

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Cornwall Living is published by: ENGINE HOUSE MEDIA LTD Holbrook, The Moors, Porthleven, Cornwall TR13 9JX www.enginehousemedia.co.uk www.levenmediagroup.co.uk Engine House Media Ltd is a multi-platform media business with a passion for everything Cornish. Visit www.enginehousemedia.co.uk to find out more. Our mission is to create READ-WATCH-EXPERIENCE media opportunities marrying together consumers with the fabulous businesses across Cornwall. Our publishing and marketing teams are specialists in creating print and on-line communications, devised to achieve a range of marketing objectives. With over 20 years of marketing, brand management and magazine experience we develop effective communications that deliver your message in a credible and creative way. We operate across all media channels, including: print, online and video.

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Witnessed a beautiful sunset?

Tried the tastiest fish in Cornwall?

We’d love to see what you’ve been up to…

Discover more

LIFEST YLE

Wherever you see the magnifying glass, simply head to our website and type the associated word into the search bar to find more related content.

Special thanks

TO ALL OF OUR FANTASTIC CONTRIBUTORS, INCLUDING:

All members of the Welcome to Wild Lizard Group, especially Sandy Pulfrey; Alastair Cameron at Helston Local Food Hub; Adam Rush and Lauren Brenton-Crabb CornwallTrust, is, of coand at Cornwall Wildlife who have contributed urse, all a wonderful But have yo place to visit. u ever co nsidered tak towards the creation guide. guided to of this ing a

TAKE A TOU R ur for a true

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fter working in the Duchy ’s hospitality and tourism industry for more tha n 20 years, Louise West had a dream to set very own tou up her r guide busin ess. Drawin her local kn g on owledge and love for her ‘Experience county, Cornwall Tou rs’ was cre to share, wit ated h visitors, Cornwall’s combinatio un ique n of beauty , heritage, and hospit culture ality.

A guided tour means that Louise and the team tak e care of all the driving, and if you have been lucky to visit Cor enough nwall before , you will kn our narrow ow that , high, dry sto

ë ABOVE

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WILD LIZARD 2022 |

Contents

23

FEATURES

6

Map

9

News & views

A useful guide

The latest from the Lizard

12

Restoring our seas

19

Out on its own

23

The way to wildness

28

Tales of our past

31

A watersports adventure

32

Take the wheel

35

Creative reflections

37

Wind and fire

41

Jewell of the Lizard

42

Food for thought

47

Gratitude and growth

49

Boat to plate

50

A hidden haven

Turn to page 23 to read more about the Lizard's botanical history

With Cornwall Wildlife Trust

41

An historic peninsula A botanical history

From the Museum of Cornish Life

47

50

With Children's Sailing Trust

31

At Sally Tully Ceramics Discover Lizard Art

Introducing A Long Sea Breeze On display at Jewell Arts At Helston Local Food Hub At Falmouth's Grey Lurcher With Dan Dan the Lobster Man At Kernow Adventure Park

12

28

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1

Trevenen

Godolphin Cross

Brill Constantin

Carleen Germoe Sithney Trewennack Helston

Breage

Praa Sands Rinsey

18

Gweek Porthleven

7

Key Gardens 1

Godolphin House and Garden

2

Trebah

3

Glendurgan

4

Bonython Estate

5

Potager

6

Bosahan

7

Penrose Walled Kitchen Garden

Mawgan

Loe Pool

26 27

8

Berepper

Gunwalloe Cross Lanes

Beaches 8

Loe Bar

9

Porthoustock Beach

Cury

19

4

10

10 Church Cove

Goonhilly

11

11 Poldhu Beach 12 Mullion Cove

Mullion

21

The Lizard Heritage Coast

13 Coverack Beach 14 Kennack Sands 15 Cadgwith Beach

12

16 Kynance Cove

Mullion Cove

17 Housel Bay

Places of interest 18 Seal Sanctuary 19 Goonhilly Earth Station 20 Roskilly’s 21 Poldhu Marconi Centre 22 Windmill Farm Nature Reserve 23 The Lizard Lifeboat Station 24 Lizard Point Wildlife Watchpoint

Lizard Lighthouse 25 Marconi Lizard Wireless Station

Go Cornwall Bus: 36A (St Keverne to Helston, via Coverack, Goonhilly, Mawgan and Culdrose)

www.transportforcornwall.co.uk

Bus stops Lizard National Nature Reserve (NNR)

www.otsfalmouth.co.uk

27 Lizard Art

Ruan Major

Kuggar

Predannack Wollas

Poltesco

22

349 (Lizard village to Helston via Ruan Minor, Kugger, Mullion, Poldhu, Cury, Gunwalloe and Culdrose

OTS: 33 (St Keverne to Helston, via Porthallow, Gillan, Manaccan, Helford, St Martin and Gunwalloe)

26 Cornish Crafts Association Gallery

Gwendre

BUS SERVICES ON THE LIZARD

Cadgwith

15 16 Kynance Cove

23 Lizard

17

25

Lizard Point

24

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MAP

Maenporth

5 Mawnan Smith

onstantine Helford Passage

Port Navas

The Lizard peninsula

3

2

Mawnan

Durgan

6 Helford

St Anthony in Meneage Flushing

Manaccan

Roskorwell Porthallow Newtown in St Martin

Tregarne

Porthoustock Lanarth Traboe

9

Rosenithon

St Keverne

20

onhilly

13 Trelan Gwenter

Gwendreath

Coverack

Ponsongath

14

uggar ltesco

ENLARGED AREA

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A selection of holiday cottages on the Lizard peninsula

Beautiful cliff top walks, long sandy beaches, gentle rolling countryside mixed with fascinating fishing villages and picturesque harbours make this a truly wonderful holiday destination.

For more information call: 01326 290162 e-mail: info@cadgwithcovecottages.co.uk Website: www.cadgwithcovecottages.com

DO

G

FR

IEN

DL Y

CARAVAN & TOURING PARK

BOSCREGE CARAVAN & TOURING PARK Set in 12 acres of Cornish countryside only two miles from the beautiful sandy beaches of Praa Sands, Boscrege Caravan & Touring Park is the best place to enjoy your Cornish holiday.

We also sell luxury homes with a smallhire luxury fleet.

01736 762231

enquiries@caravanparkcornwall.com www.caravanparkcornwall.com Boscrege • Ashton • Cornwall • TR13 9TG

008.indd 1

Quiet, 4-Pennant Gold family-run holiday park with a warm welcome to all. We offer holiday caravans, and spacious pitches for camping and touring, all at excellent rates. Situated just a short walk from stunning Coverack and the coast path, Little Trevothan is the ideal base to explore the Lizard and beyond.

Pop in and have a look around!

Sue & Mark Martin Little Trevothan Camping & Caravan Park Coverack TR12 6SD 01326 280260 www.littletrevothan.co.uk holidays@littletrevothan.co.uk

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Lizard views

Lizardviews

KEEP IN THE LOOP AT WWW.CORNWALL-LIVING.CO.UK

An open invitation from Coast

Colour Canvas

Launched in 2019 in Roskilly’s original ice-cream parlour, Coast Colour Canvas gallery was established by local artists Jenny Field, Fiona Foster and Janet Golden who were looking for a permanent base to showcase local artists’ work. Their aim is to present their own art alongside guest artists’ work in an attractive setting which is easily accessible.

Located on the beautiful Lizard peninsula, the gallery offers a weekly programme of guest artists’ work with an opportunity to meet the artists throughout the season from 11am to 4pm daily, from

Easter until October. Each week offers an exhibition of original art, paintings, prints and cards which are on sale to visitors.

For more information e-mail coastcolourcanvas@gmail.com or contact coastcolourcanvasgallery

Keeping an ancient craft alive Mel Chambers, the creative spirit behind the multi award-winning Alchemy Tiles, is the only artist to create beautiful, hand-carved tiles using ancient 13th century techniques. Perfect for those who want something bespoke and personal, Mel’s beautiful works can help make any house a home.

From individual tiles, to splashbacks, to bespoke bathrooms, fireplaces and kitchens, Mel carves every tile freehand, rather than painting them, meaning each tile is in itself a work of art – a thing of beauty and inspiration that can never be replicated. Infusing them with quotes and images that have personal meaning to you, in her own, signature style, Mel creates

Adventure is out there with Vertical Blue

Based in the stunning historic fishing village of Porthleven, a stone’s throw from the Cornish sea, Vertical Blue are on hand if you’re looking for the ultimate adventure on the very edge of Cornwall.

practical keepsakes that you can admire every day, each held eternal in earth and time.

The expert team will have you suited and booted in no time, and you’ll be pushing those boundaries with a mix of activities in and around the stunning Cornish coastline before you know it. Why not try stand up paddle boarding, kayaking, archery or axe throwing? And, if you really want to test your comfort levels, make sure to give coasteering a try, swimming and jumping your way around some phenomenal coastline. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with Vertical Blue to make a memory that will last a lifetime.

For more information call 07768 193848 or visit www.alchemytiles.com

For more information call 07551 074488 or visit www.verticalblue.co.uk

The proper way to experience Cornwall Lizard is often referred to as ‘real Cornwall’, a wilderness dotted with charming villages and fishing ports as yet untouched by an increasingly modern world. But as a visitor, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to experiencing the landscape at its best, which makes the help of a local guide invaluable. This is where Experience Cornwall Tours comes in.

Led by Louise West – a friendly, knowledgeable and, crucially, local guide

– during your tour you’ll sample delicious food from hidden farm shops, ice creameries and crab shacks, as well as finding the best local pasty. Louise will guide you off the beaten track and immerse you in the wild Lizard landscape that draws so many to this stunning peninsula, and show you the sights, sounds and smells of the rugged South West Coast Path. Really, it’s all in the name; with ‘Experience Cornwall’ tours, that’s precisely what you’ll do!

For more information email louise@ experiencecornwalltours.co.uk or visit www.experiencecornwalltours.co.uk

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Lizardviews Eat local with a trip to Tregullas Farm

The Amiss family farm the land on the most southerly point in England, the Lizard village. Cattle are reared and grazed on the rich pastures of the beautiful but often windswept Tregullas Farm. Peas and vetches that have been specially planted as pollinators are rotated with grass, chicory and plantain, demonstrating that sustainable farming can indeed benefit the environment.

Next door to the farmhouse, you will find a fabulous farm shop, selling everything you need including daily newspapers, and a traditional tearoom which utilises the farm’s produce. Specialising in beautifully home-cooked scones, cakes and bread, Tregullas Farm Tearoom encapsulates farmhouse cooking at its best. With a Victorian barn and courtyard that can be booked for country weddings and parties, this is no ordinary farm. With exciting happenings usually taking place during the summer, be sure to keep an eye out for updates on the Facebook page!

For more information call 01326 290122 or visit Tregullasfarm

Sailing into spring-time adventures

August Rock Adventures have an exciting plan of action packed with ocean adventures to blow the cobwebs away as the warmer months arrive. Launched in 2019, and with five-star reviews every time, Iain and the team have been delighted to be able to share their family’s love of the water by offering a personal, bespoke service to small groups, exploring the beautiful Cornish seas.

Hand-built in the UK, the reliable Harbinger is primed and ready to carry up to seven passengers up to 20 miles offshore, and with Iain at the helm, trained as a first aider and an RYA Powerboat Instructor with over 20 years of boating experience, you can rest assured that you’re in the safest of hands on your day of adventure, so you can sit back and enjoy the experience.

Conservation and the safe interaction

with wildlife is of extreme importance to the team, who are proud to be an accredited member of WiSe, the UK’s national training scheme for minimising disturbance to marine wildlife.

Named after the August Rock buoy that marks the safe passage into Harbinger’s base in the beautiful Helford River, the company offers tailored charters to suit any intrepid explorer. From two-hour and half-day trips in the local waters of Falmouth Bay and the surrounding area, right up to all-day expeditions offshore in search of dolphins and multi-day use of Harbinger as part of your holiday, August Rock Adventures can do it all.

For more information call 01326 567527 or visit www.augustrockadventures.co.uk

Sit and stay awhile at Wavecrest Café Enjoy the most southerly point of mainland Britain from the historic Wavecrest café. Open since the 1930s, Wavecrest is a friendly, welcoming and relaxed café with stunning views over the iconic Lizard Point, providing delicious, freshly made food using Cornwall’s fantastic local produce.

With beautiful walks nearby thanks to its location at the start of the South West Coast Path leading to Kynance cove to the west and Cadgwith cove to the east, Wavecrest

offers the perfect pitstop to refuel for you and your four-legged friends.

As well as plenty of choice on the menu, from lightbites and main meals (all made to order), to cakes, homemade scones and locally made ice cream, there is indoor seating and several terraces outside, all with spectacular sea views. In short, if you’re exploring this ruggedly unspoilt area of Cornwall, then a trip to Wavecrest is an absolute must!

For more information call 01326 290898 or visit www.wavecrestcornwall.co.uk

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Lizardviews

Getting you ready for the big day

cornw ll

For mothers of the bride or mothers of the groom, Manor Fashions is the shop to head for. Here you will have a one-to-one appointment and be guided through the huge selection of garments to find your perfect outfit for the day. For every outfit there is a hat, disc or fascinator to match, and you will have the opportunity to try a range of styles and find your own individual look. There are also lots of useful tips about buying the perfect dress on the website under the ‘help and advice’ tab.

Since moving into the centre of Helston, Manor Fashions now also stock smart casuals and have introduced new brands into the area such as Marble and Aldo-Martins, which can also be found online!

For more information call 07989133254 or visit www.manorfashions.co.uk

Creativity inspired

Letting your holiday home has never been easier...

in Falmouth

Located towards the top of Falmouth’s historic High Street, Inspire Makers is a creative space showcasing the talent of over 50 Cornish small, creative businesses. Offering affordable, contemporary design-led work from both well-known and emerging artists and makers, you will find a carefully curated selection of original paintings, limited edition prints, ceramics, glass, jewellery, and homewares.

There is also a gallery area with a programme of local artist exhibitions, and a workshop space with a range of creative classes available to inspire people to take up making themselves.

Visit our website for more information on upcoming workshops and exhibitions.

We are looking to expand our portfolio across The Lizard, and are dedicated to making the process of sharing your holiday home easy and enjoyable.

With tailored services to suit your needs, you can be involved as much or as little as you like, knowing that you and your guests are in safe hands.

For more information email create@inspiremakers.com or visit www.inspiremakers.com

newowners@cornwallhideaways.co.uk 01872 888 631

Take away or tuck-in at the Lemon Arms A favourite among foodies seeking a pitstop to rest and refuel during their exploration of the wider south coast, The Lemon Arms in Mylor is the perfect place to rest weary feet and paws.

The cosy interiors and friendly staff promote a welcome Cornish atmosphere, one that’s hard to leave after a few pints of Tribute! Serving pub classics alongside a daily changing specials board that draws on the finest locally caught seafood, it’s always worth stopping by to see what’s on

offer. If it’s sunny, you can enjoy your favourite tipple in the dog-friendly beer garden – a sheltered, spacious sun trap with benches that are perfect for pooches who like to curl up beneath the table. And for those looking to grab an easy bite to take back to their base on the Lizard, the team also offers a takeaway service with a menu available online.

For more information call 01326 373666 or visit www.lemonarms.co.uk

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LIFESTYLE HOME |

see the sea?

CAN YOU

Cornwall Wildlife Trust works tirelessly to safeguard the future of the Cornish marine environment.

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Ross Wheeler

 INSET Keep an eye out for these unmistakable, gentle giants

C

Paul Naylor

 RIGHT Dolphins and porpoises at play

ornwall Wildlife Trust champions the growth of wilder places, wilder people and, ultimately, a wilder future for Cornwall. By growing its suite of nature reserves and managing them to be the best sites for wildlife, as well as running wildlife projects on land and in rivers and seas, the Cornish ecosystem – thanks to the Trust and the amazing network of wildlife groups that it works alongside – is becoming far better managed for the species that help make Cornwall, Cornwall. It’s a county apart from the rest of the country, and within it there are perhaps no areas quite as unique as the Lizard peninsula.

However, instead of looking inwards at the land between coasts here, our focus for this feature are the waters that buffet the cliffs of the Lizard peninsula day after day, and crucially, the life that they support. So, what marine wildlife can you expect to experience during your time exploring the peninsula? Perhaps the most recognisable, are dolphins and porpoises.

Lucky visitors to Lizard Point may just spot them as they skip their way across the surface of the water. Watch out for fins moving quickly through the water, or sleek bodies breaching the surface. The Trust runs public sea watches from this point, supporting people to spot marine life.

EXPERIENCE

DISCOVER MORE The Marine and Coastal Code • Give animals space and time Niki Clear

 ABOVE Seal spotting

Adrian Langdon

Adrian and Brenda Tregunna

LIFESTYLE

Keep an eye too for the unmistakable presence of basking sharks – the gentle, plankton-eating giants – and of course, seals. From a distance, seals can look like a buoy you’d see floating above a crab or lobster pot, but keep looking and they’ll soon disappear, only to pop up again elsewhere. Atlantic Grey Seals are found along rocky shorelines and don’t seem to mind choppy sea conditions, which again makes Lizard Point the perfect spot from which to sight them. In fact, there is often a small group who can be seen frequenting the Lizard Point, with others stopping off here on their way along the coast. At high tide they can be seen swimming, or at rest with their heads above water (known as ‘bottling’), while at low tide, you can see them ‘haul’ out onto the rocks for some much-needed ‘R&R’.

• Check the CWT website for sensitive wildlife sites.

• Expect the unexpected.

• Observe from a distance.

• Look for signs you’ve been spotted by wildlife and avoid actions that might scare, startle or panic animals.

• Large groups and mothers with young are best avoided completely.

• If you do move closer, approach side-on, around the outside, making sure the animal(s) have a clear escape route.

• Be patient and wait downwind; move predictably, steadily and slowly.

• Be calm and quiet while you enjoy your encounter.

• Be considerate – back-off and move on to keep your encounter brief.

• Leave wildlife and the environment as you found it.

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Adrian Langdon

Dan Murphy

LIFESTYLE

READ

DISCOVER MORE

If you find a dead marine animal whilst exploring one of the Lizard’s beaches, please call the Marine Strandings hotline on 0345 201 2626.

If you’ve witnessed an incident of marine wildlife disturbance, please report it as soon as possible by calling the Disturbance Hotline on 0345 201 2626.

Adrian and Brenda Tregenna

Finally, if you find a live, stranded animal in difficulty, please call the British Divers Marine Life Rescue immediately on 01825 765546.

In fact, there are myriad plant and animal species that you can spot from a position on the cliffs around the Lizard, even more so should you decide it's safe to don a wetsuit and mask and take a peek beneath the waves. But one thing you may notice during your marine explorations, as incredible as the underwater world is, is the presence of mankind in a form that has become increasingly damaging to our oceans and the life systems they support: plastic.

Ocean plastic is one of the key environmental issues of our time, and it’s a problem that we have not yet managed to gain control of. It is a growing and potentially devastating issue, polluting our waterways and oceans and causing irreparable harm to our wildlife. To help tackle these issues, Cornwall Wildlife Trust plays a key role in several countylevel projects, from the ReFILL Cornwall scheme

(where local businesses offer free refills to those carrying reusable water bottles) to the Cornwall Plastic Pollution Coalition (CPPC). The latter is a highly respected and powerful voice for our marine environment, formed from a sub-group of the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Your Shore Network in 2016. Now, it comprises more than 30 environmental organisations, local marine conservation groups, beach-clean groups and marine science experts, who collectively represent tens of thousands of people in Cornwall and beyond.

 ABOVE

Blue fin tuna and the playful common dolphin

 LEFT A hermit crab makes itself at home  BELOW

The aptly named 'cushion' starfish

Martin Goodall

British Divers Marine Life Rescue is always on hand to assist, should you come across a marine animal in distress:

Adele Morgan St Pirans

Spotted an animal in trouble?

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xxxxxxxxxxx

Ben Watkins

Tony Sutton

LIFESTYLE

 TOP

The incredible basking shark  INSET

A resting blenny

 RIGHT

The stunning colours of the compass jellyfish  BELOW

Paul Naylor

Bass trio off the Lizard

The work of the CPPC and other likeminded networks of people and communities, all share the belief that the Cornish coastline is essential to our economy, our wellbeing and enjoyment of a beautiful Cornwall, and agree that the wildlife our marine environments support needs our help. This is the ethos behind the Cornwall Marine and Coastal Code, which is something we should all aim to adhere to as we enjoy the Lizard coastline. The code aims to minimise the impact on marine and coastal wildlife from encounters with people, and encourages people to keep their distance and ensure any encounters with

local fauna are as short, calm, unintrusive and non-threatening as possible.

It also drives home the message that we should leave wildlife and the environment as we find it, and that if we spot an animal in danger or distress, to report it to the relevant authorities.

This last point is important; engagement with the marine environment doesn’t need to mean getting up-close to the animals we may be lucky enough to spot during our time here. It can also mean informing Cornwall Wildlife Trust of any sightings, thereby contributing to better data about Cornwall’s marine world, which will in turn allow the Trust and its partners to better understand the conservation work required to preserve them for future generations.

These are, in fact, the aims of Seaquest Southwest – yet another project run by the Trust, this time by its Living Seas team –

EXPERIENCE

DISCOVER MORE Championing Change If you’re interested in raising awareness of the importance of our oceans, and the vital role they play in our very existence, then be sure to check out Dive Project Cornwall. Launched to educate hundreds of thousands of young people and millions of adults on the importance of the marine environment, at the core of the project is a competition for 400 lucky teenagers to win the experience of a lifetime – a six-day, life-changing trip to Cornwall to learn to scuba dive.

To read more, visit: www.diveprojectcornwall.co.uk

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Paul Naylor

Sarah David

LIFESTYLE

DISCOVER MORE

Mat Slater

Seasearch is a national project set up by the Marine Conservation Society, and co-ordinated in Cornwall by Cornwall Wildlife Trust. It’s a national project for volunteer divers who have an interest in what they’re seeing under water, and who want to learn more about and help protect the marine environment. By recording marine habitats and species found around our coast, Seasearch can use the information to identify sites of specific conservation concern and raise public awareness of the value of our marine environment. www.seasearch.org.uk

who use public events, surveys and activities to engage the public and volunteers with their goals.

From public sea watches, to Seaquest Sunday surveys and an annual recorders conference, Seaquest has lots happening over the course of the year. This year on Sunday 17th July, visitors to the Lizard can join a sea watch at Lizard Point Watchpoint and learn about the animals we share this stretch of coast with. These events are also a great way to meet other likeminded individuals, and enjoy a clifftop tea and cake, but if you’re more of a lone-ranger, or can’t make it for that particular date, Lizard Point is still a great place in which to get closer to nature. In fact, the Lizard peninsula as a whole can be defined as such, surrounded by countless coves, beaches and dramatic Matt Slater

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stretches of coastline. But it does need protection if we are to continue to enjoy it for years, and generations, to come, and this is what makes the work of Cornwall Wildlife Trust so important. Now more than ever we have so much information about human impact on our environment, however it is perhaps the most intangible of environments – the ocean – that we are causing the most damage. But with the work of the Trust, and the wider network of likeminded organisations, volunteers and other individuals in Cornwall and the wider UK, our oceans’ future is not without hope. That said, Cornwall Wildlife Trust relies on the kindness and generosity of its supporters to carry out its vital conservation work, and whether you decide to leave a gift in your will, to volunteer, become a member, or donate, your contribution will be a lasting one towards the safeguarding of our seas; to retaining their status as havens for wildlife, and as support systems for our very existence on planet Earth.

 TOP LEFT

The coastline around Lizard Point is well worth a trip for wildlife enthusiasts!  TOP RIGHT The striking pattern of the blenny  INSET Montagus pebble crab

 LEFT

Giant goby

CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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Down for Literary

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Unique education and homestay experience in beautiful, rural Cornwall Multi-day residential courses for all ages Subjects ranging from Enid Blyton to Harry Potter, Shakespeare to non-fiction!

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LIFESTYLE

OUT ON ITS OWN The Lizard, for those with an historical interest in Britain’s most southerly land mass, is a small treasure trove of places and activities that have impacted upon the world stage.

A

s distinct as Cornwall is from the mainland, in terms of culture and history, so is the Lizard peninsula from the rest of England’s most westerly county. Sitting salient surrounded by the clear blue waters of the Celtic Sea, where they merge with the English Channel, its character has been shaped over the centuries by the elements and the impact of human habitation.

Poltesco Situated on the east coast of the Lizard is the tranquil valley of Poltesco, just out of Ruan Minor. Once a hub of activity there is evidence of medieval mills, 17th century pilchard cellars and a 19th century serpentine factory, all observable and reachable by the footpath down to the cove.

Pilchards were once the mainstay of the community at Carleon Cove, as their shoals pressed close to the coast to be caught and salted ready for export. Almost everyone was involved from the clifftop ‘huer’ who alerted the people below to the whereabouts of the potential catch to the barrel packers in the fish cellars. The only evidence of this industry today is the dry-stone tower that sits just off the shingle and once housed the capstan for hauling the fishing boats out of the water.

In the 1800s fishing, through a combined lack of demand and resource, gave way to mineral extraction and the cove was transformed yet again. Serpentine, a rarity throughout the country, is common on the Lizard and when cut can rival marble in its beauty. Queen Victoria ordered pieces for Osborne House which were supplied by a

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LIFESTYLE

Jim Champion CC BY-SA 2.0

James Stringer CC BY-NC 2.0

Halliggye Fogou Harking back to a time when Man had shed his hunter-gather life for one marked by a static and rooted existence on the land, but before being able to record history, Halliggye Fogou literally lies embedded in the soil. As to the reason for its existence – that will have to remain a mystery.

Situated on the Trelowarren Estate and managed by English Heritage, it consists of a long narrow tunnel, some 20 metres in length and 2 metres high, leading to three sectioned chambers, and a window-like entrance known as a ‘creep’. Probably dating back to the 5th century BC, and therefore associated with the Cornish Iron Age, it is the largest and best preserved of the twelve fogous to be found in Cornwall. Only Carn Euny near Penzance comes close to equaling it in stature. Suggested explanations as to its use have been put forward, from storage chamber, via hiding place, to shrine.

é ABOVE

The Lizard Lighthouse ì TOP RIGHT

Halliggye Fogou

Penzance factory, and items incorporating it were shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851.

The serpentine plant at Carleon Cove was established in the 1850s using a large water wheel to capture the power of the river and later being replaced by a steam driven unit.

The ruins of the buildings that housed this, the forge, workshops and the wheel pit can be seen today.

Production staggered in the 1890s as a result of high transportation costs, lack of resource and cheaper marble imports.

The inheritors of this once thriving area of commerce, that was part of the Victorian industrialisation of the country, resides with today’s jewellery makers in nearby Lizard village. The site is now owned and run by the National Trust.

In the 1980s, a series of small excavations were carried out by English Heritage mainly to clear debris from the passage to aid examination and repair work after routine ploughing of the field, when the blade of the plough breached the roof of the main chamber. The subsequent breach has since been turned into an entrance stairway for visitors. Pottery found during excavations has included local Iron Age cordoned wares and some shards of Roman Samian ware from southern Gaul.

It was last used during the Second World War by the Manaccan Auxiliary Unit as an explosives and ammunition store!

The Lizard Lighthouse Unsurprisingly, with its hard rocky coastline combined with close proximity to the entrance to the English Channel, the peninsula has had a beacon of some

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destroyed in a storm in 1901 before it was even pressed into service. However, Marconi’s experiment, to prove that radio waves did not just travel in straight lines, did not end there and two 200-foot masts were soon erected to replace the original installation.

In December 1901 Marconi and two assistants travelled to Newfoundland and on the twelfth a pre-arranged signal of three dots was received from Poldhu. History was made as they say!

After a new low frequency station was built in Ireland Poldhu continued to communicate with deep sea shipping and also transmitted a regular nightly Morse code news bulletin. This was used by liners to print daily newspapers, whose owners paid for the copyright.

Taken over by the royal navy during the First World War it reverted back to Marconi for his continuing experiments in shortwave transmissions. The results were very positive and quickly resulted in development of the Beam Wireless Service for the British General Post Office.

It continued to operate as a research centre until 1933 and six acres was eventually donated to the National Trust in 1937 with the remainder of the site being added in 1960.

é ABOVE The Marconi Monument with the 'Poldhu Cove Hotel' in the background  BELOW The Marconi centre

These are just four examples that contribute to the rich past of the Lizard Peninsula. Be sure to visit them and to explore more and find further nuggets of Cornish history.

Paul Mison CC BY-SA 2.0

description to welcome seaborne visitors to these shores for centuries. According to records the first light was initially established here in 1619, built through the auspices of one Sir Christopher Dimaline.

Unfortunately, its demise came about due to lack of funds for its operation and ongoing maintenance costs.

It was not until 1751 that the current lighthouse, consisting of two towers with cottages between them, was constructed by the then landowner Thomas Fonnereau.

They must have been an awesome sight with coal-fired braziers sitting atop each one, bringing hope and direction to the landbound seafarer. Trinity House took responsibility for the site in 1771 and in 1812 the burners were replaced with Argand lamps and reflectors. This system lasted until 1873 when a decision was made to upgrade the lamps to an arc lamp, replete with a pair of medium-sized fixed catadioptric optics and a fog signaling device. The following year saw their installation and the introduction of an engine room to provide electric power for the light and the fog horn.

The siren was in use from January 1878 sounding (one blast every five minutes) through a 15-foot horizontal horn, which was installed on the roof of the engine house and could be moved depending on the prevailing wind direction.

Various upgrades and innovations followed, with arguably the most significant being the placing of an underwater bell set two miles south of the land, operated by an electric striker controlled from the lighthouse via a submarine cable.

There was fire in March 1954, which began in the exhaust pits of the engines providing the electric power. Thankfully the keeper and his assistants were able to extinguish the flames before any significant damage was caused.

As with most things the constant advance of technology and automation came to the lighthouse in 1998 when the last keeper said goodbye to a post that had been held for over four centuries. The machinery to sound the fog horn is still in place (although it has been replaced by an electronic one) and is occasionally sounded to mark special occasions. However, the optic still rotates to warn those at sea.

Truus, Bob & Jan too CC BY-NC 2.0

LIFESTYLE

The Marconi Centre Above the picturesque surfing beach of Poldhu sits a wireless station that marks a great leap forward for wireless communication.

Something that today we take for granted like the name of Gugliemo Marconi who is slowly fading from our minds.

The station’s fifty-acre plot was purchased in 1900 and work commenced to build a transmitter. The original was unfortunately

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LIZARD POINT

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LIFESTYLE

THE WAY TO

WILDNESS

n Coast Path, Cadgwith

Kernowfile--CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A look into the charming history of flora that put the extraordinary landscape of the Lizard peninsula on the list of Britain’s most revered botanical areas.

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Natural England--CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

LIFESTYLE

Caerthillian Cove Lizard î BELOW RIGHT

Common Butterwort î BELOW

Gertjan van Noord--CC BY-ND 2.0

Early Meadow Grass

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emote, idyllic and wonderfully wild, the Lizard has long been an area of Cornwall that has drawn visitors from far and wide, to walk among the heath-covered coastline that retains an aura of untouched beauty, strewn with tracts of serpentine and gabbro. There is a feeling of ancient familiarity as you tread the famed South West Coast Path that borders this flourishing floral realm, and you may find yourself coming to recognise certain native botanical species as they spring up around your feet along the way.

On the very edge of the county, and indeed country, the Lizard was not an immediate attraction for early botanists, who were few and only initially interested in the showiest species such as bloody cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum) with its vibrant bursts of brilliant purple. It wasn’t until the 1830s that the peninsula was truly put on the map, when

author of Flowers of the Field and Forest Trees of Britain, Reverend C A Johns, made a discovery during his first visit here, that he recounts in his A Week at The Lizard (1848): “On the 24th of August, 1831, I happened to be residing in Helston, and having heard a great deal of the beauty of the scenery of Kynance Cove, and of the rare plants which grew on the rock there, I determined to see for myself whether the accounts which I had heard were true.” We can confidently assume that the accounts were true, as Johns frequented the west coast of the peninsula while he resided in Cornwall for over 15 years.

Rickard Holgersson

é ABOVE

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 RIGHT

Narrow Buckler Fern î BELOW

Dollar Cove

Gertjan van Noord--CC BY-ND 2.0

Juniper

it is locally abundant, the dwarf rush has otherwise been recorded from only three Cornish and four Anglesey sites, while the pigmy rush is considerably rarer, having only been recorded from seventeen sites confined to The Lizard.

As many of the more dramatic species had long since been uncovered, and while some of the more notable plant discoveries of the first half of the 20th century seemed diminutive in comparison, a steady flow of new discoveries had been set in motion.

While collecting rare clovers at Caerthillian on 19th June 1919, plant collector Fred Robinson came across the bulb and withered leaves of a plant that would turn out to be the land quillwort (Isoetes histrix), the very first for England! Although discredited by G C Druce in his Comital Flora as an error, the plant would make a second appearance on a May evening in 1937, when Dr Melville, from Kew Herbarium, uprooted a specimen of rush which was accompanied by none other than the land quillwort! Melville ultimately

Kernowfile--CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

 ABOVE

It was around this time that the three classic ‘Lizard Clovers’ were discovered, all entirely new to the British floral scene. In 1838, the Reverend Willian Strong Hore, a friend of Johns, came across the long-headed clover (Trifolium incarnatum ssp. Molinerii) whilst wandering to the west of Lizard Point. Despite early claims that it was an alien species, perhaps even planted by Johns or Hore, it is now recognised as unquestionably native to The Lizard, and can be found in about nine localities in the area.

One year on, in the July of 1839, Charles Babington and William Borer would discover the twin-headed clover (Trifolium bocconei) on a hedge bank near Cadgwith. Since then, this particular Cornish native has been found in the soft natural turf of over 20 Lizard sites, and is so far unknown on the British mainland. The third of the trio was discovered, rather appropriately, by Johns himself, when he noticed the upright clover (Trifolium strictum) in the Caerthillian Valley in the warmth of July in 1847, nine years after the first clover finding.

The richest spot for clovers in the whole of Britain, Caerthillian hosts 14 species of Trifolium in a single valley!

Another Helston botanist to add notable finds to the Lizard flora records was James Cunnack, who spent time in the area during the 1870s. Although he was the first to notice the handsome, south-western wavy-leaved St. Johns-wort (Hypericum undulatum) in Britain, he failed to publish his find; T R Archer-Briggs, author of Flora of Plymouth, claimed the credit some 20 years later.

Cunnack discovered the elusive shore dock (Rumex rupestris) at Gunwalloe in August 1875, but again Archer-Briggs pipped him at the post, recording this species new to Britain from Plymouth just one month earlier!

Cunnack's other important discoveries were the four-leaved allseed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum), and a prostrate version of juniper (Juniperus communis), both new to the peninsula. The latter is of especial importance, for it is morphologically distinct and geographically separate from any other British populations.

By the 1870s and 1880s The Lizard was firmly established as a mecca for flower hunters in search of rarities, and strings of botanists from across Britain would visit the peninsula in the hopes of finding a rare treasure. One of the more remarkable discoveries was made by William Beeby in early June 1872, when he visited the shining shores of Cornwall and found the dwarf rush (Juncus capitatus) on an eerily barren moor north of Land’s End, and from Kynance on the Lizard’s west coast. It was only days later that he discovered a second new rush, the pigmy rush (Juncus pygmaeus), nestled in the cart tracks across Kynance Downs. With its British headquarters on the Lizard where

Len Worthington--CC BY-SA 2.0

LIFESTYLE

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Franchis Holidays Imagine owning a little piece of Cornwall in the heart of The Lizard Peninsula’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

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01326 240301 Franchis Holidays, Cury Cross Lanes, Nr Mullion Helston, Cornwall TR12 7AZ

enquiries@franchis.co.uk • www.holidaylodgesforsalecornwall.co.uk

Visit our lively indoor and outdoor market areas located around the historic Porthleven harbour, featuring a range of independent vendors selling gourmet food, art, jewellery, clothing and vintage goods. Open from March to December.

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Kernowfile--CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

LIFESTYLE

working in one of the Lizard’s most famous botanical areas, Kynance Cove, in 1957, Dr Coombe noticed the leaves of a clover that he did not recognise, which he would go on to formally describe in 1951 as Trifolium occidentale. Among its characters are the early flowering and prostrate habitat, which interestingly enough may have been unwittingly referenced by Johns in 1847, who remarked 110 years before that at the Lizard, the clovers are “one of the earliest flowers and has its stem, leaves, and flowers closely pressed to the ground”.

While the overwhelming beauty and wildness of the Lizard peninsula is enough to take the breath away, made up of heathlands stretching out ahead, and rugged cliffs lined with floral beauties flourishing in the salty mist of the Atlantic, when you find yourself wandering the paths trodden by many before you, don’t forget to look down for the smallest of treasures –many of which you’ll find nowhere else in the world.

é ABOVE Housel Bay  BELOW Meadow Thistle

Natasha de Vere & Col Ford--CC BY 2.0

revealed a number of sites along the coast near Kynance, whilst the 1982 University of Bristol Lizard Project census estimates a total of 100,000 plants on over 20 sites, restoring the land quillwort officially to British Flora.

Fast forward to 1950, where Dr David Combe and Dr Lewis Frost found themselves amongst a party of Cambridge botanists who were visiting the area. Since then, Combe and Frost maintained their interest in the area and have actively contributed to our knowledge of local flora ever since. Their pioneering studies and an instigation of a flora-mapping project has led to the discovery of a considerable number of species that had previously eluded the treasure hunters.

Some of the rarest species include the narrow buckler fern (Dryopteris carthusiana), upright brome (Bromus erectus), bog hairgrass (Deschampsia setacea), meadow thistle (Cirisium dissectum) and common butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris).

One element of the flora that, until recently, has not been given much attention is the seemingly innumerable and near impossible to identify dandelions, brambles, hawkweeds and other plants avoided by so many of the botanists who went before. Len Margretts, former Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland Recorder for West Cornwall and co-author of the Review of the Cornish Flora (1981), championed these forgotten species, the work of which was summarised by himself in 1988, where well over 100 species where recorded. Appropriately, Len’s work has since been acknowledged with the naming of the dandelion Taraxacum margettsii, which is apparently endemic to the Lizard peninsula.

Before we bring this historical account to a close, we must first mention one final clover. While Combe and Frost were

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LIFESTYLE

t s a p r u o

TALES OF Helston’s Museum of Cornish Life strives to future-proof the way in which it immortalises our past.

H

ousing a wide-ranging collection through which we can share stories of life in Cornwall, Helston’s Museum of Cornish Life can be found in the town’s former market buildings. The collection on display ranges wildly in size, from the smallest item, a dice made from the tooth of a lion, to the largest – the historic building itself! Led by Annette McTavish, the museum’s Director, this iconic attraction is always looking for innovative ways to share what it has to offer, and make it all accessible to as many people as possible.

“For our programme of exhibitions,” explains Annette, “we offer exhibition tours that we share through social media and on our website; we also create videos about the main displays, and for the last three years, have offered virtual visits to care homes, giving residents the chance to dial into the museum.

“During these sessions,” Annette continues, “we explore the areas of the collection that the residents are most interested in, something that became even more important during Covid, with residents becoming even more isolated. More than anything, it was heart-

warming to hear laughter and conversations still echoing through the halls of the museum, even though we were closed!”

Since 2017, Annette and the team have also been experimenting with the 3D capture of the museum’s clothing collection. “We have undertaken two projects to produce 3D scans so that the vulnerable and delicate collection can be accessed at any time.” Annette reveals that they have been using Photogrammetry to capture the items, and 3D modelling technology to transform them into authentic models. These models are then uploaded to the website, as well as to the online 3D, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality platform, Sketchfab, where they can be viewed from anywhere in the world.

Indeed, Helston’s beloved museum continues to keep up with the times and trends, and not only by immortalising its collections with cutting-edge technology.

Annette explains: “There is a movement in the museum sector, to question the heritage of museums themselves – their buildings and purpose – as well as the collections that live within them.

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LIFESTYLE

“This has been played out in academic papers, articles, Twitter discussions and in the actions of some museums,” continues Annette.

“At the Museum of Cornish Life, we believe that it is as relevant for us, as it is for the large nationals. As a museum we want to share stories, but also work in the best way that we can, being open and welcoming to all.”

As an example, we learn that in 2020, Volunteer Researcher, Julia Webb-Harvey, began an enquiry into the museum’s collection, rooted in three influences. The first was the Citizen Curators programme that she took part in, and its invitation to look for hidden stories. Second was Decolonising Museum Collections and recognising the role of empire in museums, and the third was the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and the relevance of looking at objects relating to institutionalised racism.

“This led to an exploration of the collection the museum held from the now-closed Camborne Museum,” says Annette. “We have been sharing these stories on our website, and as we’ve continued, have uncovered many fascinating stories.” For example,

whilst investigating a pair of sugar nips (a large pair of pincers, designed to cut sugar from a block), they discovered that 34 individuals with addresses in Cornwall made applications for recompense on behalf of their slaves, and that John Wesley – a local Methodist Preacher – encouraged his followers to make a protest against slavery, by refusing to have sugar in their tea.

Another discovery was that of Emily Hobhouse from St Ives who, upon hearing about the mistreatment of Boers by the British Military, headed for South Africa. “She was instrumental in bringing relief to the camps, as well as raising public awareness of the atrocities. When she eventually returned to England,” says Annette, “the British government was critical of her, and when she died in 1926, her funeral went unreported.

But not in South Africa; her ashes were transported and interred at the National Woman’s Monument on Bloemfontein, which commemorates the suffering of 26,000 Boer women and children.”

These are just some examples of the incredible Cornish related stories you can expect to find at this excellent Helston attraction. The recent acquisition of the Camborne Museum collection tells the story of the Cornish in the wider world, however, Annette explains that the main focus remains on everyday items. “We specialise in the things people owned and loved. As you look around the museum, you will see objects that remind you of things people you know have used in their home, garden, or carrying out a trade.

The museum is home to things used and loved, not boxed up and kept for special occasions.

It’s why we can see people in the things we share, and why the museum is so special.”

 MAIN The museum and the cannon at its entrance are both icons of Helston  INSET Part of the museum's clothing collection, immortalised via Photogammetry  ABOVE A collection of myriad every-day items from days past  BELOW Sometimes, it's the most everyday items that tell the most interesting stories

MUSEUM OF CORNISH LIFE Market Place, Helston TR13 8TH 01326 564027 www.museumofcornishlife.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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DIVEPROJECT CORNWALL

© Jake Timms Photography

Education I Environment I Experience

A not-for-profit, Community Interest Company

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LIFESTYLE

watersports A

ADVENTURE Children’s Sailing Trust helps children to thrive and grow, learn life skills and try something new.

I

ABOVE ì An eye on the horizon RIGHT è Fun on the lake at Garras

f you’ve walked along the Helford River and spotted a flotilla of brightly coloured boats sailing determinedly back and forth, chances are they were the boats of local charity, Children’s Sailing Trust. This nonprofit has worked tirelessly for 25 years to provide local children with life-affirming and affordable sailing opportunities on the Helford River that they may otherwise never have had.

As well as charity work, Children’s Sailing Trust runs an exciting range of watersports courses, sessions, and days out for all ages and abilities. Whether it’s brushing up on sailing or powerboat skills on the Helford River or taking part in a family fun session at Trevassack Lake, there’s so much going on to get involved in.

Trevassack Lake, a converted serpentine quarry and exciting new venture for the charity, opened in late 2021 at Garras.

Complementing activities on the Helford River by providing much-needed facilities that allow more people to access the water, this is a space particularly for young people with special educational needs and physical disabilities. Adapted watersports equipment, hoists, an accessible lakeside learning centre and Changing Places Toilets make Trevassack Lake a place for everyone.

For seasoned open-water swimmers and quick-dippers alike, Trevassack Lake is the perfect place to don a swimsuit and get in the water. A band of hardy regulars are already making their way down to the lake each week to get their fresh-water dopamine fix in a beautiful setting. Its inland location means they can welcome swimmers in almost all weathers, and there’s the bonus of lakeside changing rooms and showers to quickly warm up in too!

With a lakeside café opening this year, there really is something for everyone at Trevassack Lake; whether you’re looking for a kid’s holiday course, to brush up on your sailing skills, launch a kayak or sit with a coffee and enjoy the view. And with every swim, sail and SUP session booked, you'll be helping create opportunities for local children to get out on the water who wouldn't otherwise get the chance.

CHILDREN’S SAILING TRUST

Trevassack Lake, Garras, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6LH Ursula’s Boathouse, Helford Passage, Falmouth, Cornwall TR11 5LB 01326 702326 www.childrenssailingtrust.org.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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LIFESTYLE

TAKE THE

wheel

Ever wondered what it would be like to get behind the ceramicist’s wheel?

A

t Sally Tully Ceramics Studio, Sally and Lee – who you may well recognise from their appearance on Channel 4’s The Great Pottery Throwdown – welcome visitors of all abilities to join them for fantastic ceramic experiences!

From their little piece of paradise – a spacious studio on Tregellast Barton Farm, the revered home of Roskillys ice cream – there are some beautiful walks, a small gallery and even a restaurant. It’s also only a five-minute drive from the beautiful harbour village of Coverack, or if you’re feeling fit, a 20-miute walk with fabulous views.

Offering a comprehensive range of one, two and three-day courses, information on which can be found online, Lee and Sally are both throwers of pots in their own practice, with extensive experience of hand-building. Above everything else, they love to make their classes fun, with many attendees booking back in and returning to do more – testament to the experience they offer visitors.

The pair bring very different backgrounds to the studio; Lee was a full-time community nurse, before applying to go on The Great Pottery Throwdown, while Sally was a course lead tutor on a H.E. Access Art and Design course in Plymouth before filling out that fateful form. What they share is a love for the medium of clay, and a passion for channelling their creativity into it. Sally specialises in alternative firing techniques

 ABOVE Applying the finishing touches  INSET Sally and Lee

like Raku and, if at all possible, incorporates them into each two and three-day course, giving you a taste of these intriguing methods. Each course hosts a maximum of eight students, with many only having six, depending on the project. Lee and Sally ensure safety guidelines are followed to the letter, asking students to take (and providing them with) lateral flow tests before allowing them entry to the studio.

On arrival, and whilst you wait for the test results, you are welcomed with breakfast before cracking on with the day. Each course is fun-packed; as a student, you’ll be given the opportunity to work on your own project, with Lee and Sally on hand to help you. By the end of the course, you’ll have made a beautiful pot and learned several pottery techniques along the way, from construction methods to decorative styles.

Your pieces will then be bisque fired and glazed, before being forwarded to you via First Class post.

SALLY TULLY CERAMICS 01326 281062 www.sallytullyceramics.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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ART

 ABOVE Dee May - 'Dollar Cove' 46 x 61cm acrylic on canvas  LEFT Rebecca Jewell 'Late Summer Blooms' 40 x 40cm acrylic on canvas

Reflections of

THE LIZARD

Celebrating the artistic talent that resides in the stunning Lizard Peninsula, Lizard Art can be found in the timelessly beautiful Trelowarren Estate.

 ABOVE Sarah Trewhella 'Anyone for Lunch?'

54 x 40cm ink

J

ust a few miles from the tree-lined Helford river at the very heart of the Lizard Peninsula, as you find your way through the woodland, you’ll come to the collection of old buildings and ancient walls that belong to the Trelowarren Estate. The gallery that has been home to Lizard Art since 2002 is situated among the old converted stable barns, which also house a restaurant and ‘The Pantry’, selling coffee, cakes and lunches. On summer days this spills out on to the courtyard, where you can sit and enjoy the ambience of the peaceful surroundings.

The gallery to the left of the courtyard is a cooperative of 15 members made up of mainly professional artists who work to a very high standard, encompassing many different styles and techniques, including representational and abstract works alongside printmaking, collage and mixed media.

From exciting seascapes that capture stormy weather to gentle water colours that capture the warmth of summer, there really is a wonderful range at the gallery, and this year Geoff Sheed will be joining the collection with his strong and beautiful land and seascape paintings. Amongst the collection you’ll also be able to find work from the gallery’s associate craft members, which include gorgeous serpentine works from Don Taylor,

RIGHT  Vicky Smith 'Figment 1' 40 x 40cm mixed media.

fascinating ceramics from Sally Ould and Karen Needham’s textured, ‘lava glazed’ pots.

Housing an eclectic collection of originals, prints and cards, the gallery is run by the artists themselves, which gives them the opportunity to share their enthusiasm about their own work and those of their colleagues, a real highlight for visitors keen to know more. With more of us looking to get out and explore after a challenging couple of years, the gallery's open and spacious layout make adjusting back to normality that little bit easier.

Visitors are welcome to buy or browse in the spacious gallery, which displays three seasonal exhibitions a year. Open five days a week, from Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 3pm, we highly recommended a visit to Lizard Art.

LIZARD ART

Trelowarren Estate, Mawgan-in-Meneage TR12 6AF 01326 221778 admin@lizardart.co.uk Lizardart Lizard art gallery www.lizardart.co.uk

 BELOW Donny Taylor - 'Poltesco Moon' Serpentine

EXPERIENCE

DISCOVER MORE EXHIBITION DATES Spring Exhibition: 2nd April to 22nd May Summer Exhibition: 25th May to 21st August Autumn Exhibition: 24th August to 30th October

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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LIFESTYLE

WIND AND FIRE We meet Susie Breeze and Angela Long, founders of Mullion’s much-loved A Long Sea Breeze gallery.

I

first encountered A Long Sea Breeze gallery online – visiting, in Susie and Angie’s own words, ‘the online version of our little shop by the sea’. The shop opened in July 2020 – in the midst of a rapidly worsening pandemic – and has remained a resounding success among locals and visitors alike.

Susie and Angie create original artworks using a range of techniques, including pyrography (wood burning), paint, pencils, and papier mache. As well as offering original works, the pair also re-produce their pieces on non-single-use items, including bags, mugs, ceramics, bone china and enamel, as well as re-usable water bottles, glass cutting boards, metal signs, cushions, the list goes on! It’s an eclectic mix of items and therefore appeals to a vast audience of art enthusiasts, but the theme that runs through it all is their shared passion for all things creative, and for anyone who loves their work, there is an unending list of wares with which to enjoy it.

Susie moved to Mullion in 1998 with her young family, educating her sons at home, growing vegetables in the garden, and creating and selling her papier-mache pieces in local galleries. Angie, meanwhile, moved to Gwithian with her daughter to study The Alexander Technique in 1999, already an established pyrographer selling her work at fairs and festivals. “It was a serendipitous encounter that brought us together,” explains Susie. “Angie introduced me to pyrography, which I took to instantly.”

Angie then moved away and travelled extensively, which could easily have put an end to such a new friendship, but not in

this case. The two continued to create and collaborate in their pyrography projects and when Angie returned to Cornwall in 2019, after a long stint caring for her elderly father, it wasn’t long before they collected the keys to the incredible joint venture that is A Long Sea Breeze.

Angie has been a pyrography artist for more than 30 years, Susie for the last 20.

Locally found driftwood was the main canvas for their work, but after meeting a local woodturner, Samvado, who also lives on the Lizard, they now have access to beautiful, locally sourced wood, sliced and sanded, allowing their canvasses to increase in size. Their subjects are inspired by the abundance of local birdlife, sealife, flora and stunning scenery of the Lizard.

Whilst away, Angie began to take an interest in working with acrylics and watercolour, and is particularly drawn to sunlight on the sea, big skies and local landscapes, and they both now design images specifically for printing. They also take on commissions, ranging from pet portraits to decorative key rings for hotels and venues, especially beautiful as Angie is a Master of Pyrography Lettering and Illustration.

So how did the shop come about? “For many years, we had been walking past the little shop at The Potters Wheel in Mullion Cove, commenting on its wonderful location for a gallery,” explains Susie. “It came available to rent in December 2019; Angie had bought sublimation printing equipment a few months before, and it seemed like

é ABOVE Stop by and say hello to Susie and Angie when you're visiting Mullion!

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LIFESTYLE

é ABOVE

'Net Loft' by Susie, pyrography ì RIGHT

'Kingfisher' by Susie, pyrography and Prismacolour pencil  BELOW

Angie's 'Hidden Snakes' mandala, pyrography

the next logical step. We took it on at the beginning of January 2020, with no idea of what was going to happen over the months and years that followed. With the outbreak of the pandemic, our planned Easter opening was pushed back to July, however we enjoyed a busy and successful first summer, reaching well into the autumn!”

Rewinding just a little, I’m intrigued as to the name of the business and how it came about. When they first decided to go ahead, Angie explains how that was one of the big questions: “What shall we call ourselves?

After going around the houses trying to invent a name, we realised that it was in front of our faces the whole time – Angie A. Long, and Susie C Breeze – and so A Long Sea Breeze was born.” It just so happens that it ties beautifully with the shop’s location, just 200 yards from the ocean!

After a successful opening summer, a lot of hard work was then put into preparing for the Christmas holiday season, but that too was scuppered by the November lockdown.

Re-opening was once again delayed the following year, until April. In fact, as with many other businesses, fairs and events, Covid-19 has had a huge impact on Susie and Angie’s new venture, with reduced footfall in the build up to Christmas last year with announcements of further variants on the virus. But they remain undaunted! In fact, they opened in February half-term this year, after taking the opportunity to rest, and the time to create and fulfil commissions.

Onto the location itself, and Angie explains: “Mullion is an all-year-round village and welcomes many visitors every year. Our aim, is to add to places of interest to visit here, working in co-operation with Mullion’s other shops, galleries and cafés.”

The opening of A Long Sea Breeze has added attraction to an already highly attractive trail, including The Chocolate and Craft Centre, as well an excellent café by the harbour. “Everyone who visits the cove must

DID YOU KNOW? Pyrography, or ‘pyrogravure’, translates as ‘writing with fire’.

It is the free-handed art of decorating wood or materials, and the effect is astonishingly beautiful.

walk past A Long Sea Breeze,” says Susie.

“The tiny Cornish harbour is a quiet and undeveloped gem of a place and never gets overcrowded, even in the height of summer.

The landscape speaks for itself, and the local walks are spectacular. We now stock local walking maps and tide tables as well, to help visitors make the most of everything here!”

Now entering their third year of trading, Susie and Angie are building on the experience of the previous two. “It became clear what was working, and what we needed to drop,” explains Susie. “Angie has become more and more adept at using Photoshop, and our new sublimation printer has expanded our range of printed items too. Angie now works closely with artists, with an artist’s eye herself, and we both now design images specifically for the items produced in our gallery.”

What’s more, in addition to exhibiting their own work, Angie and Susie are delighted to exhibit work by other local artists and craftspeople, meaning you can expect to find a varied range of handmade jewellery, wooden and serpentine items (celebrating the Lizard’s unique geological make-up!), paintings, as well as framed and unframed photographs.

“Given our location, it seemed obvious that we should also cater for younger folk,” continues Susie, “and, given our ethical ideas, we have sourced some

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LIFESTYLE

fantastic creative craft kits, green toys and games made from recycled and recyclable materials. We began stocking green toys after many years witnessing the discarded or forgotten cheap plastic buckets and spades on our beaches. The toys are beautifully designed and sturdily made from recycled plastic, and we continue to update and steadily improve on creating zero waste, contributing to a circular economy.”

“We are gradually extending our range of art supplies too,” says Angie, “including complete pyrography kits, as well as wooden blanks and canvasses. Ours is an eclectic little Cornish shop where you can pick up Cornish coffee and tea and locally made organic raw honey, as well as souvenirs designed and made here on the premises.”

The studio space from which the pair work could not be more inspirational.

So much so, that they decided to offer workshops here too! It overlooks the craggy rocks of Predannack cliffs and, in Angie’s words, “is the perfect space to hold workshops in both pyrography and papier mache”. Each session lasts two hours, and discounts can be arranged for larger groups.

During Pyrography sessions, Susie teaches basic pyrography techniques and helps participants to create a finished work to take home with them. The Papier Mache workshops, meanwhile, were launched

by the duo as a solution to recycling the wastepaper generated by their prints, which ties nicely in with their ethos of eliminating single use materials. Divided into two sessions to allow for drying time, participants of the Papier Mache workshops are shown how to create an item, as well as techniques for decoration, again taking home a finished piece.

A Long Sea Breeze comes into its own at a time when we’re all looking forward to getting back to the lives we once led; when, perhaps more than ever, we want to really experience the things that interest us the most. Not only is A Long Sea Breeze embedded in the landscape that inspires the artists who run it, visitors can actually themselves have a go at creating the kind of inspirational work that lines the shelves of this fabulous waterside gallery. It’s precisely the kind of experience that goes towards making an enjoyable visit, one that you’ll treasure forever.

 INSET 'Butterflies in Formation' by Angie, pyrography and Prismacolour pencil  ABOVE 'Calling Crows' by Angie, pyrography on spalted beech  BELOW 'Wildlife' mandala

by Angie, pyrography and Prismacolour pencil

A LONG SEA BREEZE

The Potters Wheel, Mullion Cove TR12 7ET 07800 913995 www.alongseabreeze.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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A celebration of Cornish produce and warm hospitality

THECOVEMAENPORTH.CO.UK

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Nestled on the south Cornish shoreline, The Cove at Maenporth, Falmouth and The Harbourside Refuge at Porthleven offer a sanctuary from the bustle of reality, where you can enjoy lunch or drinks al fresco or wind down the day with the full dining experience.

Michael Caines has created two unique and very special dining experiences that celebrate Cornwall and its bounty.

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07/04/2021 15/02/2022 11:44 14:42

Jewell of

ART

THE LIZARD A creative duo whose differing styles and sources of inspiration make for a fabulous insight into the Lizard’s art scene.

E

stablished artists Simon and Rebecca Jewell, live and work on the beautiful Lizard peninsula from their studios at home in the village of Mawgan. Since getting married in 2001, they have pursued their passion for all things artistic. Working together gives them the opportunity to bounce ideas off, and support, each other in the work they do, helping one another to gain inspiration.

Simon has always taken an interest in extreme weather, which he tells us has become a real passion: “There is nowhere to run and hide down here so you just need to embrace the elements. My work focuses on the untamed seas and the large open spaces of Goonhilly Downs.” He works in oils on large canvases, building up layers of paint to give a real textural feel to emulate the ruggedness of the south west coast line.

Rebecca paints contemporary botanical pieces, from large scale to small detailed works: “An important part of the process is to grow, pick and photograph the flowers I use in my work in order to capture the unique forms created by nature. Spring into summer is always so exciting, waiting to see what will emerge. Every flower has its own personality, from big blousy peonies, the intricate structure of a dahlia or the elegance of a rose. Placing the flowers against dark backgrounds really makes them pop, but also using light backgrounds gives a sense of fresh air and calm.”

After the challenges of the past couple of years, the pair are very excited about the future, especially as they will be participating in Open Studios Cornwall this year, starting at the end of May. It looks like it’ll be a busy year preparing work for galleries and solo exhibitions, both here and as far away as New Zealand!

While taking on commission work and relishing the challenge to create a bespoke work of art, if you would like to discuss that special piece or find out about future exhibitions, make sure to get in touch with Rebecca and Simon!

ç é ABOVE & LEFT Capturing the personalities of the botanical world

ç LEFT Simon's work celebrates the elements at their most extreme

JEWELL ARTS

Tara, Langweath Lane, Mawgan, Helston TR12 6AX 01326 221836 www.jewellarts.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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LIFESTYLE

FOOD FOR

THOUGHT A Cornish collective of growers, makers and artisans who are changing the way we shop for good-quality, locally-sourced Cornish produce.

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LIFESTYLE

D

otted with stretches of fertile land on the most southerly edge of Cornwall, famed for the culinary treasures that hail from the county, the Lizard peninsula in particular is a bustling hub of home-grown wonders, so it comes as no surprise that locals far and wide are increasingly looking to incorporate some of the best food in the UK into their weekly shop. When some of the highest quality meat and veg is on our very doorstep, the appeal of supermarket ‘convenience’ has become less and less as we turn our heads to the butchers, growers and makers that are introducing the next level of Cornish cuisine to our plates.

While the hustle and bustle of traders and friendly faces in the monthly farmers

markets offer a tantalising taste of what our local artisans have up their sleeves, many of us have been feeling the need to replenish our larders a little more frequently with food that feels a lot closer to home than what the gargantuan corporations that straddle the nation have on the shelf. Alastair Cameron, who helped set up the Helston Farmers Market as part of a community initiative in 2008, found himself invested in fostering a culture for local food within the community, as he so kindly shares with us: “I’m really passionate about local food and the part it can play in communities and in looking after the land (and the planet) around us, plus I really love good food! While the Helston Farmers Market grew to be one of the most successful in Cornwall, it was just once a month, and as a consumer that really frustrated me. I wanted to be able to shop locally with my weekly shop, but producers couldn’t afford the time to be at a stall each week, or they had other markets to attend on other Saturdays.

“I had heard about food hubs in other parts of the country and they sounded great; a click and collect shop for great local produce. I thought it could fill the gap between markets and grow the local food economy so that everyone, even really small producers who couldn’t afford a stall at the monthly market, could find a market for their produce.” When Alastair left his job with the National Trust at the end of 2019, he began to talk to producers

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LIFESTYLE

é ABOVE

Gear Farm produce

at the Helston Farmer’s Market about the Food Hub. When the pandemic hit and the market closed, the opportunity to set up shop arose, and the Helston Local Food Hub was born in May 2020. By the end of 2021, the Food Hub had kept almost £100,000 in the local food economy, and by charging a much smaller percentage fee to producers, everyone gets a fair price for their work.

Where supermarkets often offer as little as 8% of the final cost to the original producer according to DEFRA, at the Helston Local Food Hub, everyone gets 80% of the profits.

Hosting a wonderfully broad range of producers, the team have tried to focus on sustainably sourced, organic produce, and have cultivated such a collection from which you’re sure to find everything you need for your weekly shop. From meat, eggs, dairy, bread and seasonal vegetables, to a fabulous range of homemade cakes, jams, chutneys, pies and beverages, everything is sourced from small scale local producers in the area. One such producer is

Chris Smith of Chris’s Breads and Preserves, whose popular loaves and jams are made by himself in Black Rock, on which he happily elaborates: “We grow our own fruit, and apart from the Seville oranges for the marmalades, I try to source everything else locally. That’s what’s so good about the Helston Local Food Hub; the idea of locally grown produce being shipped up country, packaged and sent back to a supermarket here in Cornwall is so silly.”

Chris’ breads are made to order, so the loaves are beautifully fresh, baked to a standard that anyone would gladly indulge in, and rightly so. From olive and herb to wholemeal organic, there is a range of bread to suit all, and the saffron rolls aren’t ones to be missed. The homemade jams, chutneys and piccalilli make for the perfect accompaniment to any plate, and what began as an interest has grown into so much more for Chris: “We made a decision years ago that we were not going to expand more than what I could keep hands on. I don’t mind paperwork, but not at the expense of producing both the breads and preserves myself.” Never faltering on quality, Chris’ products have become a firm local favourite, and it’s easy to see why.

Another familiar name to the Helston Local Food Hub community is Nick Hill, founder of Gweal Mellin Cider Co. In an effort to move away from his career as a Pub Manager and into the world of craft cider making, Nick had a wealth of knowledge from his years spent behind the bar, having tried and tasted hundreds of different ciders ranging from local favourites to fizzy mass-produced names.

“The mission of the business was to make a truly local product using apples exclusively from Cornwall with an ethical approach,” explains Nick. “We are lucky enough to own some land near the family home and between finding a use for that and wanting to make use of my passion for Cider, Gweal Mellin Cider Co was created.”

“The first trees were planted in February 2017 and we made our first cider in November using some of that years' apples from an orchard in Liskeard,” he continues.

“Since then it's grown year on year and I now supply a few local pubs and shops. The team is mainly just me, helped on a weekly bases by my step dad, and during picking season the entire family gets roped in to pick as much as 14 tons of apples. Everyone, from my mother to my nephews, helps out for a few solid weeks to get the job done.”

The ciders in Gweal Mellin’s collection include Cornish Farmhouse Cider which can be bought dry, medium or sweet, and the slightly lighter Coxswain's Own, although still 5.8% ABV. The Coxswain's Own is

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LIFESTYLE named for Nick’s great, great grandfather James Hill, the Coxswain of Porthoustock life boat who was out saving people well into his 60's. “Food and produce on the Lizard has gone from strength to strength recently with help from great initiatives like Heston Local Food Hub,” explains Nick.

“Whether it be grass-fed beef, hand-picked lavender, honey or cider, there are great things coming out of the Lizard, and they are being made available to a wider and wider audience.”

With easy access to around 30 different producers and hundreds of items that would take an age to collect from various roadside stalls or farms, one local shares their thoughts on the Food Hub: “At first a lifeline during lockdown, the Helston Local Food Hub has become indispensable, giving access to a wide range of excellent local produce.

It's the most important part of my weekly shop and is a very public-spirited enterprise, benefiting the local economy and promoting sustainable, environmentally responsible food production.”

Supported by a wonderful group of volunteers who share this passion for local food, Alastair loves seeing the customers faces as the team pack up their weekly shop: “The vegetables in season always cause the most excitement – magnificent cabbages, hearty lettuces, luscious ripe tomatoes, but people also find their favourite products - Ruby June’s curries and samosas are a treat lots look forward to! We do drop offs to other villages and the meeting points often become social occasions where people meet up regularly.

This was lovely to see during lockdowns when social contact was diminished.

“My customers are a generous bunch, since beginning we’ve raised well over £2,000 for the local food bank. It’s not just about good food for those who can afford it, we want to be able to make good food available to everybody and the more we grow our local food economy the more that

becomes possible.” It’s clear to see that local mindsets and familiar habits when it comes to food are changing for the better, now that the Helston Local Food Hub is firmly rooted in the community, and with such a rich array of Cornish fare on offer from friendly faces right here on the Lizard peninsula, you need look no further than your very own doorstep for the highest-quality homegrown produce.

é ABOVE The team at Gweal Mellin Cider

 BELOW

Alastair Cameron

HELSTON LOCAL FOOD HUB www.helstonlocalfoodhub.co.uk

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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LIFESTYLE

Gratitude AND

GROWTH Step into a world of delicate interiors and enchanting gifts in the very heart of Falmouth – The Grey Lurcher.

O

ne of the oldest streets in Falmouth, the High Street invites you to explore a road paved with history and heritage. Cobbles underfoot, find your way past the secret alleyways and opes that offer snapshots of the sea beyond, and get a feel for the community of creative retailers, restaurants and bars that populate the bustling bohemia that is Falmouth.

Opposite Stones, the bakers, you will come across the welcoming doorway of The Grey Lurcher. Having taken advantage of the opportunity to move into their current premises during the first lockdown after being at the very top of the High Street, owner Julie recognised an opportunity that was too good to miss, with the enticing perk of a beautiful courtyard and enough space to expand the established business.

Over the last 12 months, the courtyard has been cleared and The Grey Lurcher now sells seasonal plants, along with planters and garden accessories. “The yard is a real suntrap in the summer and is a great space to sit at the end of a working day,” explains Julie. “Gardening is a real favourite with the team at the Grey Lurcher, we even have a gardener on board, so expanding this side of the business is this year’s goal.”

 ABOVE

Everything you need to spruce up your spaces  BELOW

The shop still stocks homeware lifestyle brands such as Parlane, Grand Illusions and Casa Verde, and has recently become a stockist for the St Mawes scent room luxury candles and diffusers. The offering of limited edition printed velvet cushions and scarves from Arcana, along with a small selection of jewellery, make for gifts to be treasured.

“We now have a dedicated paint room for our Annie Sloan chalk paint, and the Cornish brand Cornish Milk mineral paint, and we’re happy to colour consult and advise,” says Julie. “It’s been a busy couple of years in our new shop, but this year we are really hoping you all come and visit us on the High Street, Falmouth.”

Now a stockist for the St Mawes scent room luxury candles and diffusers

THE GREY LURCHER

20 High Street, Falmouth TR11 2AB 01326 618240 thegreylurcher@gmail.com www.greylurcherfalmouth.com Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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Trenance Chocolate Shop and Factory The Coffee Shop – delectable home-made food Gallery Anthony – a welcoming artists’ studio Honey Cosmetics – Cornish honey skincare products Serendipity – gifts, toys, books and crystals Rock Paper Scissors – jewellery, stationery and other gifts Mullion Mades – wonderful wool and woollies!

Purely Beeing – beeswax candles and more…

Mullion Glass Studio – a beautiful shop and workshop Cornish Cottages – book your next holiday!

Mullion Meadows, Mullion, Helston, Cornwall TR12 7HB There’s a large free car park Before your visit please check the website for opening hours

01326 241311 www.the-chocolatefactory.co.uk

We’re looking forward to seeing all our great customers and newbies again.

Even the seagulls can't wait…!

dwiches

Crab San

Hot Drinks Homemade Cakes & Scon es Fresh Crab So up and Sandwic hes Vegan & Glut en Free options availa ble Breakfasts Lunches Licensed Bar

Break fast

Mount Pleasant Road, Porthleven 07498 613280 harbourview.porthleven@gmail.com @PORTHLEVENSHARBOURVIEW

DISCOVER OU R CU RIOU SLY IN F U SED DISCOVER OU RVODKA CU RIOU SLY IN F USED VODKA

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curiospirits SPIR I T S C O M P Acuriospiritscompany N Y. C O. U K

W W W. C U R I O S P I R I T S C O M PA N Y. C O. U K

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FOOD

Boat to PLATE Take a seat by the water and sample the freshest Cornish seafood, cooked and served next to the very quay on which it was landed.

 ABOVE A veritable feast of locally caught seafood, landed

by Dan and other local fishermen

P

orthleven has, in recent years, become one of Cornwall’s most coveted destinations. Situated right on the South West Coast Path, perfect for anybody walking from the Lizard towards Penwith, the village has heritage firmly embedded in fishing – an occupation which many of the same families have been engaged in for generations. It is also a key pin on the map for curious foodies hoping to sample the best of Cornwall’s natural larder, especially the locally caught, seasonal seafood landed by day boats right on the quay. Many restaurants and cafés have found their feet here in the harbourside of Porthleven, and the beauty of them together is that they each offer something vastly different. Perhaps none more so, than Dan Dan the Lobster Man. Created by local dad and daughter team, Dan Dan the Lobster Man can be found right on the edge of the harbour, with a fantastic view of the waters at the heart

of Porthleven. Jasmine, 21, came up with the idea for the business, using her dad’s catch to offer fresh seafood to locals and visitors, straight from the boat to the plate.

Promoting local, sustainable fishing is a high priority for the team who have formed a cooperative between themselves and the local fishermen, all of whom receive a fair price for their lobsters.

Fresh lobster, crab and prawn salads, sandwiches and platters are on the menu, and visitors are free to bring their favourite wine along with them to pop into one of the wine coolers on hand. With a team made up of local family and friends, the staff are always smiling and ready to help with anything you might need, so make sure to stop by for a real taste of Cornwall.

DAN DAN THE LOBSTER MAN dandanthelobstermanltd dandanthelobstermanltdk Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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LIFESTYLE

A HIDDEN

haven

Reconnect with the great outdoors this spring with a family day out at Kernow Adventure Park.

K

ernow Adventure Park is Cornwall’s hidden outdoor activity centre, for the whole family. After a long winter spent indoors, spring is a time to awaken your adventurous side and reconnect with nature at this idyllic hideaway.

Set in a stunning, re-purposed granite quarry that’s now a natural haven, the tranquil spring-fed lake is just a short drive from your base on the Lizard. And if you’re looking to immerse yourself in a truly beautiful pocket of the Cornish landscape, with lots to keep the whole family entertained, it’s really worth making the trip! From the action-packed fun of the aqua park, to the peace of calm-water paddle boarding, or an open water swimming lane, Kernow Adventure Park delivers a funpacked day out that the whole family will enjoy. Not to mention the new-for-2022 selfdrive E-Boats!

Be the captain of your own ship and navigate your family around the crystal-clear lake; experience the sheer scale and beauty of Cornwall’s quarrying heritage during your voyage, passing information points detailing local history, Cornwall’s incredible geology, and the unique habitats created by the

quarry. It’s a fabulous way to experience the ever-changing natural environment of Kernow Adventure Park.

For those wishing to keep their feet firmly planted on terra-firma, the park has a tiered viewing area overlooking the water, perfect for enjoying a snack from the local pop-up food truck. And with a glass-fronted clubhouse, you can enjoy your time here come rain or shine.

The idyllic quarry of Kernow Adventure Park is a Cornish oasis all of its own – a safe playground and social sanctuary cocooned within nature that the team cannot wait to share with you.

KERNOW ADVENTURE PARK Halvasso, Penryn TR10 9BZ 07817 662962 www.kernowadventurepark.com

Find more like this: www.cornwall-living.co.uk

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Be warm, when you want

Time to make a change Say hello to efficient & sustainable electric heating Installed by a Which? Trusted trader, ELKAtherm® electric radiators from South West Heating are the perfect solution for homes looking to future proof themselves against increasingly expensive and pollutive fossil fuels. Simply choose a provider that guarantees 100% renewable energy!

ELKAtherm ® ELKAtherm radiators provide a simple, effi cient and controllable way to heat your home sustainably.

Sunamp Heat Batteries are the most compact thermal storage technology available on the market today, saving space in your home and delivering cascades of hot water.

GERMAN Manufacturing Excellence

25 YEAR GUARANTEE At the core of our heating

ONE DAY INSTALLATION No mess, no fuss

4 YEARS FREE Repair Cover

NO UNSIGHTLY TANKS All the hot water you need

Call us on:

01209 714 600 info@southwestheatingsolutions.co.uk www.southwestheatingsolutions.co.uk

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Time to Escape Relax and unwind with one of our spa days

Mullion Cove Romantic Escape Spa Day The perfect way to escape with that special someone, rekindle the magic and fall in love with those Atlantic Ocean views.

INCLUDES: FULL DAY USE OF OUR STUNNING SPA (6 HOURS) Organic soothe and nourish Facial and back of body massage in our exclusive couples suite.

Unwind in our rejuvenation room post treatment with fizz and selected nibbles and plenty of herbal tea.

Sea Spray Spa Morning / Afternoon

2 course lunch in our Glenbervie Bistro.

Invigorate your senses with our specially designed Sea Spray spa session, and immerse yourself in the mesmerising views from our cliff top hot tub. Revive the body and mind with our specially selected organic treatments, and stay hydrated with our unique selection of herbal teas, available during your time with us, which you can enjoy in our secluded ocean view rejuvenation room post treatment. We also have a two course spa lunch served in our Glenbervie Bistro to indulge in when your treatments have finished.

INCLUDES: HALF DAY WITH FULL USE OF OUR STUNNING SPA (4 HOURS)

PLUS

When booking please quote “Cornwall Living” to receive a complementary glass of prosecco with your lunch.

A choice of either 45 minute Voya massage journey or 45 minutue Voya Organic boost facial.

£225 per couple

Relax post treatment in our rejuvenation room with a herbal tea.

Two course lunch served in our Glenbervie Bistro.

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Book a day for you now 01326 240328 | enquiries@mullion-cove.co.uk www.mullion-cove.co.uk

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