Cot Valley

There is a wonderful book, Penwith Moods by photographer David Chapman which provides an insight into the flora, fauna and geological oddities of this beautiful lanscape which is inspiring and informative and better than any reductive guide. It resounds with a passion for the place which the best writers have, once captivated with the need to explore and know more about their environment.

I am not going to nick from it but it inspired me to walk to St Just and see the special Cot Valley which is revered for its geological features and its sub-tropical plants. On a crisp November day there was little fauna except ragged looking bracken but rocks is rocks. Porth Nanven is the name of the beach with rounded 'dinosaur eggs'. The difference between the granite rocks on the beach worn smooth by the vicissitudes of the tides and the layers of sedimentary rock with random stomes caught in the sides of the valley wall is a geologist's dream. Our history is in them there stones. This area has been extensively mined although those heady times can only be imagined by the Choughs which apparently inhabit the valley now. I made the King's Arms just in time and got the Saturday papers in to read by a roaring fire. It is hard to make a pub pay these days but this place has done it properly with good food that people will come a long way for and the 'Proper Job' bitter I had made the long walk worthwhile. Last bus to Sennen 5.10pm though which was probably for the best as I was settling in...

Don't know what the alpaca thought but he was decidedly unhappy !

Paradise Park

Paradise Park is in Hayle, cradle of the industrial revolution, all the foundries and experiments with steam engineering can be seen in the somewhat forlorn ruins lying around this historic harbour. Students have been working with Hayle Social Enterprise Trust to try and regenerate this once proud town producing a film to promote it. The Cornish guys made things up as they went along, necessity was the mother of invention and James Watt nicked all the ideas and took them to Brum to patent.

We went over half-term to feed the penguins though and to see the massive rabbits and cheeky goats. Isla needed ice cream to get her through and the jungle barn with slides, ball pools, feral kids and crazy climbing activities was a dad's dream !

One day we will have a garden of rabbits. I will put pipes under a great mound and then cover them with earth a la Jean de Florette and we can lie in rabbit heaven. The tropical birds are the focus but nothing beats a feisty goat that we can feed and a play tractor !

In Rainbows

Isla loved the frequent sightings of rainbows in the bay and we had two dolphins over the October half-term who stayed for a few days in the warm waters. The view from the window is the entertainment in the daylight hours. The rain showers roll in in October with the south-westerlies and before long one can judge how long before the rain starts battering the windows.

Billy Bass

There is an art to fishing for bass which is beyond me so will not even contemplate the vagaries of tempting these silver wolves of the sea on to my hook. They love the surf and can be caught from the beach. The solo lights on the beach at night identify the patient anglers waiting for these plucky fish and line caught bass fetch a fair price. Another idyllic pursuit that satisfies the soul and provides a small income or a fresh treat at least. Unlike the lazy cod bass love strong tides and fighting the elements so have a fit rather than flaccid or flaky flesh. The French aptly name them 'loup de mer' wolf of the sea and they are a fixture on any good Cornish menu. The portions are not very large though and they are expensive in Newlyn fishmongers so catching your own is a boon. I haven't seen any to shoot yet but then my only shot on target bounced off and the poor fish may still be swimming around with his scar from his battle with Herve Cousteau. The bass fishermen aren't great conversationalists but this is par for the course for most of the fishermen in this secluded cove. After a year I now get a curt nod of recognition. I will raid their lobster pots before I go though. The Beach restaurant took 600 off the Sennen fisherfolk over the summer so they won't miss a few..