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..

Angels of the Sky

Another dangerous pursuit but more graceful. Very appealing although clear risks of death involved so will never do it. I was going to pretend that was me, top of the food chain, master of the skies, hanging tough, but someone has to observe and take photos. This is increasingly popular on sunny days as they use the thermals to swoop and dive nonchalantly as the beach goers stare in awe. Maybe that is the real buzz of these things, getting people to stand and stare open mouthed. Vain pursuits by macho alpha males, a bit like writing a blog but more dangerous. It looks easy but I wonder how the first flight goes. It's not the fear of falling its the fear of jumping off...

Lug Worms

Marazion beach is quite muddy and the worms who make great bait for fishermen love it. Unfortunately the bait diggers cause unsightly holes in their search for these luscious lugworms. Lord St Levan who owns the Mount and probably thinks he owns the sea, roped in his farmer friends to plough up the beach as the piles were ruining his view. I am surmising, of course, as my skills of investigative journalism run as deep as a tabloid hack and this would be my front page news with associated superlatives and puns. 'Lug OFF' 'Lug Less' 'Worms', I am sure you can do better ! According to the Yorkshireman digging for bait, who makes £20 a bucket, they have done it in sheer spite to ward off the diggers. He felt they had killed an acre of beach by destroying the bio-diversity. All the worms would be dead or eaten by gulls. Who knows what the truth is, and I certainly don't, but I will always be on the side of the diggers and the levellers !

'Stand up now Digger's all !'

Air , sea rescue

Drama in the Cove as the climbers who favour the dramatic Maen Cliff hotspot decided to fall off. They are pretty steep and I have watched them thinking that it is one of of the few things I would never like to try. Savage amusement, hanging from a rope trying to haul my weight up a sheer cliff with complete faith placed in the person at the other end of the line. The Culdrose chopper got the call and stretchered the bodies away. They had to fly in close to the cliff, impressing the hordes who gathered to watch the horror unfold. The sky bird seems to be the favoured method of saving people, rendering the lifeboats who get all the money from RNLI contributions rather quiet.

RIP Rusty

Rusty bit the dust and has gone to meet his maker at the scrap heap. A grand's worth of welding due to being left on a salty cliffside for 6 months was a diagnosis too far. Many fond memories of Hay, Latitude and Big Chill festivals and weekends away. Also a lot of stressful driving as he didn't like hills and was cutting out whenever he felt like it at the end. Rusty got me to Cornwall and found his spiritual home. RIP Rusty van, you will be missed. Especially when I am in a tent from Tuesday !! Expect an insiders account on Cornwall's best and worst, definitely the cheapest, campsites and farmers' fields.