This striped 25m tower was built in 1832 near Fowey in South Cornwall, to distinguish Gribben (aka Gribbin) Head from neighbouring headlands, hence allowing safe approach to Fowey. Because this is the internet, absolutely anything is possible, including building your own daymark.
Archive for the ‘South Cornwall’ Category
Gribben Head Daymark Leave a comment
Enys Dodnan Leave a comment
This extraordinary granite arch is found on the islet of Enys Dodnan, located off Land’s End in Cornwall. It is a highlight of one of the best coastal trips in Britain. The murky final image was taken on a rainy misty day last February, but is included here to show the whole isle. The jagged stack [...]
A sad anniversary Leave a comment
Whilst paddling the coast between Mousehole and Land’s End, give thought to the agonising sacrifice made by the small community of Mousehole on 19th December, 1981. The coaster MV Union Star had suffered engine failure and was being blown ashore west of Lamorna Cove by a hurricane. The Penlee lifeboat Solomon Browne launched. The all-volunteer [...]
Two sea kayakers rescued near Falmouth Leave a comment
Falmouth harbour News is coming through of another major sea kayak incident in the south west – two paddlers have been airlifted to hospital from the south Cornish coast, near Falmouth. Our hope is that they are unharmed and will make a swift recovery. I will collate news reports on the SWSK Facebook group as they [...]
Californication Leave a comment
The above photo is one of my favourites. I like it because of the warm fuzzy memories that it triggers; it shows Heather (Mrs R) and Claire Cheong-Leen at Land’s End in Cornwall, framed by the monumental arch of Enys Dodman, a vast stack that has separated from the mainland. It was a magical evening, and [...]
Stranding 1 comment
Something terrible has happened in South Cornwall. At least twenty-six apparently healthy dolphins have stranded and died. The dolphins appear to have panicked and swum ashore into shallow tidal creeks between Carrick Roads and the Helford River, stranding along about 16 kilometres of coast. A tragedy of this scale is almost unprecedented in our waters. It’s [...]
The Sea Kayaker’s Trident 2 comments
The following article was published in ‘Paddles‘ magazine a few months back, for their ‘Sea Kayaker’s Trident’ column. The column is used as a ‘sounding off’ point for sea paddlers. The article is in part adapted from text in South West Sea Kayaking. Three of us on the very edge of Britain. The [...]
Fellow Travellers #6 2 comments
Many crave immortality, yet few achieve it. Dave Surman (age 103) is truly a legend in his own bathtime. ‘The Surmanator’ has achieved near-mythical status amongst those privileged to know him, despite having no immediately obvious function or purpose in the grand scheme of things. I’m being very unfair … Dave ‘Rodeo Grandude’ Surman has actually [...]
Lies, Damned Lies … Leave a comment
98.7% of the research for South West Sea Kayaking has come from this indispensible little tome. Random extracts … St. Austell Brewery is Cornwall’s oldest and largest family-run business, owning 170 pubs and producing 30,000 barrels of beer a year. Visitors to Cornwall spend an average of £32 per day on food and accommodation, visitors [...]
Worst. Idea. Ever. 2 comments
The Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape received full World Heritage Site designation in 2006. This placed the two counties’ industrial wastelands alongside the Taj Mahal and The Great Wall of China! The new World Heritage Site encompasses a huge number of post-industrial mining ruins. They are clustered in ten different districts stretching from the Tamar Valley west to St [...]
Fellow Travellers #3 Leave a comment
Chris is known as ‘Tiff’, and lives in Calstock beside the River Tamar. He is currently doing a ‘gap year’ before heading off to Uni. From his front door he can paddle down the Tamar into Plymouth Sound and then out to sea. Indeed he frequently does so, and then paddles right back again. He has [...]
Fellow Travellers #1 Leave a comment
My wife Heather has suggested that I introduce readers to those who were good enough to paddle with me last year during my south west research. This was a more grinding experience than might be imagined; these folk had to put up with endless deviations and diversions, stops and starts and also, “Hang on …”s [...]
Trengrouse Leave a comment
In 1807, Henry Trengrouse witnessed the sinking of HMS Anson, 100m offshore of Porthleven Sands. To his horror, 120 men drowned before his eyes. This experience led him to spend ten years developing a rocket life-saving apparatus. Trengrouse’s ‘breeches-buoy’ invention saved 10 000 lives between 1870 and 1911, and was still in service around the [...]
Cornwall vs Scotland – Round #3 2 comments
Cornwall is a better* film location! For example, Charlestown has featured in innumerable productions, and the surf beaches around Newquay doubled for North Korea in the (otherwise risible) 007 film Die Another Day. *If you ignore the existence of Highlander, Braveheart, Whisky Galore etc. etc. Obviously.
Cornwall vs Scotland – Round #2 1 comment
You can leave the tent open in Cornwall …
Cornwall vs Scotland – Round #1 Leave a comment
You’re not going to find this in Scotland, are you now?
Thanksgiving 3 comments
We have plenty to be thankful for. We could be living in Liechtenstein.
Xanthoria Leave a comment
It’s a lichen. It’s yellow.
The Catch 3 comments
Newlyn is located in Mount’s Bay, South Cornwall. With a fleet of over 100 working boats, Newlyn is the largest fishing port in England and Wales. 9500 tonnes of fish are landed annually, only 30% of which are eaten in Cornwall. If you are masochistic, the daily landings and auction can be watched at around [...]
Work Avoidance Leave a comment
I’m currently trying to sort some tidal gubbins out. It’s making my head hurt and I think that some of the bumf I need for it is sitting in my office at work. So, here’s a picture of Cornwall.
