Charlestown Harbour and Copper Ore From 200 Years Ago

Okay, I know I have published several posts on Charlestown but, for this one, I've dug out some different photos - with the help of Sammy Seagull. We lingered on the back harbour wall for quite a while discussing life in general.

There were a few hardy souls on the beach in the background.

Just below us, built into the harbour wall, is a memorial which most visitors miss. 

It states: In memory of Thomas Penhall for 45 years the conscientious and devoted servant of the proprietors of Charlestown who died 24th April 1867

Looks like someone has been about with pots of paint to brighten up some of the old, unused machinery on the harbourside. The example below previously had arms to lift small boats in or out of the harbour.

I remember when I first moved to the area two men, I met through my work, persuaded me to go mackerel fishing with them. They lowered their small boat into the water and out we went into what I considered to be a very choppy sea.

After a while I felt quite seasick - and was, much to my embarrassment. We didn't catch any fish! Strange in a way as I love the sea. Nowadays though, I no longer eat fish or meat.

The remnants of a wagon and lines have recently been plonked near to the harbour as an exhibit. I guess there will be more to follow.

Now, the next photo may not seem too special but the cobbles that make up the yard are over 200 years old and were there for a reason - local Cornish copper.

'Bal maidens' and children would crush and sort the ore. Once cleaned the ore would be taken to this 'ore floor' by horse and cart where it would be divided into 100 ton piles to be sampled by an assayer. He would determine the copper content.

Smelting companies were then able to bid for the ore. Successful bidders would charter ships to call at Charlestown to load the ore. This would then be transported to smelters in South Wales, where they had plenty of coal. At the time it took four tons of coal to smelt one ton of copper ore.

Bal Maidens working on the ore

Moving on, a row of cottages which look out over the harbour.

The Pier House Hotel has extended its outside seating. Very pleasant on a sunshine day.

Next a small stall selling locally sourced scallop shells.

This is one of the two small stony beaches at Charlestown.

We started to make our way back to our car. I liked the old gatepost below, bet it could tell some tales.

A few wild flowers.

And finally the path heading towards Carlyon Bay where we had parked our car.

On the way home I wondered whose legs I had seen sitting quietly watching a house being built.

Thanks for visiting my blog enjoy the week ahead.

A Walk At Cornwall's Eden Project - With 27 Photos

We decided to visit Cornwall's Eden Project. We hadn't been for quite a while, what with all of the coronavirus rules and regulations. We walked our usual route and I snapped a few photos.

There were flowers of varying colours and the sky was blue.

Lots of the flowers were growing free which I like to see. A couple of poppies were trying to hide.

A few more similar photos.

There is a Pollination Trail to attract bumblebees and other insects. Below they were being tempted by lavender.

Mind you - you have to be careful that the bees remain a manageable size.

We continued walking in the direction of the two biomes.  The  Rainforest biome is the world's largest indoor rainforest. The other is the Mediterranean biome.

We are now inside the Mediterranean Biome, five photos follow.

The next photo from the Mediterranean Biome is actually from Africa! This is the CAMFED Garden.

The Campaign for female education believes that when girls are educated they can lift their communities out of poverty.

It supports girls in rural Africa, enabling them to stay in education, develop businesses, create jobs and deliver prosperity

Moving on the figures below represent the festivities of Dionysus: wine and fertility - and perhaps a little more wine.

Back to flowers in the Mediterranean biome.

We have now left the biomes. We didn't visit the Rainforest biome this time, as it was so busy.

Next we have The Minibeast Mansion Hotel to keep children amused.

Three photos from fields of flowers on the way to Eden's Core building.

The Core has an exhibition of Invisible Worlds and also other exhibits as below.

A last look at the biomes as we make our way home.

It's hard to visualise now that the Eden Project was built in a china clay pit - but you can see the white clay in the photo below.

I remember years ago visiting the Eden Project as it was being constructed. Staff said that seeing Eden being built was on a par with watching the pyramids being built in Egypt. I thought this a mite over the top! But, who knows, as Eden is spreading to several other countries. Below, for example, is a model of another Eden to be built in Qingdao, China.

Thus ends our Eden Project visit, but we'll be back. No doubt next time we'll also visit the Rain Forest biome, though it can get busy at times - plus the warmth and moisture tends to mist up my camera lens!

Many thanks for visiting my blog - good wishes ~ Mike.

A Walk in Luxulyan Valley to View Cornwall's Industrial Past

A walk today in the Luxulyan Valley. We decided to keep it shortish and walk for an hour and then retrace our footsteps. So no more than two hours in total, probably less. I'll show our starting point at the end of the post.

It's an interesting walk as amongst the pathways there are abandoned remains from Cornwall's industrial past.

Way back, from 1840, stone laden trams would run down an inclined tramway to the valley floor.

Old tramway lines can be seen alongside the path.

We saw very few people as we walked, mainly locals exercising their dogs.

A sign of The friends of the Luxulyan Valley.

The pathway widened.

We walked under a bridge.

There is a warning sign reminding walkers to take care.

Looking up at the bridge, wild flowers contrasted with the blue sky.

Typically for a valley there is a river rushing to get somewhere fast.

Debris had accumulated in the river.

The sky may have been blue but the trees made everywhere cool and dappled.

Ah, and then, suddenly, what I wanted to view: the remnants of the Trevanney Dry used until 1960 for processing china clay piped in from outside of the valley.

The next three photos show the remains of the building.

Red Bricks, the sign of the chimney.

And the chimney from a distance.

We now started to retrace our footsteps. So much greenery.

A river trundled along by the path and ...

... a sign for the St. Blazey Bridge was  by the railway lines. 

We actually started our walk at St. Blazey.

And here we are back by the A390 at St. Blazey. You can see below where I parked my white car. This was in Aberdeen Close - which is just before the railway crossing if travelling east or just after the railway crossing if travelling west.

Our walk started on the opposite side of the road. There isn't a sign but there is a dip and a path can be seen leading into the greenery.

A pleasant enough walk but there is much more to Luxulyan Valley - See my post The Luxulyan Valley Cornwall.

Luxulyan Valley Combined Viaduct and Aqueduct