“This severe, ascetic music, calm and horizontal as the line of the ocean, monotonous by virtue of its serenity, anti-sensuous, and yet so intense in its contemplativeness that it verges sometimes on ecstasy”
Tags!
seascapes
Tags!
seascapes,
St Ives Bay
“Clouds come floating into my life,
no longer to carry rain or usher storm,
but to add color to my sunset sky"
- Rabindranath Tagore
This is one of the pools at St. Gothian sands. It's now a nature reserve and coming on nicely too. But in it's last life it was used for commercial sand extraction, which is basically digging out thousands upon thousands of tonne of sand from a beautiful area and selling it to other areas to give them a beach, and many other pointless uses.
By doing this they alter the structure of the dunes and beaches for a long time to come.
Thankfully this practice has stopped here and it has been turned into a reserve. This practice has also gone on at the Hayle estuary and has only recently stopped (2004) but is always in threat of restarting. There is a local action group called SOS Hayle and they are looking to stop these practices forever and revert back to the the old way of clearing the estuary which involves using a sluicing method of clearing the estuary which has served the area for more than a hundred years. If you want more detailed information click on one of the links from this page.
Tags!
sand dunes,
swans,
towans,
Water
This was taken a few months ago... waters were about 8 degrees C - too cold for me.
So, I sat on some rocks and took pictures...
Since Cornwall is bordered by the ocean at 3 out of 4 corners, it isn't much of a wonder why so many Britons holiday here in the summer. It's the only part of Britain with a subtropical climate.
Yesterday evening, I took my dog for a walk on the harbour of St. Ives - the tide was going out. Still rather a quiet scene, residents were probably having their dinner and others heading home from work, we were joined by just a few other dogs and their owners. You could smell the fish aroma coming from boats that were docked and the salty sea air... close your eyes and you can hear the seagulls flying above your head!
In a few short weeks, summer will have officially arrived, and this quiet scene is yielded to the visiting crowds!
Tags!
churches,
st. ives harbour,
sunsets
When there's been plenty of rainfall, the sand dunes at Gwithian provide wonderful, gigantic pools of water throughout the dunes. Large enough, that we get to take our collie, Molokini, for a swim.
Getting out of the pool at the other end, were 2 huge Alsation (German Shepherd) dogs. Their session was over, as their owner whistled for them to get out of the water, and unfortunately, Molokini had to do without playmates.
Just over these dunes is Gwithian beach. No dogs allowed, 1 April - 1 October!
Tags!
Molokini
The best places to surf, are the secret spots. Here is a good secret surf cove, which my husband likes to frequent - when the wind is in a certain direction, coupled with the right swell and a particular state of tide. This cove spot, can generate one of the best waves around - with none of the usual crowds!
Obviously, the hard part is getting down to it, barefoot, with your board + a camera ;-)
Tags!
sheep
Even on the gloomiest of days,
beauty can still be found everywhere you look!
You are my beacon, my lighthouse
Sometimes life is as rough as the uncaring sea
It causes panic, frustration, and despair
But you are there for me
A quiet entity on the edge of a rugged cliff.
(The real voyage of discovery consists, not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes~ Marcel Proust)
Tags!
godrevy,
lighthouse,
seascapes
Tags!
sunsets
There was a small amount of surf today, about waist high with the occasional bigger set coming through. The weather hasn't been good recently, it's been rainy and very windy. The wind switched today though to off shore and the sun even came out, well almost. So there was an abundance of people in the water for this time of the year. In a few months time there will be as many as 200 people in the water all trying to get a few waves.
Warm, afternoon rays
Upon the lush greenery
Blooming white lilies
We came across this boat the other day whilst out walking. As you can see it's a really nice boat. What's slightly bizarre though, It doesn't look at all out of place where it is. After you get over the initial "Look at that" it just kind of blends in and has a beauty of it's own, even though it's out of it's natural environment.
I love what has been done with this particular piece of agricultural equipment. It seems a nice usage of something that would otherwise now be defunct. This particular one is made from granite, a beautiful material which is used all over Cornwall because it is in abundance.
A little quiz for you all:-
Although this is a very nice looking water feature now, what did it spend it's working life as ?
Have a wonderful Day
Tags!
Granite,
Water feature
Hayle Harbour is operated under the Hayle Harbour Act by Hayle Harbour Company Ltd., and is primarily a shellfish port. In addition, winter berthing is provided for the St. Ives fishing fleet.
At present, the flood tide flows through the harbour entrance channel and divides at Middle Weir to continue westwards into Lelant Water and Eastwards into the main harbour area, and Copperhouse Pool and Carnsew Pool. On the ebb tide, waters evacuate the harbour at a rate governed by the offshore tidal level and constraints imposed by the outer sand bar and fixed sluice openings. At the centre of the harbour is a man-made structure (Cockle Bank) forming two channels for water draining from Copperhouse Pool and Carnsew Pool.
A number of the quay walls are listed structures, but many have fallen into disrepair, showing a range of structural defects that require remediation.
The Regeneration of Hayle, relies heavily on the new Harbour Development.
The current scheme will provide chances for the growth of the harbour uses as well as a range of activities to complement the life of the town. Based on a program that could span a period of some ten years, the organic growth of the existing settlement will be positively influenced. The elements of the proposal, which is the Masterplan agreed by the Consultative Group, have been arrived at through consultation throughout the design process. These are:
Tags!
boats,
harbour,
Hayle harbour
Trains... They're such a wonderful way to travel cross-country! The people you meet and the places you see engage you in life!
If you've ever seen the movies "Before Sunrise" and "Before Sunset", you might agree! I suppose it's really just the simple possibility that something like this could actually happen, which makes it so exciting and romantic.
Is there 'someone' who lingers in your memory - someone who makes you wonder what might have been?...
Or, if you're already with that 'someone', what's your love story?
Hello everybody!
This photo was taken at a local show held yesterday called the Gwinear Show. It happens every year on the first Saturday of May. There are various different horse events, a companion dog show, local crafts competitions, floral art, photography, art, plants, wine, licensed bar and refreshments and things to keep children occupied (like rides and bouncy castles.)
There were many horse events... this one pictured, was a 'heavy horse dress event', all the horses in this event were Shire horses - often used as working horses. Here you can see the horse has been decorated with ribbons tied in its mane and tail. Sometimes they decorate the horse in it's full gear, with all sorts of horse brasses. It's all very elegant! Some other events that we managed to catch were the 'driving competition' and the 'mounting events'.
We particularly liked this gentleman, as he did the walk with synchronicity to his horse!
Tags!
Gwinear Show,
Heavy Horse,
show
Nought to Flat... so basically Nadda Surf!
So, obviously nought, flat and nadda all mean the same - Zero/Nothing! With the start of Bank Holiday Weekend, today the beach was reasonably busy. Families were out, couples were having little BBQ's, and despite the poor surf conditions - there was a surf school out teaching the little ones, as well as, some regular surfers, who were out lookin' to just get their boards wet...
From atop a cliff, I spied two young boys, whom abandoned their surfboards and decided to meander along the rocks...
“Let your thoughts meander towards a sea of ideas.”
Tags!
beach activities,
beaches,
Ocean
Consider the ebb and flow of the tide. When waves come to strike the shore, they crest and fall, creating a sound. Your breath following the same pattern, absorbing the entire universe with each inhalation. Know that we all have access to four treasures: the energy of the sun and moon, the breath of heaven, the breath of earth, and the ebb and flow of the tide.
We are huge fans of most outdoor pursuits, be it on land or on sea. Out here in Cornwall, there is an abundance of hikes and walks right outside your front door, and living in Hayle, we also have easy access to many water sports. When we lived in the city, we used to drive 3-4 hours - for the simple pleasures of Cornwall. Now, these simple pleasures are in walking distance.
“There is a serene and settled majesty to woodland scenery that enters into the soul and delights and elevates it, and fills it with noble inclinations.”
Tags!
woodland
Does anyone fancy a pint of Cornish ale and a Cornish crab salad sandwich? I'm off to lunch in a minute...
This lovely Cafe, Bar & Restaurant, serves one of my favourite crab sandwiches. Bought fresh daily from a neighbouring village, Newlyn.
As soon as you reach the bottom of these steps and get onto the walkway, you immediately feel like you're in an oasis. The area is filled so deep with these Cornish palms and plenty of shrubs and flowers and other greenery. Sitting outside on the deck, with my pint of Cornish Mutiny and crab sandwich, enjoying sea views, all set in an oasis of Cornish palms. It's absolutely lovely... guarranteed to send you back to work with a smile!
Have a lovely day!
Tags!
bar,
cafe,
cornish palms,
mounts bay,
restaurant
This is a view from the top of Lourdes castle.
Your Local Guide to Hayle and other surrounding villages of TR27
