MyCornwall August/September 2022

CAMEL CREEK FAMILY THEME PARK • ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT • SHIPWRECK MUSEUM • NEWQUAY ORCHARD

My

YOUR PASSPORT TO THE SOUTH WEST

COAST PATH

QUENCH YOUR

THIRST PLUS

ArtA bumper Attack!crop of

summer exhibitions myCornwalltv AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2022 ISSUE 73 £3.25 t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 1 n

n 2 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

Hello and It’s the most wonderful time of the year... Not Christmas, but summer in Cornwall! It’s to be hoped there’s a

happy

medium

between

the

heatwave of recent weeks and the torrential rains we occasionally suffer in August.

There are some noticeable themes in this month’s edition. First: the sea.

There’s a new passport for the South West Coast Path – get your hiking boots on and earn those stamps! Sea swimmers will love the poetic output of Morvoren (Cornish for mermaid), and author Wyl Menmuir explores our fascination with the briny. Meanwhile, an enterprising mum has devised a beach safety app that will tell you all you need to know for a grand day out with the kids/dog.

Second: art. We always do our best to bring you a smorgasbord of creativity, but this month even we struggled to fit it all in. It’s a veritable explosion of

goodness,

from

galleries

in

Porthleven, Rock and Falmouth, and artists including painter Kurt Jackson, metalworker Rebecca Rasmussen and ceramicist Julie Harper.

Third: drinks. Should that pesky heatwave return, there are plenty of

refreshment

recommendations

in Taste; some might even include a cheeky tot! There’s a shack in Newquay that will have you singing about pina coladas all summer long (you’re welcome).

All that, and we also catch up with the teams at Newquay Orchard and Cornwall Wildlife Trust, and get all cultural with IMS Prussia Cove and Hellys International Guitar Festival.

You may well ask how we managed to fit it all in, to which I can only reply: with a dash of Cornish magic.

See you on the beach! © Mike Newman See page 20

Oll an gwella Kirstie t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 3 n

My 6 8 10 12

News: A local’s pass for St Michael’s Mount News: A model of Endeavour at the Shipwreck Museum Things to do in August and September Dog-friendly Cornwall Year-round dog-friendly beaches

16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 35 36 38

A Day Out Camel Creek Family Theme Park Morvoren Poetry inspired by sea swimming A new passport for the South West Coast Path IMS Prussia Cove Hellys International Guitar Festival Newquay Orchard at 7 Books The Draw of the Sea, plus reading recommendations Beavering away The hard work of Cornwall Willdlife Trust Film Long Way Back and Fisherman’s Friends: the sequel My Coast A beach safety app for the summer Homes Sustainable design ideas Gardens Gardens Cottage, St Blazey

40 41 44

Cornish language Looking forward to the Esedhvos in Hayle Scenic ferry rides With Elizabeth Dale My Cornish World Melissa Thorpe, Spaceport Cornwall

48 54 56 58 60 62 64 66

Art news A selection of exhibitions around the county Gallery of the Month Customs House Gallery, Porthleven Gallery Focus Lemon Street Gallery - An exciting programme in Rock and Withiel Art Focus Hevva! Hevva! At Falmouth Art Gallery Artist Focus Kurt Jackson profiles the Helford River Maker Focus Rebecca Rasmussen at Newlyn Art Gallery Meet the Maker Ceramicist Julie Harper Very Important Piece Whitewater gallery, Polzeath

70 72 74 76 78 80 82

Food Bites A berry good idea Tenzing - An energy drink with Cornish ingredients Dish of the month Prawn Linguine at Springtide Charlestown Totally tropical The Coconut Chy on Newquay’s Towan Beach Summer brews Five refreshing tipples Weekend Away St Michaels Resort, Falmouth Experience Polurrian on the Lizard

EDITOR Kirstie Newton kirstie@mycornwall.tv

CONTRIBUTORS

01209 314147

thatsmycornwall.com myCornwall magazine, Box 27, Jubilee Wharf & Warehouse Commercial Road, Penryn, TR10 8FG

n 4 |

My

Elizabeth Dale

DESIGN Paul Blyth

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

ADVERTISING

Jeni Smith jeni.mycornwall@gmail.com 01209 494003

ON THE COVER

Jennifer Armitage, on behalf of St Michael’s Mount. See page 48.

44

62

74 MAGAZINE DIRECTOR Kevin Waterman kevin@pw-media.co.uk

SUBSCRIPTION ENQUIRES Tel: 01442 820580 contact@webscribe.co.uk

THE MYCORNWALL

Promise ENTERTAINING

We work hard to bring our readers high quality content that speaks to them in an informative and entertaining way.

INDEPENDENT

We're independent just like our readers... like Cornwall. We don't belong to a large multinational company and we are based in Cornwall.

HONEST

We give our readers an honest, trustworthy and above all pleasurable read.

INFORMATIVE

Our content is second to none. Fabulous well written features, top notch news, beautiful photographs all wrapped up in an easily navigated design. myCornwall is the independent, honest, informative and entertaining read... for Cornwall... where else?

18 MEDIA INTERN PROGRAMME

myCornwall supports schools in Cornwall through the myCornwall work experience programme. To find out more please contact Dawn Pardoe at: dawn@pw-media.co.uk

myCornwalltv

CONTRIBUTORS

myCornwall magazine welcomes contributions. We reserve the right to edit, amend, correct (or not use) anything submitted. Contributors must obtain all necessary permissions and credit all sources. All rights to works submitted are supplied for use by myCornwall and its parent company in all media (present and future). Whilst reasonable steps are taken to check the accuracy of work contained within the publication we cannot take responsibility for mistakes or the views submitted by contributors. Unsolicited contributions that fail to state they require payment or do not have a payment agreement in place will not be paid for but may be published. In order to avoid any confusion please state if you seek payment.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 5 n

MAKING NEW MEMORIES A new locals’ pass for St Michael’s Mount.

S

t Michael’s Mount is one of Cornwall’s standout landmarks, attracting visitors from around the world to

explore this intriguing, beguiling place with a history stretching back at least as far as the Bronze Age. Pilgrims have been drawn to the Mount for centuries; in the Middle Ages, the journey involved sailing by boat from Wales or Ireland, landing at St Ives and then walking the 12.5 miles coast to coast to reach the island in a bid to avoid the treacherous journey around Land’s End. Today’s pilgrims have an easier journey, and indeed, many of them don’t have to travel very far at all. St Michael’s Mount is very important to those who live in West Cornwall, and the Mount Memories Pass has been launched to recognise this integral link by enabling local residents to apply to visit free of charge. Every year, 1,000 single-use passes will be available and will give a group of up to four people

n 6 |

My

free access to the island, castle, and garden.

“St Michael’s Mount is a truly unique place for those who live and work here, and it is held in the same regard by many of the 350,000 visitors who travel from far and wide to visit each year,” said Harvey Thomas, chief executive of St Aubyn Estates, which manages the island in partnership with the National Trust.

nomination from a nearby village for one of their long-standing residents to enjoy a visit to celebrate her contribution to community life over many years.

Local families who have not had the opportunity to visit the island before and would like to bring their children to explore for the first time are actively encouraged to apply for a pass. Applicants are asked

“The Mount is also an important part of life in the West Cornwall community, and many people have a real affinity with the island. The Mount Memories Pass is designed to enable those with strong links to the island to come over and make new memories, as well as helping those living locally who would like to plan their first visit.”

to send in their request by email, outlining

Examples of Mount Memories passes issued so far this year include a couple who got engaged while taking in the view from the castle terrace; a family member celebrating a special birthday; and a

Michael’s Mount this year.” l

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

their reason for visiting.

“We expect a high level of interest for the Mount Memories Pass and may not be able to accommodate every request, so we advise those interested to get in touch well in advance of their proposed visit,” says Harvey. “We look forward to many happy memories being made or rekindled at St

To find out more about the Mount Memories Pass and to apply for one, please visit www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 7 n

@ Steve Tanner

Royal Cornwall Museum The Royal Cornwall Museum (RCM) and the associated Courtney Library in Truro’s River Street have warned that both could close immediately and indefinitely following the withdrawal of Cornwall Council funding.

In a statement emailed to all supporters, Executive Director Jonathan Morton described the announcement as “devastating news”, adding: “The decision is even more disappointing considering the great successes we have had over the past two years.” Cornwall Council portfolio holder for neighbourhoods Carol Mould explained how, having supported the RCM over many years as part of its cultural revenue grants programme, the council had turned to a new Culture and Creative Investment Programme with a change in emphasis. “It has become clear that this is not the appropriate funding stream to support the RCM,” she explained. “However, its work is clearly important to many in Cornwall and beyond, and we want to work with them to find an alternative way forward.” l

Where did you get that hat?

In soaring temperatures, swimmers from Gorran Haven Coldwater Crew took to the water at Gyllyngvase beach in Falmouth, wearing hat sculptures created by Cornish artists Sue Hill and Meier Williams for the inaugural Falmouth International Arts Festival in July. l

Poetry prize

Saving the planet with every wash

The Morrab Library in Penzance has launched an international poetry competition which is now open until September 30. The inaugural Patricia Eschen Prize for Poetry is free to enter and will be judged by Katrina Naomi and Penelope Shuttle, both multi-award-winning poets based in Cornwall. Poems can be on any subject that kindles the poet’s imagination, and must be written in the English language to a maximum length of 40 lines. There are two categories: 16+, with prizes of £1,000, £500 and £300; and under 16s, with prize money of £150, £100 and £50. One poem per person. Deadline: Friday, September 30, 2022. l

A green technology company based in Bude has created a washing machine filter that captures and recycles microfibres as small as one micron, in a bid to tackle ocean pollution. Cleaner Seas Group is aiming to raise £1m through private investment and crowdfunding to get the internationally patent pending filter into production. With an estimated 1.4 million trillion microfibres in our oceans, microplastic pollution is one of the biggest unregulated environmental issues facing the planet. Its impact on marine life has been well-documented, and earlier this year microplastics were discovered for the first time in human blood and lungs. The filter, which has drawn megastar support from the likes of Coldplay, will fit new and existing machines and captures up to 700,000 at an RRP of under £90. l

morrablibrary.org.uk/poetryprize

www.cleanerseasgroup.com

A fun time in Falmouth Next year promises to be a fun time to be in Falmouth, which will host Armed Forces Day in June 2023 and the prestigious Tall Ships Race, Magellan Elcano, from August 15 to 18. l n 8 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

A TALE OF ENDURANCE A model of Shackleton’s famous ship is being made in the depths of a war zone.

A

Ukrainian model maker is creating an intricate model of Shackleton’s ship for a Cornish museum’s latest exhibition. Charlestown’s Shipwreck Treasure Museum has commissioned Vitaliy Vrubel from the city of Dnipro to build a scale replica of Endurance, which was famously crushed in ice during his bid to cross Antarctica more than a century ago.

Retired engineer Vitaliy lives in daily fear with his wife, Tatiyana, as war rages on three sides of Dnipro. He has begun the intricate task of building the model in his workshop, in the loft space of his fourth-floor apartment.

“We live with the understanding that we can die at any moment,” says Vitaliy.

“Missile strikes are carried out regularly and air raid sirens wail day and night. We don't hide in a bomb shelter because there isn't one. We just go to the hall where there are no windows.”

The project was instigated by chance after the museum’s managing director, Ramon

Van De Velde, who saw a post on the business social media network LinkedIn by Vitaliy’s daughter, Nataliia.

“She was appealing for somewhere for her father to store his prized models safely during the conflict,” Ramon recalls. “A model of Endurance is the finishing touch for our brilliant Shackleton exhibition and Vitaliy needed something positive to focus on during this incredibly difficult time.

“Like so many people, we were keen to see how we can help the people in Ukraine.

At the museum, we tell stories through ordinary people. So, this is an opportunity to tell the story, through Vitaliy, of ordinary Ukrainians whose lives have been upturned through no fault of their own.”

Vitaliy’s first model ship was inspired by the fictional sailing vessel Arabella from Rafael Sabatini’s novel Captain Blood: His Odyssey. Today, Vitaliy embraces the latest technology in his quest to recreate ships in striking detail, including 3D modelling.

“The desire to create accurate historical copies of ships requires careful study of the material, the historical features of the era and the specifics of the vessel,” he explains. “It takes a lot of time, but it is very interesting.

“The captain had to know everything about the ship, even down to the smallest detail. So, in the same way, the modeller must know everything about the ship they are building. The process is exciting!”

A plinth will be placed within the museum’s Shackleton exhibition, ready to display Vitaliy’s model when it is eventually transported to Cornwall. “It’s all part of the challenge; no doubt Shackleton would approve,” Ramon concludes.

Shackleton’s

Legacy

and

the

Power

of Early Antarctic Photography, and the immersive Shackleton Experience, continue until October. l www.shipwreckcharlestown.co.uk

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 9 n

2

1 3

4

1. A SAUNA WITH A VIEW Sauna Society is a new wood-fired sauna experience with uninterrupted sea views over Watergate Bay. Take a pew on a wooden bench and feast your eyes on the Atlantic view through the panoramic window. The mobile unit is built from Canadian cedarwood, with British wool insulation and traditional Estonian stones. Essential oils enhance the sensory experience: choose bergamot, ylangylang, green mandarin and rose to help improve mood, manage stress and diffuse tension; or for calm, with a blend of clary sage, petitgrain, Indian sandalwood and lavender. Afterwards, cool down outside with a freshwater rainfall shower. The sauna seats up to 10 people; book a seat in a one-hour communal session (from 8am daily, £20pp) or bring friends for a private experience (one hour £95, two hours £160). Look out for workshops on breath work, hot and cold immersion and holistic health. From October, Sauna Society will move to Gylly Beach, Falmouth. To book, visit www.sauna-society.com

2. SUMMER GARDEN SESSIONS IN TRURO Bask in the natural beauty of The n 10 |

My

Alverton's private gardens, dine al fresco on the sun-drenched terrace and listen to fantastic live music with two for £10 summer cocktails in hand at the Summer Garden Sessions. Miranda Brook (August 11) and Tom Baker (August 25) will perform three sets from 5.30pm onwards.

The season will come to a grand finale with singer-songwriter and Britain's Got Talent semi-finalist Josh Curnow in the Great Hall on September 8. The Summer Sessions are ticketed events – the £17 entry fee (grand finale £22) includes a reserved table on the terrace and a pint of Offshore or a cocktail. Book by calling 01872 276633 or at www.thealverton.co.uk

3. MEDIEVAL THRILLS IN FALMOUTH Witness a no-holds-barred medieval contest at Pendennis Castle. Watch magnificent medieval knights compete against each other in four gruelling rounds, including hand-to-hand sword combat and archery. Arrows will fly, swords will clash and the winner will be decided in the Grand Melee finale. For the Grand Joust, these fearless fighters will charge at full speed on horseback. A living history encampment demonstrates what life

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

on the move would have been like for itinerant soldiers and their families. Plus minstrel music from Caliban’s Dream, birds of prey with Raphael Historic Falconry and japes aplenty from Tom Fool.

Grand Joust, August 9 to 11; Knights' Tournament, August 16 to 18 and August 23 to 25. www.english-heritage.org.uk

4. BLAM-TASTIC AT EDEN The Eden Project presents a blam-tastic summer with cross-generational appeal, courtesy of comic icon The Beano. The dreaded mega-monster COD-Zilla has landed and is threatening to destroy the world - starting with Eden. Team up with Dennis, Gnasher and friends on an epic quest to defeat the villain, save the planet, rebel against climate change and earn your red and black stripes. Expect great games, creative crafts and awesome activities, all with an eco-friendly message.

Until September 4; book your timed ticket at www.edenproject.com

5. OUTDOOR THEATRE Cornwall’s outdoor theatre is in full swing during August. Look out for Miracle Theatre’s King Lear at venues

5

7

9

8

10 including Sterts Theatre near Liskeard, Stowe Barton near Bude, Bodmin Moor, Newquay Orchard, Trelowarren on the Lizard, Tregrehan Gardens in St Austell and Enys Gardens, near Penryn. www.miracletheatre.co.uk And Rogue Theatre brings its own brand of magic to Tehidy Woods, with family-friendly performances by day and something a little more mystical by night. rogueotherworld.co.uk

6. CARNIVAL FEVER IN BUDE Bude Carnival celebrates its centenary this year, delayed by the pandemic. The event dates from 1920, when it was held in December. Events included a torch-lit procession and a Grand Masked Confetti Fete; hourly concerts by four Jolly Sailor Men and an exhibition of war trophies.

The grand sum of £34.16s.7d. was collected, with Stratton Cottage Hospital being one of the main beneficiaries. The event moved to the summer after the Second World War, when a Carnival King and Queen were added to proceedings.

It is now held on the third Saturday of August, with all profits donated to local charities and organisations. Judging starts at 5.30pm and the procession leaves the Lower Wharf at 6.30pm.

7. 50 YEARS OF LOVENY The Loveny Choir marks its 50th anniversary this year with a special gala celebration on August 20 at St Neot

Parish Church. The first rehearsal took place at Carnglaze with a modest six men in attendance, and music written out on wallpaper pinned to the chimney breast.

The choir has since won the Cornwall County Male Voice Championship and the Wadebridge Music Festival, as well as singing at the Welsh Eisteddfod, the Royal Albert Hall and live on BBC 1’s Songs of Praise. Today, more than 50 members are led by Marcus Alleyne; in 2023, they will sing on the war beaches in Normandy. To purchase tickets to the St Neot concert, call 01726 63513 or visit www.crbo.co.uk

with a stellar line-up including Soul II Soul,

8. FUN AND DRAMA ON CARLYON BEACH

Molly Hocking and Bailey Tomkinson – and

It’s all happening at Carlyon Beach, near St Austell, this summer. Take to the water on a jetski, kayak or stand-up paddleboard, then fill your boots at a foodie pop-up, from rustic pizzas and burgers to seafood platters or superior coffee and cake. www.carlyonbeach.co.uk

workshops, talks, poetry and open studios.

In the evenings, Wildworks theatre company presents I Am Kevin on Carlyon Beach, a promenade performance promising a dark, humorous, fiery, and honest journey of impossibility. wildworks.org.uk

near Port Isaac, from September 22

The private beach is dog-friendly thanks to a trial relaxation of the seasonal ban this year.

the Lightning Seeds, Reef, Public Service Broadcasting

and

former

Kasabian

frontman Tom Meighan. Plus a free-toenter community and food zone in Buller Quay car park. Weekend tickets £77 adults, £38.50 under 16s - under 6s go free. looelive.co.uk At St Ives September Festival you’ll find folk-rock pioneers Lindisfarne, rhythm and blues greats Dr Feelgood and American folk icon Peggy Seeger, as well as local talent including The Countrymen, Will Keating,

www.stivesseptemberfestival.co.uk

10. LITERARY DISCUSSION IN ST ENDELLION Curated by international best-selling author Patrick Gale, North Cornwall Book Festival returns to St Endellion, to 25. A dazzling selection of talks, performances and workshops includes authors Kit De Waal (whose My Name Is Leon was recently televised by the BBC), Kate Mosse and Esther Freud, CornishWelsh singer Gwenno and performance poets Inua Ellams and Vanessa Kisuule.

Come for the day and enjoy beautiful

9. SEPTEMBER FESTIVALS IN ST IVES AND LOOE

surroundings, delicious food and drink

Looe Live! (September 16 to 18), returns

ncornbookfest.org/whats-on

and a festival market. Book tickets at

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 11 n

n 12 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

5 OF THE BEST DOG-FRIENDLY BEACHES FOR FAMILIES Many beaches in Cornwall are subject to a dog ban from 10am to 6pm throughout July and August. Here are five beaches which allow dogs all year round, and are family-friendly to boot. Find more at www.dogfriendlycornwall.co.uk Loe Beach near Feock This is a lovely sandy beach on the upper reaches of the Fal estuary, near Truro (not to be confused with Loe Bar, near Porthleven). There’s a café and a car park, and good, level access. It is dog-friendly all year and you can enjoy watersports including SUP, kayaking and sailing.

Perranporth This ever-popular sandy beach on the north coast allows dogs to run free off lead on Perran Sands to the north. Families will love it for the lovely soft sand and space, as well as nearby shops, cafés and The Watering Hole – the famed pub on the beach. There are dog-friendly ice creams on offer at several cafés, and there is even a doggy shower available alongside the human facilities. This beach is also really accessible, with fairly level access and car parks close by.

Watergate Bay, Newquay This is our pick for several reasons. It’s wide, flat and sandy, with summer lifeguard cover and great facilities: toilets, cafés, shops, watersport lessons and hire. Look out for fabulous dog-friendly restaurants such as Wax and The Beach Hut, and coffee and snack vans, as well as magnificent coastal walks which are fairly easy. Park either right by the beach (with good level access) or on the hill above by the Hang Out Café, where there’s an easy stroll down the coast path to the beach.

Holywell Bay Distinctive for the twin peaks of Gull Rock just offshore, Holywell Bay will be familiar to Poldark fans as a key filming location for the BBC TV series. It is backed by beautiful, soft, sandy dunes with car park access right by the beach, and a couple of dog-friendly village pubs. Holywell gets its name from

an ancient well tucked away in the dunes.

A beautiful beach for a dog- and familyfriendly day out.

Carne beach, Roseland Peninsula On the southern shores of the beautiful Roseland Peninsula, Carne is sheltered

by Nare Head and has National Trust parking and fairly easy access to the beach. The beach itself is sandy and popular with families, and is overlooked by the dog-friendly Nare Head Hotel, which comes highly recommended for cream teas and snacks. l For more dog-friendly beaches, a list of beaches which have dog bans, and to order a printed guide with maps, visit www.dogfriendlycornwall.co.uk

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 13 n

n 14 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

© Mike Newman See page 20

16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 35 36 38

CAMEL CREEK FAMILY THEME PARK MORVOREN POETRY PASSPORT TO THE PATH IMS PRUSSIA COVE HELLYS INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL NEWQUAY ORCHARD AT 7 SUMMER READING RECOMMENDATIONS BEAVERING AWAY LONG WAY BACK MY COAST - A BEACH SAFETY APP SUSTAINABLE DESIGN IDEAS GARDENS COTTAGE, ST BLAZEY

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 15 n

A day out at n 16 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

C

amel Creek Family Theme Park is gearing up for the summer with a host of exciting new additions to the park, including a state-ofthe-art film 5D cinema and a thrilling lineup of character meet-and-greets from Peppa Pig to Titan the Robot via your favourite superheroes.

Open daily, the park has launched a Summer of Fun offer, allowing unlimited visits until September 4 for just £25pp.

There are rides to suit all ages, from the Kiddie’s Carousel to fan favourite rollercoaster Morgawr, and the highoctane Airbender. Take a break and fill your bellies at two new food outlets: Swampy’s Pizza and Creeky’s Donuts.

Until very recently, my daughter would have given her right arm to visit a theme park in the holidays. However, she recently turned 12 and is now suspicious of anything that might be construed as childish or “uncool”.

In her mind, Camel Creek was gentle teacup rides and people dressed as dinosaurs; could she be convinced that there was enough to keep a pre-teen happy?

Upon arrival, we studiously avoided the "dinosaur” welcome party and headed for a ride she was previously too small/young for: the Airbender rollercoaster. It was a huge hit, and we went on it several times - a great start.

Next, we checked into the new 5D cinema, which was showing a film in which Leonardo da Vinci finds his work interrupted by a rogue paintbrush. Buckle into a moving seat, don your goggles and prepare for a film with an added dimension (or two). Look out for an exhilarating new movie, Base Zero; your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to save civilisation from the threat of advanced alien technology. (Static chairs are available for a less-bumpy 3D experience).

Then came the wet rides. These were immensely popular during the heatwave, and small wonder. We were thoroughly drenched on the Thunder Falls (aka log flume) and Raging Rivers (a water slide with dinghies). Fortunately, there’s a heater just outside the Morgawr ride – the whole family can step inside and dry off for £2.

We enjoyed a mouth-watering lunch at the recently opened Swampy’s Pizza, then headed off to the stables for a highlight of the day: the Camel Creek Junior Keeper Experience. Visitors aged 8+ can join the park’s expert animal care team in their

daily work, getting hands-on with feeding, grooming and cleaning.

Camel Creek started life as Trelow Farm; the owners opened a visitor centre specialising in shire horses, which was taken over as a Cornwall offshoot of Devon-based Crealy in 2003 (it became independent and rebranded as Camel Creek in 2016). Animals remained a key part of the business, setting Camel Creek apart from its competitors; you can see meerkats, reptiles, ferrets, chinchillas, rats, birds, kunekune pigs and pygmy goats as well as horses.

The meerkat keeper’s experience is the most popular, by some margin. There are six meerkat brothers here: Cooper, Charles, Casper, Cody, Chester and Chase.

They were born three years after the park became Camel Creek, hence the C theme (ditto Cassie the horse), and in keeping with that theme, they are every bit as cheeky, cute and captivating as you’d expect a mob of meerkats to be.

Under the supervision of keepers Adam and Morgan, Daughter fed the excitable creatures live mealworms and morios (aka super giant mealworms - yum). The meerkats squabbled and scrambled at her feet, climbed on her lap and tapped her on the shoulder in the hope of a juicy treat. The action then moved inside, as she helped to clean out the toilet area and nestboxes and wipe the windows with a squeegee, before scattering live crickets in a ball pool for the meerkats to forage.

All the while, she had plenty of questions for her patient mentors, as did we.

There are five keepers, and they all have their particular interests – Morgan loves

mammals, while Adam is fascinated by reptiles. They clearly love their job, and had plenty of tips for us on looking after pets in hot weather, including ice packs and frozen water bottles, especially for rabbits (of which there are several at Camel Creek).

It was a fun and illuminating hour. I have never seen Daughter participate so readily in household tasks, and live in hope that this experience will encourage her to feed the cats or clean out the rabbit hutch at home. The chances are somewhat slim, but I can dream.

There was just enough time for us to do a final round of the park. “Can we go on the Airbender again? Can I say goodbye to the horses?” Daughter pleaded. The day had been an unqualified success. Camel Creek: you’ve still got it. l Camel Creek Family Theme Park, Tredinnick, Wadebridge PL27 7RA. Prices: Adults and children over 105cm, £23.95; children between 92cm and 105cm, £18.95; under 92cm, free.

Concessions available for families, seniors and emergency service workers.

All tickets include re-entry for the week.

Summer of Fun special offer: unlimited visits until September 4 for just £25pp.

Tickets to Camel Creek can be purchased on entry or online at www.camelcreek.co.uk The Junior Keeper Experience is priced at £45 for non-members, £30 to members.

Price includes park entry, goodie bag and certificate.

A @camelcreekpark U @camelcreekpark

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 17 n

Dip a toe or dive straight in; stroll along the sand or race through the surf. Poet Katrina Naomi describes the experience of sea swimming as “being burned alive from the ankles up”.

n 18 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

M

orvoren: The Poetry of Sea Swimming is a 32-poem collection celebrating the magic and beauty of sea swimming in Cornwall alongside stunning colour photography and interviews with the swimmers who inspired the verse.

Taking their group name from the Cornish word for “mermaid”, nine female poets in Cornwall and Scilly - Kate Barden, Ruth Eggins, Penelope MacBeth, Abigail Ottley, Polly Roberts, Morag Smith, Hannah Temme, Kerry Vincent and Ella Walsworth-Bell - contacted sea swimming groups including She Swims Falmouth, Manamaids, Morva swimmers and Gylly Swimmers for Wellbeing, in search of women who swam regularly for health and happiness.

They interviewed swimmers (sometimes in the sea!) and created poems as a community collaboration, while photographers Alice Bray and Rita Maureen Hencke got right in the water with the women to create beautiful images that bring the poetry to life.

“This is a wholly women-focused and women-created project which aims to create beauty and magic from sea swimming,” says poet Ella WalsworthBell. “Everyone has volunteered time and effort to make this project a success.” A crowdfunding campaign has raised money for editing and design work, ISBN purchase, printing (in Cornwall) and distribution.

Swimming Free

“I recognise so much of my own sea swimming in these stunning, anarchic, joyful poems,” says Katrina Naomi. “These poems ask: 'Why wouldn't you swim?'.

Read this anthology, and see if it doesn't have you running for the waves, 'nipples like limpets'. Brava to one and all.”

You have a date with the full moon,

Hear work performed at St Ives Festival on September 12. www.stivesseptemberfestival.co.uk

Physicality takes hold.

by Polly Roberts

Leave the child at home, the bedtime duties and washing up too.

Leave behind the day’s work and worries, the social commitments and responsibilities.

Take only the dog, a silent best friend who waits on shore.

whose reflected path you swim, bathing in phosphorescence, thoughts shocked into liquid.

It takes only thirty seconds.

Only space.

Gone are the to-do lists, shopping lists, anxieties.

Washed away.

Find out more about the project by joining the Facebook group @Morvoren: the poetry of sea swimming.

People have been saying you’re looking well, that your essence has returned.

You re-meet your dog refreshed, pulled by current and moon, back to yourself.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 19 n

A new way to enjoy the South West Coast Path and support its businesses Photographs by Mike Newman

n 20 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

M

illions of visitors walking the South West Coast Path this summer can keep a lasting record of their journey by stamping their Coast Path Passport. The booklet is being trialled by the South West Coast Path Association (SWCPA), the charity that looks after the National Trail - Britain’s longest at 630 miles, stretching from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset, via Land’s End at Cornwall’s western tip.

The passport is based on the model used by the world-famous Camino de Santiago walk across Northern Spain. Walkers are invited to stop on their journey and collect ‘stamps’ from more than 100 ‘Way Makers’ - SWCPA business supporters, including visitor information centres, museums, cafés, shops and pubs. It's hoped that when they do, they will take refreshment or stock up on supplies, helping local businesses get their share of the £520 million that nine million path visitors contribute to the local economy each year.

Craftsman Marc Hoskin of Dartmoorbased Wild Work has created stamps with seven designs to reflect different sections of the South West Coast Path: a wave for North Cornwall, a tin mine for West Cornwall and an anchor for South Cornwall, as well as a lighthouse for South Devon, a seal for North Devon, an ammonite for the Jurassic Coast and a moorland pony for Exmoor.

“We hope the fun of collecting the stamps will encourage people of all ages to experience the amazing health and wellbeing that the South West Coast Path offers, whether they are walking just one small bit or the whole lot,” says SWPCA director Julian Gray.

“We’re honoured to be selected as one of

“It’s also a great way to raise awareness of the work we do as a charity to help protect, care for, and share this amazing environmental and tourism asset which costs almost £1 million a year to do – half of which we raise from our supporters.”

Passports

Way Makers include 18 St Austell Brewery pubs scattered all along the trail, and The Godolphin hotel in Marazion. “As a business located on the South West Coast Path, we understand how important it is to the local economy and recognise that by being a Way Maker, we are doing our bit to help support and protect this natural resource,” says events manager Alexa Allen. “We have been welcoming walkers for years, and we are sure the Passport will encourage many people to explore all that the path has to offer.”

The South West Coast Path National Trail

The oldest ferry crossing in Britain is also on board. “We’ve been helping people to cross the Helford passage for over 1,000 years,” says Phil Brewer of Helford River Boats. “Without the Helford Passage ferry, hikers on the South West Coast Path have to walk an extra 13 miles inland to reach Helford Village.

For more information about the South

the first Coast Path Passport Stamping points and help walkers to save their tired feet! It’s a great initiative which means we can also support the charity doing such a great job in looking after this amazing environmental and tourism asset for the region." cost

£6.50

each.

During

the summer trial, passport users and stamping point venues will be asked for their feedback with a view to growing the scheme in time for the charity’s 50th anniversary celebrations next year.

was originally a means for the coastguard to track and pursue smugglers, and continues to provide access to. As a designated National Trail, it is the longest and most popular walk in the country, passing

through

Somerset,

Devon,

Cornwall and Dorset, including two World Heritage Sites, five Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and one National Park. It’s a journey through one of the most diverse coastal landscapes in the world, where no two days walking it are ever the same. l

West Coast Path Passport and to buy your own, visit www.southwestcoastpath. org.uk/passport Follow the South West Coast Path on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and use #southwestcoastpath

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 21 n

The magical world of IMS Prussia Cove

A

uthor Hans Christian Andersen once said: “ Where words fail, music speaks.” Hungarian violinist Sándor Végh would surely have agreed. In 1972, Végh launched a series of international musicians’ seminars (IMS) on the family estate of Cornish landowner Hilary Tunstall-Behrens, at the beautiful Prussia Cove between Porthleven and Penzance.

Their aim: to provide a creative haven away from the distractions of daily urban life, for players of any age or nationality to practise chamber music.

Masterclasses and rehearsals took place in Porth-en-Alls, the house built by Hilary’s grandfather. Half a century later, they still do. Many well-known names have passed through its doors, including virtuoso cellist Steven Isserlis, who first attended IMS Prussia Cove as a teenager and is now its artistic director.

In September, IMS hosts a programme of events alongside its annual Open Chamber Music seminar to mark this important n 22 |

My

milestone, including a special exhibition of its archive collection at Kresen Kernow in Redruth (culminating in a family workshop on September 24), and a series of outreach workshops in local primary and secondary schools. There will also be a sale of portraits

by Romi Behrens – Hilary's sister-in-law - of IMS musicians, patrons and helpers from the 1970s onwards.

Tim Boulton attended his first IMS in 1979 at the tender age of 19, and attributes his lengthy career in music in large part to the influence of IMS and its charismatic co-founder. Today, he is a driving force in music education and provision in the county, directing Cornwall Youth Orchestra and running the Concerts Penzance series. He will lead IMS’ outreach project, with aspiring young musicians learning alongside chamber music professionals, then performing in local primary schools.

“I fell into IMS Prussia Cove by accident, when a friend of a friend of a friend

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

suggested I volunteer in the kitchens,” he recalls. “I’d never been to Cornwall and had no idea what I was letting myself in for. I hitch-hiked from London and ended up on a track leading further and further into nowhere, with this beautiful sea and stunning landscape.

“The course itself was a bit of a whirlwind, but it gave me the chance to hear Sandor Végh speak, and his influence on my musical life has been enormous.”

Soon, Tim was taking part in viola classes and keeping Easter and September free every year. “IMS became an important part of my life. I learned much more about music as a language there than I ever did in my formal musical education.

“That the courses took place in Cornwall, rather than in London or a European city, meant our music reflected the waves of the sea, the way the wind was changing, the feeling of motion. We spoke to each other through our music.”

Tim Boulton

Hearing Sandor Végh speak took some getting used to: “He used a kind of homemade Esperanto, combining words from the many languages he spoke and using whichever best conveyed what he wanted to say. Sometimes, that language would be music. At first, I just heard words, but when I eventually understood what he meant, it was a revelation.”

Végh believed in music as a means of communication, and that playing an instrument represented an intimate, whole-body experience for the performer, making them physically and emotionally as one. This approach was further enhanced by an emphasis on chamber music: the art of playing one instrument to a part, with no conductor, requiring players to develop a deep connection with each other.

The residential courses offered the opportunity to hear musicians from all over the world, at the top of their game, in beautiful venues. “I met musicians who seemed untouchable but who have become long-standing colleagues and even friends - it’s the most extraordinary community,” says Tim. “Many of us started here at IMS, and there’s a sense among us that we carry a responsibility for passing on Végh’s traditions.”

The intense privacy of the early days has relaxed somewhat, and the seminars are accompanied by concerts around West Cornwall with a fervent following. “Some of our members remember seeing Steven Isserlis during his first visit, and have watched his meteoric rise with interest,” says Alexandra Maund, chair of the Friends of IMS Prussia Cove.

The group takes on the responsibility of fundraising, largely through organising

Sándor Végh

OPEN CHAMBER CONCERTS SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 WEEKEND ONE

pandemic. “We missed it terribly – at the first concert, players almost cried with joy at being able to play for a live audience again.”

Mullion-based luthier Mark Jennings sets

Friday, September 16 Marazion Community Centre, 7.30pm

up his studio on site during seminars and talks to musicians about their instruments,

Saturday, September 17 Trelowarren Chapel, 7.30pm

helping with problems where necessary.

He’s fond of sporting analogies, describing

Sunday, September 18

the musicians as “the Premier League”;

St Hilary Church, 2.30pm

of his own contribution, he adds: “Like a Formula 1 driver knowing what goes on

WEEKEND TWO

under the bonnet, I hope I help musicians

Friday, September 23 St John’s Hall, Penzance 7.30pm Saturday, September 24

understand and appreciate the construction of their instruments, whether old or new."

Over the last five years, Mark has been

St Buryan Church 7.30pm

working with German colleague Peter

Sunday, September 25 Princess Pavillion, Falmouth 3pm

Greiner to craft a new string quartet for IMS; with the cello due to be finished this summer, the instruments will be played

WEEKEND THREE

together for the first time during the

Friday, September 30 St Pol de Leon Church, Paul, 7.30pm

September seminar, and at the prestigious Wigmore Hall in November. In the long-

Saturday, October 1

term, they will be loaned to young

St Michael’s Mount, 2pm

musicians in need of instruments while finding their feet.

Sunday, October 2 King Charles the Martyr

“These are some of the best musicians in

Falmouth, 3.30pm

the world - Premier League stuff – and most

Archive exhibition

play instruments that are old and valuable

September 20 to 24

instruments, so it’s a challenge to make a

Kresen Kernow, Redruth.

new quartet that will be good enough,”

www.i-m-s.org.uk

says Mark. “In some ways, I’m sad this

and staffing concerts. It has a membership

I’m really excited to hear the instruments

of around 550, two-thirds of which is in

played together - and knowing that will

Cornwall but many of whom live out of

happen at the Wigmore is very special.”

county and even abroad. “Some are highly qualified in music and play instruments, but it’s the love of listening to live music that drives most of us," says Alex.

collaboration is coming to an end, but

The feeling one gets from all involved is that of a tight-knit, dedicated band of brothers. “It’s nice to be part of the IMS family,” says Mark, while Tim Boulton

Like many events, the seminars were

adds: “It makes me feel proud – or, more

cancelled or moved online during the

accurately, it’s a privilege.” l

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 23 n

W

alking through Helston in midAugust, you might be fooled into thinking you were in southern Spain, or Baroque-period Italy. Mediterranean guitar music will fill the air during Hellys International Guitar Festival 2022, which takes place at the newly refurbished Epworth Centre from August 18 to 20.

Featuring 18 concerts over three days, it unites the cream of international concert performers from Europe and Latin America, offering a huge variety of styles from classical to Brazilian to blues.

Ben Salfield

several female players, but Liverppolbased Eleanor Kelly will perform Latin music by rarely heard women composers.

Ben predicts she and German/Belgian prodigy Laura Lootens will soon be household names: "I’ve been lucky to book them while I can still afford them!” he laughs. “Just under half of all guitarists are women, so it’s ridiculous that they don’t seem to get their share of the shows.”

The festival is about more than just performance. There are talks, workshops

In guitar spheres, the line-up is positively stellar: Milanese maestro Andrea Dieci, German guitar superstar Jule Malischke, Brazilian musician Marco Campos, Penwithbased blueswoman Sarah McQuaid. It’s also an opportunity to see up-and-coming players tipped for future stardom, such as Newquay’s Alex Roche or Przemek Hotlas from Poland.

Pulling it all together is Cornwall-based lutenist Ben Salfield, a player of some renown himself with an enviable little black book of contacts and a reputation for enticing foreign performers to the UK.

and lessons for all ages, as well as five of the UK's best guitar makers to meet.

Merchandise

from

Ben’s

Ben is passionate about encouraging the next generation of guitarists, so under 18s access everything for free. Complete It’s the first festival since the pandemic, and Ben has been deluged with requests not only from audience members but also from prospective players. As well as classical, flamenco and blues, there will be opportunities to hear less familiar instruments and styles: Matthew Nisbet’s Baroque theorbo with its impressively long neck, for example, or the fast and furious Latin-jazz-rock sounds of The Horsemen of the Apocalypse, featuring Ben himself.

Jule Malischke

My

come

and sheet music publishers.

He's especially proud of this year’s gender balance. Not only are there

n 24 |

will

personal sponsors, include string makers

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

beginners should not be nervous: even you could learn to play a three-chord song under the watchful eye of Polish ukulele teacher Przemek Hotlas.

In 2023, Ben will return to touring with a series of recitals in Poland, Germany and Italy. But Helston will always beckon.

“There are more kids in schools here learning guitar than anywhere else in the South West,” he says. “Helston is a world guitar centre, and is known as such from South America to South Africa.” l For further details and tickets, visit www.hellysfestival.co.uk

SAVE THE DATE August 1 - 7: Superhero Week

August 9 & 10: Meet Peppa Pig & George August 16 & 17: Meet Titan the Robot August 23 & 24: Meet Chase & Skye from Paw Patrol August 29 - September 4: Dinosaur Week

SPECIAL CHARACTER APPEARANCES ON SELECTED DATES THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER!

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 25 n

The urban greenspace that has become a community sanctuary

A

s North Cornwall’s largest town, Newquay is blessed with beautiful beaches and fresh Atlantic air. It’s also lucky to have a seven-acre “urban greenspace” in Newquay Orchard, which has grown organically and exponentially since 2015 to offer everything from fresh produce and horticultural skills to a shared workspace, makers’ studio and community café.

Follow the espaliered walkway, and find yourself surrounded by Cornish apples, bees buzzing around lavender, vibrant poppies. The place just teems with life, and shouts its ethos from the rooftops: sustainability, healthy eating, field to fork.

Ultimately, it’s a sanctuary, a space to breathe and escape, with volunteering and education at its heart. More than 800 volunteers have n 26 |

My

passed through its gates, and in June, the orchard received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service - the highest award a local voluntary group can receive in the UK and the equivalent to an MBE. On July 19, His Royal Highness The Duke of Cornwall dropped in to see how the project has evolved over the last seven years. The orchard was built on Duchy land and links “old” Newquay with the Duchy’s own recent development at Nansledan.

The Duke munched on a tasty homegrown mangetout as he chatted with those harvesting the produce in An Lowarth – The Garden in Cornish.

It’s a long way from the boggy, disused field in which chief executive officer Luke Berkeley first met the Duke, armed with a big map and a big idea for the best community green

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

space in the UK. Luke had studied ecology at university, but was frustrated by the focus on “doomsday predictions” and poor use of green urban spaces.

“The only course of action was to do something about it,” he tells me as we explore the extensive site, which is alive with play groups in the forest garden and carpenters in the craft workshop.

The ramshackle shed has been replaced by Kowel Gwenen, a hi-tech and comfortable community building housing the orchard HQ as well as a co-working space and a café using produce grown on site to feed 34 employees and 150 volunteers. “It’s not a small operation anymore,” Luke agrees.

“There are six enterprises under one umbrella – but our ethos still underpins everything we do.”

The market garden is at the very heart of the orchard’s raison d’etre. Volunteers sow, tend and harvest the food to be prepared and served in Canteen at the Orchard, built during lockdown as a community café and still going strong. Food miles are measured in metres, and the goal is to be carbon negative this year. “It’s a model to show what you can do with seven acres.”

This formed a huge part of the orchard’s appeal during the pandemic, when people realised they needed nature and flocked to get involved – there’s now a waiting list for volunteers. “People come here when they need us, and we see them grow. Lifelong friends are made in this place.” These include orchard ambassador Rory, who has grown in confidence and now has a parttime job thanks to his experience here.

The space has also been a boon for external businesses, from touring theatre companies (see Shakespeare on the terraces in August) to yoga, dance and family bushcraft activities – Imagine Outdoors launched during the pandemic and now employs five people.

In July, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) veg box pilot scheme was launched.

Grown By Newquay Orchard enables 45 local households to share in weekly fresh produce from Fentenfenna Farm in Ruthvoes, near St Columb Major, while young people will get the opportunity to learn horticultural skills.

When considering what the orchard has achieved, Luke speaks of a “palpable pride” in the community. “I’m really, really proud of everyone who has been involved.

When we hear people talking about their experiences here, it’s very emotional – there is no bigger compliment.” l Newquay Orchard, Yeoman Way, Newquay TR7 2SL. Tel 01637 877182 www.newquayorchard.co.uk Events in August and September: • August 16 & 17: Miracle Theatre King Lear • August 21: Duke Theatre A Midsummer Night’s Dream • August 22: Mary Lattimore – Harpist • September 17: Newquay Orchard Fayre • September 20: Horticulture masterclass Winter pruning, tidying, mulching and composting. £50pp - includes materials and lunch.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 27 n

Of The Sea Author Wyl Menmuir explores the human pull towards the coast

S

ince the earliest stages of human development, the sea has fascinated and entranced us, sustained communities and provided livelihoods. It fires our imagination, brings us joy and solace - but also wields immense destructive power. It offers the promise of faraway lands, but also shapes our borders and erodes the very ground beneath our feet.

Booker Prize nominated author Wyl Menmuir makes his first foray into non-fiction with The Draw of the Sea, in which he meets those who spend their lives by the water – fishermen and free divers, sailors and surfers, artists and environmentalists, those who have turned to it for health reasons – and attempts to define the role the sea plays in our lives. “It does so much for us: it’s work, it’s play, it feeds us and heals us,” he says.

Wyl had already made his reputation with novels – his 2016 debut was longlisted for the Booker Prize, no less. The Many is a mystery set in an isolated coastal village, and it was on festival circuit that Wyl had the idea for a non-fiction work about how humankind relates to the sea.

“People would want to know where The Many was set, and many recognised it as their own village,” he recalls. “One elderly gentleman in Piccadilly swore blind it was his home in west Wales, and begged me: ‘Please don’t tell me it isn’t my village.’

Above all, people wanted to share their feelings about the sea.”

As a former journalist, Wyl was no stranger to non-fiction. He had also interviewed n 28 |

My

different path to the sea, and in this book I wanted to trace those lines.”

Wyl himself grew up in landlocked Stockport, where the only water was “the brown waters of the River Mersey, which passed under Asda”. Therein lies the appeal: “Inland, everything is parcelled up in some way. There are so many places you can’t go. When we went on holiday to the seaside, it felt like unregulated space.”

Having started his own family, he moved down to Cornwall to be nearer his wife’s Clay Country residents for Kneehigh’s Walk With Me story-telling app. “Fiction and non-fiction are not so different, in that they are simply alternative ways of telling stories,” he says.

In 13 interlinked chapters, Wyl sets out to investigate what it is that draws us to the water’s edge. He starts with Jane Darke, widow of filmmaker Nick and an experienced beachcomber; and ends with rake artist Tony Plant, known for his expansive and intricate work on sand. In between, he searches Scillonian beaches for tiny shells, swims with freediving photographer Daan Verhoeven, handplanes surf boards in Porthtowan and even runs away to sea on a tall ship bound for the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard.

In that sense, the book sounds like the perfect excuse to sample lots of different activities, especially for someone who clearly loves being in the water. “It was so much fun,” Wyl enthuses. “That’s the privilege of being a writer. We all take a

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

parents, and is a lecturer in creative writing at Falmouth University and co-creator of The Writers’ Block, working with children, adults, schools, communities and more.

“Even though I’m a northerner, Cornwall feels like home now.”

At the bottom of it all is a serious message.

“We want to use the sea as our playground, our fishing grounds, but we’re not so good at looking after it and protecting it. We need to get better at that, and pass the experience onto our children, and their children.

“This isn’t a book of hard campaigning, but the idea behind it is to get people to explore the way in which we love the sea, and from that work out ways in which they can protect the thing they love.” l The

Draw

of

the

Sea is published by Aurum, RRP £12.99 (hardback).

Whistling Jack Josephine Gardiner Hypatia Publications.

In the summer of 1976, 11-year-old Sally Martins and her friends spend days and nights at an abandoned house on the subtropical landslip known as the Fall.

When they discover the body of a young girl, they do not report it; six years later, as teenagers, they face an inevitable reckoning. At the same time, Sally starts reading the journal of impoverished curate James Prideaux, who witnessed the landslip at the Fall 200 years earlier on the day a young girl went missing.

Separated by two centuries, the crises echo each other and show how being the 'innocent bystander' has consequences.

A debut novel by Cornwall-based writer Gardiner, Whistling Jack appears in the Cream of Cornish slot at the North Cornwall Book Festival. www.ncornbookfest.org

From the Cliffs of Cornwall to Kilimanjaro

Ebb and Flo and the Sea Monster

Eric Marks Troubadour, £14.99.

In 2018, aged 76, the author trained to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa by walking over 252 miles with his nephew along the South West Coast Path through Somerset, Devon, and Cornwall. Was this a late-life crisis, or what? Eric shares his memories and stories with the reader, from the comforting sights of home to the exotic landscapes of Africa, the great seascapes he saw, and the fascinating people he met, unexpected situations and near-death moments.

One thing is certain: Eric proves you’re only as old as you accept you are.

Jane Simmons Graffeg Publishing, £7.99.

A journey home from Granny’s house turns into a big adventure when Ebb, Flo, Mum and Bird end up marooned. They camp out for the night, but when Mum heads off to find some wood, Ebb and Flo think they see a sea monster... but sea monsters don’t exist, do they? The trio find that making the most out of what seems to be a bad situation can lead to some interesting experiences. Inspired by the mythical creature Morgawr, this tale gives under fives an insight into life on the coast and invites conversations about seaside safety. Ebb and Flo and the Greedy Gulls is due for publication in August, while the first two books have been adapted into an animated TV series narrated

by Fiona Shaw, which can be viewed on YouTube.

The South West Coast Path: 1,000 Mini Adventures Along Britain's Longest Waymarked Path Stephen Neale Bloomsbury, £20.

This inspiring guidebook highlights adventures to enjoy along the entire 630-mile route, offering cherry-picked, time-saving and inexpensive ideas for wild days out. Divided into regions, it explores the best places to get closer to nature and shows the locations for hidden beaches, woodland areas, wild swims, kayaking and camping. It also points out hill forts, starlit cliffs, caves and pools, while foraging for nettles, crabs and shrimps, and supplying useful information on great places to stay the night or grab a bite to eat. All with simple directions, engaging writing and beautiful photography.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 29 n

How an experimental flood prevention scheme has come up trumps

Juvenile beaver swimming © Adrian Langdon

n 30 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

I

n 2017, Woodland Valley Farm near Ladock was a tidily beautiful green space. There was one pond, fed by Nankilly Water, with one stream in and another out. Today the site is utterly unrecognisable, with seven large ponds surrounded by wetlands and overgrowth.

It’s considerably messier, and that’s exactly how owner Chris Jones likes it.

It’s all thanks to the neighbours who moved in five years ago. Who are they? Look around and the clues are there for all to see: felled trees brought down by almost cartoonish toothmarks, several dams – classic beaver traits. All that’s missing is someone yelling “TIMBERRRRR!” The Cornwall Beaver Project - a partnership between Woodland Valley Farm, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, The Beaver Trust and the University of Exeter celebrated its fifth anniversary in June by unveiling a wheelchair-friendly boardwalk.

Around 5,000 members of the public have visited the site since 2017, while millions more have seen it on mainstream TV programmes such as BBC’s Springwatch.

The beavers were an experimental solution to an ongoing problem. “In 2012, Ladock flooded twice within a month,” Chris recalls. “It would have happened again in 2013, but a big tree had fallen and diverted the water. It struck me that with the increasing rainfall we were being told to expect, we needed to find a way of holding water on our land.”

While many measures required funding, beavers promised to do the work for free.

Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, a male and a female - named Chewy and Willow - were released into the five-acre enclosure on the farm, with two kits born less than a year later.

The gamble paid off: thanks to natural flood defences created by these ‘ecosystem engineers’, water now takes over an hour to travel through the site, compared to just 15 minutes prior to the beavers’ arrival.

Dams hold water in dry periods, helping to cut drought and subsequent flash flooding, reduce erosion and improve water quality.

Progress has been eagerly monitored by everyone from farmers and flooding consultants to researchers and wildlife recorders. Native species have flourished, including 13 that were previously absent from the site - such as the willow tit (the UK’s most threatened resident bird, having declined 94% since the 1970s), and the

Helman Tor View © Ben Watkins & Cornwall Wildlife Trust

pole cat, once on the brink of extinction in Britain. Fish have also increased in size.

So, having been hunted to extinction 400 years ago, beavers are now back in Britain, with five enclosures located across Cornwall and calls for more carefully considered wild releases in areas of flooding and biodiversity loss.

Cheryl Marriott, head of conservation at Cornwall Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s amazing what can happen when you let nature look after itself, without the need for humans to manage it. The beavers have breathed new life into this habitat and their natural dam-building behaviour has delivered lots of benefits for both wildlife and people.

“With the ever more extreme weather events that we’re getting, beavers give us hope that our streams and all the wildlife that relies on them can adapt to the changes. We must use their natural ‘superpowers’ in the sustainable, longterm restoration of our wetlands.”

The trust hopes to replicate the success of the Cornwall Beaver Project at Helman Tor nature reserve, one of its most important wetlands, between Bodmin and Lostwithiel.

Here, a mosaic of wetland, woodland and grassland habitats supports many rare species, including the marsh fritillary, one of Europe’s most endangered butterflies, as well as otters, dormice and willow tits.

In June, the trust celebrated its 60th year by launching its largest-ever fundraising appeal to acquire the 97-acre Creney Farm.

The site is almost entirely surrounded by the Helman Tor reserve, which has been bought up in parcels since 1980.The trust needs to raise £240,000 through a public appeal, with a philanthropist and CWT supporter agreeing to match donations pound-for-pound up to £120,000.

Research completed in 2020 by the trust, in partnership with Cornwall Council and the University of Exeter, shows Cornwall’s

nature is in trouble. Over the last 30 years, nearly half of terrestrial mammals and 60% of butterflies are found in fewer places. Almost 50% of breeding birds, such as the buzzard and yellowhammer, have also declined.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust wants to ensure at least 30% of Cornwall’s land, rivers and seas are managed well for wildlife by 2030.

The new plot will contribute to this target by reconnecting and restoring land for nature’s benefit, as well as providing better reserve access with a new main entrance and enhanced visitor parking.

“If we’re going to hit this target, we need bigger nature reserves - rich, special places for wildlife,” says Cheryl. “But we can’t do this alone. We want to work with neighbouring farmers and other landowners in the Helman Tor area to support sustainable land management and create corridors through which wildlife can expand.

“Nature is missing from too much of our countryside but given the chance, it can recover in the most remarkable way.” l To contribute to the Creney Farm appeal and have your donation doubled, visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/landappeal or call 01872 273939 (select option 2).

To learn more about The Cornwall Beaver Project and book onto a guided walk, visit www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/ cornwallbeaverproject As myCornwall went to press, the trust launched yet another programme with the aim of restoring intertidal seagrass found in the Fal Estuary. These underwater meadows are sometimes called the ‘lungs of the sea’ because of their incredible ability to store massive amounts of carbon. Funded by clothing brand Seasalt Cornwall, the Seeding Change Together project will use new technology to identify and test restoration methods that can be scaled up in the fight against climate change.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 31 n

A Cornish road movie from brothers Brett and Simon Harvey

n 32 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

T

he “Nearly Home Trees”, they call them. Cookworthy Knapp, to use its given name, is a much-loved landmark close to the Devon/Cornwall border near Launceston. After a long journey, the appearance of the tree-topped knoll on the horizon means “home”, so its starring role in a Cornish road movie is well earned.

In Long Way Back, we meet reluctant father David, who is the only person who can help his estranged daughter Lea when she leaves university under tragic circumstances. As they make an eventful car journey across Britain, revisiting old haunts – concluding with the copse of 100 beech trees - and reliving old memories, David attempts to make up for a lifetime of disappointments and to reconnect with Lea. But is it too late?

It’s an emotionally visceral tale of relationships, regret, responsibility and ultimately love. Long Way Back stars top Cornish talent: Tristan Sturrock, most recently seen as Zacky Martin in the BBC’s wildly popular adaptation of Poldark; Chloe Endean, who made her film debut in Mark Jenkin’s Bafta award-winning Bait; and star of stage and screen Susan Penhaligon.

The content has family at its heart, and it’s a family affair behind the screens too. Long Way Back was written and directed by Brett Harvey and produced by his brother, Simon (who also appears in the film). Third brother Dan did the on-site catering, and various other relatives have walk-on parts.

Long Way Back was filmed largely in Cornwall on a minuscule budget in 2019, and premiered at this year’s Manchester International Film Festival, its release delayed by the pandemic. In April, two impromptu screenings in Truro sold out, and it’s bound to be popular when it returns to home turf in September, showing in WTW cinemas and Newlyn Filmhouse.

“We waited so long to show it to an audience, we were quite nervous,” says Brett. “But the reception was incredible. It provoked lots of interesting conversations.”

“The Truro screenings were overwhelming,” adds Simon. “We grew up going to the Plaza. I have never had to stand outside an auditorium and shake so many hands.”

Brett was inspired to write the story many moons ago, on a similar journey home from university with his father. “I couldn’t remember any other time with just me and him in the car,” he says. “We didn’t know what to say to each other. It was slightly awkward, and I remember thinking it would be a great setting for a film. It’s only taken me 20 years to develop it, and the characters are about as far from me and my dad as possible – they are far more interesting.”

The idea of a British road movie is unusual: “You can drive to most places in a day, so we came up with a story in which they weren’t in a hurry, and didn’t mind taking detours,” Simon explains.

Cookworthy Knapp is on private land (on the Devon side of the border), so the brothers had to seek permission to film there. “It was quite hard to find out who owned them, so in the end we drove out and knocked on doors until we found the owner,” says Simon.

“I’d always wondered what they looked like from inside,” adds Brett. “We always make films with the audience in mind, and this one is especially Cornish. The more people I speak to, the more I find it really resonates with people as an image.”

Most of the action takes place in the car (Simon's Saab, which deserves a credit in its own right), giving the brothers the challenge of finding “the epic in the ordinary” - quite a good rule to live your life by in general.

The Harveys pride themselves on featuring Cornish locations that haven’t been filmed before, and there isn’t a single shot of a beach in Long Way Back “or in any of my films, and I wear that as a badge of pride,” says Brett. “It’s good to see a different side of Cornwall on screen.”

“Our reality of living here isn’t being on beaches all the time,” chimes in Simon.

“That’s why Bait landed – it dealt with real human emotions everyone can relate to.

“I get really fed up when people say ‘will it have broad appeal if you make it in Cornwall?’ I love watching films set in a factory in the middle of the USA. I don’t know anything about those places, but I believe those people exist. Such films are specific yet simultaneously universal.”

Both supplement their income by working in Cornwall’s burgeoning creative industry: “You don’t go into film making at this level to get rich.” Simon is an Associate Artist at the Hall for Cornwall and a theatre director for hire, most recently bagging a 2022 Olivier for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play for Pride and Prejudice (Sort of), a comedic retelling of Austen’s novel that comes to the Minack in September.

Brett is currently editing films for Tate St Ives, and has a new work in progress: Full Stops Not Tadpoles, a genre-bending comedy drama about Parkinson’s, following his own “life-altering” diagnosis in 2019. Both brothers are also associate lecturers at Falmouth University, and drew heavily on it for their crew, offering moneycan't-buy experience for their students to get a credit on a bona fide cinema release.

The brothers have worked together before, on films including Long Weekend and Brown Willy. It’s a formula that clearly works: “It’s not like working with my brother,” says Brett. “We’re more like collaborators.

Simon will give it to me straight.”

“Some people do this just as a job,” says Simon, “but for us it’s an investment.

We’ve got each other’s back.” l Long Way Home plays in cinemas from September 2.

Pride and Prejudice (Sort of) comes to the Minack Theatre from September 22 to October 6.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 33 n

The Fisherman’s Friends film spawns a sequel

I

n 2019, the story of Cornwall's most famous “buoy band”, the Fisherman’s Friends, was immortalised on film. Its uplifting story of everyman success drew such keen interest that its producers decided a sequel was in order. As a result, Fisherman’s Friends: One and All – whose subtitle echoes the Cornish motto - sails into cinemas across the UK and Ireland from Friday, August 19.

The original hit movie was inspired by the story of the wildly popular shanty singers, who rose to fame performing on the harbour in their native Port Isaac. Executive producer Meg Leonard admits a sequel wasn’t part of the original plan but grew out of the film’s rapturous reception. “We were thrilled by how engaged audiences with the storyline and the characters,” she says. “The pitch was simple: 10 singing fishermen get a major record deal and chart in the top 10. The next one was the challenge of their success.”

Part two catches up with them a year later, following the soaraway success of their debut album No Hopers, Jokers and Rogues.

Struggling to navigate the pressures, pitfalls and temptations of their newfound fame, n 34 |

My

band members find lifelong friendships are put to the test as they battle the dreaded “curse of the second album”. Will they iron out these issues in time to perform on the Pyramid stage at Glastonbury, on the same bill as Beyonce?

The action moves beyond Port Isaac,

Returning cast members include Maggie Steed, Dave Johns, Sam Swainsbury, Jade Anouka, David Hayman and James Purefoy, whose character Jim is at the forefront of the action. As well as getting to grips with his public profile, Jim is grieving the loss of fellow band Jago in the first film.

from April 11 to 22, 2023. Since the

with a performance at the Minack and plenty of shots of wild coastal scenery and abandoned engine houses.

The stage musical based on the film returns to the Hall For Cornwall, Truro world premiere launched the refurbished auditorium in October 2021, the show has been refreshed to reflect the content of both films, and will tour nationally before crossing the Atlantic to Canada.

Lest we forget that it’s all based on a true

“We wanted to go to deeper places,” says Meg. “Jim is an alpha male, and has to admit that it’s OK to be not OK. James spent a lot of time on this in the script process, beyond the role of an actor, and we honoured that by crediting him as executive producer.”

New faces including Richard Harrington, Ramon Tikaram, Joshua McGuire and Irish singer-songwriter Imelda May in her debut acting role as a washed-up rock star hiding out in rural Cornwall: in Meg’s words, “an emotionally complex female lead” and a foil for Jim.

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

story, the film ends with footage of the actual Fisherman’s Friends making their way to Glasto in 2011, and preparing to go on stage. “It’s so moving,” says Meg, who was in the audience for that very performance. “It’s amazing to watch it now.

“Shanties are in our DNA. Shanties are cool.

“I think people want a sense of community tradition, honesty and simplicity, now more than ever.” l Fisherman’s Friends: One and All (12A) plays in cinemas from Friday, August 19.

A new app for coastal users

I

f you’re heading to the coast this summer, you might be wishing there was one handy home for tide times, parking information, live water and beach conditions and more.

Mother-of-three Jo Murray certainly felt that way, so she created one.

Launched officially at the end of July, the My Coast app has been designed to help users make the best of visiting the coast while staying safe, and has been praised and supported by a host of key partners including the RNLI, MET Office, South West Water and the Universities of Plymouth and Exeter.

Jo, a chartered accountant from Ladock near Truro, came up with the concept after a string of ill-fated beach trips during the first Coronavirus lockdown. “Every time I wanted to take the family to explore beaches around Cornwall, it ended in disaster: the tide was in, the beach wasn’t dog-friendly, the facilities we wanted weren’t available,” she explains.

“My Coast was born with the aim of taking the luck out of enjoying a safe and amazing day on the coast, and to lessen the chances of failing miserably, as I had.”

The app is now active on three trial beaches: Gyllyngvase in Falmouth, Porthtowan and Perranporth. It is free to download and use, giving coastal and beach users live safety information – including tide times, lifeguard presence, wave height and wind

speed - and other useful, verified data to ensure they find a beach to suit their specific needs.

Users are asked two key questions: do you need disabled access and are you taking children? They can choose the elements that matter most to them, such as public toilets, defibrillators or decent coffee.

“Users can find out how busy an area is in real-time, so it will be easy to avoid crowds,” adds Jo. “It will also capture crucial data relating to visitor flows in popular coastal hotspots, useful for future planning considerations – and could even drive socioeconomic and environmental policies.”

Brendan Prince founded the charity Above Water in 2014, after witnessing three drownings in Mawgan Porth in 2014.

“In a world where apps dictate our lives, MyCoast is such an obvious, essential app - you can’t believe it’s not already out there!” he said. “I hope it will become the go-to for any family planning a Cornish coastal visit.”

In a bid to avoid parking stress and encourage sustainability, My Coast will link with public transport timetables, data on EV charging points, bicycle parking and walking and cycling routes.

The app has garnered praise from high places. Malcolm Bell, head of Visit Cornwall, describes Jo as “a force of nature – for good”, adding: “The beauty of this app is that it takes all the information and puts it in the palm of your hand.” RNLI spokesman Steve Instance adds: “We want people to be safe and come back to their loved ones. With this app, they can get the key information they need to decide where to go, what to do and when.”

A key aim of the app is to help to reduce the number of avoidable deaths and accidents on our coastline. There were 277 accidental drownings around the UK’s coast in 2021; and in the five-year period from 2014 and 2019, there were 177 drownings along the Cornish coast. Not only was this a tragic loss of life, but it also came at a cost of £354m to the UK taxpayer.

Jo’s ambition is to take it not just Duchywide, but national and even global.

“My Coast will be an invaluable tool for so many reasons in Cornwall but also nationally, given that we have 11,000 miles of coastline,” she explains. “To make this happen, I need the support from individuals and businesses who can see the immense value of the app.” l

My Coast will deliver live safety information, emergency service push notifications and an emergency help button should a user into difficulty.

To find out more and support the Crowdfunder campaign visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/my-coast-app or email jo@my-coast.com.

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 35 n

Sustainable DIY Charlotte Dawson of Chestnut Interiors offers advice on planet-friendly refurbishment

Bobbi Beck

n 36 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

O

ur world is changing, and staggering statistics highlight the impact our lifestyles have on the planet. Consequently, the conscientious consumer can feel guilty when embarking on a renovation project, often questioning if changes are necessary or just desired.

retrieve discarded nets from the sea; this waste material is given a new life as a carefully designed, 3D-printed pendant light supplied with an ultra-efficient LED bulb. Soho Lighting is striving to have plastic-free packaging by 2024.

Ocean Collection pendants start at £440. www.soholighting.com

Making eco-friendly changes in your home requires consideration about the way materials are made, where they come from and the impact their production has on the planet. Additionally, ripping out and knocking down typically leads to waste, and with landfill volume increasing, renovators and decorators are finding alternative ways of disposing of what they no longer need.

Cornish Milk Mineral Paint This new paint supplier shares my passion for the Cornish landscape, and is driven to retain and protect the environment too. Cornish Milk Mineral Paint is free from chemicals and uses organic earth pigments sourced within the UK. It’s suitable for interior and exterior projects, including furniture upcycling. There are 60 stockists around the UK (including 11 in Cornwall) and 25 colours to choose from, with names such as High Tide, Sea Pink and Sea Glass. I’ve spied a few favorites!

Available in 250ml £13.95 or 500ml £23.95. www.cornishmilkmineralpaint.co.uk

If you’re prepared to do some research, there are ways to make changes without having such a significant impact on the land, sea and air. Favour businesses that are passionate about sustainability and environmentallyfriendly home improvements – here are six for you to consider.

Bobbi Beck Redruth-based Bobbi Beck designs and prints wallpaper and murals on a madeto-order model. This enables the team to work from a smaller space, thereby reducing carbon footprint, and avoiding excess paper stock that could potentially go to waste. Paper is sourced from sustainable forests, the inks are waterbased and packaging is plastic-free. Even the print studio and office is powered on 100% renewable energy. With every sale, a tree is planted in a UK forest by climate change prevention charity Ecologi.

Murals start from £29m², rolls from £66. www.bobbibeck.com

Decorum Tiles Decorum tiles who are based a few miles from Port Isaac. Read their blog for an insight into a day in the studio: all products are hand-produced using traditional methods and lead-free paints, then fired in a kiln powered by solar energy. Each tile is painted to order, another great example of a supplier keeping waste to a minimum.

The Glass House Collection, inspired

by The Eden Project and Kew Gardens, showcases the talent of local artists.

Hand painted tiles from £2.85. www.decorumtiles.co.uk

Couch Flooring Did you know, the amount of carpet thrown away each year could cover an area the same size as Birmingham? That’s 130,000 tonnes in weight. Sadly less than 2% of carpet waste is recycled, so it’s good to find a host of Cornwall-based flooring suppliers that go the extra mile to offer sustainable, environmentally friendly choices. Couch Flooring recently opened a new studio in Bude to display a wide range of natural flooring, including sisal carpets made using the long leaves of the agave plant - nontoxic, hard wearing and biodegradable.

The team can also advise you to make the right flooring choice for you and your home.

Remember, before taking a carpet to the tip, consider professional cleaning and repairs, and donate it if it is in good condition: for example, to an animal rescue shelter. www.couchflooring.co.uk Sustainable Furniture & Homeware There are many businesses striving to reduce waste and improve longevity of their products. Alice Collyer of Alice in Scandiland recognises the value in giving furniture and homeware a second (or third) lease of life. With an eye for vintage pieces, the quaint shop in Lostwithiel tastefully displays tables, chairs, lamps, vases, tea sets and more, both old and new - you’d find it hard to distinguish between the two! The craftsmanship and character of a pre-loved glazed vase offers a unique touch to your home while considering the impact shopping has on the planet. www.aliceinscandiland.com l

Soho Lighting Ocean Range Soho Lighting, based in Cornwall, recently launched an innovative sustainable lighting range, appropriately named The Ocean Collection. Fishy Filaments in Newlyn Cornish Milk

Decrorum Tiles

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 37 n

Lower Penbothidnow

Gardens Cottage, near St Blazey, opens to raise funds for the National Garden Scheme Words by Laura Tucker

N

estled in rolling countryside and enjoying views of the

surrounding

Sue’s dad, Fred, was her teacher and inspiration. He was almost 102 when he died, and a special part of the garden is

landscape,

dedicated to his memory. Fred was an

Gardens Cottage occupies

enthusiastic fruit grower, so following

a beautiful position. When

in his footsteps, Sue and Roger grow a

Roger and Sue Paine arrived in 2014, they

wide range of berries in a fruit cage and

set about the successful transformation

stone fruit, apples and pears in the

of the adjacent meadow into a garden

orchard. They are well rewarded with a

full of year-round interest. The existing

generous harvest.

canopy of mature trees and part of an old walled garden formed a helpful skeleton, which has since been developed and enhanced with inspirational design and

In

all

she

does,

Sue

stresses

the

importance of biodiversity and seeks to live and work at peace with nature and

interesting features.

wildlife (beehives are a recent addition).

Visitors are greeted by a unique dry-stone

along the herbaceous borders, which in

sculpture incorporating a treble clef. A dry,

late summer are buzzing with pollinators

sunny rockery slope is home to sun-loving

and ablaze with colour. The fiery asters,

tree lupins and verbena. The symmetrically

dahlias, cannas and grasses all joyously

designed formal garden is planted in

intermingle in a riotous cacophony.

Gently curved mown paths meander

pastel shades. There is a private courtyard garden, a wildlife pond and a woodland area, complete with a vintage gypsy caravan, which has been lovingly restored

by Roger.

Sue is also keen to promote the benefits of gardens for health and wellbeing. Asked whether she has a favourite part of the garden, she replies in a heartbeat: “If I was only allowed one part, it would have

A winter garden, close to the house,

to be the Kitchen Garden!” Sue grows a

is certain to light up even the dullest

wide range of salads and vegetables in

day.

dogwoods

raised beds using ‘no-dig’ and rotational

and variegated evergreen foliage are

regimes. Her plants thrive in the home-

punctuated by the white bark of 12 silver

made compost she has mastered making,

birch trees.

and she gains such satisfaction from

n 38 |

Stems

My

of

coloured

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

the whole process of sowing, growing and harvesting.

Such a large, well-maintained garden doesn’t happen without a lot of work.

Roger and Sue are ably assisted by staff from Folium Horticulture - a new enterprise born out of lockdown by Meg Lowman and Riyah Snow, former apprentices at the nearby Eden Project.

Visitors to Gardens Cottage will be treated to delicious home-made cakes accompanied by tea served in quirky teapots. l Gardens Cottage, Prideaux, St Blazey PL24 2SS. Open on Wednesday, August 31 and Thursday, September 1 from 2-5pm.

Admission £5 (children free). Home-made teas available. For full details, please visit ngs.org.uk/Cornwall

In Cornwall, 50 gardens are opening for the National Garden Scheme this year. Funds raised through entrance charges and sales of refreshments will support charities such as Macmillan, Marie Curie, Parkinson’s UK, Carers Trust, Hospice UK and The Queen’s Nursing Trust. ngs.org.uk/Cornwall G @CornwallNGS A @cornwall.ngs

A carefully curated selection of affordable gifts, cards, kitchen and homeware, alongside a selection of Cornish makers and designers.

20 High Street, Falmouth, Cornwall, TR11 2AB • Open: 10am-4pm Daily • Tel: 01326 618240

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 39 n

Esedhvos an Orsedh Kernow a vydh synsys yn Heyl an vledhen ma, a-varr yn mis Gwynngala. Heyl a dal y vosva, hag y hanow, dhe’n heyl – onan a’n boghes tyller klos war an arvor peryllus a-gledh Kernow. Y tallethas seweni ages porth yn tevri dres an Domhwelans Diwysyansel, ow tri glow yn derowel a-dhyworth Kembra Dyghow rag an teudhva sten yn ogas dh’Angarrack. Wosa drehevyans an kay yn 1740ow, settys gwell o Heyl dhe servya an diwysyans balweyth. Onan an mebyon moy a vri o Henry Harvey, mab gov leel a sel teudhla dhe wruthyl an pibow, pompyow ha partys jynn.

The Esedhvos of the Gorsedh Kernow will be held in Hayle this year, in early September. Hayle owes its existence, and its name, to the estuary - one of the few sheltered spots on Cornwall’s treacherous north coast. It really began to thrive as a port during the Industrial Revolution, originally bringing coal from South Wales for the tin smelter at Angarrack nearby. With the construction of a quay in the 1740s, Hayle was better placed to service the mining industry. One of Hayle’s most famous sons was Henry Harvey, the son of a local blacksmith who established a foundry to make the pipes, pumps and engine parts.

Esedhvos session, Eisteddfod tyli to owe bosva existence heyl estuary Domhwelans Diwysyansel Industrial Revolution boghes few klos secluded, sheltered peryllus dangerous glow coal kay quay mebyon sons gov blacksmith leel local teudhla foundry pipe pib pump pomp Harvey a Heyl a floryshya, owth oberi gans ynjynoryon a vri kepar ha Hykka Trevithick ha provia jynnweyth neb o treusperthys a-dreus an bys. Jynnys keber a-dhyworth Heyl a bompa balyow mar pell es Meksiko hag Afrika Dhyghow. I a wrug jynn keber an brassa y’n bys hogen, usys dhe garthleudhya polders a’n Iseldiryow. Teudhla goeskar a Heyl, an Kowethyans Kober a Gernow, a dhisplegya bri treusvysek ynwedh, ow sordya kemmys marth yn Brunel hag ev a wovynnas orta dhe brovia an chaynys rag y bons difennans dhe Clifton, Brystow. Deklinans an diwysyans balweyth leel a verkyas dalleth an mernans lent rag teudhleow a Heyl, mes bostya yn kothus a yll an dre bos ragresegydh a’n marghas ollvysel ynjynorieth!

For general enquiries: maureen.pierce@kesva.org For enquiries about publications: roger.courtenay@kesva.org For enquiries about examinations: tony.hak@kesva.org For enquiries about the language correspondence course: kernewekdrelyther@hotmail.co.uk For more Cornish Language visit: www.kesva.org n 40 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

Let's Speak Cornish Harvey’s of Hayle flourished, working with great engineers such as Richard Trevithick and producing machinery that was transported across the world. Beam engines from Hayle pumped mines as far afield as Mexico and South Africa. They even manufactured the largest beam engine in the world, used to drain the polders of the Netherlands. A rival Hayle foundry, the Cornish Copper Company, also developed a worldwide reputation, impressing Brunel so much that he asked them to provide the chains for his suspension bridge in Clifton, Bristol.

The decline of the local mining industry marked the beginning of a slow death for Hayle’s foundries, but the town can proudly boast of being the precursor of the global engineering market!

floryshya to flourish jynnweyth machinery treusperthi to transport an bys the world jynn keber beam engine gwruthyl to manufacture karthkleudhya to drain rival goeskar kober copper bri reputation sordya marth yn to impress provia to provide pons difennans suspension bridge deklinans decline bostya to boast ragresegydh precursor NEBES LAVARENNOW HEYL | SOME USEFUL HAYLE PHRASES My a’gar Heyl! I love Hayle!

Tre byghan yw mes kemmys a istori!

It’s a small town but with so much history!

Ytho, pyth yw pasti an gwella, po Hampson po Philps?

So which is the best pasty, Hampson’s or Philps?

Py fordh dhe Bark Paradhis, mar pleg?

Which way to Paradise Park, please?

An lowarthow ydhyn? War-vann Bre an Teudhla. Prag?

The bird gardens? Up Foundry Hill. Why? Ni a vynnsa gweles an pandas rudh!

We want to see to the red pandas!

Govenek a’m beus bos an diwotti leel kowethek ha kosel. Pyth yw y hanow arta?

I hope the local pub is cosy and friendly. What’s its name again?

An Kelorn a Woos!” “The Bucket of Blood!”

WATER WORLD Elizabeth Dale explores Cornwall by boat

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 41 n

E

xploring Cornwall from the water not only enables you to venture into some of its more hidden corners, but also offers a totally different

country houses, including the National Trust property of Trelissick with its beautiful gardens and parklands. A more regular service runs several times daily between Falmouth and Trelissick.

You can start your ferry trip in either harbour and the journey takes you along the picturesque coast for 40 minutes, with glorious views of the beaches and headlands around St Austell Bay and beyond.

At Fowey, you can continue your ferry adventures by taking the short hop across the water to either Polruan or Bodinnick on one of the boats that crosses the estuary. From either village, the walking is wonderful and the views over the river are well worth the effort - plus both have pubs for those in need of refreshment.

ships and an anchorage for hundreds of

Alternatively, the St Mawes ferry sails the 2.8 miles across the harbour, treating you to expansive views of the docks and the twin Tudor castles at Pendennis and St Mawes, before arriving at the idyllic village on the Roseland Peninsula. From here you can either enjoy the pretty waterside community of St Mawes, or jump aboard another ferry (summer months only) to take you across the creek to Place. From here, there are beautiful walks to the lighthouse on St Anthony Head and sheltered beaches ideal for swimming.

bobbing yachts.

Find out more: www.falriver.co.uk

You, too, can take to the water on one of

Mevagissey to Fowey In the warmer months between April and October, this little ferry runs between two of Cornwall’s loveliest south coast fishing ports. Both are working harbours and each has plenty to offer visitors - beyond the obligatory ice cream and cream teas, of course! There are wonderful beaches within easy walking distance of both; Mevagissey has its own mini-aquarium and museum, while Fowey is famed for its connections to the writer Daphne du Maurier.

perspective on our wonderful coastlines and waterways. As well as guided boat tours and wildlife watching trips, numerous ferries criss-cross Cornwall’s rivers and estuaries on routes that have been in use for hundreds of years. It makes for an exciting and inexpensive day out.

Falmouth Ferries Reputedly

the

third

deepest

natural

harbour in the world, Falmouth has attracted global shipping for hundreds of years. Each summer, the bay becomes a destination for international cruise

Falmouth’s many ferries. A brilliant network of boat routes, all leaving from the Prince of Wales Pier, helps you to experience the beautiful Fal River and the Carrick Roads in a way that is just not possible on land.

The longest ferry ride is from Falmouth to Truro, on selected dates at high tide. With a journey time of nearly one hour, you can relax and watch the deeply wooded banks of the river slide by, passing smugglers’ cottages, n 42 |

My

mussel

farms

and

hidden

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

Find out more: www.mevagissey-ferries.co.uk The Helford River It is thought that there has been a ferry crossing at Helford Passage for more than 1,000 years, taking passengers to and from the Lizard. This ferry still runs today, but you can also explore the whole of the Helford River on a guided boat ride.

As large swathes of the banks of the Helford are still privately owned, the only way to see it is from the water. The tidal part runs for roughly five miles, and a 90-minute trip with Helford River Boats takes in as much as possible of the river and its seven creeks. Your guide will also entertain you with some of the area’s fascinating history as you explore the old smuggler’s haunts,

forgotten quays and hidden waterways.

There is nothing quite like floating into the serene waters of Frenchman’s Creek with the only sound the cry of the birds nesting in the ancient overhanging oaks.

Find out more: www.helfordriverboats.co.uk Cawsand to Plymouth Known for its white sandy beaches and dramatic coastal scenery, the Rame Peninsula is one of the most beautiful and secluded regions of Cornwall. Nestled beneath high hills, the twin coastal villages of Cawsand and Kingsand once straddled the Devon and Cornwall border and were famed for smuggling. These days they offer cosy pubs, tasty fish and chips and excellent walking opportunities, including nearby Mount Edgcumbe Country Park which covers 885 acres of rolling countryside.

From Easter to October it is possible to take a ferry ride from Cawsand along the coast to the Barbican in Plymouth. The 30-minute trip provides breathtaking views along miles of unspoilt coast. Spot the 14th century Rame Head Chapel and the elegant ruin of Mount Edgcumbe folly before turning towards the historic defences of Plymouth Sound.

Find out more: www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk

The Wilder Side of Padstow The rougher seas of the north coast of Cornwall means that ferries are less common, but the fishing port of Padstow provides alternatives for those feeling a little more adventurous. The Rock ferry may only take about 10 minutes to cross the River Camel, but it is well worth it for the scenic views and delightful beaches.

couple of hours exploring Cornwall’s most infamous smuggling village, with its impossibly quaint harbour and narrow streets lined with ancient cottages. Then it’s time to return to Looe. The journey takes 45 minutes each way, and is tide dependent.

But for a longer, more memorable experience, book a wildlife watching safari along the wild north coast. Spend a few hours at sea in the hope of spotting seals, dolphins, porpoises, basking sharks and even whales, as well as a myriad of seabirds along the way. These safaris are both educational and exciting, introducing you to the diversity of the Cornish marine environment.

Best of the Rest • Take a boat over to Looe Island, an idyllic private nature reserve. www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk

Find out more: www.padstowsealifesafaris.co.uk

• Explore the history of Falmouth on one of the harbour tours.

Looe to Polperro There are lots of choices for boat trips from the pretty harbour town of Looe, from shark fishing excursions to coastal cruises and wildlife watching tours. But for those in search of something a bit different, a trip to Polperro in a glass-bottomed boat is a great option.

• Hop on the King Harry Ferry near Trelissick – one of only five chain ferries in England (you can tick another one off in Torpoint). www.falriver.co.uk

Experience amazing scenery both above and below the water before arriving in Polperro, where you can while away a

Find out more: www.welcometolooe.com

• The Flushing Ferry from Falmouth takes you to this often-overlooked village, with walks to Mylor and the famous Pandora Inn. www.falriver.co.uk

• The Cremyll Ferry takes foot passengers only from Mount Edgcumbe to Plymouth’s Stonehouse district, close to the Royal William Yard. www.plymouthboattrips.co.uk l

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 43 n

D SH WOR

L My

I RN

n 44 |

MY CO

MY CO

SH WOR L D

I N R

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

Tell us about yourself I’m originally from Canada, and came to Cornwall in 2010. As an aerospace economist, I was a consultant for Cornwall Council when it purchased the site of what is now Cornwall Newquay Airport from the Ministry of Defence, to see what other business could be done on the site.

The airport was announced as a potential satellite launch site back in 2014; I was pulled over to work on it at that point, and in 2021 became head of Spaceport Cornwall.

state, and my main message to them was that we don’t need to create a spaceport in the middle of the jungle, or be impactful to the environment.

With commercial flights, exploration on Mars and an increasing number of satellites, space is looking very busy! Why do we need this launch?

Our modern world is underpinned by How do you propose to satellite technology. Every single one of us be more sustainable? uses it, every single day – from monitoring We’re using more sustainable methods to the crops that will make wheat for our start with, but there is still a carbon impact. breakfast, to GPS on the school run, to Even though it is lower, we are looking at all the ATMs that dispense our money. ways of improving it even further. We are Humans are hungry for this technology. We also being transparent about our impact couldn’t function without it, or at the very by way of reports and assessments, which least would be less efficient. It enables us is quite new for the space industry. We take to observe the earth, protect democracy Why do we need a Spaceport? that responsibility very seriously, and would and hold people to account – for example, The UK builds a majority of the small like to achieve carbon zero. the images that have come from Ukraine satellites currently in use, but had no were obtained using satellite technology. means of launching them and had to send The launch was due to take place in It has become fundamental to our lives, them overseas. The UK government saw time for the Platinum Jubilee – now it’s and there’s no way we can go back. But it’s a great opportunity to secure that market planned for September. What happened? not new - humans have always looked at and launch our own satellites. While the Among other things, we had to wait for a the stars and wondered what’s out there. stereotypical idea of a launch is that of a launch to take place in the Mojave desert It’s inevitable we will be a multi-planetary vertical lift straight up into space, ours will in California, so our partner Virgin Orbit species in the future. launch horizontally, using a runway; an could move its team and equipment aircraft will carry the rocket to altitude and back to Cornwall and set up here. Space How are you involving the next generation? is hard, but we are constantly learning Schoolchildren from all over the UK visit then drop it mid-air. and improving. The best thing about the us. Our ambition is to have an outreach Why was Cornwall chosen? industry is that it keeps on going. Plus it’s facility on site, so we can get local kids in It was shortlisted due to the infrastructure the first time, and the main objective is to front of amazing emerging businesses and of the airport, for factors such as runway prove safe and capable launch processes. show them you can do really cool jobs in length and sea access. We didn’t need to Cornwall – you don’t have to leave. do much to make it launch-ready, which What will be on it? was very attractive. Plus we have Goonhilly There will be several small satellites on Do you see yourself as a Earth Station on our doorstep, which was the first launch, with diverse purposes – a role model for girls in science? fundamental. We are so lucky to have this mix of private, government and academia. No – I'm just doing my job the best I can, here – you couldn’t find it anywhere else in One will monitor illegal fishing – this was with integrity. Yes, I’m the only female head announced in April in the USA, and I was of a spaceport in the world, and people the UK. We are making history. there with Sir Richard Branson for that. write me amazing letters and posts on social How will it be good for Cornwall?

Another is a partnership between the UK media. But I think it's a bit sad I’m in that Top businesses are relocating here and the USA militaries, for keeping forces position. I have two daughters myself, and because of it, creating highly skilled jobs safe overseas, yet another offers weather of course I believe there should be more and developing a space culture here. monitoring to the Royal Navy. It’s a real women doing what I do, but I understand that we’re not quite there yet. It’s up to me G7 in 2021 was also a huge platform for showcase of what the industry can do. and my colleagues to change that. l Cornwall. I was able to meet heads of t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 45 n

1st to 30th August 2022 This August we feature a new collection of paintings by award winning artist Ian Hargreaves, with scenes of Italy, Portugal and Greece, alongside images inspired by locations in Polzeath, Port Isaac and the surrounding area.

n 46 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

© Kurt Jackson See page 60

48 54 56 58 60 62 64 66

ART NEWS GALLERY OF THE MONTH: CUSTOMS HOUSE GALLERY, PORTHLEVEN ART FOCUS: LEMON STREET GALLERY ART FOCUS: HEVVA! HEVVA! AT FALMOUTH ART GALLERY ARTIST FOCUS: KURT JACKSON MAKERS FOCUS: REBECCA RASMUSSEN MEET THE MAKER: CERAMICIST JULIE HARPER VIP: WHITEWATER GALLERY, POLZEATH

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 47 n

s w e rt N

A

CANDICE SCOREY AT THE COWHOUSE GALLERY Artist Candice Scorey is inspired by myths and legends, and by the magical, extreme beauty of Cornwall. Working in mixed media and using a wide variety of materials allows Candice a real sense of freedom when creating pieces, which often incorporate vintage relics and finds from antique pewter teapots to salvaged Napoleon hat clocks. More recently, Candice has been working to develop her techniques in copper embossing and repousse work, translating her more complex Cornish designs into structured pieces. Painting in metallic and pearlised colours helps her to produce jewel-like finishes, while lacquer adds to the final lustre. Find a wide selection of Candice’s work on display at the Cowhouse Gallery in Perranuthnoe, and on Instagram @fairy_wishing_pots The Cowhouse Gallery, Lynfield Craft Centre, Perranuthnoe, TR20 9NE Open daily, 10am to 5pm Tel: 01736 710538, www.cowhousegallery.co.uk Pictured: St Michael’s Mount from Newlyn

COVER ARTIST: JENNIFER ARMITAGE St Michael’s Mount has commissioned illustrator Jennifer Armitage to portray the iconic island using her trademark abstract and bold technique.

As well as immortalising the castle, causeway and ferry boats, Jennifer has immortalised the flora of the subtropical gardens - spiral aloe, agaves, echiums and agapanthus – as well as the swooping swallows that visit the mount in midsummer. Jennifer, who is based in West Penwith, said: “My illustration reflects how I perceive the Mount as a magical and enchanting Cornish landmark, bursting with life, nature, stories and beauty.” The original work will sit in the Island Café and will be reproduced on a range of exclusive lifestyle products for the island’s shop. l www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk

WAVES OF COLOUR This visual feast of colour represents an annual coming together of two makers whose work has a strong connection to St Ives. Sharon McSwiney, whose gallery is in Island Square, and Worcestershirebased Alison Dupernex are both inspired by the Cornish colours and textures of the landscape, and this exhibition will showcase the variety of work they produce carefully by hand in their respective studio spaces. Sharon contributes artwork, metal wall sculptures and jewellery: brass and copper is worked into seaweed ‘landscapes’, while silver limpet shells and seaweed fronds form desirable jewellery pieces; while Alison produces wearable textile art, with silk and cashmere yarns combined to evoke the colours of the sea and sand by way of jackets and scarves. l October 1 to 7, St Ives Arts Club, Westcott’s Quay, St Ives TR26 2DY n 48 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

www.sharonmcswiney.co.uk

Now in its twenty-first year, Lemon Street Gallery is one of the country’s leading contemporary galleries.

It occupies a classical, elegant and spacious building within Truro’s prestigious Lemon Street and has an enviable reputation for offering a vibrant eclectic programme of exhibitions and quality publications.

LSG Rock

Long established in Truro, Lemon Street Gallery (LSG) anticipates a bright and beautiful summer ahead with an exciting and dazzlingly new space just outside Rock, on the Camel Estuary. It’s the perfect place for a vibrant and eclectic new group show, Scene Change, featuring work from both up-and-coming and established British artists including: Prunella Clough, David Roberts, Amelia Humber, Brendan Stuart Burns, John Blackburn, Peter Lanyon, Sam Lock, Alan Davie, Dot Wade, Jason Wason, Abigail Ozora Simpson, Hamish MacDonald, Barrie Cook, Sutton Taylor, Felice Hodges, William Gear, Jethro Jackson, Darshana Shilpi Rouget, David Bomberg, and many more. Scene Change Act I continues until August 15, with Act II running from September 3 to October 1.

UPCOMING

Withiel 2022 FEATURING over fifty sculptors including: Ann Christopher, Dominic Welch, Louise Plant, Nicolas Moreton, Mark Stonestreet, Rosie Musgrave and many others 10 July - 30 October 2022

LSG Withiel

Nestled in an ancient Cornish village, in the shadow of the moors but only a few miles from the Atlantic coast, Withiel Sculpture Garden is fast becoming an international centre for contemporary sculpture, exhibiting works by more than 50 emerging and established artists. A gentle stroll through the six-acre plot offers an eclectic journey of sculptural and spiritual delight.

LSG Friend Become an LSG Friend and receive exclusive early access to exhibitors.

Subscribe info@lemonstreetgallery.co.uk LSG Rock, Pityme, Rock, PL27 6PY LSG Rock: Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm LSG Withiel Sculpture Garden and Galleries, strictly by appointment only t @myCornwall_ +44 (0) 1872 275757 Email: info@lemonstreetgallery.co.uk

Follow us Instagram Twitter Subscribe

| G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 49 n

TREASURE AT TRELISSICK GALLERY

MARTIN JOHN FOWLER A daub or splash of colour can communicate mood and atmosphere.

Yorkshire-based Martin John Fowler enjoys immersing himself in the Cornish landscape and its intrinsic mythologies whenever possible. He travels extensively, mainly to coastal and harbour areas and Cornwall in particular.

“I love painting landscapes and seascapes, where the human element of trawlers and leisure boats meets the power of the open sea,” he explains.”I am inspired by direct experience and interaction with the environment, be it intimate or dynamic, and aim to capture a sensory perception of the rhythmic vibrancy and juxtaposition of colour, shape and form as well as sounds, smells, and any other unique elements. l Selected works by Martin John Fowler are available at the Custom House Gallery, Porthleven

FORM FALMOUTH Spearheaded by independent gallery owners Vicki Glaister (Inspire Makers) and Ann Morgan (Morgans), Form (September 30 to October 2) is a new annual festival celebrating the visual arts in Cornwall. It will offer a series of events such as talks, workshops and exhibitions in venues across the town, including in a three-day art fair at Princess Pavilion. Five Falmouth primary schools have welcomed local artists to collaborate with pupils on work in a variety of disciplines, to be displayed in shop windows during the festival. Participating artists are ceramicist Lucy Joines, printmaker Dena O’Brien, multi-disciplinary contemporary artist Rachael Kinmond and painters Kitty Hillier and Laura Menzies. l Form is supported by Falmouth BID and is part of Falmouth Creates, an exciting new group of creative and cultural festivals working together. www.formfalmouth.com n 50 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

The glorious Treasure exhibition runs at Trelissick Gallery until September 25. This exhibition is showing some exquisite work from members of Cornwall Crafts Association including Charles Hall, Sue Spooner, Sarah Dunstan and Martin Page. This is a selling exhibition and is on display in the firstfloor gallery; downstairs is the Members’ Summer Exhibition, which includes a focus on the wonderful ceramicist Mary English - her fabulous pit-fired vessels will be on show in the foyer from August 3 to September 25. l Open daily, 10am to 5pm. Trelissick Gallery, Trelissick, Feock, Truro TR3 6QL. Tel 01872 864514, www.cornwallcrafts.co.uk G @cornwallcrafts A @cornwall_crafts

Neville Cox - ‘Gweek at Low Tide ‘

A stunning gallery located at the heart of the timeless Trelowarren Estate, run by a co-operative of exciting and diverse professional artists all sharing an enthusiasm for living and working on the Lizard Peninsula. Exhibiting a varied selection of paintings in a variety of mediums and a large selection of Prints and Cards. Crafts available include ceramics, glass, serpentine sculpture, jewellery and mixed media.

A warm welcome awaits you at Lizard Art.

Stableyard Gallery, Trelowarren Estate, Mawgan-in-Meneage, Helston, Cornwall TR12 6AF Tel: 01326 221778 | Open Weds-Sun, 11am-3pm | www.lizardart.co.uk Facebook: thestableyardgallery | Instagram: lizardartgallery t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 51 n

KERNOW YARN AND FIBRE FESTIVAL Don’t miss the inaugural Kernow Yarn And Fibre Festival (KernowYAFF) on September 18 at Royal Cornwall Showground. The best of hand-dyed, handcrafted and sustainable yarns, fibres and related products will be showcased in an exciting market-style show with a vibrant festival feel.

Celebrate your favourite yarn and fibre crafts while supporting small, local producers and artisans. Take the opportunity to learn more about sustainable production methods and the circular textile economy, in partnership with Falmouth University. Delicious refreshments will be available from Dank Frank's Food and The Cornish Barista. Tickets can be bought online in advance or on the day. l Sunday, September 18, 10am to 4pm at the Pavilion Centre, Royal Cornwall Showground. www.kernowyaff.com

G @kernowyaff A @kernow_yaff

ANDREA INSOLL AT NEW GALLERY, PORTSCATHO Andrea is best known in Cornwall for her environmentally-friendly sculpture and collages made from beach debris. However, throughout August she will be showing new paintings at the New Gallery in Portscatho. These large colourful canvasses reflect her earlier interest in plants and semi-abstract painting, ranging from book illustrations to cleverly-designed semi-figurative works. These pictures also owe a great deal to Andrea’s former occupation as a china painter and textile illustrator, both of which require a high degree of skill and discipline. l New Gallery, Portscatho TR25HW. Tel 01872 580445 www.thenewgalleryportscatho.co.uk

ART ON THE MENU A new exhibition at Wheal Martyn Clay Works, near St Austell, recalls how artist luminaries were commissioned to design affordable everyday tableware in 1934. Sir William Rothenstein, principal of the Royal College of Art, hoped to revolutionise attitudes towards the relationship between art, design and industry. Each artist would be paid £10 per design plus royalties, and they visited ceramic factories to learn the techniques required to translate their work on paper into the finished product.

Among the 27 participants were Laura Knight, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson; the diverse and striking ceramics they designed were exhibited in Harrods of London and department stores across the country before touring internationally, with pieces now in museum collections around the world. l See Art on the Menu in the Roger Preston Gallery until September 1; entry included in museum admission price. www.wheal-martyn.com

n 52 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

TRELISSICK GALLERY Summer Exhibition ‘Treasure’ Continues until 25th September

Focus on Ceramicist Mary English 4th August - 25th September Open daily between 10am - 5pm

www.cornwallcrafts.co.uk Julie Harper Ceramics

Improve your skills and meet like-minded people with pottery classes and workshops in Redruth, Cornwall.

These sessions are a great way to further explore the world of pottery.

everything and those who just want a few fun hours making a mug, plate or bowl.

I have three types of weekly workshops; on the wheel, for those who want nothing more than to learn to throw and are focused solely on that; general, for those who want to try

My studio has a relaxed and happy atmosphere, 10am12noon and 1pm-3pm throughout the week, also some weekends 10am-12noon

G10 Percy Williams Building, Krowji, West Park, Redruth, Cornwall TR15 3AJ Text: 07855 102 598 Email: susywardg10@yahoo.com www.susywardceramics.com

Julie specialises in porcelain paintings, bowls, vases and platters.

These one-off pieces are decorated to reflect the colours and textures of St Ives and its coastline. She is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday but she will also open up her studio if you contact her.

Studio 6, Whites Old Workshops, Porthmeor Road, St Ives, TR26 1NP Tel: 07734 793686 • Email: jbhshoretosea@hotmail.co.uk Website: www.julieharperceramics.co.uk Instagram: julieharperceramics

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 53 n

n 54 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

GALLERY OF THE MONTH

Customs House Gallery, Porthleven Owner Louise Winterton offers an insight into this welcoming space in one of Cornwall’s prettiest harbour villages Tell us about this beautiful building The building dates back to 1840 and was built as the accounts house for the very first harbourmaster in Porthleven: William Edgcumbe Cudlipp, whose initials you can see above the door.

The gallery was established 30 years ago and we’re the third set of owners, having been at the helm almost 10 years.

Tell us why you do what you do I run the gallery with my husband, John. I’ve been lucky enough to have a varied career, from a degree in Modern Languages to teaching, then taking over the gallery. I grew up in Porthleven - my family goes back at least five generations here, and my great-grandmother lived in the house next door to the gallery. I can think of no better place to live and work Porthleven is an extraordinary community and we both feel hugely privileged to be running a business here.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I’ve always been passionate about art; Cornwall is full to the brim with it, after all. I enjoy the challenge of running a busy, successful business and I love meeting such a diverse range of customers. I do my best to remember names and faces – although as we are dog-friendly, it’s often the dogs I remember best! Ultimately, I like to think the gallery is a welcoming space. We’re not the largest gallery, by any means, but we’re extremely proud of the stable of artists we work with and the diverse collection of their work that we show.

What goes into running the gallery?

We’re a small team and have become adept at wearing lots of different hats: from curating the space, keeping in touch with our followers via social media, managing the website and online orders – and that’s all before we open the doors to welcome our lovely customers! John runs the picture framing side of the business and is kept busy with orders from artists and private clients. His order board is continuously full with returning customers who appreciate his attention to detail.

Alongside John and myself, you will also meet Julia and Debbie, who are both lovely and creative in equal measure and complete our team.

What and who will we find when we visit?

Our location dictates that seascapes work very well, but we also like to show a variety of still life work and landscapes too. Our painters work mostly in oil and acrylics, and styles range from traditional to contemporary. They include Amanda Hoskin, Ben Taffinder, Andrews Barrowman and Jago, David Gray, Gary Long, Heather Howe, Phil Ward, Rebecca and Simon Jewell and Steve Sherris from Scilly. Most come from all over Cornwall, but we do also have David Beatson and Martin John Fowler, who come from Yorkshire but visit and paint Cornwall regularly.

And besides paintings?

There’s lovely ceramic work from Penn Boylan and Jake Boex, studio-mates Hugh West and Karen Carlyon, raku by Catherine Lucktaylor and Demelza Whitley.

Jake’s father, Peter, shows his sculptures

alongside copper work by Paul Hoskin and hand-built wild birds by Robin Fox. We also stock a range of jewellery by Rock & Silver, Jen Williams, Steph Lawry and Claire Allain, as well as beautiful hand-painted silk scarves by Sharon Verry.

We’re proud to be a member of the Own Art scheme, which offers an interest-free method of spreading the cost of buying original artwork.

Does Porthleven have a strong art community?

Absolutely! There has always been a wealth of creativity in Porthleven and the surrounding area. It might not be as famous as St Ives or Newlyn, but it quietly goes its own way. It has become better known over the past decade, but remains peaceful and tucked away, which is what many people like about it. These days, Porthleven is definitely on the map as a destination that offers a wealth of high-quality restaurants and independent shops, and we love being a part of that.

What’s coming up?

We have regular featured artists: Roger Curtis until August 8; Andrew Jago from August 20 to 29; Rebecca Jewell from September 10 to 19, then her husband Simon from October 1 to 10; and Andrew Barrowman from October 22 to 31. Also, look out for the 10-day Porthleven Art Festival from September 24 to October 2 – find out more at www.porthlevenarts.com l The Customs House Gallery, Harbour Road, Porthleven, Helston TR13 9JD. Tel 01326 569365, www.cornwall-art.co.uk

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 55 n

GALLERY FOCUS

Lemon Street Gallery Louise Jones curates exciting exhibitions in two stunning locations With its stylish Georgian architecture, Truro’s Lemon Street is a classy part of town and has long been the place to find beautiful art. Louise Jones has run Lemon Street Gallery for 22 years; while it’s currently under refurbishment, she is broadening her scope with a fresh new exhibition space in Rock, close to the Camel estuary - perfect for the bright and beautiful summer months.

The gallery launch took place in May, with the inaugural exhibition Scene Change, continuing until August 15 (part 2 follows in September). Vibrant and eclectic, it features work from British artists both established and up-and-coming, with many names that will be familiar as LSG regulars: painters Amelia Humber and Felice Hodges, ceramicists Sutton Taylor and Jason Wason, and historic works by late artists including Prunella Clough, Peter Lanyon, Alan Davie and Barrie Cook.

LSG Rock grew out of a new partnership with artist Jethro Jackson, who has taken a new abstract direction in his art and asked Louise to represent him. With that came a studio move to a new build in Rock, which shows all the signs of becoming an artists’ hub; as well as hosting the gallery, it’s also home to artists Alistair and Fleur Mackie.

LSG Rock joins another sister venue.

Nestled in an ancient Cornish village, in the shadow of the moors but only a few miles from the Atlantic coast, Withiel Sculpture Garden is fast becoming an international centre for contemporary sculpture, exhibiting works by more than 50 emerging and established artists.

A gentle stroll through the six acres surrounding the Grade II-listed 17thcentury rectory reveals something special around every corner: in the bluebell wood, along the paths and borders, on the formal lawns, and even among the fruit, vegetables and flowers of the kitchen garden. Contemporary sculpture by the likes of Louise Plant, Dominic Welch, Yasuo Terada, Jason Wason, Rosie Musgrave and Guy Stevens sits comfortably alongside an n 56 |

My

ancient Celtic cross, all overlooked by St Clement’s parish church next door.

Upstairs is now a gallery, like the garden open by appointment. There is a yearly calendar of solo and group exhibitions, with Idylls of the Field by Forest and Found (aka artists Max Bainbridge and Abigail Booth) showing from August 13 to September 24, and esteemed painter Hughie O’Donoghue throughout November.

During the summer months, you can hear international musicians, especially jazz; in September, Raymond MacDonald – saxophonist, composer and chair of Music Psychology and Improvisation at the University of Edinburgh, no less – will play an intimate set.

Louise hails from Scotland, and as a young girl was surrounded by the arts: music, dance and visual. She was inspired

by The Third Eye Centre in Glasgow, and later aspired to be a “facilitator”, an ambition she is now fulfilling with her stable of galleries.

While the walls hang with work by eminent artists, Louise is not afraid to push the envelope. Scene Change includes wearable art in the form of luxury silk scarves by Darshana Shilpi Rouget, and Louise is embracing 21stcentury innovations in art by exploring the world of digital assets like Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs). She becomes animated when discussing the month-long online collaborative exhibition Poetics, which includes work by actors Val Kilmer, Vincent d’Onofrio and Laurence Fuller.

“NFTs are digital images that you can upload and buy, and hang in a virtual space at home,” she says, gesturing to a large screen. “They are big in the USA; I think we’re still a bit wary of them here, but they are out there and it’s an interesting concept.

“I want to stay relevant in the art world.

I’m not telling people to go out and buy NFTs, but it’s my responsibility as a curator to keep people up to date so they can make up their own minds. I also offer art consultancy and help people with their

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

collections, so it's important I offer them breadth and depth.

"And I do find it exciting to think of where it could go. Animations are incredibly skilful – imagine a 3D holographic image in your home. That’s how I see it developing. Making art and it going live around you is incredibly exciting, and still requires an innate ability in colour, form and shape.

“Also, the overheads of mounting a physical exhibition are huge, so you need to be able to sell pieces to cover that cost.

The fact that NFTs can sell online for a couple of dollars levels up the playing field, giving a platform to emerging artists.”

Louise is clearly passionate about her role. “I’m driven by a love of what I do,” she beams. “I feel privileged and I never take it for granted." l CURRENT AND FORTHCOMING EXHIBITIONS: • Rock: Impermanent Horizon by Jethro Jackson, until August 30 • Withiel 2022, until October 30. Over 50 sculptors including Ann Christopher, Dominic Welch, Louise Plant, Nicolas Moreton, Mark Stonestreet, Rosie Musgrave and others.

• Rock: Scene Change Act II, September 3 to October 1.

• Withiel: Forest and Found Idylls of the Field, August 13 to September 24.

• Withiel: Ashraf Hanna, October 1 to 29.

• Withiel: Ronald F Smith, October 1 to 29.

• Withiel: Hughie O'Donoghue, November 5 to December 3.

LSG Rock, Pityme, Rock, PL27 6PY. Open Monday to Saturday, 10am to 6pm.

LSG Withiel Sculpture Garden and Galleries.

Strictly by appointment only.

Sign up for the newsletter for news of further exhibitions.

T: 01872 275757 E: info@lemonstreetgallery.co.uk www.lemonstreetgallery.co.uk

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 57 n

ART FOCUS

A history of fishing in Cornwall, at Falmouth Art Gallery.

You might recognise ‘Hevva’ as a Cornish language word, most commonly seen in the sweet and sticky hevva (or heavy) cake.

It actually means ‘shoaling’, ‘swarming’ or ‘flocking’, and was the traditional call used by the ‘huer’ to rally fishermen to their boats once pilchards (aka Cornish Sardines) had been sighted.

Hevva! Hevva! at Falmouth Art Gallery explores the highs and lows of fishing in Cornwall, from the days when it employed whole communities to more recent times, when consumers barely think about how their dinner ended up in their shopping trolley.

The exhibition was inspired by the story of Fred Stephens (1832-1908), a legendary ‘huer’ who spotted shoals of fish at Cadgwith for over 40 years. An obituary in the Illustrated Western Weekly News on April 25, 1908, described Mr Stephens in his prime as "the tallest and broadest-shouldered man that Cadgwith n 58 |

My

could produce,” and “a strict Sabbatarian - nothing would induce him to go on the cliffs on a Sunday”.

It goes on to tell how one night, Fred dreamed of a large shoal of pilchards in his fishing stem. His wife ridiculed the idea and told him to go to sleep, whereupon he dreamed the same dream twice more and determined to take action. He went to the cliffs and waited for morning light, upon which he found that his stem was indeed full of pilchards, enough to keep the boats busy for a week, thus ending a fallow period that had left Cadgwith close to starvation.

Fred Stephens is the great-great-greatgrandfather of Falmouth Art Gallery’s access and interpretation manager, Donna Westlake. When plans were made to host an exhibition themed around Cornwall’s fishing industry, dipping into the gallery’s ever-popular collection of artworks by Charles Napier Hemy and the Newlyn

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

School, well-connected Donna was the natural choice to curate it.

“I’m a Cadgwith girl with a lot of relatives in the area, many of whom have fished,” she said. “Fred’s story has been passed down through the generations, so I took as my starting point the pilchards he would have fished when the industry was at its peak.”

Fishing has been a vital source of food and income since people first settled on the Cornish coast from about 8,000 BCE. It is still a key contributor to the Cornish economy and a celebrated part of Cornish life, steeped in tradition and heritage. As such, it has inspired artists for centuries.

The Newlyn School painters settled in the town not for the light, but because the tough working lives of local fishing families gave them plenty of subject matter.

Stanhope Forbes, known as ‘the Father of the Newlyn School’, rented studio space

Above: Mini-Dave and Bird in St Ives

by Holly Bendall Far Left: Filling Pilchard Barrels in St Ives Harbour by Winifred Freeman Left: Study for ‘Pilchards’

by Charles Napier Hemy,

above the net lofts and paid his subjects for their time and their fish: nine pence

are considered a delicacy to this day.

However, the romanticised images of idyllic

for three huge skates, four shillings for

fishing villages that many associate with the

one hour with a turbot. Hevva! Hevva!

industry do not reflect the harsh realities

features Forbes’ seminal work Fish Sale

and challenges of the day-to-day life of the

on a Cornish Beach 1885 (on loan from

fishermen and women and their families, past

Plymouth gallery The Box).

and present. Donna was keen to show “the

In Falmouth, Charles Napier Hemy’s

real side of fishing, not just the chocolate-box

floating studio, the ‘Vandermeer’, gave

image”, with contemporary artists exploring

him the perfect vantage point to observe

wider issues such as sustainability, and the

fishermen at work (you can see him depicted

impact of the decline of the industry on its

in Paul Spooner’s automaton, Our Premier

associated communities.

Pilchard Painter, at Falmouth Art Gallery).

Falmouth Natives (1886) depicts

Samuel Bassett’s painting Today we eat hake, tomorrow we burn our boats

fishermen oyster-dredging from a working

comments on the contrast between the

sailboat. To this day, the town has a

decline of the local fishing industry and the

handful of working boats still governed by

rise of tourism. “I believe there were once

the same ancient laws as their ancestors;

700 employed in fishing in St Ives; now, do

Falmouth is the only oyster fishery in

any live downalong?” he asks. “That’s a

Europe, if not the world, where traditional

big shift. I liked the idea of the boats being

methods such as sail power and hand-

burnt. It’s also a symbol for a last cry of help

pulled dredges must be used.

of a sinking ship: set fire to it in the hope

In Filling Pilchard Barrels in St Ives by

someone will see the smoke.”

Winifred Freeman, Hemy’s sister-in-law

Holly Bendall was inspired by a visit to

(1866 – 1961), we get an insight into the

Cadgwith during a crowdfunding campaign

labour-intensive process of seine netting,

to save historic buildings used by local

once the mainstay of many a Cornish

fishermen for centuries (£300,000 was raised

community, employing vast numbers of

to protect them from future development).

fishermen, boys and women. Pilchards were

Waiting For Fish depicts a man called Dave

pressed to remove valuable fish oil, then

and his companion Bird looking out to sea.

salted and packed into barrels for storage

Originally a small sketch, it has evolved

or export as far afield as Rome, where they

into a sculpture project highlighting the

importance of small boat fishing in Cornwall and the question of provenance.

Holly’s own Crowdfunding campaign raised over £20,000, including £10,000 from an anonymous donor. A life-size reproduction of Dave and Bird is currently being cast in bronze and will be sited in a prominent position at the end of Porthleven Harbour, en route to the South West Coast Path, to be unveiled at a special event on September 23.

Meanwhile, a mini-bronze of Dave and Bird can be seen at the Falmouth exhibition.

“Some communities in Cornwall still rely on fishing to survive, but many of us have got so used to the convenience of buying fish in the supermarket without even questioning where it comes from,” says Holly. “It’s a global issue, but the success of my crowdfunding campaign shows that people are aware of the problems and that they care. Once people care, you can help to protect the fishermen and their way of life.” l Hevva! Hevva! runs until September 10 at Falmouth Art Gallery.

Free entry. Open 10am to 5pm (Wednesday and Saturday, 10am to 1pm).

Closed Sunday.

Municipal Buildings, The Moor, Falmouth TR11 2RT. Tel 01326 313863 www.falmouthartgallery.com

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 59 n

ARTIST FOCUS

Kurt Jackson A profile of the tranquil Helford River through the seasons.

I first became aware of the Helford late one winter, while staying with friends in their old stone farmhouse on the Lizard.

We walked the mile or so to Gear Farm Shop, wading through virgin snow with redwings and fieldfares flitting past. Eating a steaming pasty in the cold morning air and staring across a panoramic fieldscape of white, with the odd yellow daffodil field and the grey blue river below, was a beautiful moment and the basis for a large canvas that month.

After this, I met the Helford more intimately. I painted a series of watercolours of the Gweek boatyards, and canoed out of Frenchman’s Creek into the wide exposed expanse of the river at the will of the tide. I felt I needed to get to know the Helford in her entirety - not like a resident or someone who has worked and lived their lives next to or on her, but nonetheless to make a sum of her parts to portray and depict this glorious Cornish watercourse.

The Helford divides the top of the Lizard peninsula from the rest of Cornwall. The name may come from the two words: ‘Heyl’, an estuary in Kernewek and ‘ford’ in English. It is actually a ria – a drowned river valley fed by several small streams into its many creeks, principal among them Ponsontuel, Mawgan, Polpenwith, Frenchman’s, Port Navas and Gillan. It is largely navigable and tidal, its shoreline over 30 miles long and lined with ancient woods of sessile oak.

The Helford has such beautiful sunsets.

On a creekside path above the confluence of Frenchman’s and the Helford, there is always a good chance of a light show in the late afternoon. This big, wide expanse of estuary mirrors the heavens above, catching the late low light, reflecting the skies and clouds in its ebb and flow and shining flats like a cinema screen laid flat on its back.

A gig cuts through the centre of this vision, her crew’s voices and rhythmic n 60 |

My

clunk of oars quite clear, carried across a mile of waters. The boat leaves a silver flickering filament that disintegrates then disappears. Mud-coloured curlew, sandpiper and greenshank exploit the perfect acoustics; their whistles, piping and cries rise from their unseen wading, calls of delight, exclamation and alarm.

The harsh shriek of a heron, guttural and raucous, shatters the calm and announces sundown. The ball of the sun slowly sinks upriver towards Gweek, where the river shrinks to just a few visible bends between the dark oaks: past Merthen, past Tremaine, the trench of the silver river lying ready to catch it.

Twice daily the estuarine waters are drawn back; slowly, almost imperceptibly, the tideline retreats, leaving behind a plane of wet, shining mudflats that reflect the sky, the clouds, the overhanging oaks, the lights of the day (or night) and shine with hues of grey and brown and tints of sienna, copper, gold and silver. Autumnal foliage, sunsets and sunrises can be mirrored in this substrate - variously soupy, clayey, gooey or firm - to give beautiful glassy backdrops for the birds to stride and tiptoe across.

A six-foot stretched canvas seemed wide enough to cope with that vast exposed sway of mud and estuary. I carried it from the van, parked amongst the trees above the river, down the track and a flight of steps and along the bank to lean it against the stump of an old, felled Monterey pine as my easel. The eye was led upriver with the perspective of the narrowing grey waters, past Merthen and Tremayne towards Gweek in the distance.

Sunshine lit the breeze-ruffled waters and mudflats to shine and glisten in the low light. The silver mud of the creek shone beneath the dark surrounding woods. I worked on the canvas with speed, knowing the weather was fickle and could change in a moment. I smeared and

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

brushed on thick slabs of grey river and dark silhouetted oaks. I worked in a frenzy on a precarious footing where the ground sloped away below me. I slipped and staggered between paints and canvas.

The breeze grew stronger and the painting started to gain a life of its own, lifting and shifting away from the tree trunk.

I took my scarf and tied the back of the canvas to the tree with the help of the ivy to hand. A gust picked the whole thing up and slammed it back down. My game became more of a struggle, holding onto the tree and the canvas and trying to paint as well.

Furiously mixing paints in a rising wind now blowing across the river full force, painting the canvas, trying to stand back to appraise, moving around the painting to reach the top and the sides, grabbing it with every extra gust. A full workout!

The ground became slippery, paint pots blew around, my palette was a mess, the brushes in the mud, my body bruised. The rain came in, at first a fine drizzle but soon became heavier in horizontal sheets. I wondered how much of my painting would survive, remain. The sun disappeared, that lovely light was turned off, the sky darkened.

I decided enough was enough and untied the painting to drag it to shelter out of the wind and rain. Bruised and exhausted, I had been knocked over and overstretched; most of the paint seemed to have landed on me but I had made something. I would have to wait until I was back in the studio to see whether it was worthwhile. l

Taken from the foreword to Helford River, accompanying the exhibition of the same name which runs from August 27 at the multi award-winning Jackson Foundation, St Just. Admission to this world-class art space is free.

Jackson Foundation, North Row, St Justin-Penwith TR17 7LB Tel 01736 787638 www.jacksonfoundationgallery.com

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 61 n

MAKER FOCUS

REBECCA RASMUSSEN AKA RAZIMAKER

Participating in Cornwall Design: The Art Of Making at Newlyn Art Gallery Where did your love of metalwork originate?

My grandmother was a formidable woman who cared deeply about her possessions.

Every artefact had a story from her colourful life full of travel and adventure.

It taught me the importance of objects.

I would help her polish all the brass and silverware on a bi-weekly basis, and that instilled in me an appreciation for the skill, care and intricacy developed by makers throughout history. My love of antiques, and the tools and processes used to create them, began there.

How sensory is the making experience for you?

The feel, patinas, textures and even the smell of the brass and silver have always evoked in me an excitement and intrigue into how it was all created. Brass is quite an old-fashioned metal, and in my current practice I feel it’s important to bring this under-used metal into a more contemporary use and design.

At what point did you decide to gain formal training in the craft?

Initially, my passions fell between painting and sculpture, but I never developed a real identity. I was confused and didn’t know that a craft degree befitting my ‘fine art’ style at the time was out there. While at art college, the course leader from Falmouth University’s Contemporary Craft degree visited and demonstrated work created from the course. That’s when I knew for certain that training in craft was for me.

Where do you work?

I was in the spare room, but I don’t think my partner, dog or neighbours appreciated the endless banging vibrating through the uninsulated wooden floorboards of our 19th century fisherman’s cottage! I now work from a self-contained unit within an old granite grist mill, which I share with some other wonderful creatives. n 62 |

My

Tell us about your traditional tools and techniques I didn’t have much money to invest in a lot of tools when I committed to making, so I started with the absolute basics: for example, a collection of hammers and a doming block, mostly gathered secondhand. It forced me to be creative with the traditional tools that I did have. I love the idea that the processes I use haven’t changed for hundreds of years, keeping the tradition alive but bringing the designs themselves into the present.

You work on a steel bench block, which contributes to the texture of your pieces The patterns and textures left on my steel bench block I feel are a secret story left by the maker. The many hours spent hammering away creating pieces have left a mark. The inverted textures left on the brass handles I use for my spoons are created by those many slips of the hammer indenting the steel. Each piece has evolved from a piece made before.

How do you intend your pieces to be used?

They are absolutely created to be functional, but they equally look beautiful hanging on the wall. I love the idea of my pieces being a conversation piece and a delight to use. Tableware and serve-ware create rituals within a home.

For example, a tea strainer in particular forces you to take a moment of calm you can’t rush loose-leaf tea stewing in a teapot, delicately pouring it through a beautiful tea strainer, catching the leaves then placing it to rest while enjoying what you’ve just spent the time to make.

You use rivets to join your pieces.

How did this process evolve?

I was determined to make spoons, but I didn’t have the appropriate facilities or tools to solder such big forms, so I began experimenting with riveting to join

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

my pieces instead. This developed into a meditative and delicate process, and I instantly grew to love it. I then began transferring this skill into all my work, including my jewellery and hair pins. The rivets are so small and intricate, and using recycled silver against the contrasting brass really adds to the aesthetic and intrigue of each piece.

How do your Cornish surroundings inspire you?

I create the circles used as my spoon cups in an organic nature, inspired by circles found in my immediate surroundings: honesty seed pods, limpets, wall pennywort and nasturtium leaves. Cornwall is such an inspiring place in general, steeped in history and full of exciting and creative people and makers; you can’t help but feel inspired. l

Rebecca Rasmussen is participating in the exhibition Cornwall Design: The Art Of Making at Newlyn Art Gallery, featuring exceptional contemporary craft by regional designers and makers.

They include: glass artist Bethany Wood; potters Jack Doherty, John Mackenzie and Tor Harrison; textile artists Amy Brock Morgan (BROCK) and Darn Collective; jeweller Emily Nixon; wood sculptor Kinsley Byrne; Francli Craftwear and Tom Raffield Design.

The exhibition runs in The Picture Room, Studio and gallery shop areas.

All work is for sale.

Cornwall Design: The Art Of Making coincides with the Jerwood Art Fund Makers Open, which showcases a broad range of material disciplines including glass, textiles, digital modelling, silversmithing and sculptural installation.

See this in the upper and lower galleries.

Both exhibitions run until October 1. www.newlynartgallery.co.uk

Product photography © John Hersey

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 63 n

n 64 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

MEET THE MAKER

Julie Harper, St Ives Tell us about yourself I’m a porcelain ceramic artist, and have been working with porcelain for 20 years.

I’m married to Duncan, and we have three grown-up sons and two grandsons. I was born in the West Country, and after living and teaching in Kent for many years, I returned to the place I love the most.

When did your interest in porcelain start?

When my sons left home. I was still teaching, and had always wanted to try pottery but had never had the opportunity.

I enrolled on a pottery course and immediately wanted to use white clay.

This was not encouraged, as porcelain is both more expensive and difficult to work with. Nevertheless, I persisted by buying my own porcelain clay to work with in the classes. A year later, I met Billy and Alan, two Master Potters who ran Aylesford School of Pottery. That’s where I continued my learning curve with porcelain, and I’m grateful to them as they were so generous with their time and patience.

What brought you to St Ives?

Around this time, I visited a friend in Penzance who introduced me to St Ives.

I couldn’t believe the beautiful colours of the sea and sand, as well as the quality of the light. It made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck when I looked out of the window at the harbour and saw that the light and sea were ever-changing. I knew then that this was where I wanted to be.

Where is your workspace?

In Whites Old Workshops, which has opened up a new group of friends that

are supportive and enthusiastic. I like to walk daily along the coast; the colours and textures of the sea and beaches inspire and provide me with new ideas for my work.

What steps did you take to sell your work commercially?

I worked hard at making 3D relief paintings of cottages, buildings boats and the sea, all out of porcelain. I was making so much work, it started to take over the house. At that time Channel 4 had a new afternoon programme with Richard and Judy, and they wanted to promote new artists so I sent in photos of my paintings. Two weeks later, a production assistant rang to say I should approach galleries with my work. This was just the confidence boost I needed, as I had never shown my work to anyone before. I plucked up the courage to contact the New Craftsman in St Ives; they took my work, and within 30 minutes called me to say they had sold one of my pieces. I was thrilled - it was a dream come true.

What do you love about porcelain clay?

It has a wonderful smooth texture and can be incredibly delicate. It fires very white and colours dance across its surface. The texturizing techniques I use take time and patience, and you never know if a piece will be successful until you open the kiln after the firing - nothing is guaranteed.

How do you start a piece of work?

I make a sketch using pastels. I also take photographs of the bay and sea at different times of day so I can observe the colour changes and textures on the sand

and rock formations. I then use these to decide the form and design of each piece.

This includes deciding whether to handbuild or throw the clay on the wheel. The new piece will need at least a week to dry at its own rate, according to humidity and outside temperature - then it will have its first firing, for just over 10 hours.

What next?

I mix my own palette of colours to decorate it. The finished painting will sometimes have a glaze and glass additions, then it goes into the kiln for its final firing of just over seven hours. I have to allow the kiln to cool for a day before opening it, which is when it is ready to frame or take to the studio. The entire process from starting to the finished product takes approximately three weeks – porcelain clay can’t be hurried.

What are the challenges of working with porcelain?

It’s temperamental. If it’s too dry, it cracks; too wet, and it slides off the wheel like putty! But when you get it right, it’s just magical. I absolutely love working with it and hope to be able to carry on exploring its many possibilities. l Julie Harper is based at Studio 6, Whites Old Workshops, Porthmeor Road, St Ives TR26 1NP Tel: 07734 793686 Email: jbhshoretosea@hotmail.co.uk www.julieharperceramics.co.uk

A @julieharperceramics

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 65 n

VIP A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE

‘VIOLA’

by Andrew Thomas SWAc at Whitewater Contemporary Whitewater Contemporary Polzeath presents work by artist Andrew Thomas from his sculptural Instrument series. Thomas is a member of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts, and works from his studio in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset.

Initially carving his designs in wood, he explores the form and subject of each piece with technical precision and an artist’s subjective eye, before casting his sculptures in bronze. He is also a published author, who has written prolifically on the subject of woodcarving and sculpture.

“I have worked incredibly hard over decades to develop my understanding of form in relation to concept or subject matter,” says Andrew. “I work primarily in wood, using the deconstruction process of carving to explore the infinite possibilities of form within the block. All my works are cast in bronze metal, which offers the permanence of a medium that can be experienced and treasured for generations to come.”

See works by Andrew Thomas on show at Whitewater Contemporary, The Parade, Polzeath PL27 6SR. www.whitewatercontemporary.co.uk

n 66 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

CIRCA 21

COWHOUSE GALLERY Discover Circa 21, a wonderfully creative shop in the heart of Penzance & established in 2014 by Esme & Alan Burton. Spread over two floors, you’ll find work from some of the region’s top makers like John Webb.

West Penwith is bursting with creativity and Esme has captured some of this talent for you to admire and fall in love with. In amongst the Fair Trade homeware are around 30 Cornwall based makers, including owner Esme’s pretty floral silver & copper jewellery that she makes in house. Feel inspired by a colourful and energetic shopping experience this summer!

During Penzance Art Festival 3-19 June, pop up to the top floor studio of fine artist Sophie Dennett whose work is direct & emotionally charged without sentimentality.

CIRCA 21, 21 Market Jew Street, Penzance, Cornwall, TR18 2HR • Open 10am-4pm (closed Sundays & Bank Holiday Mondays) Instagram: circa21 • www.circa21.co.uk

INSPIRE MAKERS

The gallery is run by a group of local artists and craftspeople and offers a wide range of original arts and crafts at very affordable prices. A stroll away is Perranuthnoe Cove with breathtaking coastal walks looking towards St Michael’s Mount in one direction and to Prussia Cove the other.

Left: Larry the Lobster. Fabrics, Threads and Seaglass by Jane Bodle Right: Shell Sculpture. Stoneware by Janeve Bainbridge Summer hours open daily 10-5. Lynfield Craft Centre, Perranuthnoe TR20 9NE T: 01736 710538 • www.cowhousegallery.co.uk

JACKSON FOUNDATION MERMAIDS’ TEARS Until August 13th. This exhibition, originally shown in Scotland during COP26, charts Kurt Jackson’s efforts to address the blight of plastic in the ocean, and draws attention to the resin pellets or nurdles from plastic manufacturing (known as mermaids’ tears) that pollute the environment. In association with Surfers Against Sewage.

Located towards the top of Falmouth High Street, Inspire Makers is a creative space showcasing the talent of over 50 Cornish artists and craftspeople. There is a wide range of contemporary work from both wellknown and emerging makers, across jewellery, ceramics, textiles, painting & prints, stationery, and homewares. There is also a pop-up gallery which hosts a year round programme of short exhibitions by Cornish artists, and a dedicated workshop space which offers classes to inspire people to become creative themselves. Check our website for details on what’s coming up.

Opening Times: Tues to Sat 10am-5pm Inspire Makers, 5 High Street, Falmouth, TR11 2AB • T: 01326 531176 E: create@inspiremakers.com • W: www.inspiremakers.com A @inspire_makers • G inspiremakers

KERNOW YARN AND FIBRE FESTIVAL

CLAY COUNTRY Until August 13th. For this project previously exhibited at Wheal Martyn and Worcester, Kurt Jackson worked in situ at the Littlejohns China Clay Works, observing the workers in the pit as they extracted and transported the china clay in an extraordinary manmade landscape.

The dramatic (and sometimes extreme) variations in the weather inspired a diverse range of drawings and paintings, perched on the edge of the pit or down in the depths – including the clay and stone itself in the mix.

SALLY BALDWIN - FRAGILE EARTH Until August 13th. Textile artist Sally Baldwin’s Fragile Earth is a body of work evoking natural forms such as trees, pods, flowers, insects, sea life, water. The materials used - recycled paper, handmade paper, silk waste, silk, cotton scrim - are ghostly, white and ephemeral, suggesting delicate, fragile, finely balanced and vulnerable landscapes.

KURT JACKSON: HELFORD RIVER From August 27th. In this new collection Kurt Jackson revisits the Helford River, her creeks and her tributaries to capture her stunning beauty and incredible biodiversity.

Along the way, Jackson explores the wildlife and the communities that live in and on this unique watercourse.

Join us at the brand new Kernow Yarn And Fibre Festival (KernowYAFF) on Sunday 18th September 2022 at the Pavilion Centre, Royal Cornwall Showground,10am to 4pm!

You’ll find the best of hand-dyed, hand-crafted and sustainable yarns, fibres and related products, in an exciting market-style show with a vibrant festival feel. Come and celebrate your favourite yarn and fibre crafts while supporting small, local producers and artisans. There’ll be delicious refreshments & food from Dank Frank’s and Cornish Barista.

See www.kernowyaff.com for exhibitors, tickets and more!

MARTIN JOHN FOWLER

ANDER GUNN: SEVEN DECADES From August 27th. Photographer Ander Gunn has spent a lifetime turning his lens to the world, from working class Londoners framed in the doorway of a public convenience to the brightest lights of the St Ives School. This exhibition of black and white images reflects his output over the last 70 years to offer a sample of both rural and urban subject matter.

Please check website for seasonal opening times North Row, St Just, TR19 7LB • T: 01736 787638 www.jacksonfoundationgallery.com

SHARON MCSWINEY Martin John Fowler is a professional working artist based in South Yorkshire with strong connections to Cornwall. Displaying in several local galleries, Martin’s work looks to capture Cornwall’s rugged and wild coastal areas, often en plein air when possible, and as a result has had his work exhibition both nationally and internationally in solo and mixed exhibitions. www.martinjohnfowler.com

We have moved to a new gallery space exhibiting handcrafted metalwork, jewellery & paintings. Inspired by the sea unique metal seaweed wall pieces & silver limpet jewellery capture the Cornish coast.

Sharon McSwiney, Gallery on the Square, Island Square, St Ives TR26 1NX Tel: 01736 448293 • www.sharonmcswiney.co.uk

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 67 n

n 68 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

70 72 74 76 78 80 82

FOOD BITES A BERRY GOOD IDEA - TENZING DISH OF THE MONTH THE COCONUT CHY ON NEWQUAY’S TOWAN BEACH SUMMER BREWS WEEKEND AWAY: ST MICHAELS RESORT, FALMOUTH EXPERIENCE: POLURRIAN ON THE LIZARD

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 69 n

bites Jazz and Supper Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, near Lostwithiel, hosts a weekend of summer jazz from August 19 to 21, with entertainment from the Pete Canter Quartet, the Martin Dale Quartet and a day-long free jazz and blues jam led by the Simon Latarche Trio. Friday and Saturday evenings offer Jazz and Supper from 6.30pm, with a menu specially created by head chef Christopher Archambault including Cajun blackened Cornish Picanha - a classic Brazilian roast beef cut slow-cooked and seasoned Louisiana style; or vegetarian gumbo served with spring onion rice. £40pp; just jazz, £15pp. l

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

The Great Cornish Food Store in Truro celebrates six successful years by becoming an employee-owned business. The move means employees will part-own the company and will therefore be able to enjoy a more active role in how the company is run and a share of the profits going forward. The organisation follows the model of their next-door neighbour Waitrose, which is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the largest employeeowned business in the UK. l

Something’s Bubbling

To book, call 01208 872668. Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, Cott Road, Lostwithiel PL22 0HW.

As the trend for the gut-health properties of fermented foods continues to rise, you can now embark on a fermentation journey at chic coastal hotel Merchants Manor in Falmouth. This summer, the hotel offers the two-day fermentation course Something’s Bubbling, led by head chef

Taste of Scilly

Taste of Scilly, the archipelago’s food and drink festival returns from September 15 to 25. The undisputed highlight is a series of feasts hosted by Hidden Hut founder Simon Stallard, who will visit the islands to cook up a storm using Scillonian produce. Simon is best-known for cooking fresh, high-quality local produce over fire, and his memorable dining experiences in remote and beautiful locations, in particular Porthcurnick beach n 70 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

and fermentation fanatic Aiden BlakelyMay. Create and name your own sourdough starter, bake bread using ancient grains grown nearby, understand lactofermentation and produce a restorative Amazake drink with Cornish strawberries.

The break includes a seven-course tasting menu at the hotel’s 3 AA Rosette restaurant Rastella, with paired drinks and a twonight stay in a King Room with breakfast.

Available Thursdays and Fridays until September 30. On Thursday, September 8, Aiden will be joined by fellow fermentation fan Robin Sherriff, the experimental chef and owner of Koji Kitchen in Edinburgh. l www.merchantsmanor.com

on the Roseland peninsula. His three beach feasts will be the grand finale on September 23, 24 and 25. l www.visitislesofscilly.com

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 71 n

A new energy drink uses Cornish ingredients and puts money back into our coastline, writes Kirstie Newton

n 72 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

I

n ancient times, the leaves and young branches of sea buckthorn were fed to horses as a nutritious meal that led to healthy weight gain and a shiny coat. This is reflected in its genus name: Hippophae, derived from hippo (horse) and phaos (shining). Now you, too, can experience the same benefits of “seaberries” thanks to a partnership between a Cornish grower and a national drinks company.

This hardy plant flourishes in conditions that would punish lesser species: the arid semi-desert sites of landlocked central Asia, and the salt-tinged coasts of western Europe. Seth Pascoe launched the Cornish Seaberry Company in 2016, and now grows thousands of trees each year, with orchards in Lostwithiel, Tywardreath and Veryan.

Having worked with local tonic producers and launched his own brand of seaberry juice, this summer Seth embarks upon his most ambitious collaboration to date: providing Cornish seaberries to be blended with British apple juice and Cornish sea salt in a limited-edition flavour for TENZING Natural Energy drinks.

While traditional energy drinks are often heavy on sugar and artificial ingredients, TENZING products are plant-based and low in calories - around 60% less sugar than comparable products - offering naturally sourced caffeine, vitamin C and electrolytes with every sip. An impressive 95% of ingredients are sourced in the UK. The company also claims to be the world’s first carbon negative energy drink and invests a portion of profits into environmental projects. Cans will be sold in selected Co-op stores nationwide, with 1% of all proceeds going back to St Agnes-based campaign organisation Surfers Against Sewage (SAS).

“I’ve always loved surfing and wanted to support SAS, so I was considering how to work with them,” says TENZING chief executive and founder Huib van Bockel.

“I decided to try and source ingredients as locally as possible. When I discovered Seth’s seaberries, I couldn’t believe how similar our back stories were.”

It turned out both businesses have their origins in landlocked Nepal. Huib launched TENZING based on a recipe used by Himalayan Sherpas, and named his company after Tenzing Norgay, who famously became

one of the first men to scale Mount Everest in the company of Sir Edmund Hillary. A percentage of revenue from his first product – combining green tea, green coffee and lemon juice - funded 15 stone bins to help solve the rubbish problem on the slopes of Everest, at the request of the Sherpas.

The Cornish seaberry story began when agronomist Seth suffered from altitude sickness — dizziness, nosebleeds, splitting headaches and breathlessness - on a trek to Mount Everest base camp. A Sherpa gave him a glassful of a hot, bright-orange elixir: his first introduction to seaberry juice, with its distinct nutritional properties.

Later, Seth was surprised to stumble across the same seaberries growing wild on the Cornish coast path.

“TENZING was looking for weird and wacky local ingredients, and I often come up when that conversation happens,” laughs Seth. “The seaberry is a wonderful fruit with so many healthy attributes, and it needs something to put it on the map. TENZING will reach a much bigger audience than I can on my own.”

The seaberries aren’t the only Cornish ingredient in this drink. Salt harvested from the seas around the Lizard Peninsula plays an important role, by amplifying the flavour and facilitating rehydration.

Based in Gweek, near Helston, Cornish Sea Salt was founded in 2004 and is now the number one UK sea salt brand, selling to chefs and home cooks in 35 countries around the world. While table salt is as much as 99% sodium chloride, Cornish Sea Salt is naturally lower in sodium and contains more than 60 healthy trace minerals which have all kinds of health benefits, from effective brain, nerve and muscle function to a strong immune system.

Chief operating officer Philip Tanswell says: “Salt is the base ingredient for so

many things, so we get approached by a lot of producers. TENZING came to us for our provenance and science, and it was the link to Surfers Against Sewage that appealed to us – it meant we were giving something back.”

Surfers Against Sewage founder Hugo Tagholm met Huib in July and showed him around SAS HQ and St Agnes Head.

“It’s fantastic to have the support of a brand like TENZING to help us drive our campaigns,” he says. “We are mobilising record numbers of people at the beach to tackle plastic pollution and call for better water quality and stronger legislation.

It’s vital that the corporate and business sectors put their money where their mouth is and help us do that.

“We say no to a lot of multi-national companies who don’t match our values or the level of commitment TENZING showed us. I know they are sourcing ingredients in Cornwall and supporting that part of the production cycle and economy, being considerate to the impact their products have. They passed our due diligence process – not everyone does.”

In 2021, TENZING became the first soft drink brand to label its cans with its environmental impact from crop to can - “transport, production, everything” - calculated and revealed for all to see. “We know and we show our carbon footprint, and we try to reduce it as far as we possibly can,” says Huib.

Perhaps most importantly, what does the drink actually taste like? “It’s unique - very tangy and citrussy,” says Huib. “It will be the first time many UK drinkers have tasted a seaberry. I’d say it’s our most refreshing product to date.” l TENZING Natural Energy: Apple and Seaberry is due to go on sale in Co-op supermarkets from August 15. RRP £1.90. www.tenzingnaturalenergy.com

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 73 n

Dishhe of t h t n o M

n 74 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

PRAWN LINGUINE ALFREDO SPRINGTIDE, CHARLESTOWN

This is one of the most popular dishes on the menu at Springtide, Charlestown. Executive chefs Will Spurgeon and Matt Liddicoat say: “We love this linguine and clearly so do our customers! The flavours of tangy tomato, earthy spinach and fragrant basil are finished with an aged parmesan and garlic ciabatta to deliver a really fresh family favourite.”

INGREDIENTS • 6 or 7 tiger prawns, peeled and de-veined • 1 clove of garlic • ½ sliced red chilli with seeds • 150g linguine • 100ml white wine • 250ml double cream • 100g washed spinach • 8 cherry tomatoes • 1 lemon • 100g basil leaves • Olive oil • Sea salt • Grated parmesan

METHOD • First make the basil oil. Blend basil and 50ml of olive oil on high speed with a pinch of sea salt. Once blended, leave to one side.

• Cook the linguine for 5 minutes. Drain, toss with a little oil and leave to one side.

• Heat a large frying pan. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil, then fry the cherry tomatoes until the skins start to blister.

• Add garlic and chilli to your pan and fry for 30 seconds. Add the prawns; sear and toss both sides with a pinch of salt.

• Add the wine to the pan and bring to a rapid boil. Add the cream and squeeze your lemon in. Reduce until the liquid starts to thicken.

• Add the cooked pasta, spinach and basil oil. Toss until the spinach is wilted.

• Serve in a bowl and finish with freshly grated parmesan.

• Chef's tip: make pangrattato (garlic breadcrumbs) and sprinkle on top for crunch. t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 75 n

! l a c i p Tro

The sun always shines on The Coconut Chy in Newquay

n 76 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

I

f, as a well-known song goes, you like pina coladas, get yourself down to Newquay’s Towan Beach. The Coconut Chy opened in mid-June and serves non-alcoholic pina coladas in hollowedout pineapples, as well as fresh coconuts for drinking and eating, all from a cheery brightly-coloured hut.

Owner Alison Ballard hopes to bring the taste of the Caribbean to Cornwall, to which end you are more likely to hear reggae over the speakers than Rupert Holmes’ cocktail-related hit. “Whether you are on holiday in Cornwall or simply on your lunch break, I want you to feel as if it’s hot and sunny all the time, even when it isn’t,” she smiles.

In fact, the sun is shining today; the tide is out and Towan Beach is lively with families, surf schools, dog walkers, rockpoolers and sunworshippers. A steady stream of customers come and order: a pina colada with two cardboard straws for a pair of teenagers to share, a fruit salad served in a half-pineapple, and a coconut for a young lad who returns at Alison’s instruction to have the top sliced off so he can eat the white flesh inside.

The name is Cornish as they come: the word Chy means house in Cornish in Kernewek, so this play on words from the traditional fairground coconut “shy” means the Coconut House. You can also indulge in smoothie bowls served in coconut shells, watermelon slices, barista coffee and home-made cakes.

Alison started the business following a change in personal circumstance. "I was working in an admin role while running my own business making vintage-style clothing, but last year I started to have a lot of problems with my eyes,” she explains.

“By January, I was partially sighted and unable to drive or look at a computer for long periods. I had to quit my job and was unable to run my own business online or take on any festivals, which were a large part of my income but required driving.”

The hunt was on for a different kind of work.

When job applications to cafés brought no response, Alison decided to set up her own. "Ever since visiting Sri Lanka in 2016, I had thought of selling coconuts on the beach. When I saw the building, I knew it was perfect, so I emailed the landlord and viewed it the very next day. By the end of the week, it was mine! I could see it would be beautiful painted up, and it was right next to the beach, so ideal. Towan is dog-friendly all year round, and has good, flat access.”

Within nine weeks, Alison had transformed the run-down space (with the help of her DIY-handy dad), got her Food Hygiene Certificate, trained to be a barista, designed the menu, found staff and suppliers, created a logo and more. Much of the equipment and furnishings were acquired second-hand. “It’s higgledypiggledy, but I didn’t want it to be perfect – I wanted it to feel like the kind of shack you’d find in the Caribbean,” says Alison, sporting a tropical print apron that matches her bar stools. “It’s tiny, but that’s all I need.”

For the uninitiated, a pina colada is a mix of pineapple juice, coconut water and lime juice, with the scooped-out flesh frozen and blitzed to create a smoothie-like consistency. You might add a tot of rum elsewhere, but Alison doesn’t currently have an alcohol licence and prefers the inclusivity that offers. “This isn’t a bar, which means you can come here with your kids, or on your own. It’s for everyone.”

Fresh stock comes from Fresh Point in Newquay, including juicy Costa Rican pineapples and ready-prepared drinking coconuts. Alison’s dad knocked up a nifty contraption to punch a hole in the top for a cardboard straw, and a knife to slice off the top. “It’s not quite the machete I saw traders using in Sri Lanka, but I don’t think I’d be allowed that on Towan Beach,” she laughs. “I’ve never seen anyone else in the UK doing this. It’s fun and a bit different – and it’s healthy.”

With no need for crockery, it’s also sustainable, not to mention highly Instagrammable. Canny Alison’s ability to dress her wares has brought the selfie crowds flocking. “You can take them down on the beach, or snap them here on the decking with the island house behind,” she explains. “So many people do the PR for me, and then more people come down.”

The shack comes complete with a kennel for Alison’s British bulldog, Holly, who loves to be made a fuss of. Four-legged friends are more than welcome, and the menu includes a “pupaccino” - frothy milk with whipped cream and a bone dog biscuit.

Alison’s eyesight has improved following an operation, but The Coconut Chy is here to stay. While pineapples and coconuts are decidedly summery, Alison plans to remain open throughout the year, serving hot spiced pineapple juice and eggnog, and gourds for Hallowe’en.

“There’s a lifeguard from Brazil who says it feels like going home,” she beams. “That’s the ultimate compliment. l The Coconut Chy, Towan Beach Promenade, Towan Beach, Newquay, TR7 1DU G A @thecoconutchy

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 77 n

Quench your thirst with some of these tipples.

1

1. The future’s orange Parisian-style bistro The Orgia, in Falmouth’s Church Street, offers a wine list dedicated to ‘skin-contact’ or orange wines, which are poised to be the new rosé. Try several options by the glass, while tasting sliders of three small glasses allow inquisitive customers to explore this easily-missed category in more depth.

Feeling peckish? Team up your tipple with a menu of light bites, nibbles, full plates and sharing platters including Porthilly oysters, British-made nduja and French wild boar saucisson. www.theorgia.com 2. Hazy days Firebrand Brewing Co at Launceston enters the alcohol-free market with the launch of Shorebreak Hazy Pale - perfect for those who like their craft beer without the hangover. This super-satisfying 0.5% brew is bursting with mango and lemongrass flavours - clean and refreshing, n 78 |

My

2

3

4

5

a flavoursome, thirst-quenching option for the summer. £2.30/330ml, www.firebrandbrewing.co.uk 3. Sundowner spritz Crafted by the team at Knightor Winery, Aprèz is a refreshing, delicately aromatic canned rosé wine spritz bursting with Mediterranean flavours and punches of zesty citrus. It’s just perfect for sundowner moments, chilling with friends on the beach or in the park, or even just kicking back on the train or sofa. For more information and to pre-order, email sales@knightor.com 4. 0% alcohol, 100% Rattler Described as “100% Rattler, 0% Alcohol”, Rattler Zero was some three years in the making. “When choosing zero alcohol, consumers don’t want an existing product that’s simply diluted down - they want a product in its own right, and shouldn’t

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

need to compromise on taste or mouthfeel,” says Joe Healey, managing director at Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm. With 97% of this product coming from fermented apples, it has all the character and flavour you’d expect in a Rattler product. www.healeyscyder.co.uk 5. Hard seltzers Created from spirited sparkling Cornish water, hard seltzers are the fastest growing drinks sector in the USA and are predicted to make a splash this side of the pond. William and Rubina TylerStreet, the husband-and-wife team behind Curio gins, have created a 4.5%abv Hard Seltzer range to reflect the easy-going outdoor lifestyle dubbed “Kernowfornia”.

Delectable flavour combinations include delicate Peach and Rose, zingy Rhubarb and Ginger, sweet Pear and Elderflower, tropical Mango and citrussy Yuzu and Mandarin. www.curiohardseltzer.co.uk l

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 79 n

ST MICHAELS RESORT, FALMOUTH Get some coastal calm and revive your senses with a short break in Falmouth, carefully crafted by the crew at St Michaels Resort to punctuate the hustle and bustle of daily life.

The resort is mere footsteps from the

all located within walking distance of the

white sands and crystal-clear waters of

sights and sounds of Falmouth.

Gyllyngvase Beach, meaning you don’t need to risk a flight cancellation or a ferry queue to feel good again this year.

The

Twilight

Spa

Break

encapsulates

tranquillity, relaxation and indulgence, and is especially popular with locals. The highlight

Home to an award-winning spa and

is the two-hour hydrothermal experience in

hydrothermal experience, and not one but

the largest hydrotherapy pool in the South

two restaurants, St Michaels Resort offers

West. Heated up to a comforting 35C, it’s the

more than your average coastal hotel, and

perfect place to ease away stress and tension.

n 80 |

My

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

After a soak, stretch out on the poolside beds and heated loungers, cleanse the skin in the herbal Finnish sauna, bubble away in the outdoor hot tub and take in the views of the stunning Falmouth Bay from the outdoor barrel sauna. Step back inside and bask in the thermal paradise of the rainforest steam room before breathing deeply in the world’s only Cornish sea salt steam room. Whatever

relaxation looks like for you, you’ll find

on honest Cornish produce, taking diners on

Spend the evening taking in sunset views

it here.

a laid-back tour of Cornish fields, farms and

across the ocean, sip on something

waters. Darren makes regular trips to local

ice-cold and refreshing (or perhaps

markets and fields to source fresh produce;

something with bubbles), before slinking

his food revolution at St Michaels centres on

back into one of St Michaels’ comfortable

dishes big in flavour and low in food miles.

coastal bedrooms. A true home away

Following a brief interlude, you’ll be guided upstairs into St Michaels’ relaxed restaurant, the Brasserie on the Bay. Overlooking subtropical gardens and on

from home for the night. l

to the shimmering sea beyond, expect a

“One of my earliest memories was going

three-course menu devised by executive

out with my dad on our boat at Portholland

The Twilight Spa Break is available on

head chef Darren Millgate to showcase

to pull up the net and see what was in store

Wednesday and Thursday nights, from

the very best in Cornish ingredients.

for dinner,” he recalls. “Sometimes it was

£140 per person.

mackerel, or fiddly spider crabs, occasionally

St Michaels Resort, Gyllyngvase Beach,

Local boy Darren trained under Michelin-

bass. The excitement of not knowing what

Falmouth TR11 4NB.

starred Ben Tunnicliffe and honed his craft

would be in the net still guides me today. It’s

Tel 01326 312707

in the south of France. He is now back on

far more important than the flamboyance

www.stmichaelsresort.com

home turf with a food philosophy centred

and waste of a fine-dining operation.” t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 81 n

POLURRIAN ON THE LIZARD With breathtaking views across the Atlantic, Polurrian on the Lizard is a spectacular clifftop hangout where vintage glamour meets coastal-contemporary. If unforgettable sunsets coupled with expertly mixed aperitifs are holiday musts, this turn-of-thecentury railway hotel should be top of your list.

What better plan for a summer Sunday than fine food and smooth sounds in a stunning location? The Woodfired Sessions tick all those boxes, combining delicious food and drink with a live acoustic set from a roster of some of Cornwall’s finest performers.

Arrive early for a Woodfired lunch, and enjoy a digestif backed by quality entertainment; or rock up in time for the performance at 4pm, leaving yourself enough time to order a cocktail with a Cornish twist, or the taster board of local and artisan rums.

You could even make a day of it, making use of the hotel’s leisure facilities (temporary membership is available). That was our plan. We arrived mid-morning, in time for a much-needed neck, back and shoulders Elemis massage in the spa for me, followed by some quiet time in the relaxation room.

Meanwhile, my other half and our daughter strode off along the coast path in search of ice cream, and wound up at Poldhu Cove, famous for its connections with radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, who sent his first transatlantic message from this very spot. Upon their return, we enjoyed some family time in the 30ft heated indoor swimming pool and its hottub (the outdoor pool is also available from May to September). n 82 |

My

WOODFIRED SESSIONS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER: August 7: The Sea Strings. Classical, contemporary and folk music on violin and harp.

August 14: Ryan Jones. Singersongwriter and acoustic guitarist.

August 21: Adam Parfitt. Covering The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Oasis and more.

August 28: Miranda Brook. Sumptuous cover versions and awesome original compositions.

September 4: Rick Chappell and Barry Hunt. Acoustic music from Paul Simon to Paul Weller.

September 11: Sam Ashton. Soulful blues and country tones.

September 18: Helm & The All-Star Band. Sweet country slide guitar.

September 25: Callum Flew. Jazz, swing and big band favourites.

The Woodfired Sessions continue throughout the year. Lunch from noon to 4pm; acts play at 4pm. Woodfired pizzas available from 6pm (eat in or take-away).

Special offer: Pizza & Pint (or Prosecco) £15. Book by calling 01326 240421 or visit www.polurrianhotel.com

Issue 73 | August - September 2022

Then it was time for lunch. The restaurant offers Mediterranean-inspired meals, using produce from within a 20-mile radius where possible, cooked in a wood-fired Gozney oven and served in spectacular surroundings. We took our table, by floor-to-ceiling windows boasting captivating views over Mounts Bay, and ordered wood-fired handstretched pizzas.

By 4pm, we were feeling very relaxed, mellowed by the warmth of the sun, good food and a large glass of wine. Excitement was building as more people arrived specially to hear Our Atlantic Roots, aka husband-and-wife duo Mac and Laura, who took to the stage area and delivered an hour of American-style folk (Mac hails from North Carolina). They are due to return to the Polurrian in November, but in the meantime, there is a fabulous lineup on offer for the summer.

Polurrian on The Lizard is embarking on a fresh chapter with a new owner and significant investment on the horizon.

Lincolnshire businessman Andrew Long has holidayed with his family in Cornwall for over three decades, and is cofounder and CEO of the Extra Motorway Services Areas Group; he has exciting plans to enhance the existing facilities.

Watch this space! l

t @myCornwall_ | G myCornwalltv | w www.thatsmycornwall.com 83 n

The Customs House Gallery - Porthleven -

ANDREW JAGO An exhibition of original paintings Saturday 20th to Monday 29th August

The influence of the ocean as muse is hard to ignore as a painter in Cornwall Beautiful yet imposing - the agency of nature against the architecture of man has been a recurring theme in my work. For this series of new paintings I have focused on our relationship with the sea and how we have attempted to harness the natural elements to our own advantage. The sea itself is the central motif and metaphor, I have always been interested in our co-dependency; of how we gain strength from it yet we are at its sublime mercy.

Harbourside, Porthleven, TR13 9JD n 84 |

My

01326 569365 | hello@thecustomshousegallery.co.uk www.cornwall-art.co.uk | customshousegalleryporthleven Issue 73 | August - September 2022