Monthly Archives: February 2014

Place

Season: autumn The creek was a scene of peace and tranquility on this occasion.  There wasn’t a breath of wind, the sunshine was warm and bright and the trees were still covered in leaves.  The midday sun lit Cellars beach and St Mawes, looking across from Place House.  It was a chance to enjoy an Indian […]

Percuil Freshwater

I was invited to the Freshwater Boatyard by its owner, Mark Humphrey when we met at the St Mawes Sailing Club.  What a wonderful place this is to live and work, next to the beautiful Percuil River and Freshwater beach.  The working boatyard is not generally open to the public, so it was a great […]

Great Western beach

Season: winter Bright sunshine greeted me at Great Western beach.  The tide was low, allowing access to neighbouring Tolcarne and Towan beaches.  This is a great place to look out from, with a view taking in Newquay harbour and stretching right round to Trevose Head lighthouse.  Weekending beachgoers were enjoying a respite from the winter […]

Porthoustock beach

Season: winter Porthoustock has a fine industrial heritage, as explained by interviewee Tracy and Dudman’s quarry is still busy, with regular visits from bulk carriers to collect aggregates.  The harbour sits next to Falmouth Bay, a busy location for international maritime traffic.  Tracy explained how her grandfather had fallen into the sea from the top […]

Gwithian beach

Season: winter There was half a rising tide at Gwithian for this visit.  Messy seven foot high waves erupted randomly in a strong wind at this most elemental of beaches.  Sand blew across the flat surface of the beach and kite surfers battled with the conditions in front of Godrevy lighthouse.   The approach to Gwithian […]

Rock beach

Season: autumn Rock is a jewel in the North Cornwall crown.  Sitting across the River Camel from popular Padstow, there’s a serene calm in the morning here before the up-market eateries and shops open.  The beach is expansive, backed by sand dunes that have intricate pathways in which to lose yourself.  The views from the […]

Godrevy beach

Season: winter The high tide was starting to fall back under a bright blue sky.  There were remnants of morning mist towards the Gwithian end of the beach, but the lighthouse could be seen clearly just offshore.  Mountainous surf crashed against the beach and the granite rocks.  The cliffs were lined with sightseers and photographers, […]

Newlyn

Season: winter There was a calm between storms for this winter visit to Cornwall’s fishing capital.  The market was quiet and many boats hadn’t been out for a while, due to the inclement conditions.  Bright sunshine was the order of the day and this was an opportunity to survey a large section of the fishing […]

Port Quin

Season: winter Laid out in front of me was the aftermath of the previous evening’s storms.  Boulders were strewn over the road and beyond.  This beach has National Trust parking and is a haven for fair weather visitors, but there is equal majesty off season, nature in all her forms at this melting pot.  Even as […]

Port Isaac beach

Season: autumn A protective harbour wall divides the village of Port Isaac and its harbour from the Atlantic Ocean, which can be a wild place.  Interviewee David works on the fishing boat you can see in the scene setting film below.  Her skipper Julian was interviewed in an earlier visit.  A long tradition of fishing […]

Polurrian Cove beach

Season: summer This is an elemental beach, pure and wild.  Today it was full of energy, with untamed breakers rolling in on a strong swell.  It was just after high tide and as the beach revealed itself the receding sea crashed in against the black rocks of the small headland.  To the south dark, imposing cliffs […]