No Snow but we've got snowdrops

While the rest of the country was covered under a blanket of snow, here at Poltarrow we didn't have so much as a single flake.  The closest it looks like we'll get to snow is these little beauties which I found around the grounds at the weekend.

If you are a fan of snowdrops then a local estate Pencarrow opens it's gardens in February to share with the public their wonderful display of snowdrops.

Judith
Poltarrow Farm
Self Catering Cottages and Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Cornwall

Romantic walks for Valetine's Day

It seems we are not the only ones in the mood for a good walk!  I was perusing the VisitCornwall website where they have blogged about various romantic walks for Valentine's Day.  They suggest taking in Daphne Du Maurier’s south coast around Fowey, the setting for some of her most broodingly romantic novels.  The walk to Gribben Head is 4.5miles around an area of headland just west of Fowey.  

Image from Visit Cornwall

It is famed for its association with Daphne du Maurier, who lived for many years at Menabillly at Gribbin Head and used it as a model for Manderley in her novel Rebecca.  Sounds like this walk ought to be next on our list!

Days Out - A walk from Tresillian to St Clements

Our walk on Sunday took us to Tresillian, just outside of Truro; Tresillian means "a place of eels" in Cornish no doubt because of its close proximity to the estuary.  One of the famous events of the English civil war took place in Tresillian in 1645. England agreed to negotiate terms with Cornwall and on March 10, 1645 both sides met at Tresillian Bridge and this is where England's General Fairfax received Cornish Hopton's surrender of his South-West army. 

Our walk took us along the banks of the estuary, the tide was out which revealed the mudflats and evidence of how important they are for supporting large populations of wintering waders and wildfowl as Katherine's photos show.

Curlew

Egret

Heron

Sandpiper (we think!)

Teal

When the tide is in and the estuary is full the mudflats are covered, with the tide out the river follows a carved out, windy course.

Pencalenick School sits on the hill overlooking the river

As you progress along the river bank you come across the freshwater Tresemple pond which on Sunday was home to call ducks and a swan who Titus became particularly interested in!

 

 

We managed to persuade Peter to come with us after a promise of a cup of tea and a piece of cake at the The Old Vicarage tea rooms in St Clements however on arrival we discovered they were closed for January which was probably better for our waistlines! 

Judith
Poltarrow Farm
Self Catering Cottages and Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast in Cornwall

Days Out - Luxulyan Woods

To keep up our New Year resolution Katherine and I ventured out last Sunday to Luxulyan Woods, the woods are owned by Cornwall Wildlife Trust and are also part of a designated World Heritage Site as they contain a major concentration of early 19th century industrial remains from Copper mining.

The Treffry viaduct and aqueduct is a unique double function structure.  The first all-stone viaduct built in Cornwall is constructed entirely of granite from local quarries with the foundation stone being laid in 1839 and all the blocks being hoisted into position by blocks and pulleys.

  
At the same time it served as an aqueduct to carry water through a comprehensive leat system to work the other machinery in the valley.  It is along these leats that many of the footpaths follow.

 

At its peak the mine was served by 17 waterwheels which were powered by the leats and which in turn powered machinery for use in the mine.

Remnants of the tramway which carried the quarried stone across the valley, here the blocks on which the sleepers sat can be clearly seen.

At times the paths make their way out of the woods into open countryside with some lovely views of the valley.

Judith
Poltarrow Farm
Self catering cottages and Farmhouse Bed & Breakfast

Days Out - New Years Walk

We took advantage of some fine weather during the New Year to get out and enjoy a walk through some local woodland known as Kings Woods which is owned by the Woodland Trust.  The woods themselves are mainly mature oak with sycamore, beech, sweet chestnut, ash and birch along with areas of southern beech, larch, Douglas and Noble fir, Sitka spruce and western hemlock. 

The woodland's boundary is edged with ancient stone walls.  The woods were hunted to keep the grand houses of the aristocracy supplied with venison.  The huntsmen did not want their quarry escaping so they turned the coping stones turned in to stop their hapless prey escaping.

 

Lying on a steep valley side of the Pentewan Valley, Kings Wood is well loved and well used by the local community.  It is a popular spot for dog walking, recreation and for people with a keen interest in the natural environment.  Titus certainly enjoyed the afternoon's jaunt.

The area is important for birds and insects with several butterfly and moth species rare to Cornwall recorded here in recent years. The site is also notable for its rich ground flora - including bluebells - and is designated a county wildlife site.