Godrevy Again

Come on CT, tell me which Blue she is. Silver Studded? Or Common?

If you live here, or if you are visiting anytime soon, I urge you to go to Godrevy. Like a lot of the coastline of West Cornwall, this is an area owned and preserved by the National Trust (I think that the beach and the lighthouse are privately owned). Olly and I walked Honey there yesterday. I thought it would make a change from the dunes. And I had stared at the lighthouse from Sam's window this morning. She looked bright and welcoming in the early morning sun. And she seemed to beckon me over. It's what I told myself as I drove there anyway.

The headland overlooking the lighthouse was swathed in a violet carpet. It shimmered in the morning sunshine and contrasted beautifully with the blue sky above. You know when something is so other worldly that you find yourself catching your breath? When you have to do a double take, just to make sure that what you saw was real? No wonder Granny wanted her ashes to be scattered here. She must have known that she would always be surrounded by great beauty.

Olly bug hunted while I jumped around trying to take photos of the butterflies. I am determined to get better at it, even though I had to concede that maybe jumping was no way to score that money shot. There were hundreds of them flitting to and fro over the coastal heath land. I wondered if there had been a spate of Gatekeepers emerging from their cocoons, there were so many. I watched them chase off bigger butterflies, claiming territories as their own. Olly was fascinated by the orange beetles that were all over the plant life (CT has advised that they are probably soldier beetles. It's what we are calling them now anyway). They were "joined up" he said, as he watched them getting frisky on the flowers.

We watched a young Kestrel for the longest time. She was sat on a rocky outcrop minding her own business and preening her feathers. It was priceless. I thought for a moment that she was a baby, but then she flew up and away. You often see Kestrels here, but the joy never diminishes. There were a great many rabbits too. As I child I remember the delight at seeing the fluffy tail of a rabbit as it bounded away out of sight. I saw the same delight in Olly as he saw not one, but several running into the safety of the gorse bushes. There were Buzzards wheeling overhead and Crows walking shiftily around the top of the headland. We looked for seals, but they must have been out fishing. Olly was convinced that he saw a shark. It was a buoy. At least I hope it was....there are basking sharks spotted from time to time around here.

I was quite reluctant to go to Honey's date with the dog groomer. I could have stayed all day. I think Olly would have been quite happy to as well. I'm thinking that perhaps we will come back this weekend in Betty. The car park doesn't close until ten. We could get up to all sorts. I've always wanted to watch the sun set over Godrevy.

I wish you could join me.

Leanne xx

there are no filters on those photos. It really is that beautiful.

Helping The Medicine Go Down

Today Olly had his pre-school booster jabs. Olly is a fearless little boy, but he really doesn't like going to the Doctor. I have no idea why. The only time he has been are for his vaccinations and a couple of visits for the usual infantile bugs. Now he is older, I felt it was only fair that I told him that we were going. You can imaging his reaction to the news. The procedure was unpleasant and stressful for him. The nurse was lovely, but Olly rebuffed all of her advances. He did, however, take the sticker she offered. The boy's no fool. Stickers are a badge of honour for any four year old, and he will be wearing it with pride to nursery tomorrow I'm sure. I also gave him some chocolate, in lieu of a spoonful of sugar. That was polished off fairly quickly too.

We went for a walk. To turn a not so good start into a little adventure. I knew just the place. The grandly titled King George V Memorial Walk in Hayle. It's a recent discovery for us. But it is a lovely way to spend a couple of hours, as there is so much to see and do. The Hayle Town Council website describes it thus:

"This beautiful Walk at Undercliff was purchased in 1936 by Phillack East Urban District Council from the Great Western Railway. It was laid out as a formal Walk to commemorate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. With an Art-Deco Arbour and three Fishponds, one of which has a fountain, it is approximately ¾ of a mile long. With its panoramic views across Copperhouse Pool it quickly became a popular venue for walkers and bird watchers. Waders and wildfowl can easily be observed without disturbance from the path which follows the entire N.E. bank of the Pool. The Memorial Walk was chosen as the town' s main Millennium Project and the Victorian-style Lamps, new benches and the Scent and Touch Garden for the Blind were added as part of the Hayle 2000 celebrations."  

It is just a lovely walk. It is a sensory delight, with lots to see, touch, smell and interact with. I'm glad that I had forgotten Olly's bike, because it meant that we could have a meander through all of the little nooks and crannies of the place. My favourite bit is the sensory garden and the quite frankly fabulous bug house that the gardeners have built. I have decided to build two similar ones at the allotment and in our garden.

Olly was fascinated by the pools, which were teeming with tadpoles. He drew some pictures of the plants too. He has taken to carrying a little pencil box and jotter everywhere with him. He set up his studio in the middle of the path, oblivious to anyone walking past. Luckily it is the most wonderfully friendly place too. There are dog walkers, joggers, perambulators, municipal gardeners and those carrying their shopping back home from town. Everyone says hello, and passes the time of day. It is the kind of place that encourages you to slow down a little and interact.
It's not just the people, it's the abundance of wildlife too. There were birds singing in the trees and foraging in the borders. There were birds out on the estuary dipping and wading for food. There were insects buzzing in and out of plants. Some really chubby bumble bees and little flies skimming the surface of the pools. The planting is a real mix, with sub tropical plants sitting side by side with more familiar shrubs and flowers. What I really love is that the wildness of the steep bank has been allowed to mingle too. So you have dandelions and other wild flowers in the mix. It makes for a harmonious whole, and is just as a public space should be.

I taught Olly the Sticky Bud game, as there was an abundance of this wild plant growing along the walk. I don't know it's proper name, but when my sister and I were little we would often see how many of these sticky plants we could place on my Mum's back as we went on our walks with her. We improvised, there being only two of us, although Honey did become the unsuspecting victim a couple of times. And while we looked at the tadpoles, I told him of the minnows and sticklebacks I used to catch in The Malago stream that ran through the open spaces - 'The Valley' - where I grew up. Further along the walk, we saw two older ladies blowing dandelion clocks. "I haven't done that since I was a girl," one said to the other.

Maybe that's what a walk like this does. By slowing one down and alerting our senses, it also recalls to mind the simple pleasures of times gone by. It certainly seemed that way today.

Leanne xx


Postscript

Can I just thank everyone who commented with words of support, solidarity and general amusement on my last post. Marc has reluctantly put away his halo, and has already started his new job. I am very aware how fortunate that is. I am very aware that Marc's job affords us the luxury of living here, and for me to look after the boys full time. It is never taken for granted. Well maybe it is just a little bit. But the uncertainty of the past four weeks has certainly put it all into perspective for me.
And hello to new followers. You are very welcome!

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