SPRING FEVER

Gold and silver...a carpet of daisies and dandelions on the camping fields.

A sycamore bursts into leaf.

The gorse has been splendid this year providing an ever-present splash of colour on greyer days.

The formal beds are very 'blousy' at this time...they'd hate this at Chelsea!

The Gunnera Manicata, native to the Serra do Mar mountains of southeastern Brazil, wakes from its winter slumbers to find it has moved to Cornwall. This will grow almost 20 feet in the season and can be found by the small spring in the corner of the park.

A Green-veined White enjoys a drink.

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NUTS IN MAY

This group of jolly campers enjoying a bright and breezy breakfast in the sunshine this morning. They are friends from all around the UK and have met up in Cornwall for this Bank Holiday.

Today they are off to visit St Michaels Mount...and will have to cross the low-tide causeway to get there. Don't forget, we always have a tide timetable in reception so that you can plan your day around the sea...it certainly won't be changing any of its plans for you!

Have a great Bank Holiday...you don't have to be mad to camp here....in fact you'd be nuts not to!

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MAY DAY MINACK

Had our first night of the season at the theatre this year with a splendid collection of favourites from the New Cornwall Opera.

The weather was beautiful until the last couple of numbers when a very light sprinkle of rain just topped off that never to be missed Minack experience. Hot chocolate, damp legs, great theatre!

And the rest of the season looks like this...

http://www.minack.com/theatregoers/whatson.htm

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UP AND RUNNING!

No...not todays marathon effort in the capital...the Lower Treave Solar Thermal Heating System!

First run produced 73 deg C at the panels (on the roof) and 62 deg C in the thermal store (the big green water tank which acts as the battery for the system).

Next step is to get the software up and running so that we can download the data from the controller and show you the progress to payback on the blog.

I am also refurbishing a couple of large radiators (taken out of our sitting room when we had the log burner installed) to put in the shower block. These will use the surplus heat from the system and keep everybody toasty during bathtime....so better get back and put a second coat on the rads before we put our Rugby coats on and go and watch Cornish Pirates play Doncaster in the semi-final of the British and Irish Cup...Its all go...sometimes it feels more like a sprint than a marathon. Good luck to all the runners in London today...especially those running for good causes and charities...you are excellent people.

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THE BUGLE CALLS!

Just looked up the blog stats this morning...checking that there is still somebody out there reading this stuff...and thought you might be interested to know that the last ten readers have come from the following places:

London - that would have been a banker guess I suppose...or perhaps a banker lookng to downsize his holiday aspirations

Mumbai - spent 2 mins and 38 secs browsing the blog.

Moscow - can't pronounce the ISP they were using, but looks like a bad hand at scrabble, even under the new rules!

Royal Leamington Spa - we are honoured your Majesty!

Ballybofey - which is in beautiful Donegal, Ireland.

Stockport - checking out the Help for Heroes charity.

Two more Londons - shouldn't they be running a marathon today?

Melbourne, Australia - I think I know who that is!

And finally, Wayne - New Jersey, USA.

You are welcome 'Wayne and all'....it's a small world!

And the Bugle can be heard in every corner.

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Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways....

.....old now is earth, and none may count her days.

This picture was taken from Lower Treave yesterday at tea time and shows the contrails of a large jet reaching the Lands End beacon and then being turned about, back into the Atlantic.

Shortly afterwards UK airspace was reopened following a reappraisal of the criteria for flight in ash plumes.

The only thing that had changed in those few hours...were the rules!

If you want a look at some of the hysteria surrounding this event, then wander over to this website:

http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/2010/correction-apology-planes-or-volcano/

This sort of stuff does not help anybody get their heads around the real issues.

For me it's simple...just use less 'stuff'...share out the 'stuff' that is left a bit more fairly and stop trying to turn climate change into a religion with all of the attendant heretics, zealots, myth, magic, fear and persecution that being a religion entails. It is just something we have to deal with based on situation and fact and not an excuse for us to create a 21st century version of the Spanish Inquisition. Nor is it a 'business opportunity' for those that like to capitalise on the doom and gloom scenario...be warned those who are about to sell me insurance based on volcanic eruptions in Cornwall!

 

'An artists impression of Chapel Carn Brea (for insurance purposes only).'

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'THE ASHES MY FRIEND, ARE BLOWIN' IN THE WIND'

In a couple of weeks time I am away to a Cornwall Sustainable Tourism (CoaST) event and one of the seminar topics is 'The “oh, bugger” factor: Risk management and extreme weather events. Getting it sorted before it happens (because it’s happening now)…..and before the insurers tie us in knots….(they’re plotting already…)' Long title for a seminar but prophetic or what?


Trouble is...sometimes you just can't get away from the powers of nature as they combine against you...who'd have thought we'd get a northerly wind just as the Bank of Iceland were setting fire to some surplus fivers in the furnace?

Only airline flying in the UK at the moment is Isles of Scilly Skybus. A certain young First Officer got back into Lands End from Bristol yesterday and, having lightly sprinkled the shoulders of her flight jacket with a little talc from the make-up bag, managed to convince the groundcrew that things were quite rough up country!

'Turn left when you see Cribbs Causeway!'

Another beautiful sunny day here. Thanks to Julie for the photo.

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Wildlife Watching Trips on board the Scillonian

Cornwall Wildlife Trust and The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust will again be hosting guided wildlife watching trips on board Scillonian this spring, in partnership with the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company. A vast array of marine species were spotted during last year’s successful day trips, and it is hoped that this year will prove just as spectacular. The sailings to the Isles of Scilly are running on Saturdays 17th April, 15th May and 13th June, with further crossings later in the season on 25th September and 16th October.

Naturalist Paul Semmens, who has worked with Cornwall Wildlife Trust for more than 20 years, will be your marine guide on these special trips, looking out for wildlife on the crossing. Springtime visitors may see puffins as well as the more common Manx shearwaters and storm petrels. Harbour porpoises, common and bottle-nose dolphins, sun fish and sea birds are regularly spotted from the ship and occasionally minke whales. If the seas are warm and calm you may even spot basking sharks.


Paul says, “The Scillonian is probably the best platform from which to see marine life. Last year I made over 750 sighting of at least seven different marine animals - mainly dolphins and porpoises but with the occasional minke whale. We even saw bottlenose dolphins and basking sharks on a couple of occasions before we untied and left Penzance Harbour! My highlights were some close views of a minke whale on a calm sea as the animal passed along the ship's port side and under our wake. A real thrill for the passengers.”

Spring is a wonderful time to visit Scilly with turquoise seas and the flowers at their best. The islands are probably one of the best places in the country to see migrant birds including hoopoe, golden oriole or bee-eater.

All trips depart from Penzance at 0915 and return from Isles of Scilly at 16.30 (with a 0845 departure on 15th May) To book call Isles of Scilly Travel on 0845 710 555, email, or visit the Isles of Scilly Travel Centre, Quay Street, Penzance TR18 4BZ. The reduced adult ticket price is £25, (normally £35) if the Wildlife Trust is mentioned when booking. Non-members are welcome. For more information visit these websites:

http://www.cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk/news/News_pages/Wildlife_watching_trips_on_board_the_Scillonian

http://www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk/


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RUN FOR THE SUN...Phase Two...and most of Three!

The new solar store is installed. It contains 320 Ltr of water heated by the sun. 

Half a lifetime in the military and still doing drill!

Pause for a welcome cigarillo...or is that an HB pencil you're smoking?

The panels catch their first early morning sun...it's the future Gerry!

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'READING THE POLITICAL BONES!'

Jake takes a well-earned break after discussing the upcoming General Election with some passing Prospective Parliamentary Candidates.

'You looking at me sunshine? You may well have the best policies for the country right now, but you're going to look pretty silly standing up in Parliament with the bum hanging out of your trousers. Now sling your hook or join the rest of them in the 'naughty corner'.'

Jake doesn't do politics. Best let sleeping dogs lie.

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'BLOG TAX' ANNOUNCED BY ALL MAJOR PARTIES

In a move to plug the black hole that is the national finances, treasury spokesmen and their shadow counterparts have announced a new tax on blog activity. Expected to raise revenue in the region of £1.6 billion, the tax will be effective from today and will target all areas of the social network structure.

Likely scenarios are that 'images' added to a blog will attract additional attention from HMRC along with the use of gratuitous attention getting headlines included to generate site activity on date specific events.

Follow this blog for all the detail.

'GETTING THE WIND UP'

Our first visitors of the season have just arrived and are very welcome. They wake on their first morning in Cornwall to a bright but blustery day...no snow here!

Looking out of the office window to the distant horizon I can see a new micro-generation wind turbine which has been errected at Trevorgans farm (just outside St Buryan) spinning happily away. They will shortly be benefitting from the 'feed-in tariff' where every bit of electricity they generate earns them a little cash.

Here, the solar thermal project continues apace, although the recent wind and rain precludes any activity on the roof at the moment. We have just had the annual inspection of all the gas and electric systems and with a bit of good weather (and the timely delivery of some bits from the supplier) we hope to commision sometime within the next ten days.

Welcome to Lower Treave, welcome to season 2010; fair days, quiet nights, genorous sunshine and gentle winds!


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SPRING CLEAN CORNWALL

This week is 'Clean Cornwall Week' and everyone is out and about on litter picks tidying up, not just for our visitors, but for ourselves too.

Director, Estates and Wildlife (Paul) and Director, Bogs and Drains (me) spent an interesting hour this morning in the local layby on the A30. Those of you who are regular visitors will be familiar with the spot, a nice big pull-off just a couple of hundred yards before the site entrance where we encourage early arrivals during busy parts of the season to take a short break whilst their pitch is serviced for them between guests. We felt that as we are regular users of this convenient stop-over, we'd give it a bit of a spruce up for spring.

Let slip the dogs of 'wor...look wot I found!'

All life is in a layby...romance, celebration, fine dining, fashion and mystery...its all there!

Clearly romance flourishes amongst the crisp packets and choc bar wrappers as evidenced by the number of tear moistened disposable kerchiefs. However, I pity the poor damsel who is handed a yard of blue kimwipe by her truck driving amour to dab her damp eyes. That is serious loving!

'So this is where she got all her energy!'

Celebration is firmly at the heart of the layby culture and the drink of choice is a heady cocktail of cheap cider and green bottled German beer. Paul assures me that the pale yellow liquid in one of the bottles was a pre-club mix of vodka and orange...I'm just hoping it wasn't a post-club mix of vodka and orange!

Fine dining is the order of the day from a little known bistro beginning with a big 'M' who's name escapes me but I believe they used to have a farm until they grew too old!

Getting down to it!

Haute couture is no stranger to the layby fashion scene. The chance discovery of a rather fetching pair of ladies pants gave us cause for concern, given the chilly weather, so we will be sending them off for DNA testing and returning them to their hapless owner. Failing that, they will make a nice Christmas present for somebody of a distinctive shape and requiring rather more support than the average bal maiden.

And mystery of mysteries....why would you buy a set of new wiper blades in Halfords, choose to change them in a layby and then think that the correct way to dispose of the old pair was by throwing them into the hedge?

Home in time for tea and medals!

Many thanks to Clean Cornwall and Cornwall Council who do a great job throughout the year keeping us spic and span...but you can play your part....go on, pick up a bit of litter today, better still, lets not drop it in the first place!

http://www.cleancornwall.org/

'Just got to sort this lot out now..glass..tins...plastic...!'

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THE BEAUTIFUL QUIZ

1. Which is older, the Merry Maidens stone circle or Chysauster prehistoric village?

2. St Michael’s Mount castle contains a model of the castle (made in 1932), from what material?

3. In the late 18th Century, Cornwall smuggler John Carter was better known by what name?

4. Which English king set the boundary between England and Cornwall at the Tamar in 936 AD?

5. How many nature reserves are owned and/or managed by Cornwall AONB partner organisation Cornwall Wildlife Trust?

6. Which American professor said: “The economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment”?

7. Which is the rarest animal found in the Marsland Nature Reserve on the Devon/Cornwall border?

8. Which island was occupied by sisters Attie and Babs Atkins for 40 years from 1964 and then bestowed to Cornwall Wildlife Trust?

(ANSWERS ON THE WEBSITE http://www.cornwall-aonb.gov.uk/)

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JUST THINKING....!

'Best get that holiday arranged at Lower Treave before they are fully booked. I know they don't overcrowd or double up when they're busy and everywhere else is so crowded, so better get my pitch sorted.

The great thing is they have free wi-fi, and the opening page is this blog so I will be able to keep up with all the news and events through the summer.

Right...where's that banana...?'

http://www.lowertreave.co.uk/

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'BOX CLEVER'

You can track the Blogwall Bugle Lower Treave Shelterbox here:

 http://www.shelterbox.org/trackbox.php

The box number is '42775'

The work of Shelterbox goes on....Haiti, Uganda, Chile....

...shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide.

http://www.shelterbox.org/index.php

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RUN FOR THE SUN....Phase One!

Have just completed Phase One of the installation of a new Solar Thermal system for the laundry and shower block.

The pipework isn’t particularly pretty, but it had to mate in with the existing stuff and it is functional rather than beautiful. As some of the temperatures in the system are going to be pretty high, then solder is not an option for the solar circuit and the plastic is so much easier and quicker to fit.

The black box with the dials on is the pump station which will pump hot water from the panels on the roof to the thermal store (the big green thing in the picture below). The white cylinder is the expansion tank and the silver coloured bits of pipework with the red, blue and green controls on them are Thermostatic Mixing Valves to make sure you get showers at the right temperature. The blue circulating pump at the bottom will pump the water for the radiators in the loos and showers.

The controls for both the boilers (on the outside wall) and the solar thermal system are on the same panel. The wiring is all in place ready for the final connection. The solar controller will give you a display of how the system is performing.

Phase Two is to position the thermal store (big green thing) in front of this lot and connect it in and then Phase Three is to get the solar panels on to the roof.

Phase Four is when I try to explain to the Calor Gas rep why we're not using quite as much gas this season!

Will keep you posted on progress and how the system performs. I love all this stuff!

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CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE...PLEASE VOTE FOR THEM!

The team name is Drambluie Rinse. It costs you nothing, just 5 seconds of your time.

If they secure the most votes, the nominated charity... CORNWALL AIR AMBULANCE will win the £2,500 prize.

Local or visitor...you never know when you might need them...they landed at Lower Treave in 1999 for a nearby road accident!

Only 1 vote per computer....but how many computers have you got in your house?

Please send this to all your friends and ask them to vote for www.drambuie.co.uk/teams

There has never been an all female team let alone one of their vintage!

Many thanks from Bridget of Bude

(The power of the Internet...don't you just love it!)

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'LOWER TREAVE GOING INTO SPACE!'

Don't panic...no need for pressure suits or oxygen just yet...just a reminder that this year our pitches will be much bigger, so there's less of them and you will need to book up soon to guarantee your spot in the sun this summer.

Don't forget you can book on-line 24/7 from our website http://www.lowertreave.co.uk/ or call during office hours and speak to one of our friendly and knowledgeable staff about your summer holiday plans...or you could get me on the phone!

'Are you going to tell them...or shall we just turn up?'

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'IT CAME FROM THE SOLAR SYSTEM!'

Reports of mysterious objects landing at Lower Treave.

from the far reaches of the universe ...where I was born coincidentally...

http://www.newarkcoppercylinder.co.uk/cylinders/solar_thermal_store/

Strange that they chose to land outside the ladies toilets...given it was covered in signs saying handle with care!

More news when the rest of the technically advanced alien sunworshippers arrive.

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WE 'BEEN WURZELL'D

If you 're comin' on down to Cornwall best you learn the words...



The Cornish Wurzells played for the St Pirans Day celebrations at Camborne Rugby Club on Sunday. Where was Cookie, their number one fan (he's got all their records and took me to my first Wurzells gig)? Great weather, real beer, good rugby and pasty tossin'. Sundays don't get tougher than that!

British Irish Cup Round 5

Cornish Pirates 26 - Newport 20

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HAPPY ST PIRAN'S DAY

No! Not me on a bad hair day!

St Piran - Patron Saint of Cornwall and Tinners

Legend tells us how Piran, originating from Ireland and known there as ‘Ciran' (the Cornish language naturally mutates the first letter to a softer ‘P'), was cast to sea tied to a millstone on the order of the Irish King who was suspicious of Piran's miraculous powers. Although the sea was treacherous Piran survived, the stormy seas calming as he floated on the millstone until he reached the shores of Cornwall. Many Cornish names now echo Piran's, for example ‘Perranporth', ‘Perranzabuloe' and ‘Perranarworthal'. It was at Perranporth beach, however, where Piran was said to have landed, and where he began to build an oratory to promote Christianity. The oratory is now preserved in the towans (sand dunes) at Perran Sands. His first disciples were said to be a badger, a fox and a bear! Piran is perhaps most famous for his accidental discovery of tin, when a blackstone on his fireplace got so hot that a white liquid leaked out; the first tin smelting. It was this discovery that earned Piran the title Patron Saint of ‘Tinners', tin mining historically being a fundamentally important industry in Cornwall. It was this discovery that also formed the basis of the Cornish flag, the white hot tin on the black of the ore. The Cornish flag is now used universally as a symbol of Cornish identity, from stickers on cars through to corporate organisations using the flag to identify 'Cornishness' to a global audience. According to legend St Piran was fond of a tipple or two, and the phrase ‘drunk as a Perraner' has become common place amongst the Cornish to describe those who share his fondness for alcohol! Despite these tipples, he is rumored to have lived to the age of 206!

St Piran's day celebrations have continued to grow in popularity, with the annual St Piran Play on Perran Sands a highlight, hundreds of people making a pilgrimage to the site of the oratory itself, now buried in sand for preservation.

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CONGRATULATIONS AMY WILLIAMS...The Pulteney Flyer!

All looking a bit bleary eyed at the Pulteney Arms in Bath this morning after celebrating Amy's Gold Medal through the night. Very emotional apparently and probably the best publicised 'lock-in' ever with journos from the BBC and Sky fighting for elbow room at the bar. Order of the day was 'ice with everything' and bar staff from these parts just managing to keep pace with the orders at Amy's 'local'.

'Hats (helmets?) off' to The United States, Canada and Germany for being such good sports about the whole thing and well done to Amy for being ice cool under pressure and delivering such a great performance....excellent.  

 http://www.thepulteneyarms.co.uk/

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TIMBER!

Simon and Nick of Apex Tree Service are thinning and shaping all the trees on the park.

The logs are destined for the wood burner next year.

The chippings are used for mulch.

The new planting gets a nice blanket for its roots.

The trees stand proud against a Cornish blue sky.

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MIST FOUND! Alive, well and ...er...confused about all the fuss.

After 5 days and 4 very cold nights awol, Mist has been safely returned to her kennel, apparentlty none the worse for her experience, a bit thinner, but the vet said she could do with loosing a pound or two, and a scratched nose. She was found curled up in some bracken on the top of Treen Cliff early this morning by another dog walker who had seen the notices around.

Many thanks to all who looked out for her...the locals of Treen and Porthcurno, the postmen, the bin men, the milkman, the farms, the flower pickers, the school children, the dog walkers, the tree surgeons, the customers of the shop and post office in St Buryan, the pubs, Anita, the neighbours, the Grandmas ....too many to mention. Thank you.

Pictures later when she's had a bath and put her make-up on!
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MISSING DOG - between Porthcurno and Treen

I know some locals read the blog too and its half-term for our visitors so if you are out on the Coast Path between Porthcurno and Treen , please keep an eye out for Mist. She took a fright and ran off on thursday afternoon and no sight of her since.

Black and white smooth haired collie. Medium size, purple collar, micro-chipped.

Many thanks.

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL COPENHAGEN ???

Click on the boot for full details!

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A CASE OF NATIONAL IDENTITY!

The Bugle was recently asked if the Cornish Pirates play in the Six Nations rugby competition.

No they don't, because if they did...it would be the Seven Nations!

Campaigners are considering legal action to allow Cornwall to be represented independently at the Commonwealth Games. Kernow Trust, formerly the Cornwall Commonwealth Games Association, had an application refused in 2004. It is now considering submitting a judicial review against the Commonwealth Games Federation. Games organisers called it a “frivolous” act and said they would oppose any legal action. Campaigners are hoping that Cornwall can be represented at the Games in Glasgow in 2014.

They cite a precedent as the summer Olympics of 1908 in which Cornwall competed in rugby.

Campaigner Graham Hart told BBC News:

“Cornwall is a duchy, not part of England and we have every right to be there.”

http://www.campaignkernow.com/

So now we know!

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MORE TENTS NEEDED BEFORE RAINS HIT! ...and for once we are not talking about camping at Lower Treave...!

ShelterBox Response Team member Mark Pearson has been working with Scouts in Haiti to set up 210 ShelterBox tents. ShelterBox is partnered with the Scout Association and Scouts have already helped ShelterBox in disaster zones across the globe. Now, thanks to Mark’s work, they are helping ShelterBox in Haiti.

Mark said: ‘I personally trained ten Scouts from Port au Prince at the 82nd Airborne HQ (US Military in Haiti). The scouts, after I did a first demo, then set up a tent to perfection in ten minutes.’

On Friday, February 5, fifty Haitian scouts set up 70 ShelterBox tents in the central Palace area where 3,000 people are homeless. They did it in less than four hours. Mark added: ‘The Train the Trainer sessions paid off and all the Haitian people were so happy, it was a great day for all involved. We’re doing the same today with a further 140 ShelterBoxes.’

Alex George, President of West Department International Scouts d’Haiti, said: ‘Our Scouts are themselves homeless but in the traditional Scout tradition we are happy to help our people and feel good doing so with ShelterBox and the US military. ‘This is brilliant equipment and the tents are perfect for Haiti.’

The Scout Law is:

1. A Scout is to be trusted.
2. A Scout is loyal.
3. A Scout is friendly and considerate.
4. A Scout belongs to the worldwide family of Scouts.
5. A Scout has courage in all difficulties.
6. A Scout makes good use of time and is careful of possessions and property.
7. A Scout has self-respect and respect for others.
 
Well done the Scouts!
 
 

 
We are just waiting to find out what the Blogwall Bugle Shelterbox number is and then you can track its progress here: http://www.shelterbox.org/trackbox.php
 
If you want to donate too, then please go to http://www.shelterbox.org/donate.php

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NEW HEAD OF TOURISM FOR CORNWALL

On 1st January 2010 VisitCornwall officially welcomed Malcolm Bell in his new appointment as Head of Tourism. Having spent the last 10 years as Chief Executive at South West Tourism, Malcolm comes with a wealth of experience which, as a proud Cornishman, he is excited to be putting into practice in his home county.


After an eventful first week which saw him join the county contending with the snow, Malcolm has settled into his new role and has already been getting out and about meeting local tourism businesses and listening to the industry.

If you want to tell Malcolm about your visit to Cornwall, leave a comment on this blog and I will make sure he gets to know!

Malcolm's full biography is here:

http://www.visitcornwall.com/xsdbimgs/MB%20biography.pdf

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