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Location: Botallack, Tin Coast near St Just, Cornwall Meeting Place: Botallack Count House Date & Time: Monday, 29 April 2019, 12:00pm to 2:00pm Fieldtrip Leader: Rowena Castillo Nicholls Mobile Number: 07711105485 Email Address: [email protected] Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls Videographer: Rob Nicholls Facilities: Ample car parking with specific accessible parking places. Picnic area and blanket available to borrow from the café. Café for refreshment. Disable Access. Toilet. I lead a walk today in Botallack today to explore the Tin Coast for our organisation, Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Cornwall. The Tin Coast is Cornwall's oldest new destination. It's a cultural landscape of World Heritage site status, it is a place defined by Cornish mining, part of the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. In 2006 Botallack was given World Heritage Site status by UNESCO. The mine is within the Aire Point to Carrick Du Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the South West Coast Path passes along the cliff. The 1970s BBC television series Poldark was filmed partly in Botallack, using Manor Farm as Nampara. More recently, filming for the new Poldark series also took place here. The West Wheal Owles pumping engine house is used for filming both Wheal Grace and Wheal Leisure in the BBC's new Poldark series. There was a real mine called Wheal Leisure at Perranporth where Winston Graham lived. We had a fantastic and fabulous time exploring the tin coast. The rain and wind did not stop us from having an amazing time. We all had a brilliant time. Great company. Interesting conversation. And we were greeted by 2 Cornish Choughs when we were walking towards the coastal path and 4 more Cornish Choughs flying from the headland. That really made our day. We also saw loads of other species: Fulmars, Gannets, Swallows, Kestrel and a lot more... Rain or shine, we all had an enjoyable and fun-filled day.  Exploring the Tin Coast The spectacular Crowns Engine House on our backdrop Going down to the Crowns Engine Houses At the Crowns Engine Houses Stopping for more photo opts More photo opts during the walk At the entrance of the Arsenic Labyrinth at Botallack Mine where the arsenic would have been scraped from the enclosed tunnels and packed into barrels. The West Wheal Owles pumping engine house is used for filming both Wheal Grace and Wheal Leisure in the BBC's new Poldark series. The iconic and enigmatic Cornish Choughs near the Crowns Engine Houses The iconic and enigmatic Cornish Choughs flying around the chimney The iconic and enigmatic Cornish Choughs posing for photo opts Spectacular and picturesque view  The Crowns Engine Houses The two engine houses of the Crowns Engine Shaft and Boscawen Diagonal Shaft  Entrance to the Arsenic Labyrinth at Botallack Mine where the arsenic would have been scraped from the enclosed tunnels and packed into barrels. The Arsenic Labyrinth  The engine houses of West Wheal Owles and Wheal Edward  The West Wheal Owles pumping engine house is used for filming both Wheal Grace and Wheal Leisure in the BBC's new Poldark series.  The engine house of Wheal Edward Need to treat ourselves after that brilliant walk on the Tin Coast. Ribeye Steaks with prawn and lobster sauce for me and Rob had his all time favourite Fish and Chips. Vanilla and Blackcurrant Cheesecake for me and Rob had a Chocolate Brownie. Hmmm delicious!
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Location: Blue Hills Valley, St Agnes, Cornwall Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls Videographer: Rob Nicholls It's the 97th year since The Motor Cycling Club started this rally in 1908. I had an amazing time watching the 2019 Lands End Classic Road Trial in Blue Hills Valley organised by The Motor Cycling Club. The cars were all amazing and the view is spectacular. The sun was scorching hot. I had eaten all the dust while taking photographs. I am coughing excessively now. But never mind, I had a great time with Rob and Simon. We usually go and watch the rally whenever Simon is home for Easter. Looking forward to watch again next year and I will bring a face mask this time. Location: Breney Common Nature Reserve Photographer: Rowena Castillo Nicholls Videographer: Rob Nicholls Cornwall is known for its diverse nature and wildlife. Every year, hundreds and even thousands of nature and wildlife enthusiasts come down to Cornwall to have a glimpse of some rare birds, butterflies and other notable species. I have been sooo lucky to be the "FIRST" one to have seen and photographed the Bearded Vulture, also known as the LAMMERGEIER or OSSIFRAGE in Cornwall in 23rd May 2016. Me and my husband Rob Nicholls cannot believe our luck. We were actually in Breney Common in Bodmin doing a butterfly survey in preparation for our fieldtrip on Monday, 30th May for the Cornwall Butterfly and Moth Society Fieldtrip to see the rare Marsh Fritillary. It was a sunny afternoon, about 2:30pm. We were looking up towards Helman Tor when a large bird, soaring high, came into sight over the ridgeline, heading in a south westerly direction. It’s just gliding gracefully in the sky. The wingspan was probably 9 feet or more, 3 metres. It was very high, maybe up to 2,000 feet and had a small bird in tow - which was not getting too close. The small bird turned out to be a buzzard! The Lammageier did not flap its wings. It was just gliding gracefully across the sky. It was huge and unlike anything usually seen in the skies over Cornwall. Luckily, I was already prepared with my camera and was able to take a few shots. We were able to watch it for about 12 minutes, before it went out of sight. Perhaps, a once-in-a-lifetime sighting. It's nice to sometimes be in the right place, at the right time! Another rare species we’ve seen on that day in Breney Common is the Marsh Fritillary butterfly which is on the “UK BAP: Priority Species”, section 41 species of principal importance under the NERC Act in England” and “fully protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act”. Other species were Small Pearl-bordered Fritillary, Small Copper, Common Blue, Small Heath, Read Admiral, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell, Orange Tip, Large White, Small White, Green-veined White, Brimstone, Speckled Wood and a lot more. It’s really great to see all this amazing wildlife. But with the increasing habitat loss cause by development, we are in danger of losing all these species. We need wildlife for pollination. Insects such as bees, butterflies and moths and other animals such as birds, rodents and monkeys are all examples of pollinators. The wildlife causes plants to make fruit or seeds. They do this by moving pollen from one part of the flower of a plant to another part. This pollen then fertilizes the plant. Only fertilized plants can make fruit and/or seeds, and without them, the plants cannot reproduce. There are quite a few rare species in Cornwall. So, always keep your eyes open.  Bearded Vulture, also known as the Lammergeier or Ossifrage  Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia
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