Eden project revisited late September

On Sunday the 19th of September Joan, Ross, Wayne, Jack and Annie went to the Eden Project. Stefanie had a lot of house jobs to do and Eleanor was not feeling great at first but ended up having lots of playing with her friend Sophie to do, so they didn't come along.

The last time we were at the Eden Project it was the middle of winter (see previous blog). This was Joan and Ross' first visit to the Eden Project. It was interesting to see it in the late summer/early autumn. There was a lot more foliage on the trees and shrubbery. There was an Arts Festival on the day we visited. This meant that the children got in for free (bonus) and that we were to look out for artistic things as we walked around. We started our walk winding our way down through the outside garden. The weather was variable but pleasant enough. We got to the bottom of the pit (the Eden Project is built on a disused china clay pit) where they were setting up the ice skating rink ready for winter. There was also a tent with musicians performing. We went into the theatrette and watched the 15 minute fikm on the making of the Eden Project.

Then it was off to the biomes. The Meditteranean one was first and then the rainforest one. A dance troupe was performing an 'artistic work' in the rainforest biome. It involved scantily clad people, smeared with white body paint, hiding amongst the rainforest plants hooting every now and again like Howler Monkeys (maybe they were howling then, not hooting??). It seemed to be a bit of an Avatar-influenced-N'avii-people-connection-with-nature-rip-off-thing.

We then had a pasty for lunch as experience had shown that the pasties at the Eden Project are very good and Ross' quest for the perfect Cornish pasty was continuing. While we ate lunch we were treated to some 'wonderful' poetry reading by angst-ridden Bristol University poetry students. Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy fans can think of an evening with the commander of the Vogon Destruction Fleet to get the general feel of our lunchtime 'treat'. After lunch we were genuinely treated to a demonstration and tasting of apple juice making using a traditional press. The juice was intensely appley. Then we went to The Core with its interactive exhibits and its sculpture, The Seed. The day was capped off by a ride in the land train up out of the pit to the front gate area. A couple of skateboarders were making some sort of film at the Eden Project today so the land train towed them up the hill while a cameraman filmed their skateboarding skill. It was a good day out.

Blackberry walk - Morwenstow

A week or so into the term, my Mum and Dad came to stay with us for a while. It was great to see them, although fitting seven people into our cottage was a bit of a challenge.

While Wayne and the kids were in school, I took my parents to some of our favourite places and walks: Golitha falls, Looe to Polperro and Bodmin moor three times. (We saw the Hurlers standing stones in a thick mist and very nearly got lost. Quite evocative, though!) On the weekends, we went out as a family.

The first weekend trip was up to Morwenstow, a north coast expedition. Annie pleaded exhaustion from a week at high school, and Jack and Eleanor had prior engagements with the neighbouring children, so it was just an adult trip this time. Dad was especially interested in one of our pub walks, so we duly parked outside the Bush Inn. The guide book said it was a 13th century inn once the haunt of smugglers and wreckers. When we pulled up a wedding party was just setting up. We quickly walked off, since we lacked the sartorial elegance required for the wedding reception...

We slowed down just as quickly, as we entered a lane hedged with blackberries as far as the eye could see. I was prepared this time, and we spent the first half-hour or so filling our 2 ½ kilo Vegemite bucket (long since cleaned out of its original contents) with luscious fruit. Wayne got to carry the full bucket in his backpack, just to keep him fit.


Finally we made our way down a field to a kissing gate, and were met by a vista of Bude Bay. Through we went, joining the South West Coast Path. We were high up, and had a beautiful view to the left along the cliffs.



There was a lot of flowering heath and other plants that we had not seen before. We examined them closely, often rewarded with more blackberries which kept up our strength along the way. Here is Wayne at the beginning of the descent into the Tidna Valley. This was a tricky downhill bit, with narrow path and crumbly rock. I'm afraid that it tested my Dad's new knee to the maximum. Fortunately he had a good walking stick with him, but he did go for a bit of a skid at one point

Eventually we made it to the bottom - then went uphill again, just for something different. This was tagged as a three mile walk, but it was a strenuous one, to be sure.

We took a little detour along a path that dropped steeply on either side, to go to a headland. Jack would have hated it, and Dad winced as Mum peered over for a closer look...
We saw some interesting, and very large, mushrooms on the side of this path. We left them there, as we didn't know what sort they were.

Dad started to make "are we there yet?" sort of enquiries. Role reversal! At least he didn't ask me to carry him.

From time to time we caught sight of these large satellite dishes in a field near the cliffs. Down south there are huge modern windmills in a similar location.

Wayne then took this very silly photo of me. He thought that the dish looked like a speaker near my ear. (You might be able to see it, faintly, near my raised hand). It just looks likes me being deaf as usual, except with a really fake expression on my face as well.

We finally turned inland, to Dad's relief. It was a steady, muddy uphill trek to the Bush, however. We did go through a pretty wooded patch at one stage. Also, another cow field, with a view quite wasted on the grazing beasts. It was a really beautiful early autumn day.

And so, to the Inn. Once again, we arrived well after normal lunch hours. Fortunately, the Bush served dinner all day, and we had a reservation. The wedding party were just leaving. We did not go to the glassy, modern reception room, but to the old snug. The floor looked sunken, rather than the ceiling high. There was a huge old fireplace, showing this used to be a kitchen. It was a tiny, atmospheric room. We ordered drinks in very short order. Mum and I had a very acceptable alcoholic ginger ale. Then there was classy fish and chips - all locally sourced food. Beautiful!

Off we went home, pausing only to buy pasties for the hungry children. We had enough blackberries for stewing AND jam.

Holidays come to an end

All good things must come to an end. As September drew closer, we began to think about school. Wayne dug out the mountain bike, and made sure it was in good working order. (Yep, able to do wheelies, a vital necessity for a bike ride to school...)


We went and kitted out Annie for High School, buying Jack a new blazer and tie as well. We had a day in Plymouth, having a look around the shops and going to see a film. (Wayne missed "Avatar" the first time around, and the girls wanted to check out "Toy Story 3").


We hadn't taken the train to Looe yet, so gave that a go one day. It is a tiny little thing which follows a beautiful route to the seaside. We enjoyed it, although it was a bit crowded. (An earlier train had been cancelled, and many people wanted to head to the beach on a lovely sunny day.)

We were not going to the beach. We went to Kilminorth woods again, which we had only walked in during winter. It was quite transformed in the late summer. We found this extraordinary bright blue flower in the undergrowth.

For once, we had brought along sandwiches, so we stopped at a convenient bench and ate our lunch in the woods. A nearby sign advised us that oak woods were known for their bird life, particularly tits. We didn't see so much as a single bosom, ho ho... Mind you, the Fosters are not known for their quiet, hobbit-like walking in the great outdoors. Apart from speaking loudly to deaf me (who often cannot see people's faces as they walk), there are the usual raised voices of childish discontent for one reason and another which I will let the parents among you imagine as you will. Anyway, none of it leads to wildlife creeping out in shy wonder towards us, alas.


Here are the gang emerging from the woods at the river side. We walked back to the station, and thence went home.


September arrived, and the first day of school. Here is Annie in her high school gear, with Jack who was now accustomed to it.

And here they are with Eleanor, still in her Hillfort Primary gear. Eleanor forgot to take her holiday homework box in with her on the first day. (It was supposed to be filled with stuff representing the holidays.) Eleanor had filled the box, but forgot it in the panic of the first taxi of the year arriving. She got a demerit mark, which ruined the day for her, and she came home cross - most unusual for her. I did think that the teacher might have given the kids a day's grace to front up with homework given before the summer holidays, but no. Actually, I cannot imagine a teacher fronting up to the class she will have in the following school year and issuing homework - quite remarkable!

They are all settled in now. (This last photo has more accurate colours).