The Cornwall Blog

The familiar Cornish fudge brand, Buttermilk Shop, are launching their new look packaging. Fudge shops are an essential feature of Cornish towns, especially the ones beside the sea, and Buttermilk Shop have been supplying them for many years. Buttermilk approached local design company Pickle Design to give their traditional brand a fresh look, but wanted to make sure the Cornish nature of the fudge was not lost. The boxes and tapered bags display a picture-postcard style, illustrated scene of Cornwall, and the array of flavours are characterised by vibrant colours. They have all your favorites from Clotted Cream fudge to Turkish Delight and a few strange ones to like Coconut Ice fudge! This range is soon to be appearing in their famous Port Isaac and Padstow stores, so keep a look out.

"My adventures cycling from Cornwall in the UK to Cape Town in South Africa by bicycle" This is the title of Sean Maher's blog reporting his experiences, trials and tribulations of cycling day after day in foreign lands. Sean himself confesses he is not a pro at cycling, and has never done anything like this before. His witty accounts, though, make the onlooker feel very supportive of his quest and routing for him to achieve his desired goal. Sean took on this cycle ride because he was out of university and didn't have a job to go to, so he decided to make the most of this opportunity and 'ride out the recession'. He did not just do this for his own experience though, but raised money for some very worthy charities - Pump Aid who work with communities in southern Africa, UNICEF who look after children in mainly developing countries, Wooden Spoon a charirty working to enhance underprivileged children's lives and the Robert John's Leukemia Fund. ...

Grey Heron at Marazion, Cornwall - 20/10/09 Looking out to sea at Marazion you observe plenty of turmoil in the restless waters, sometimes a bit like life. Take a 180 degree turn and you face the opposite in the tranquil waters of the marshes. Look at the water the heron is standing in in the photo above - not a ripple! Bird watching can be so peaceful calming & relaxing. All you need is a modest pair of binns, a pocket bird book for ID and a little patience. Don't worry if you can't ID a particular bird...just ENJOY the bird. The whole ambiance of the experience can be rewarding and there are plenty of places in Cornwall to visit. This month the fabulous starlings are putting on a full roosting display at Roughtor car park Nr. Camelford. My wife Steph & I were there last Sunday, there were 100s of thousands of them, what a spectacle! You need to get there at about 4pm. Don't miss it. Norman Greaves

Thanks to all the people who added captions to this photograph. Norman has read through them and selected a winner. The winning caption was written By Estelle: "Now look 'ere, you said there'd be other gulls in fancy dress!..you mean I've got to stay in this swan costume all day?!..how embarrassing..." Thanks for all your entries, we will definitely have to do another one soon! To see the others have a look at the original post here ...

Regular Bird Watching Contributor to The Cornwall Blog, Norman Greaves has asked if we can find a witty caption to this photograph. He took the shot a couple of weeks ago on The Camel River, near Anneka's Bridge in Wadebridge. He also took some other eye catching images when visiting The Lizard that we will be adding to the blog shortly. To get the ball rolling, he suggested: "Out of the way shorty!" Without being rude, I think you could do better... To see the winning entry, take a look at the results here ...

Film maker Brett Harvey on working within the video dance medium. “Video Dance” or “Dance for Camera” has established itself as a new and vital ingredient in the UK’s evolving film scene. Video Dance, uses movement in place of, or as well as, dialogue and is a rich medium that smashes the boundaries to redefine both dance and film, stretching our imagination and the way we think about what film can be. This course is designed to detangle the world of dance for camera The course will: · Give you experience and confidence of working in a new genre · Give you clear ideas and approaches to working in this highly creative area of film making · Stretch your imagination and ideas of what film making can be · Give you the chance to work creatively and collaboratively with a dancer · Give you insight and experience into a vastly growing area of the film industry Videodance can be seen on almost any media platform from iPods to feature films, commercials and television programs. Currently there ...

The Camel River in Wadebridge A few shots from my walk home today in the middle of a warm October. Only taken from my phone, so apologies for the low quality. If you think you can do better or would just like to add a few to the blog, please feel free to email us and we will take a look at them. Submit Photos . Bee Hives in Trenant Vale The Wooded Lane at Trenant Vale

A local Falmouth Chef has been selected to appear in this year’s MasterChef the Professionals. Dan Gvalda, Senior Sous Chef at The Flying Fish Restaurant, will be showcasing his culinary expertise in the ever popular series starting this week on BBC2. This years’ series sees Michel Roux Jnr and MasterChef veteran Gregg Wallace hunt for the young chef of the year. Dan said: “Throughout my chef profession I’ve always dreamt of cooking for Michelle Roux Jnr and now that dream has come true! Being selected to appear on MasterChef the Professionals has been a highlight of my career to date and an experience not to be forgotten.” Dan has worked at The Flying Fish Restaurant as Sous Chef for the past year. His chef training began at 2 Rosette level and he’s no stranger to master chefs after previously working closely with Master Chef Kalvin Clarke. The Flying Fish Restaurant, situated on the beautiful Falmouth coast, reflects the very best of Cornish cuisine and style. Dan and the F...

These two images were submitted by Nigel Linton of Poynton in Cheshire. They are very atmospheric photographs taken this week in Rock, Cornwall, of the marina and sailing club. Nigel said, "We were down for my nephews wedding; it felt like an extension of summer."

St Austell’s £75 million town centre scheme, White River Place, has joined an elite group of the UK’s top buildings by becoming one of the most environmentally-friendly developments in the country, it has been announced today. Assessors working on behalf of BREEAM, the world’s most widely used environmental assessment method for buildings, have given White River Place a score of 74.16% and an ‘Excellent’ rating. Only a handful of the country’s retail schemes have reached this level. The South West RDA (Regional Development Agency) is investing £31.5 million in the scheme, with the remainder of the funding from White River Developments, a subsidiary of Elan Homes. Once completed, the re-development will include new shops, restaurants, a 550-space multi-storey car park and 69 apartments. The new four-screen White River Cinema and restaurant chain Frankie & Benny’s have already opened to the public, with others retailers in the process of fitting out their shops. The scheme, wh...

Here are a selection of photographs taken in August 2009 of the Red Arrows' display over Fowey. They were taken by David Julian and really capture the unusual light and drama of the moment, as they carve up the sky in front of ominous rain clouds.

Children from Trannack Primary School near Helston have been sharing their paint palettes with several of Cornwall’s renowned artists in advance of a secret charity event to be held at the Trevarno Estate and Gardens later in the year. Based on the annual secret art sale held by the Royal College of Art in London (which attracts the likes of Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin), the Trannack School Secret Art Exhibition and Auction will feature, in anonymity, the creative work of pupils, parents, teachers and dinner ladies alongside that of over thirty local professionals including Janet Judge, David Hosking, Andrew Giddens, Lucie Bray and Steve Slimm. To ensure a level playing field, each exhibitor has been given an identical 8-inch-square canvas to work on - in any medium they desire. The final one hundred artworks will then be featured in a catalogue issued at the start of September and will also be exhibited at Trevarno on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October, prior to the auction on We...

The two day live music event Falmouth Sound which was due to be held on 29th and 30th August 2009 at Events Square, Falmouth has been cancelled. The following is an official statement from the organisers of Falmouth Sound 09: “It is with deep regret that we announce that Falmouth Sound will not be going ahead this year. It has been an agonising decision on our part as we have spent so much time and money trying to bring this high quality music event to the town. Unfortunately due to difficult economic conditions advanced ticket sales have not reached a point that would warrant staging such a large-scale event. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our team for their hard work and those people who purchased tickets and supported the event.” Ticket holders are advised to contact the ticket retailer they purchased from direct to arrange a full refund. Those people who purchased from the beach hut ticket office at Events Square will be contacted by the Falmouth Sound team sh...

With £250,000 needed to fund the Marie Curie Nursing Service this year, Marie Curie Cancer Care has launched its first ever local Nursing Appeal in Cornwall. Marie Curie Nurse Cathy O’Callaghan, who is launching the appeal, is one of 27 Marie Curie Nurses in Cornwall who provides a free nursing service for terminally ill people who want to be cared for at home at the end of their lives. Last year, Cathy and her colleagues provided more than 15,000 hours of care to people with cancer and other terminal illnesses in Cornwall. Marie Curie Cancer Care has been campaigning for increased investment in end of life care and with increased awareness of the charity’s nursing service, demand is growing. The charity needs to raise £250,000 to fund the nursing service in Cornwall this year. Cathy said “Most people would want to die at home if they were terminally ill but only about a quarter of people get that wish. Cornwall Marie Curie Nurses want to help more people who live locally but we can on...

Two new shops have been completed and handed over as part of St Austell’s £75 million town centre redevelopment scheme – White River Place. The final stages of construction are well underway and Sir Robert McAlpine, the scheme’s main contractor, currently has a work force on site of around 280 with building work taking place 12 hours a day, seven days a week. £31.5 million is being invested in the scheme by the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) with the remainder of funding from White River Developments. Wilkinson and HBoS have taken possession of their units to enable them to start fitting out the interiors - other retailers will move in over the next few months to begin their fit-outs. The 550-space car park for the scheme is virtually complete with lighting, line markings and services all fitted, ready to hand over to operator APCOA for the final stages. Significant progress is being made on the residential blocks which will accommodate 69 apartments when finished – the e...

Far Eastern Odyssey is a culinary journey along rivers, through jungles and around coastlines. Along the way, Rick visits traditional family-run restaurants, street vendors, floating markets, night markets, fishing villages, and the local cinnamon and rice farmers to learn about the authentic food of the Far East, and to sample the delicious spectrum of exotic flavours. In this tie-in cookery book to the series, Rick shares his new-found knowledge, recreating the tantalizing food of his travels and capturing on the plate the rich and varying cultures of the Far East. With over 150 new recipes and breathtaking on-location photography, this book evokes the magic of bustling markets, exotic locations and exciting flavours. It will be held at Stein’s Deli in Padstow on Thursday 6th August, where Rick will be signing copies of this book between 11am and 12 noon. Rick Stein's Far Eastern Odyssey is currently being shown on BBC2, Thursday nights from 8 - 9pm.

Get the kids into the kitchen this July with a fun fish cookery session at Padstow Seafood School. Introduce your child to the pleasures of cooking with this short course especially for young cooks. This unique session encourages children to take part in cooking by learning the basics of fish cookery in a relaxed and entertaining atmosphere. We find that our younger students always leave inspired after having a great time in the kitchen under the supervision of Padstow Seafood School’s experienced chefs. They have fun whilst learning important kitchen skills such as preparing fish and crab, making mayonnaise, filleting and pan frying! The children’s fish cookery course is being held on Tuesday 28th July, from 9am - 12 noon and is aimed at children aged 8-11 years. Padstow Seafood School is currently offering a 20% discount on this course, with prices reduced from £70 to £55. For more information or to book your child a place, please contact the school on 01841 533466.

Neville Staple EVENT CANCELLED: See explanation in this post ... One of Cornwall’s most exciting new music events reveals its full line up for this August Bank Holiday. As the end of the summer draws ever nearer, the Falmouth Sound team has given us all something to look forward to by announcing yet more big name artists that will be gracing the stage in Events Square, Falmouth on August Bank Holiday weekend. Joining The Wombats, The Boxer Rebellion and Fink on Saturday 29th August will be Irish singer/songwriter Foy Vance, who has been likened to Stevie Wonder and admired by Pete Townshend. And as if that wasn’t enough bang for your musical buck, Melo Park – featuring Sian Evans of Kosheen has also been added to the mix. Foy Vance On Sunday 30th August The Wailers and Gabbidon have some familiar faces as support in the form of The Neville Staple Band (featuring two-tone legend and member of The Specials), Neville Staple) who will be accompanied by ska songstress Pauline Black. And la...

On Friday 10th July Stein’s Fish & Chip shop in Padstow will be holding their Big Fish Supper in aid of the Fishermen’s Mission and have pledged to donate 3% of its total income on the day to the charity. This is an annual event at Stein’s and all monies donated will help the Mission provide emergency welfare support to fishermen and their families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. On average 25 UK vessels are lost each year around the coast often resulting in tragic consequences. The Mission has for over 130 year been a lifeline to the fishing communities around the UK. "Working as a fisherman is a dangerous and lonely job that very few people comprehend. The Fishermen's Mission makes sure it knows the hardship fishermen and their families face and therefore exactly how to help them," - Rick Stein, Mission Vice-Patron and restaurateur.

View from the footbridge at Wadebridge I took the photograph above on my phone a few nights ago, it was a very high tide and there were unique colours in the sky. It prompted me to put some photos of Cornwall on the blog. Spring blossom in Waderbidge Early morning in Padstow Harbour Surfers at Polzeath Beach Waterfowl on the Camel Estuary

Dame Helen Mirren admires a King Protea plucked from the Burncoose stand After months of planning, designing, and growing all of the hard work paid off this morning when Burncoose Nurseries received the news that they had been awarded a well deserved Gold Medal for their climate change garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The garden which is once again supported by Terra Firma, was designed to showcase the different types of plants that are suited to the changing environment. By teaming up with Tresco Abbey Gardens the Burncoose exhibit highlighted plants which thrive in warm, dry and windy conditions, as well as the more familiar shade loving species. The garden illustrated how plants which have historically only been grown in areas with micro climates, like the Isles of Scilly and some parts of Cornwall, can now be tried in other areas of the UK as a result of the changing weather patterns and temperatures. Owner of Burncoose Nurseries, Charles Williams, said “We are delighted to ...

Rick Stein and his team of chefs from The Seafood Restaurant will be heading to Wadebridge this June to prepare a special dinner in aid of Redruth R.F.C. The event, to be held at the Royal Cornwall Showground Pavillion in Wadebridge on Saturday 27th June, will be an opportunity for guests to enjoy a unique five course menu prepared by Rick and his team of chefs. The evening also promises to be a true ‘Battle of the Ashes’ with talks from sporting stars Rodney Hogg, Australian quick bowling legend, and ex-England spinner Geoff Miller. Dave Penberthy, Director of Rubgy and former player at Redruth R.F.C. said: “This is a wonderful gesture from Rick and his team and it is pleasing to know how much they believe in what we are doing at Redruth. The club strongly believes that its future depends very much on the talent that is currently developed through its youth structures and having support from individuals such as Rick and his team is inspiring. “It will help enormously in our aim to kee...

Reservations are now being taken for a special fundraising lunch at Fifteen Cornwall, Watergate Bay, on Thursday 11th June, when Jamie Oliver will be donning his chef whites and getting back in the kitchen. Returning to Fifteen Cornwall for the graduation of the latest apprentices, and to welcome in the new cohort, Jamie will accompany Executive Chef Neil Haydock and the team of professional chefs to create a sublime three course lunch using the finest local seasonal ingredients. Fifteen Cornwall proudly aims to use a minimum of 80% local Cornish produce. In what promises to be a fun and relaxed occasion, Jamie will be chatting to guests to take them through the menu. Dave Meneer, Fifteen Cornwall’s CEO, will be on hand to give guests a chance to put some questions to Jamie over the course of the lunch. Later in the day Jamie will attend a private graduation ceremony for this year’s White Hats (Fifteen Cornwall’s apprentice chefs) after a year of training and experience in the kitche...

Fire fears disrupted a Truro concert held to mark 30 years of the city being twinned with Morlaix in France. Organised by the Truro Morlaix Twinning Associaton, the concert was due to start at 3pm on April 18 in the Mayor's Parlour at Truro City Hall. However, just as the conductor stood with baton poised for the music to begin, the hall’s fire alarm sounded. The audience, along with musicians from France and Cornwall, hastily evacuated the building. The concerned crowd then waited for half an hour in Boscawen Street whilst the fire brigade searched the building. Finally the all clear was given and the rest of the concert passed off without a hitch, except for local cellist David Hoskin being temporarily stuck in a lift with one of the more mature French female musicians. The orchestra – composed of members of renowned string group the St Mewan Sinfonia and Morlaix’s L’Orchestre de Patio – played a well received programme of works by Bach, Grieg, Vivaldi and Brahms. The concert, wh...

If you are fortunate enough to live near the Camel Trail in Cornwall, no doubt you have had a stroll or bike ride somewhere between Padstow and Bodmin, maybe even ventured the full length. Whatever the case I am sure you would have delighted in the bird life found all along this trail. I wrote previously regarding bird watching on the Camel Estuary, and recently I took the plunge and purchased a scope to enhance my birding. It took me hours of research, visits to optic demonstrations in the field, and advice from other users before I finally made up my mind on which scope to go for. My decision?…Swarovski ATS 80HD with a 20 - 60 Zoom lens (pictured above). No, it was not cheap, but I had been saving for some time and reasoned that I only want to buy once, and so in my research decided to get one of the best on the market. It hasn't let me down. In my opinion the optimum Zoom for clarity is around 35 - 40 times. I am not a Swarovski salesman, nor am I suggesting you go out and buy o...

(L to R) Ecoco owner Abigail Billinge and Cornish Mutual Inspector Roger Hawkings viewing some of the products on sale at the new shop in Penryn. An eco-friendly start-up business in Cornwall is set to beat the credit crunch by opening a brand new shop selling organic and fair trade jewellery and clothing supported by South West insurance firm Cornish Mutual. Ecoco, based at Jubilee Wharf in Penryn, is the brainchild of 30 year old Abi Billinge who already runs her own on-line company, Absolution Saves. The shop, which opened earlier this month, is billed as a ‘showcase’ for a number of small, ethical Cornish businesses and products, including clothing made out of recycled plastic bottles from Penzance and recycled copper jewellery. Abi, Ecoco’s Creative Director, says: “Everything we do is about Cornwall and supporting local designer makers and retailers – I’m keen to champion new, different and interesting things happening on our doorstep. I wanted to show everything in one pla...

Rick and Jill Stein announce an exciting new grill menu at St Petroc’s Bistro in Padstow. Rick Stein’s Mediterranean-style bistro is now expanding its menu to incorporate three new grill dishes, including an 8oz sirloin steak with pommes coq d’or, 12oz rump steak with tomato, mushrooms and thin cut chips and a special 16oz Chateau-briand for two to share. St Petroc’s Bistro has always served simple, classic bistro dishes, offering a mixture of both seafood and meat options. In addition to the new grill menu, signature dishes such as the Parmigiana di melanzana, whole grilled lemon sole with mushrooms and brown shrimps, and escalopes of salmon with sorrel sauce will still be available. Head chef at St Petroc’s Bistro, Paul Harwood, comments: “We’re really happy with the new steak dishes. We’ve sourced a really high quality Aberdeen-Angus with Charolais cross for the new grill menu, well-known for being tender, succulent and full of flavour. “Our rib-eye steak proved so popular...

Teenage Correspondents Report from the Healthcare Frontline In a ground-breaking new film project, Stepping into Shoes, seven Cornish teenagers have been recounting their first hand experience of receiving medical treatment within the NHS. The first film tells the story of three young people with long-term illness, exploring what impact managing their condition has on their lives. Seen entirely through the eyes of these adolescents, it reveals ‘matter of fact’ insights into the daily care regime for three teenagers with Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis and Diabetes. Working with Cornish film-maker Hana Backland, the documentary uses video diary and interviews to explore the issues, challenges and good practice which inform their encounters with the health service. The second film follows the journey of four healthy teenagers, recruited from Youth Cornwall, who report on their experience of hospital treatment. It examines the hospital environment from the viewpoint of teenag...

Cornwall’s first new cinema complex for over 70 years – White River Cinema in St Austell is gearing up for a busy Easter and will be preparing to welcome its 50,000th customer since opening. Owners WTW Cinemas is reporting ‘consistently strong’ business with ‘record’ admissions during the first quarter of this year (January-March 09) and over the Christmas and New Year period. The two most popular films to date have been Academy award winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and children’s feature ‘Bolt’. White River Cinema has been a huge success with local people and visitors to St Austell since the £3.5 million building on Trinity Street was officially opened on Friday 19 December last year. Mark Williams, General Manager of White River Cinema said: “Our initial forecasts for business have been more than exceeded. We are absolutely delighted with the first few months of trading and have been overwhelmed by the support, both locally and regionally and from customers who have visited our...

Breakfast news has yet again highlighted the benefits of holidaying in the UK this year. This time focusing on Bournemouth, but the point still applies to Cornwall. Take a look at the video clip to see what they had to say, for anyone interested in taking a holiday in Cornwall, or providing accommodation, it is interesting viewing. See the clip ... So, we are going to see even more visitors to the South West this season, the question is, will we as a county take advantage of the influx or be unprepared? There will be a marked rise in foreign and UK based tourists, so now is the time to make plans to ensure they enjoy themselves, come back again, and do not just view us as a cut price alternative!

Many West Country hotels and B&Bs still receiving analogue, in fact, two-thirds of tourism businesses in the West Country have televisions that risk going blank when the region switches to digital later this year – at the height of the summer tourist season. Latest research from Digital UK, the independent switchover body, reveals that only 40% of hoteliers and B&B owners across the region have fully converted televisions in all guest rooms – up from 27% in January 2007. A quarter of the respondents (25%) had partly switched to digital and more than a third had analogue only. The research in the West Country region also found that: • However, 44% of those surveyed in the West Country believe they are fully prepared for switchover or have upgrading to digital well underway. • Only 12% have yet to make any plans. • Holiday lets were the most likely to be fully converted and holiday and caravan parks the least likely to have taken steps. Bill Taylor, South West Regional Manager fo...