The Cornwall Blog

What we refer to as 'clay country' in Cornwall is the rugged landscapes that sits above St Austell. A landscape that has been mined and carved since the early 18th century. The richness of this landscape was discovered by William Cookworthy, and the fine white china clay is still mined today. There's a hotchpotch of villages with tight-nit communities where rugged hills provide far-reaching views and dug out valleys provide pools of turquoise waters.  After a stunning drive through these villages on a sunny day I wanted to delve a little deeper into the history, and what you can do here. When we first moved to Cornwall over 20 years ago, my dad joked that the little clay mound seen from many vantage point was my mum's 'mountain'. She had always wanted to live near mountains, and it seemed finally she would be! This relatively little mound is part of the legacy of an industrial past, but it's the glistening water-filled pits that really catch the eye on a sun...

There is so much we have missed this last year, but today as I write finally May is glorious, finally the sun is warm and finally this feels like a little slice of normal. One thing I love about our county is the abundance of creatives, wonderful art and talented artisans. So, as galleries open up and exhibitions commence, here are a few places to go and feed your soul. Wheal Martin are celebrating the heritage of our clay country with an exhibition from contemporary artist Kurt Jackson. His works are vibrant and loose but with a real affinity to this man-made but beautiful landscape. Running until the 5th of September, find out more .  Something a little different, ' Lights out for Darker Skies ' seeks to highlight the negative impact artificial light pollution can have on us and our environment. West Penwith have applied for International Dark Sky status and this exhibition involves stunning dark sky images, nocturnal wildlife footage and local artist collaborations.  Only r...