The Cornwall Blog

We are of slowly emerging out of winter, March is here, but for this month's blog post I wanted to revisit a special weekend last November at Marazion. It has to be one of the most magical places in Cornwall, an adorable village with a famous view that is ever changing as well as being ancient and immovable. A dear friend took me off to the lovely Godolphin Hotel for a weekend treat, and it really was perfect. The beauty of the colder months in Cornwall is the quietness, and it was just that, still, poignant and memorable. As you arrive in this little village, all attention centres on the island castle across the bay, and rightly so. The hotel itself is little but stylish, has a laid back charm and a playful feel. The kindest of people, they upgraded our room to one with a balcony and that fabulous view. The restaurant area was the perfect place to have a pre dinner cocktail and watch the sun sink into the horizon. I chatted with a chilled dad, who had snuck away while his kids we...

Autumn is a season I truly love, and Cornwall seems to glow at this time of year, from woodland walks to those long, low sunsets. As the evenings draw in, there is another sight I start watching the skies for: a murmuration of starlings. What is a starling murmuration? A murmuration is the name given to those extraordinary flocks of starlings that gather together and move almost as one, twisting and folding into constantly changing shapes across the sky. There are thought to be several reasons for these huge gatherings. Flying together can make it harder for predators to pick out an individual bird, while gathering at a communal roost can help the birds keep warm and exchange information about good feeding grounds. Whatever the science behind it, watching one still feels a little bit magical. Birds were particularly on my mind when I first wrote this post in 2022. I was working on our 2023 poster calendar at Pickle Design, which had a distinctly o...

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