The Cornwall Blog

If you were watching the breakfast news on the BBC this morning, you would have seen the clip included above; very positive news for those in Cornwall, and especially B&B owners. It is rarely good news when we hear that the Pound is weak against the Euro, but it has caused a flood of Europeans to visit their island neighbours. Cornwall will benefit a great deal from the foreign visitors - with much of the economy based in the tourist trade - and along with those from across the seas, many are choosing to stay in the UK for their holidays. All of the accommodation owners I have spoken to have mentioned that their bookings are up, with many visitors choosing to stay for two weeks instead of one as they previously had. The news report also mentioned the advantage of web based advertising to reach these visitors. Having a website for your business is now considered essential, the greater majority of consumers look for a business online first, even if only for contact details. In th

The Rutherford Group has recently been featured on the BBC news, their managing director, Ian Rutherford, interviewed regarding the new requirement for door attendants to have passed an exam. Although based in Cornwall, they offer security training and services nationwide, covering all of the UK. BBC News Interview They have also launched a new website recently, focusing on their security training Cornwall. This will feature up to date information on what is happening in the company, and also give visitors an idea of what to expect.

Visitors from far and wide winter in and around the estuary that stretches from Wadebridge to Padstow. They can be seen all along the well known Camel Trail, and if you want a close, clear, colourful view of these valued visitors, the best time is at low tide with the mid-afternoon sun at your back. They of course are waders, wildfowl, gulls and an array of other exotic species that we are privileged to have an acquaintance with at this time of year. Above you can see a shot of a Little Egret that I took on a journey to the waterside last Winter. My last visit was rewarded with a spectacular view of a kingfisher. It flew diagonally across the estuary, straight towards me and my wife, and suddenly stopped mid-air and hovered, like a Kestrel at the side of a motorway. We've often seen this little wonder but usually as it flashed by. This time with the sun behind us and in a hovering position he/she lit up like a rainbow. What a wonderful moment! There are many rewarding moments along

Stella Artois has found that up to 83% of us will get frustrated when trying to get home after a night out, due to not planning our journeys home in advance. They are encouraging people to make a plan to ‘get home safe’, which builds upon Stella Artois’ commitment to responsible drinking. This initiative is lead by former Olympic rower and gold medalist James Cracknell. James is certainly a man who all too well understands the importance of planning, especially as he is about to set off on a race to the South Pole with Ben Fogle. “From my experiences I know the importance of making a plan and getting home safe so I was really excited when I was asked to lead the Stella Artois campaign. It doesn’t matter if you are heading to the South Pole or East Finchley this Christmas everyone should make a plan to get home safe.” Gender seems to play a big role. 45% of men as opposed to 25% women will find themselves caught short with no way of knowing how they will get home. This is because,

New Book by Contemporary British Artist John O’Carroll. Title: ‘John O’Carroll Art Works 1998 - 2008’ ‘John O’Carroll has parallel careers as an archaeological illustrator with the Dakhleh Oasis Project, Western Desert, Egypt (an archaeological and environmental study) and in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, as a contemporary artist working in the desert and by the Cornish coast. This book brings together a body of work united by an interest in time and place in landscape and the elements that shape it. It reveals a preoccupation with processes of change and interchange, illuminating a correlation between micro and macro systems. Although ostensibly impressionistic, the works are often rich in metaphoric potential. Through their treatment of the abstract and transient, they pursue what is essential and universal. A key constituent of this is the sourcing of natural pigments, resins and waxes for use in the work. Followed by their meticulous, almost alchemical, preparation and subs

I keep threatening to take my wife for a walk through the woods behind our house, the colours are stunning, but it looks like we are going to miss the boat! The trees are looking more and more Wintry by the hour, especially today with the chilling wind. She does have an excuse though, she's due to give birth in three weeks... I am always quick to complain about the drop in temperature, but there are a lot of older residents who say that this is still too mild for late Autumn. Still, very wet and windy today, although Cornwall has a knack of remaining mysterious and beautiful throughout the seasons. The rolling hills make a wonderful location for the many places offering accommodation. Not far from where we live the farmland becomes increasingly rugged at the edge of Bodmin Moor. Nestled into the hillside not far from Camelford is Steppes Farm, who provide luxury holiday cottages in Cornwall. Not far from the sea and on the cusp of the Moor, they are situated perfectly. Port Is

Here at last is some good news for city execs under pressure, looking for an investment in fine art to shelter their hard earned cash…. In today’s climate, few could afford the £50million original, most missed out on the Sotheby’s £111million auction and many have credit which has finally crunched. But fortunately Driftwood Gallery in Truro has come to their rescue, and proudly presents the ultimate "bling on a shoe-string" for the embattled collector. In homage to Damien Hirst, the gallery, which was founded immediately next door to Damien’s restaurant on Ilfracombe’s harbour-side in North Devon, has commissioned a beautiful skull (fortunately not real) covered in exquisite diamonds (unfortunately also not real). Made by the famous Jimmy Crystal of New York, the skull is in fact completely decorated in glittering Swarovski crystal. Gallery owner Justin Easton explained that he had sold the work of Jimmy Crystal for a long time, usually in the form of jewellery an