Dawn Chorus Experience!

Don't forget that you can experience the best migrant and local birds at the earliest part of the day with our ranger at Penrose this weekend. Steve will be taking a group out from 6am for a couple of hours of listening and watching the early summer migrant visitors and the regulars to the Loe Pool and Penrose Estate. If your interested in taking part or want to find out more give Steve a call on 07876 546401 or meet him at Degibna car park (SW 654251) bright and early at 6am. 

South of the Boarder goes off at Poldhu!

The National Trust's South of the Boarder junior surf competition took place last Saturday at Poldhu beach on the Lizard. We had a great day and fantastic conditions in the water and on the beach. All the competitors took the event seriously and really showed us that the next generation of British surfers is full to the brim with talent. The stand out performances of the day came in the under 14s final where all the judges were really impressed with the level of surfing and Rhys Barfield scored a 9.5 highest wave score of the day, unfortunately, due to an interference, he wasn't able to take both the boys titles.

All the competitors added to their scores with litter picking points at the beach clean at the beginning of the event, which although it was an optional part of the competition all the competitors took part in, some scoring a maximum of two points for the amount they contributed to the clean. This made a crucial difference in the girls Under 14 final where Teah Munroe took second place because she contributed more to her heat score with her litter picking points than unfortunately Jordy Lowe did. We were really pleased with the professional attitude though of the young surfers, it's great that at this age they can understand the importance of keeping their local beaches clean and the significance of the work that organisations like the National Trust play in protecting our coastline.

After a day of competition the final results were:

Girls U14s: 1st Flora Lawton, 2nd Teah Munroe, 3rd Jordy Lowe 

Boys Under 14s: 1st Ed Smith, 2nd Rhys Barfield, 3rd Liam Murray Strout and 4th Max Payne

Girls U16s: 1st Jade Lowe, 2nd Liz Hodson, 3rd Maisy Lawton, 4th Danielle Wickham

Boys U16s:1st Rhys Barfield, 2nd Dale Foster, 3rd Ed Smith and 4th Max Payne 

We would like to thank our event sponsors Gul wetsuits, Carve and Surf Girl magazines, local skate shop Grip, Poldhu beach cafe, and Cornish Water company Pure Blue all of whom have provided some fantastic prizes, the overall winner of the boarder series will win accommodation on the beach in Morocco courtesy of Pure Blue. 

The next Boarder series event is North of the Boarder at Crantock on 14th May, for information please go to: Northoftheboarder.wordpress.com

The National Trust are also running a British Team qualification event, the Godrevy Pro Junior on the 7th and 8th May, for more information go to: godrevyprojunior.wordpress.com

Mallets and Spoons



Mallet and spoon shortage averted

There were mallets and spoons a plenty at Poltesco recently, when students from EcoSoc joined us for a weekend of greenwoodworking and volunteering. EcoSoc is one of the clubs and societies students at CuC Tremough Campus can choose to join in their free time, and its membership is drawn mainly from undergraduates undertaking biology and conservation degrees. On Saturday the group got to grips with monkey strainers and kadongers as they learned the skills required to build a strained wire fence. Their day's work made a valuable contribution to our ongoing project to fence Grochall. Our aim is to erect a perimeter fence around this new nature reserve adjoining the heathland of Lizard Downs, to enable grazing to benefit wildlife.



The group stayed at our Chyvarloe Basecamp overnight, taking the opportunity to explore nearby Loe Bar and Carminowe Creek. On Sunday we set up camp in the orchard at Poltesco, and spent an enjoyable day whittling and bodging in the sunshine! We had the pole lathes up and running, and everyone became absorbed in shaping spoons from green ashwood. Never will there be a wooden utensil shortage again!



Bodging and Shaving





Rachel

Photos in the can - Students experiment with pinhole cameras

eye spy a fence

80 pupils from Lizard schools recently took part in innovative photography workshops, thanks to a joint project between the National Trust and University College Falmouth.

The pupils, from Landewednack, St Keverne, and Coverack Primary Schools, and Mullion Secondary School joined 30 University College Falmouth, BA (Hons) Photography level 1 students to learn how to use simple pinhole cameras made from nothing more than a drinks can, photographic paper and gaffer tape.

YHA daffs by primary school pupil

The workshops were hosted over 3 days at the Lizard Point Youth Hostel, where a temporary dark room was set up so the pupils could see their images being developed. Justin Quinnell, a national expert in pinhole photography, helped the students get the most from these simple cameras. Capturing an image with a drinks can is a magical way to get kids interested in photography. Its not easy, but everyone was inspired to have a go and the university students got a huge amount from being able to pass their newly acquired skills onto the younger pupils.

Amazing results revealed as pinhole prints dry

In addition to the pinhole workshops, every pupil got to spend some time experimenting with digital photography, taking inspiration from nearby Tregullas Farm. The farm which is owned by The National Trust and lies in the heart of Lizard village will be available for long-term let, and the Trust is inviting the local community to have a say in how they would like to see this farm run.

Tregullas pots

We've been so impressed with the photos taken over the 3 days, which have captured how the farm is today. Every pupil will contribute a photo to an exhibition at Tremough Campus in May, and we are sure they will be proud of what they have achieved.

Rachel

This Week!

There's so much going on this week! We're not only opening the car parks and info hut with out new seasonal team but we are working at the Porthleven food festival (www.porthlevenfoodfestival.co.uk) on Saturday where we'll be giving away free seeds and advice on planting up your veg. Come and see us in the kids event field where we'll have activities to get involved with and things to make. 


Don't forget you can get help us out at the beach clean at Gunwalloe too this week as part of the big Clean Cornwall, meet at the NT car park at 10am on Sunday morning if you're interested in taking part and doing your part to keep our local beaches clean. 

We will also be taking a group kayaking on Sunday on one of our popular Helford River trips, there are still places on offer so get in touch if you fancy a Sunday morning with a difference (01326 561407). 
We still have places also available on the following trips:


May 22nd, June 26th, July 24th and August 21st. We are running a couple of sea kayaking days also for the slightly more experienced, where we'll take you on a half day trip under the cliffs at Rinsey and Trewavas, dates are: 30th May and 10th July, get in touch for details. 


We are also running a photography course at Penrose on Sunday with our local artist in residence Olivia Dale. Places cost £30 per person, call 07966 401102 for details.