Back in January, with retirement pending, I had booked 2 nights camping around a concert at the Eden Project – part of their Eden Sessions season. I knew that relying on the weather in June in Cornwall was always a risk, but I figured that I would book it anyway, and see what the weather turned out like for the week. I could always just drive to the concert in the evening and home again if the camping wasn’t going to work out.
I knew I had booked camping for 2 nights, the Wednesday and Thursday. I had thought the concert was the Wednesday night, which was looking lovely and sunny in the forecast, so I was determind to go ahead. I had a reminder email from Eden a few days before which confirmed the concert was on the Thursday, which was looking a lot wetter, but by then I had decided to go ahead come what may.
Wednesday was indeed a lovely sunny day. I arrived at the campsite just after midday, after cleaning the van and the house before I left – you cant beat coming home to a clean house! Although that may be wishful thinking as my son, George, is currently staying with me, so I am sure the house will not be exactly as I left it when I return. However, the muddy footprints from the dog running in from the garden had to be removed. The garden is currently being transformed into an oasis of calm with a stream, I hope…perhaps George can do some more digging whilst I am away!
The campsite is called ‘Innis Inn Camping’ which should perhaps be renamed ‘Innis Inn without the Inn Camping’. The current owner Mark is slowly transforming the property into a home, and no food or drink is served. The site itself is very peaceful, with some lovely grassed areas, although not pristine and manicured. Harry, my dog, certainly enjoyed chasing the rabbits – I was happy to let him do this as he has never yet caught one (the rabbits are way too fast), and Mark was ok with a loose spaniel investigating the whole site. There was nobody else staying on the Wednesday night, apart from one other VW van (although I didn’t see anyone), although Mark promised an influx on the Thursday, for the concert.
The site is on the Clay Trail which links Bugle to the Eden Project, a multi purpose trail. As the walk to Eden takes less than 1/2 hour it makes an ideal site to stay at when visiting Eden. Mark told me he has had the site packed in the past, with vans and tents. I can’t remember the exact number he told me, but it seemed unlikely you could get so many in – it must have been like a festival site.
After pitching the tent next to the Van, I took Harry up the Clay Trail to Bugle. Cormac were in the process of repairing the route, laying stone on the muddy road, which will certainly improve the section near the campsite. The Trail follows a quiet road in the middle of this section, although we found a cut through on the way back which was much quicker and cut out some of the on-lead, road time.
After stocking up on some essentials in the Spar shop in Bugle we returned via the same route, stopping for a picnic on the way back. There were no seats or picnic tables which seemed a shame, but we found a large rock which sufficed. Harry was quite hot and panting because it was warm, and no streams to cool off in. Unfortunately he found a stream when we were nearly back, which he waded in and ended up with mud up all 4 legs and under his belly. I managed to get him in the stream the other side of the lane which was a bit cleaner, but nonetheless I returned to site with a grubby dog.
After a lazy afternoon finishing my book in the sun I drove to Charlestown harbour. The area took the name of Charles Rashleigh who had the foresight to turn the small fishing village of West Polmear into a busy harbour dealing with the growing trade in and out of the area, including copper and then china clay being mined and quarried locally, in the 18th Century. Unfortunately Mr Rashleigh died penniless after having funds embezzled by an employee.
Charlestown no longer operates as a working harbour, but has retained the look and feel of the past. As a result the location has been used in films and TV productions, including the popular Poldark series.
Because I was there in the evening the only places open were the pubs and restaurants, but it was a pleasant walk in the evening sun, around the harbour and up to Crinnis Cliff Battery. The town seemed a strange mixture of very old artefacts, some more modern but rather outdated additions, and much more current and trendy food outlets.
I drove on to Carlyon Bay, which I hadn’t visited for many years, since the demise of the Cornwall Coliseum. The houses on the approach to Carlyon Bay are some of the nicest in the area. The road down to the beach was closed, so I parked in the car park and took the steep steps down. At the Crinnis end of the beach there is a group of food and drink outlets, most of which were again closed, but looked comprehensive for day visitors.
I was surprised at the number of children on the beach – some seem to be joining in some sort of fitness training, whilst others were learning to surf. We walked east, with Gribbin Daymarker visible at the end of the long headland, and Harry ended up having a bath in the sea, and then in the stream which runs through the middle of the beach.
On our return to the campsite Mark and his friend Dave were sitting around a fire they had lit in what looked like an old wheel. Mark and I shared some stories before the rain came. I had the best night sleep in my tent despite the rain.
The next morning I braved the damp and mist to walk around the lake managed by Roche Angling Club, just a little way up the Clay Trail again, which was a much nicer morning walk for Harry than around the housing estate where I live
Rain forced shelter for the morning, in the campervan, but as it started to clear at lunchtime I decided to drive to Eden, just up the road, and take Harry around the walks open to dogs. As Harry wouldn’t be allowed to the concert in the evening it was important that he had plenty of exercise in the afternoon and was then happy to stay in the van on his own in the evening. As dogs are not allowed in the biomes and some other small areas, we walked around the larger area outside the main attraction, and I realised there was more to Eden than I had seen before.
I have been to Eden several times, including once when it was no more than a building site, but had rarely seen much outside the central area, and I was pleasantly surprised at the number of small hidden areas I hadn’t seen before
I had been parked in the Cherry car park, which is a long way from the main entrance. This is obviously a deliberate ploy to spread out the crowds at the end of a concert, with some walking whilst others catch the internal buses back to the car park, avoiding all reaching their cars at the same time and clogging up the roads. However, I noticed that there was a car park described as Sessions Plus tickets. For some reason I had bought a ‘package’ ticket, which enabled me to stand in the ‘Garden bar’ for the concert, and have unlimited drinks (within reason!). I am not sure why I thought that was a good idea as I was always going to have to get back to the campsite (perhaps I thought I would walk? I found out that there was a sort of ‘taxi’ service from the campsite to Eden, but I didn’t make use of it, preferring to have Harry at Eden rather than on his own at the campsite). However, I now thought that as a Sessions Plus ticket holder I could at least move the van back down closer to the entrance, and avoid walking to and fro from Cherry 4 times. I was allowed to drive down on this basis, although asked at the entrance to this special car park for sight of my ticket. I made a right mess of finding my ticket on my emails, by which time there was a queue of 20 vehicles behind me. Despite the fact that I couldn’t produce a car parking voucher I was allowed in by the then rather flustered official. I found out later that I wasn’t entitled to park there – it was for all other Sessions Plus ticket holders other than those who were having unlimited drinks as part of their package. As I wasn’t going to make use of that perk, I didn’t feel too bad at blagging my way into this car park!
After settling Harry in the van I walked around the two biomes, and enjoyed the changes since my last visits
The concert that I had booked was K T Tunstall at 7.30pm, followed by Texas at 9pm. Both were excellent, strong Scottish women. K T Tunstall was particularly funny, chatting between songs, and throwing in various anecdotes and singing some popular covers. I thoroughly enjoyed both acts
I had been completely comfortable camping and visiting places on my own, and walking around Eden, both with and without Harry. When I made my way to the Garden Bar and claimed my free drinks (some alcohol free cans of lager!) I stood in the secure area to watch the concert but felt quite conspicuous on my own. I also couldn’t see very much, so I decided to join the majority of people in the main arena. Of course here I was just part of the moving pack and not identifiable as being on my own. I am sure nobody else noticed at all, but I felt more comfortable disappearing into the crowd.
I returned to the campsite and slept well, before travelling home the next day and drying out some of the damp clothes, sleeping bag and pillow!