Kernow calling


Well, I must admit to being surprised by the number of comments generated by my recent post regarding 'nature and faith' - or, in my case, the lack of faith. Thanks to the cerebral ping-pong between Mel and Peter, plus the odd call from the sidelines, it kept me informed, amused and a little aware of my own shortcomings.

Not as a consequence of this, or of the riots, North Downs and beyond has decamped to the north Cornish coast. The view above is looking southwards towards the distant cliffs of Boscastle and Tintagel. To continue the 'faith' theme, I visited the famous museum of witchcraft at Boscastle - well worth a visit, regardless of your belief system.

As for the wildlife, I have been rather laid back. The odd bird has caught my attention (Ravens, Peregrines, Little Egrets), botanically I have paid my respects to the local speciality (Wild Leek) and from a pan-species perspective have added a few denizens of the rock pool. My attempts to swell my moss and lichen list is proving frustrating. I find specimens that fit only species found at the top of Scottish mountains and not a Cornish headland, and so start again, deflated. It's hard work, but I will perservere...

A surfeit of pasty, ice cream, beer, cider, rum and clotted cream with need further stiff walks along the spectacular cliff tops to burn up the calories, postpone the heart attack, and hopefully call into action the notebook...

Comments

Flora said…
Witchcraft???!!
"I find specimens that fit only species found at the top of Scottish mountains and not a Cornish headland, and so start again, deflated. It's hard work, but I will perservere..."
There's an echo of Charles Darwin here....when he was writing about his 8 years of gruelling work refining (basically redoing from scratch) barnacle taxonomy...his 'wretched and tedious job'. It was hard work, but he persevered. Thank goodness.
I walked on North Norfolk coast yesterday and realised how woeful was my own knowledge of seashore life. Still wading painfully slowly through a bag of seashells trying to id them. Do sea shells count for pan-listing?
Err...I think that stiff walking after 'a surfeit of' (replace list with) 'unhealthy but scrummy food' is how one brings on a heart attack, not prevents one.....
Enjoy
Mel
11 August 2011 at 19:47
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