Weds 1st Nov 2023 Storm Ciaran, Curlews, Geevor and Brent geese.

 Weds 1-Nov-2023 Storm Ciaran, Curlews, Geevor and Brent geese.

I left the flat at midday. The U4 bus took a different route into Marazion due to roadworks. As a result I saw from bus lots of curlews -  approx 40 in the field  opposite St. Teresa's by Marazion.

Then as we went past Marazion marshes I noticed the Great white egret that's been frequenting there for a while. There's several pools, He seems to always use the same pool, maybe that's become his territory.

Headed up to Penzance library I've got a couple of projects on Google earth including mountains of the world.Today I marked down the positions of Mont Blanc in France and Italy , Mount Mulanje in Malawi and Massif Central, France amongst others.

Next I got the tin coaster bus to Geevor tin mine in the far West of Cornwall. It's only about 30 minutes from Penzance, the bus passes through the small "granite town" of St. Just before arriving at Geevor ten minutes later.

 The first thing I did when I arrived was to video the little garden and Memorial Statue of a Miner at the entrance to Geevor. There's an exotic plant there that I don't recognise.

Then I went over to look at the shed containing the compost toilets.  I helped to install this a couple of years ago with Penwith landscape partnership volunteers . It started raining , I wanted to shelter inside but unfortunately both doors were locked.

I walked down past the cafe towards the sea , I found two side-shafts dug into the hillside supported with strong pit props. They had locked gates so I couldn't enter. 

There was a large area of gravelly spoil and sweeping views of the abandoned mine areas down to the sea with cliffs to the side. Lots of heather growing on the slopes. There was an small area of mine machinery slowly rusting. In the distance were the chimneys of wheal Mexico and Levant mine.

I headed back up the steep track to the cafe. The cafe has a huge window taking up the entire wall with views across the sea and across derelict mining land.

 I had a cup of tea and chatted with a nice local lady who works in the cafe called Moira, she's from a fishing family in Penzance. I got in the bus and headed back.

On the way back, just after St. Just, near Leswidden, there is a flooded quarry two or three acres in size. I noticed a small flock of Brent geese swimming out on the water ... Probably taking shelter from the coming Storm Ciaran which was due to reach it's worse at 3 am that night.

I was meant to go to the Wednesday Bible meeting in the bridge café Hayle but storm Ciaran was brewing when I got to Penzance , with 90mph winds predicted. I decided it was too risky in case the buses got cancelled or I got into an accident , so I went home to the flat early and wrote some of my memoirs and finished writing about today.