Merry Christmas from Cornish Life!

I'm afraid Christmas is a time in which we are all very busy; and I for one will be too busy to continue updating my blogs as regularly as I would like. However, just a quick message now to wish everyone a very happy holiday and a great Christmas break.

If there's any Cornish or Cornwall related stories anyone has over the festive period then I would love to hear them!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Lights in Cornwall

I live in Angarrack, and in my opinion there is enough evidence to suggest that in recent years the lights in the village have gone overboard. Having said that, I'm learning to like it; to be honest many are rather vulgar and too bright and garish however for me that's now become part of the fun. I love watching young kids and families walking around enjoying the lights and the bracing winter air....and I think it's great to enjoy a bit of old fashioned Christmas spirit and get the kids prised away from the Xbox.

There will be pictures of the lights up on my website very shortly, and I will also upload on the blogs and to Flickr. Keep checking back for more info!

Bye for now,

Christmas in Cornwall!

It's is that time of year again, and a time of year I especially enjoy being in Cornwall for. I have great memories of Christmas in Cornwall - in fact I've never spend Christmas anywhere but...so for this post, I'd really like to hear of your memories of Christmas in this county.

Maybe you have some pictures you would like to share or some memories or stories to talk about; either way I'd love to hear it.

Merry Christmas to everyone, I hope you all have a great break!

The Shipping Forecast

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8383178.stm

Came across this video on the BBC News website, which tries to go some way to explain our attraction to the shipping forecast on Radio 4.

I'd like to hear your views on this. Obviously, we in Cornwall have a far greater attraction to this than most...in fact much more of a necessity in many ways.  There is no doubting that the shipping forecast does evoke a nostalgic quality for me; a quality which reminds me of home, of course of the sea and also the men and woman who live their lives from the sea. It is also a poignant reminder of the danger of the sea. The lady who gives the shipping forecast has a great voice, but it is also a somewhat menacing and sobering one....it reminds of the vast expanse of uncontrolled natural waters out there. Quite simply, I think it's rather beautiful and an absolute treasure to still be able to hear it

Newquay to be Hawaii of Europe??? Sorry?!

Brining my attention to a article posted here - on the This is Cornwall website - about Newquay being compared to Hawaii....

Yes, Newquay could very well be a world class tourist resort - but I'm afraid one of the key elements of visiting somewhere like Hawaii is the weather and the climate! I know I wasn't supposed to take the heading of this article particularly literally, and no offence to its creator, but surely this is a little far fetched?

I can, however, see what's happening here. Newquay would do well to shift its anti-social reputation....but one thing Hawaii does have which Cornwall does not - is a vast sum of money. Newquay does need to be updated in a very many ways...from its hotels to its attractions as a whole - and I'm not sure whether the money will be sacrificed. Anyway, fantastic if it is as I would be amazingly pleased to see Newquay's position begin to grow in Cornwall once again.....for more information check out the Visit Cornwall website.

Cornish Twibes!

If you are a user of Twitter, and from Cornwall, I would strongly recommend visiting the Cornwall Twibe pages at http://www.twibes.com

General Twibe 'Cornwall' Group : http://twibes.com/cornwall 

'Cornwall Photography' Group : http://twibes.com/CornwallPhotography  


Go check them out, they are certainly are useful for networking and being updated in what's going on in Cornwall...even if you're not there!

Keen to See What's Happening in Cornwall? This Might Be Useful To You...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/webcams/webcam_penzance.shtml

Obviously there's more than this, and I'm sure many of you have already heard about it....just thought it was a nice touch to bring some nostalgic memories to those away from their home county.

Penzance Harbour Row Continues to Divide Community

It is with great interest with which I read the continuing debate concerning Penzance Harbour and the Penzance Harbour Redevelopment which is continuing the be a source of major debate in the local area.

I believe the the forecast for Cornwall is generally good; there are many exciting opportunities and it is generally hard to see what the debate is concerned with - of course, local pride will always play a part - but the row over switching the Isles of Scilly port from Penzance to Falmouth has caused an outrage throughout the area.

I will not get bogged down in personal opinions over the Penzance Harbour Redevelopment - suffice to say that I only think it can be a good thing. However, Isles of Scilly tourism has always been the preserve of the reasonably weathly...In fact it has dominated Isles of Scilly news for a while now that there is a lack of accessibility - I'm not sure how moving the port from Penzance will help.

Hotels in Penzance often do reasonably big business around the peak times for travel to the Isles of Scilly. Penzance harbour is major attraction in many ways, but having the Scillionian dock there is pretty much the only way it can sustain itself. Many people visit Falmouth for a variety of reasons, but it is becoming increasingly evident that people do not visit Penzance in the frequency in which they used to. Tourism in Cornwall is in a very strange state of flux but it still reamins pretty much the only way Cornwall can maintain the beauty it has to offer.

It will be interesting to see how this one develops. If you have any suggestions, feedback on what I have said or any opinions yourself then it would be fascinating to here them. Whatever happens, I trust that it will not affect the attraction to me of either locations.

What Would You Like to See From Cornish Life?

Now that the summer has well and truly drawn to a close and Winter is very much upon us, I'd be really interested in finding out what you, the reader, would like to see from Cornish Life blog.

I've been thinking up new topics over the past few days and will also be posting some Youtube Video's to my channel and updating my photography site...

However I've come across a bit of a dilema as my focus has become lost on the blog recently...I am completely diversifying my output....I am an amateur documentary maker so want to encorporate that...I take photographs around the world....so therefore I want to include that, and I still want to document and report on the issue that concern Cornwall and the people that live there. I have become aware of a certain degree of polemcism that has spread around the Cornish blogging world of late, and in my opinion that is not where I should be heading. I want to get involved with real life and human relationships to people and places and not get bogged down with the intricate nature of polticts or polemics.

I will open this up to everyone and please feel free to comemnt on what you would like to see!


Bye for now

West Penwith Commemorates 90th Anniversary of Levant Mining Disaster

FROM BBC CORNWALL WEBSITE

'It's 90 years since a tragic Mining accident took place in west Cornwall. The main rod of the Man Engine at Levant Mine in west Cornwall broke killing 31 miners and injuring many more. See archive film and rare photos from 1919.'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2009/10/16/history_levant90_feature.shtml

I have always felt a real connection to the areas around St Just and Pendeen. It is not somewhere I confess to have considerable heritage, however there is such a human element to the landscape and a friendly face to the community that I cannot help but feel at home. I was touched, therefore, to learn about the commemorations taking place for the 90th anniversary of the tragic mining disaster which affected so many people's lives. It is a story of a happy, content but hard working community torn to pieces by a tragic accident - and it is not a hyperbole to say that most of the people that were there at this event were directly related to many of the victims.

It is nice to see something which is not altogether affected by politics, torn apart by polemicism or affected by rampant sentimentality. It is clear that this was a painful event, but from the information I got it seemed to be a truly meaningful and poignant service...and something which the community was justifably proud.

Interesting Post - Nigel Pengelly's Blog

 Click on the title above to go to the post....

Just found this and read it....probably encapsulates a lot of what there is to be said about Cornish culture and the way it is changing.

Reflections of Summer - Part 2

I was sitting here in my house in Egham, Surrey (while at Uni) pondering what people who come to Cornwall on holiday go back to after summer. It then came to my atention that in the majority, Cornwall is a form of escapism for the British public in a way possibly no other place could be.

By and large, a lot of people I talked to over the summer said to me; 'We're thinking of moving down here eventually.' A lot of holidaymakers seemed to be scouting - scouting for opportunities to better their lives by moving down to Cornwall.

To be honest I can't blame them...I have been very fortunate that I have grown up surrounded by the beauty of Cornwall....but if I've learnt one thing over the last couple of summers by talking to people on holiday...it's that almost everyone would love an opportunity many of us are already in by living in Conwall.

Aid boxes go from Newquay Airport

500 charity boxes have been painstakingly x-rayed and loaded on to a cargo plane heading for Burkina Faso at Newquay Airport

The boxes, which each contain a tent, sleeping bags and cooking equipment and cost over £400, were loading on to the Antonov aircraft at Newquay airport....it is the first time Shelbox, a Cornwall based charity, has used its local airport which was given Civil Aviation Authority status earlier this year.

Cornish Life Blog and other JCLPhotographs Blogs Up and Running!

Yes that's right guys, I have finally got internet in my house and am starting the long, difficult process of updating my blogs, all my content, design as well as taking photography, having dissertation tutorials for University and picking what I want to do with my life! It's going to be a pretty busy year, hopefully I'll be able to keep up to date with this but apologies in advance if I don't keep to regular update intervals as I normally do!

Part two of Reflections of Summer is coming up, as well as looking forward to Winter in Cornwall, and asking how different people who run small businesses cope out of season.

See you soon!

As I have already stated on my Student Media Today blog, moving back to Uni from Cornwall is a very unique experience. I am moving house, and therefore will have no internet which will mean that blog updates will not be happening very regularly! I will do my best to get new photography on my JCL Photographs website, however as I'm sure many of you know moving into a new place at uni can be a very confusing time indeed and I may be a little while before I am organised enough to set up a new phone line and internet connection!

So, for the meantime I bid you farewell and leave hoping that I will be back posting on my blogs in the very near future. Additionally, as I'm back in London, look out for more diverse topics on my blogs and also very different photography on my website....I will be starting (after Reflections of Summer) a new topic of discussion regarding Cornish student living away....check back for more info about that asap!

Cheers for now, take care

Beautiful Blue Skies in Cornwall!

Yes, that's right, Cornwall finally has some beautiful weather for us to enjoy!

It's also good photographing weather, so it's a good time, therefore, to point out a few updates that will be happening to J C Little Photographs over the next few days and weeks. I have taken some more pictures today based around Hayle - mostly nostalgic really as I'm back off to uni on Sunday but they do have some significance...some of them are good enough to be put on the website so that I will do tonight.

Here's to hoping the good weather will continue!

John Stedman Photography - Link Added

John is a local photographer, as I'm sure many people already know, and he takes fantastic pictures of Cornwall - quite obviously taking his inspiration from the sea and the natural Cornish environment.
Go check him out at www.johnstedman.co.uk

Tsunami Hits Cornwall? Could it Happen on This Scale?

Tsunami Hits Cornwall

What do you reckon? I know it's not all that realistic, but the graphics are pretty good I think.

Could this happen? How do you think global warming will affect places like Penzance in the next few years? This is an interesting topic - in thousands or maybe even hundreds of years, most of Cornwall may well be underwater.

I'm not really a huge expert on the issue of climate change although I take a fairly balanced view on it. There are no doubts as to the dangers of such massive changes in the earth's climate, and in many ways I believe teams in Cornwall should be at the forefront of new developments to combat it because of the dangers that face the county in the next few years and beyond. All is can say is watch this space!!

Another Youtube Video. (Sorry for the Poor Quality!)

J C Little Photography - Moving away from Cornwall to Uni

Sorry about the delay! I will fix this next time and record the video with proper recording editing software!

New Youtube Video

J C Little Photographs Website Tour and Introduction

Just posted a video describing the first elements of my new Photography website.

Cheers

Reflections on Summer Part 1 - Why Do People Come to Cornwall?

Hi again,

Summer is a wierd and wonderful period for Cornwall but also a period which we could not do without. Visitor numbers in 2009, in many ways, exceeded those of 2008 despite the poor weather.

I have been wondering whether the nature of Cornwall's Tourism industry has changed much in the last five years or so. Really, I believe people still come here for the same reasons, however not so long ago I remember very little material in many of our town and villages which actually welcomed tourists into our lives. Over the last few years, I've seen signs being put up, buildings being repainted, road links being improved and tourist attractions such as Eden develop immeasurably - however I always ask whether people see these improvements based on what it was like before. Obviously, the old-timers do see them and appreciate them, but a large number of tourists from to Cornwall are in the 25 - 35 age range and therefore may be making their first trip to Cornwall with a small family. Do they just presume the improvements they see have been there forever? We see lacklustre attempts every year to improve the status of Cornwall as a 'tourist destination' - but that is exactly what most people are trying to avoid. The true beauty of Cornwall is that it doesn't need any added extras. The scenery, the way of the life and the people who live here are what makes Cornwall so great - not Land's End, not Eden........

My argument therefore is that while many people in Cornwall complain about the lack of civilized entertainment on offer for tourists, many people who do not come from complain hardly complain at all. It is part of the beauty of this place that we do not need Alton Towers, Chessington World of Adventures or any number of manufactured theme park based attractions. Just let Cornwall be what it is, and everyone will be better off.

I am starting a new project on Cornish Life which will be called Reflections on Summer. It is for anyone who is either from Cornwall or not to comment on these posts regarding their experiences of their time in Cornwall. I hope to take this to other blogs and website, and get enough reaction to suggest what improvements could be made in Cornwall for tourists.

Zennor to be Final Stop for Ash!

It has just been announced that Ash will play in Zennor as the last leg of their A-Z tour of the UK.

Alphabetically the last parish in England, Zennor is well known both in and out of Cornwall, and with the lottery funded village hall hosting the gig, many people will flock to the area.

The gig will be available to about 60 fans but I'm sure there will be many more spreading the word. The aim of the tour was to 'visit the UK's lesser known venues,' but I'm sure for many Zennor is taking this mantra to extremes.

Good on them, I hope they have a fantastic welcome when they will grace the stage in Zennor in November.

Documentary Projects to follow on JCLPhotographs!

I am in the process of considering the purchase of an HD Video Camera in order to create and promote a new series of Documentary films.

I am currently studying Documentary Filmmaking at University and want to carry this on with short 3 - 5 minute films about Cornwall and the surrounding area.

Any suggestions for subject matter and appropriate equipment for these projects would be much apprreciated!

First Update on J C Little Photograhps completed!

The first three galleries have been submitted to J C Little Photography! Keep checking back for more image of outside of Cornwall and slightly more abstract variations!

J C Little Photographs Launched!

I know this is a bit of shameless advertising, but I just thought I would let everyone know that I have just launched a new website called J C Little Photographs...A website where you can look at and view many of my pictures taken around Cornwall and other areas.

Cheers for now.

Massive Increase in Deaths on Cornish Roads - Can Our Infrastructure Cope with Increasing Demand?

I am sure it has not escaped anyone's notice in the last few days that there have been many very nasty accidents very recently...all with fatalities.

This comes at a time when the video of Andrew Prowse's horrific death just off the Loggans Moor roundabout last year has been released...we are starkly reminded of how dangerous the roads around Cornwall can be; especially when the volume is increased due to the summer season.

I'm not really sure what can be done about this, and I would like to hear your views on it. I believe that people need to be made aware that the roads in Cornwall, although in very good condition, are often narrow and limited speed restrictions are in place where you would least expect them.

If the credit crunch continues to bring people down on holiday from the UK, then do we need to see an improved road network akin to what we saw with the Gosmoor area a couple of years ago? I think it's a fantastic idea to plug Newquay airport as an alternative; Cornwall is far enough away to warrent a domestic route network, and an increase in carriers basing their aircraft at Newquay itself would not go amiss.

76 Acres of Beach Up for Grabs!

Got a mere £50,000 to spend?

Well - 76 acres of idyllic sand and shoreline at Hayle's Gwithian beach has just been put up for sale by Colliers in London.

As I'm sure you are aware, I am absoulutely for raising the profile of Cornwall in the eyes of the London establishment, but surely selling to a rich, London businessman or the like is taking away for the point of the place - and is sure to make very many people very angry indeed.

As I am from Hayle, I am fully aware that the beach is incredibly popular with locals and especially surfers; the beach can often have nice, regular, clean surf....could that be in jeapordy?

There are of course, thankfully, restrictions placed upon building on the land surrounding the beach...but as Richard Argles from the auctioneers states;

'Mr Argles said he expected lots of interest from investors. "People investing in equities and bonds just have certificates – I think someone would buy it because they want something they can look at and say 'I own that.'


Hmmm

StockPhotoPro

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I haven't posted properly on here for a while...I've had my dissertation project to start and have been up to my neck in Uni stuff!

Just thought I'd let everyone know that I've started submitted some photgraphs of Cornwall to Stockphotopro...I also use flickr...(Mr. Photo '89)

Cornwall's Beaches Awarded 8 Blue Flags!

'Blue Flags are awarded for clean water, litter-free shores, good facilities and high standards of safety.'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8036667.stm

Tragic Accident in Zennor

 With the awful weather in Cornwall over the past few days, a flash flood has swept a car away fording a small river - leaving two people missing and one having died.

The normally idyllic setting succumb to the unique weather conditions over the last few days and St Ives has also seen fairly extensive flooding to homes and businesses.

"Officers refused to rule out he possibility of finding the missing pair alive but accepted that they could have been washed down to Porthglaze Cove and out to sea." - www.thisiscornwall.co.uk

Cornwall voted Britain's No1 UK holiday destination in 2008

Cornwall was voted Britain's No1 UK holiday destination in 2008*

"Cornwall was voted Britain's No1 UK holiday destination in 2008* and it's not hard to see why - stunning coastline, fine beaches, surfing, yachting, golf and award-winning cuisine – no wonder it was named Britain's favourite destination. "

More good publicity and another boost to the local economy....and with a good summer....hopefully it can live up to this award and more people will visit this year upon hearing this!

Check out my post below - with regards to this we - we may have a busy summer!

Air Southwest To London City...

A new Air Southwest route has started between Newquay and London.

London City airport is located in the east of London and is only approximately 15 minutes away from all the London attractions.

It is said to have provided a 'lifeline' in boosting the local economy, as no direct link with London city itself is currently established.

"Time is money for business travellers, especially in the current climate, and this new route is a lifeline for businesses in Devon and Cornwall who want quick and easy access to the heart of the capital," - Tim Jones, from the Devon and Cornwall Business Council

The new route sees an ever increasing Newquay Airport back on form after the difficulties transferring to CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) ownership. It can only mean good things for Cornwall, as an even stronger link is now set up with the capital. Commuting is also now a real possibility and Malcolm Bell, from South West Tourism, added: "These flights create a vast new catchment in central London that will be a valuable addition to inbound tourism to Devon and Cornwall."

Justin Lee Collins 'Racism' Row - A Step Too Far

"But the band refused to take part in the "Westcountry Life" skit, deciding not to appear on the show at all, with lead singer Greg Woods branding Lee Collin's' idea "as racist as telling a joke about an Irishman or a Muslim".

Okay, fair enough, but surely we should be trying to promote as many aspects of Cornish Life on national television as possible?

Can't it be seen that the ridicule only come after such statements are made, and in fact getting overly defensive actually emphasises people's reactions to the Cornish. Everyone understands that it is a stereotype, and through my experience of people generally I would say that when I say I am from Cornwall, they are very impressed, if not jealous!

Not everyone is out to get us...

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/homepagenews/Cornish-band-refuses-comic-s-racist-TV-skit/article-912759-detail/article.html

Sea search called off for missing man

'THE search has been called off for a man who went missing off the Cornish coast.

A massive rescue operation was launched on Friday evening after two men got into difficulties on cliffs in North Cornwall.

One person was rescued by emergency services halfway down the cliff face at Hawker's Hut at Morwenstow, north of Bude. He was winched to safety by the helicopter crew from RNAS Culdrose.

The search, which included Bude lifeboat crews, the Bude Coastguard team and officers from Devon and Cornwall police, continued for the second man on Friday night and Saturday before it was abandoned yesterday afternoon.

The name of the missing man, who is in his early 20s, is not known at this time.'

http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/homepagenews/Sea-search-called-missing-man/article-895766-detail/article.html

Cornwall Oficially Safest Place to Live in UK!

Cornwall is now officially the safest place to life in the United Kingdom.

Latest figures reveal that there are around 80,000 fewer crimes in Cornwall over the past 12 months.

Police say that 'reducing the fear of crime' is now a priority....BBC News state that respect for community policing is at an all time high.

Is this what you feel? Do you feel safer and do you think that the police in your area are doing a good job?

J

VISIT TO TREVARNO

Just thought I'd post a couple of pictures of my trip to Trevarno today. With the lovely weather we're getting in this part of Cornwall at the moment, it was a good opportunity to get out in the open without too much worry of getting stuck in absolute bedlam because of summer tourist season.

Has anyone else been here? I think its a magical place. I think it's also really important to keep such a 'Cornish' garden alive and available for the public - there is something lovely in the fact that some of its overgrown and much of it free for you to scrabble about...quite enjoyable for kids I would imagine!

Mine Stack near Levant

Here's a picture I took of a mine stack looking down towards Levant. Photoshopped the sky - done a little while ago - first time I used a blue tinted filter!

China clay firm cuts production

'A china clay company is to carry out a series of shutdowns at its plants in Devon and Cornwall because of a fall in demand.'

BBC News

In another set of cuts, Cornwall's China Clay industry sees a 30 day production halt and a cut of 54 workers across the South West due to a decline in demand. Despite this, Imerys is still the world's largest producer of china clay.

China Clay is still used widely for paper whitening amongst many other things. Could a need pick up again? What are the effects of this for Cornwall?

Is Anyone Else Back From University?

Settling in again after university can be quite stressful but for me, ultimately very pleasurable. I love relaxing in Cornwall; taking in the sights and (at the moment) the weather!

I'd love to know in the comment box what your experiences of Cornwall are if you are at University. Do you enjoy coming back? Do you think the Cornish way of life suits you better than at uni? Do you hate coming back because there is nothing to do here?

My passion in life is to raise the profile of Cornwall and enable individuals who choose to stay here to have the same opportunities and freedoms as those who live in or near the home counties or London.

Let me know what you think.

J

WELCOME TO CORNISH LIFE

FOR ALL THINGS TO DO WITH CORNWALL; WHETHER IT BE NEWS, EVENTS OR GENERALLY A FORUM TO DEBATE THE CORNISH WAY OF LIFE.

CHECK BACK SOON!