Gweek Quay - update:

The Gweek Quay saga, arising from the boatyard’s illegal dumping of vast amounts of waste material into the Helford River, has now been going for several years.  The local Gweek Protection Group was set up to seek the cessation of this activity and full restoration of the site, and has had full on-going support from Friends of the Lizard.  As was reported in the last Newsletter, the Local Government Ombudsman’s report on his investigations into several local complaints, about Kerrier’s action and inaction in this case, is still awaited.  A draft copy has been issued to the major interested parties, in confidence, for factual comment only.  The earliest estimate for the publication of the final document is by the end of July.  Meanwhile, Kerrier District Council still delays implementing its own decision to enforce against the owner of the Quay for the serious breaches of planning law.  Most recently, a meeting was held on 24 June at Camborne, involving Kerrier District Council, DeFRA, English Nature and the Environment Agency, to discuss the practical, environmental and socio-economic aspects of partial or full restoration of the Creek.

The Gweek Protection Group had made formal complaint to the European Directorate-General for the Environment and has now received a letter proposing to close the complaint file on the basis that the United Kingdom has committed its authorities to taking appropriate enforcement action to remedy the breaches of Community law.  In so far as restoration is concerned, the Commission is satisfied that the UK has adequately committed itself to take further enforcement action against the developer, to include an assessment of the nature conservation interests of the site. Also, the UK’s commitment to finalise a management plan for the candidate Special Area of Conservation, of which the site forms part, was welcomed by the Commission. If there is subsequent evidence that the UK authorities are failing to honour the commitments they have made, however, the Commission can always re-open the complaint file. 

Opportunities for Project Work: 

Our newly-acquired charitable status allows increased access to grant aid, from various local and national sources, to undertake projects, within the aims set out in our Constitution and charity application.  We have in mind, in particular, projects related to the educational potential of the Lizard Peninsula’s heritage, both for schools and at adult level.  We are currently considering an application for grant aid to research and publish a series of leaflets on various aspects of the Lizard’s heritage, such as historic buildings, archaeology, Conservation Areas, parks and gardens, flora and fauna, and the area’s economic history.

Intrusive overhead wirescape in the Coverack Conservation Area

We also have in mind projects of enhancement to improve sites where particularly intrusive eyesores detract from the location’s special qualities.  A major example is the way that overhead electricity and telephone cables can spoil the historic character of the Lizard’s attractive and picturesque villages, particularly those that are designated or potential Conservation Areas such as at Cadgwith, Coverack and St Keverne.  We would need to undertake a survey to discover the extent of the problem, consult with local communities and assess the likely costs.

Visit to Poltesco Mill, Wednesday 15 May 2002:

A group of Members at the Carleon Cove industrial remains

The complex of industrial archaeological remains at Poltesco enjoy a spectacular setting but discretely located along the stream that runs into the sea at Carleon Cove.  We arranged this visit with the National Trust and Tony Unwin, the miller at Poltesco Mill.  Unfortunately, Tony was ill on the day and was unable to meet us at the site;  this will have to wait for another visit at a future date when we hope that he will able to demonstrate the mill in action.  After the Special General Meeting (see report on front page), more than twenty members and guests were given a particularly interesting conducted tour of all the valley sites by Mike Hardy, the National Trust’s local Assistant Countryside Manager.  He explained the historic significance of the various buildings and ruins, the Trust’s plans for their future repair and interpretation and features of flora and fauna interest.

After, we walked along the coastal footpath to Cadgwith, in warm sunny weather, and enjoyed a pub lunch before returning to our cars parked at Poltesco.  By popular consensus, it had been a very enjoyable and educational occasion.

A Brief Introduction to Astronomy:

Whenever I give a public lecture on my subject, I am asked by some one in the audience, “What can I see in the sky from where I live”? The answer depends on a number of things including whether or not you have a clear view of the sky.  It may be that your view of the horizon is restricted by buildings, trees, or even hills.  It is also important that the sky itself is clear of cloud and the air reasonably dry, but it is also important that man-made lights do not interfere.  As Friends of the Lizard, we know that it is a very special place and, in particular, that it satisfies all the conditions I have listed. Nevertheless, given all these, the answer must be that what you can see is exactly the same as any one else in the world who lives close to latitude 50⁰ North, but we can see it better than most.

As an example, there are three stars that appear first as the sky darkens during the summer months.  To do this, they must be bright stars, as indeed they are, and together they form a triangle, for which reason they have been named by Sir Patrick Moore, “The Summer Triangle”. Their individual names are Altair, Vega and Deneb. The triangle they form covers a fairly large area of sky as they each lie in a different constellation. Altair is in Aquila, Vega in Lyra and Deneb in Cygnus. Although they appear more or less equally bright, they are in fact very different.  Altair is slightly brighter than the Sun, (1.2 times more luminous), but is 16 light-years away.  Vega is 6 times more luminous than the Sun and 25 light-years away, while Deneb is a huge star 10,000 times more luminous than the Sun and 1,500 light-years distant.  They make a fine sight and if you have a pair of binoculars, you may be able to see their colours.

Bill Barlow. MSc. Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.