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Tourist & Leisure Attractions - Cornwall Holiday

Belinda and Mike - follow our tourist travels in the UK

Cornwall Holiday May 2002 - page 1

We took advantage of a bonus 'cat sitting' holiday in Cornwall and on this page visited the fascinating biomes at the Eden Project and next day took a rickety ride through the pleasant Cornwall countryside on the Lappa Valley narrow gauge steam railway to East Wheal Rose.
This is page one of three.
Cornwall 1 | Cornwall 2 | Cornwall 3
 

Outside the Eden Project in Cornwall
Here's Mike doing a bit to camera all strapped up with cameras and backpack outside the Eden Project on the first day of our Cornwall holiday.  This picture was taken just before walking down to the amazing biomes (that's the giant bubble-wrap greenhouses).

The biomes at the Eden Project
The biomes look like they're straight out of the Telly Tubbies and we were itching to get in.  Despite being a May weekday and not such great weather, the Eden Project was certainly popular with visitors - we suspect it'll be even busier in peak season.

Inside the Humid Tropical Biome at the Eden Project
Once inside the Humid Tropical Biome everybody immediately took their coats off - the temperature is controlled to a tropically humid 28ºC.  Everything looked lush and green with many species of plants from many different parts of the world.  As we...

Waterfall in the Humid Tropical Biome at the Eden Project, Cornwall
...climbed higher it got hotter and hotter, there was a cool room near the top for flagging people.  The Eden Project is the world's largest environmentally controlled glass-house, costing £74 million and creating 545 jobs in Cornwall over 16 years.

Information point inside the Humid Tropical Biome
At one of many information points to tell you all about it Mike definitely agreed with the message that said to eat!  Note the guy on the left with a rather old-fashioned looking phone, probably ringing Dr Who to tell him where bits of his Tardis ended up!

Looking at the plant species in the Warm Temperate Biome
We're now in the other biome at the Eden Project in Cornwall, this one's called the Warm Temperate Biome and was, predictably, much cooler than the Humid Tropical one.  It contained plant species from the Mediterranean, South Africa and California.

Talks and demonstrations at the Eden Project
We enjoyed several talks and demonstrations that took place inside the biomes.  Check out the Eden Project website for the full story, with tons of information on the plant species, plus other Cornwall resources on our UK tourist links page.

Is that right Charlie? Mike hasn't changed your litter tray today then?
We stayed at Belinda's friend's flat in Bodmin to look after her two kittens, Charlie and Billy.  Mike called him Biffy owing to his habit of biffing you with his head, especially while sleeping.  Changing the cat litter seemed to fall to Mike on this Cornwall holiday!

Entrance to the Lappa Valley Railway in Cornwall
This welcome sign is at the entrance to the Lappa Valley narrow gauge steam railway and gives visitors the lowdown.  Lappa Valley is an old industrial mineral line and in its heyday ran from Newquay to East Wheel Rose in Cornwall.  We saw...

Lappa Valley narrow gauge railway steam engine
...the bright red steam engine get a good oiling prior to taking us along to the old mine workings area.  There are two engines, Zebedee and Muffin, and the route runs for two miles through Cornwall's beautiful countryside along the narrow gauge track.

Crazy golf at East Wheal Rose in Cornwall
The Lappa Valley narrow gauge steam railway was built to transport the lead they mined at East Wheal Rose; after we arrived we headed to the café for lunch, then looked at the old mine engine house before a game of crazy golf.  See our tourist resources for Lappa Valley and more Cornwall.

Woodland trail at the Lappa Valley railway in Cornwall
We tried the woodland trail at East Wheal Rose, a short but pleasant walk to some more old mine working areas with a quarry and a well.  On our return we had a browse in the inevitable gift shop, but Belinda must be losing her touch as she didn't buy anything this time!

Lappa Valley narrow gauge steam railway train arriving at East Wheal Rose
The tower with the oil drum on top is used to fill the little Lappa Valley steam engines with water.  Other leisure facilities at East Wheal Rose in Cornwall include a boating lake and two other, even narrower gauge railways at this old lead mine to ride on.

Lappa Valley railway carriage
So all cosy in the carriage for the journey back on the Lappa Valley railway.  Actually it was rather bumpy and windy, but hey, great fun chuffing through the countryside with the smell of the steam billowing through.  Our Cornish visits continue >>>

Another quaint railway we've been on: Llanberis Lake Railway.  Apart from Cornwall we've also taken holidays in Devon, Dorset and Somerset.