Eden Project Cornwal Holiday 10 th july 2013

Halfway through the week already and its off to the Eden Project, unfortunately the dogs cant come so we have dropped them off at a day kennels only a mile away from the caravan site , will pick them up late afternoon and go out with them tonight somewhere :)
its not too far to Eden and we arrive early just after opening time,  there are coaches to take visitors from the car parks to the entrance!    its even hotter today than previous days and not a cloud in view , cant believe the weather is this great all week .
walking out of the entrance building we get our first view of the Biomes !!!!!  WOW!!!!!!!

                                                               view large HERE

This place is HUGE!     the domes look amazing against the vivid blue sky.   we head for the Biome entrance, the flower borders look great and we have found a spider pool :)

Whats this then???????     not quite finished,presume the area will be planted up soon.........

                                                     I have found a bug to shoot :)     YAY

                               Anyhow we must get inside before it gets too busy, & HOT!

                                       its so big in here a huge ship easily fits inside  lol 

                        there is a huge variety of palms , some almost touching the roof!

as we make our way through the first Tropical Biome we find out the first stage of a new aerial walkway has just opened.    it gives a superb view from up here   and a thermometer reading 48 degrees!

                                       Aerial sculptures hanging over the new walkway

                                                                  "  Bird of Paradise  "

The other Biome is a temperate zone, with cooler dryer areas .............

Heading back outside, but only after a Cornish ice creme :) , we make our way to the opposite end of the site. 

inside the furthest structure is this Granite Egg, about 10 ft high in a round room the sunlight entering through the window above lighting up the spheres on the eggs surface looks superb. pictures on the outside walls of this room showing how it was carved from a huge block of stone.

                                          Just outside this building is a metal butterfly :)

Its late afternoon now and we must get back to pick up the dogs,  walking through taking a last look at the amazing sights

A Superb day here and the whole evening left to go somewhere else with Mollster and Chester .

Cornwall holiday Mollys first swim 9th july at Parr sands

After a superb day walking around the Lost Gardens of Heligan HERE ,  a sleep in Tuesday morning and the dogs have a play on the campsite field running after the Frisbee :)
 

                           and have a rest in the shade of a tree...........

we are going to visit Parr beach which is further down the coast from Charlestown .   it looks a flat shallow beach idea for the dogs, and maybe get them swimming .  its going to be another really hot day, 28 degrees +

After 35 Min's drive we arrive in a lovely sandy car park, right on the beach ,and only £3 all day :)   on to the beach they run , two happy dogs . it really is a flat beach , you can walk out a very long way into the sea before it gets too deep, unfortunately my feet are still very sore so cant paddle today

But........ Jan is wading out and going to try tempt a water scared Mollster into the sea and overcome her fear of water   lol          maybe even get her swimming :)               this is a bad picture but she is loving the shallow water already and fetching the ball as far as i can throw it............

Chester is also loving it ...............

                                                         SPLADOOSH........................

Jan is wading out encouraging them out further into deeper water, its working so far

                                                                Look at Chesters ears :)

                                                          Whats Mollster looking for?

                  Chester has disappeared under water!!!!!!!!!!    Ooops       can just see a bit of him!

                          this is awful quality but the first time Mollster actually swam :) :) :)   
                                                   don't miss her right at start of video :)

                           They are having a great time, wish i could be out there with them :(

                 Trying to dry off now, its so warm they will be dry by time we get back to the car

The end of a great day , its been very warm this afternoon , the water has been allot warmer that Sunday at Holywell .            

 last pic of the day, my boots drying out on the field.......................

Tomorrow we are leaving the dogs in kennels for the day while we go to the Eden Project :)

Lost Gardens of Heligan 8th july Cornwall holiday 2013

After a superb 1st day in Cornwall on Hollywell beach HERE  and getting really badly burned legs/feet!   but not blistered thankfully   Jan , myself and the two dogs are going to the Lost Gardens :)
Unfortunately we followed the "SHORT" route on sat nav!   we are driving down lanes so narrow ,each side mirror is brushing the hedge either side!     I think we are the ones Lost!!!!!
Eventually we have come to the entrance to "The Lost Gardens"    the temperature is 24 degrees at 10am and is going to be a scorcher .

There are two separate areas, the Northern Gardens and "the Jungle"     we are walking through the northern gardens first, quite open with Chusan palms and Dixonia tree ferns everywhere. separate flower and vegetable gardens with greenhouses and Melon houses  , a Italian garden and Crystal Grotto which are really nice , but I really want to see the Jungle gardens.

                                                                  "Crystal Grotto"

crossing over into the Jungle side of the garden, we are now walking in the woods and come to this Plant sculpture.  entitled "Mud Maid"

Coming out into a clearing and a steep downhill path with fields on the right hand side, a wild flower meadow has been planted but just a singe poppy is open :(

                       at the bottom of the path we have finally arrived at the entrance to the jungle garden

                                                The huge tree ferns are amazing!     wow!

The paths are well maintained, with handrails of bamboo and rope , its so hot here in the micro climate that all these sub tropical plants thrive in.

                         it is so hot the water plants are all wilting ,  think its ligularia "rocket"

            This is the middle pond , with huge Gunnera , tree ferns and Chusan palms everywhere.

The path takes us over a bridge and onto a high walkway with large areas of banana plants

View full size pano  HERE

After taking a rest by these Bananas we continue down to the bottom pond , on the bridge is a thermometer which is reading 42 degrees!     its baking hot!!!!

fortunately the path up the opposite side is in the shade , climbing up among yet more tree ferns and huge Rhododendrons i think they are with amazing trunks

the views looking down on the valley are superb , the Dixonia tree ferns are amazing!

Having climbed up out of the Jungle we have made our way back to the tearoom for real Cornish ice creme  , the dogs are suffering in the heat, Chester especially so :(

My legs are in a lot of discomfort but i want to see everything here , so the " lost valley" is the final area to walk around,  its late afternoon now and we have just over an hour before closing time . so its going to be a fast ish walk unfortunately.   

its very quiet down here , but not much to see . just a nice walk along the lake side and through woods, but we have come out near a charcoal sculpture

the last image of the day , Tomorrow we are going to another beach for the day