I live here and visit Eden often. I’m also into horticulture and big into wild land conservation. Eden is being poorly maintained and the prices are much higher now to boot! You’re always reasonable and your review is spot on!
Love your videos. Take no notice of those moaning eco warriors, they're probably all townies anyway. At Eden we are paying to see a managed and maintained garden with plants we wouldn't normally see, otherwise why would anyone bother to go there.
If your example in this video was in a city environment it would be classed as urban decay, and locals would be crying out for it to be redeveloped. Your Eden comments were spot on as it highlighted a lack of maintenance, rewilding is just an excuse. One TripAdvisor comment compared it to gardens in London, would they accept this level of neglect in those, free or not?
Wow! People can be so rude!.. and a lot of them are very ignorant themselves! There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between "rewinding and letting weeds take over." Don't let ignorant slickers, eco warriers and grockles get under your skin... your vlog digging deep into the validity of the trip advisor comments left by tourists that visited the Eden Project was well done and fair. Been watching you since you started, you are both always fair and polite in everything you post.. remember you did a similar one on Lands End! That was another one with heated comments!
I agree with you Andrew and Sarah. The area can be rewilded, but the mine buildings should be preserved as an important part of our heritage. My great grandmother was a bal maiden. Lots of other relatives in mining too. Thank you for a thought provoking video.
What a fabulously interesting video. You answered your critics with evidence and I fully agree with you. If there was really 'rewilding' happening at the Eden Project then where are the signs and information on their website. In reality, they appear to not have funds to employ local people to maintain their high standards. I too would be very disappointed if I had paid a lot of money to see such a tired and neglected place.
Totally agree that not tending to areas in an attraction is NOT rewinding, we loved the South Wheal Francis footage and would love more heritage content as we visit twice a year and love to have new places to see.
Completely agree with you, comparing Eden to somewhere like Heligan it’s obvious Eden have cut back on gardeners. Before Eden opened you could take the tractor ride down towards the part built Biomes and the gardens were immaculate (as they were for first few years of it being open).
Interesting video as usual, I think your comments about Eden are justified. I have been there 4 times over the years even when it was being built they did a guided tour on a tractor and trailer and seen it developing over time. I was shocked to see your video about the gardens how neglected it appears in places. You cant call neglect rewilding that's just an excuse. As for the old mine buildings they all have a story to tell and what a wonderful story it is, Cornish people are very proud of there history and so they should be, l am not Cornish but I do live in Cornwall, it would be a shame if these old mine buildings were left to completely disappear but as you said who pays to stabilise them for the future.
Great, well planned video as always. We love the historical aspect of your travels and always look forward to Fridays to see what you have been up to next. We really appreciate the research and effort that goes into the videos. Well done and thank you both ❤
When we visited Cornwall a couple years back (we only had a few days), we visited St Michael’s Mount, Tintagel/Port Isaac and Looe. All very enjoyable. It wasn’t until getting home that I discovered the rich mining history and how it intersected ever so slightly with my own: eating pasties growing up in Michigan: which had a variety of Cornish mining communities. I believe those mining buildings should be preserved. They’re at the heart of the many who lived there and their history needs to be preserved. Isn’t there plenty of land around the buildings where rewilding wouldn’t interfere with the integrity of the buildings?. It’s just too important…don’t want to lose a part of what makes Cornwall so great.
This was a very interesting video. I think the problem with terms like ‘rewilding’ is that it has strayed away from its original definition and become a bit of an umbrella term, which then causes confusion. I think Eden absolutely is using that as an excuse to just not maintain its gardens, and I would not be happy paying £42 to see barren land and some weeds, especially in the summer months when you expect everything to be in full bloom! A good comparison is the Knepp Estate, whose owners began rewilding their land years ago. It is now a beacon of hope for nature, and people DO pay to go and see it. Some are disappointed by how ‘messy’ it is because they are used to rolling green hills and tidy gardens, but most people are in awe of the diversity of species that have returned to those lands, including storks and boar! I think rewilding IS a positive thing, if done correctly and in an appropriate place. I love all of Cornwall’s heritage sites and think there is plenty of room for BOTH nature and history to live side by side, providing someone takes responsibility for it. Oh and I support the tourist tax in Cornwall 😉 Sorry, this turned into a really long comment!
If I ever get to come over to see around your lovely country, it would be to see your amazing historical buildings, and of course your stunning countryside.Thankyou so much for those of us,who love to see these places.I hope they get saved for future generations to learn about and enjoy.
I live in the West Country and it would seem that for rewilding read neglect. Some years ago I stayed on an island where they were very keen to parade their green credentials. It was very expensive and I could have gone five star somewhere else for the same money. Imagine my suprise that the echo friendly claim was an excuse for poor facilities and quality of accommodation.
I totally agree with your analysis of re-wilding and how we should balance heritage with nature. Both need our help and should be preserved. I also agree that £42 to see weeds is ridiculous. Eden took a knock during covid - all businesses did. It’s hard to see what the Eden Project is doing to encourage people to visit more. Seems like the high price is an attempt to claim what was lost during lockdown rather than provide a stimulating, educational, nurturing day out. Again, there’s a balance to be had. I loved this video and the way you tackled the subject with respect and supported by evidence. South Wheal Frances is a lovely place and I’d like to see it preserved for future generations. It’s lovely that re-wilding is happening - but balance is the key. Looking forward to your next post. 😃👍❤️
I lived in Twelveheads near Truro.I remember Wheal Jane and Mount Wellington when both mines were up and running.Equally i remember the day when the pumps were turned off at Wheal Jane consequently both mines flooded.Now Poldice Valley is a cycle trail.All the places i enjoyed with my children walking in solitude are now jam packed with busy families of cyclists.Ho hum .
Some of this "rewilding" on the roadsides is simply to save money and is dangerous when at junctions etc. hat you saw at Eden Project was simply lack of maintenance.
The comments about Eden are justified and London prices ? It doesn’t cost that much at Kew Gardens I am a member of Kew and trained in horticulture and worked in the industry for nearly 40 years these comments have made me laugh 😂 some are unsure about what they are talking about. Keep doing what you’re doing well presented as always 👍
We went as a family to visit the Eden Project after seeing your video. It was absolutely awful. There were so many people there, we were shuffling through the paths in long lines of people. Not a good experience. Huge queues for the cafes. As you say there were weeds in the flower beds. We all agreed that this wasn't a good day out. We did complain and were told that they were at capacity. Love you Guys 💖
Totally agree with your comments about rewilding. There has to be a balance and I feel it's used as an excuse to cut costs. We love visiting historic buildings and would hate to see them lost to future generations. Well done on another thought provoking and informative film!
Thank you, once again for a fabulous video. My wife and I want to encourage you to keep doing what you are doing. It is sad that these buildings are being destroyed by plants crawling all over them and undermining the foundations. One idea for that lovely mining site is to have rewilding along the path between the buildings and then take care to preserve the buildings. Don’t you already have a tourist tax in Cornwall - at every camera parking lot that traps tourists with exorbitant parking fees???? 😂😂😂. My wife and I agree, we would not pay to see “weeds”
Wow! some people are so rude! and would they say it to your face - apparently, there are now eco keyboard warriors!! We love looking at the old mining buildings, thats more our sort of thing, we walked the SWCP from Porthleven to Praa Sands to see the Trewavas area - sooo excited as we are back down to Cornwall end of this week, I'll be keeping a lookout for CSI m Mevagissy filming - thanks for the video both
We shall now make point of visiting this fantastic world heritage site purely because your video is so educational and entertaining. Hopefully we will one day bump into you both. Keep up the fabulous work, Cornwall needs responsible tourism Thank You
I really love your videos. I have been going through some pretty dark times having begun therapy for an anxiety disorder about a year ago and your videos are my go to when I am having those inevitable bad periods in recovery. They are calming, uplifting, funny, informative and a real tonic and have been a real blessing in keeping me grounded and not sinking in my thoughts. I love Devon and Cornwall and can only thank you for your efforts. Keep up the good work ❤😂
What an interesting and illuminating discussion! I don't have much truck with re-wilding myself, but I was horrified to see important historical buildings overrun with creeper. If they are neglected, they will indeed turn into "piles of rubble" in fifty years' time. English Heritage look after a lot of ancient castles and keep the masonry clear of vegetation as part of their maintenance and repair programmes. They would be an ideal agency to conserve these iconic buildings. They look after a number of industrial buildings, e.g. Southwell Workhouse in Nottinghamshire.
Another great video and some wonderful comments that make you think. I remember your Eden vicious and sure looked like the complex was just letting the weeds grow . Not sure the reason but lack of staff and money seems more likely than purpose rewilding . I remember visiting numerous churches and adjoining cemeteries in Cornwall and sometime certain areas were let overgrown on purpose however a sin usually explained why. It never looked out of place and most of the cemetery ground was well maintained that allowed exploring and walking . Again many thanks for U2 and the wonderful presentation that you give us luck viewers.
If your PAYING to visit a garden? It is reasonable to expect flowers and shrubs, not weeds. Plus I would like to points out? As a Mason, ivy cause's the worst damage to Masonry, as it doesn't allow mortar to dry out and eventually fail!!. Keep up your own opinions.
I am Cornish and I love your channel. My great grandad was a copper miner in the Camborne/Redruth area. As a child (60s/70s) our dad would drag us around mine dumps while he collected minerals left on the surface. He had a passion for the mining history of Cornwall.
Love your Lino print! And enjoy your videos. We like to visit places like this where nature is taking over. Did Eden once years back and don’t have plans to visit again especially at those prices. Look forward to your next one. 👍
You covered that subject very well. I remember the Eden Project as being well maintained and tidy as visitors approached it. Alas, to some local councils, it's an excuse not to trim footpaths, or country lanes. Sometimes I feel like carrying a pair of garden shears and a pair of thornproof gloves in order to actually get through. To farmers, it means being paid for not producing food to feed the growing population and having to purchase expensive wild bird mixes to sow instead. Then we have solar panels covering thousands of acres of good agricultural land. Does that give us cheaper electricity? No, apparently not! As for the mining heritage. The remaining buildings are very much part of Cornwall and should be protected from nettles, brambles and the like. Once these heritage buildings are gone, they're gone. They will appear on OS maps as 'Site of'. As you rightly say, "trees will undermine the foundations and we will be left with a pile on stones "
I'm with you two. At the Eden Project , yes there were a lot of weeds but that is i suppose because of the pandemic when visitors were down. Money is obviously a factor in getting the place to look as it was before the pandemic so that will take time. It is a shame that those buildings you saw have not been maintained. They do need to do something about it otherwise it will be lost forever. and that would be a terrible shame. Maybe in time it will change in a few years who knows eh? Lets hope so. :)
Watched this on TV last night with hubby. I think some people don't really understand rewinding and it was good you explained so well. I agree, the heritage site should be preserved definitely, it's important and tge buildings could be cleared around and made safe whilst tge rest of that particular sight could be left to rewind, just needs to be done soon as Nature will not slow done to await funding. Anyway we both love your walks and views on things think we're on same wave length and you are both good fun, live his humour and your laugh. Thanks for entertaining and informing us 💗🙏🏾💙
Re-wilding is used as an excuse by our council to not cut the grassy areas around our houses and in our local parks - there are areas where they could re-wild however they choose to leave the ones outside our houses which are small - gardens take care of the insects etc but tall grass just smothers anything underneath - finally when they cut the grass - they had to buy special equipment to do this as theirs could not cope with the height! - they then left the long grass to rot - when we cleared the patch by our house it enabled the wild violets, daisies and buttercups to grow again - there was no sign of them when they left the tall grass!
I love the heritage vids you do. When I was younger I used to visit Cornwall for exactly that & have visited every nook & cranny I could possibly find in my pursuit of ancient dwellings, holy places & special sites. Not for me, lying on a beach with ice cream in one hand & a pasty in the other! (Not saying I'm not partial to a pasty though!!). Everyone has an opinion...some people have more than others. Wouldn't take the negative ones too seriously tbh. People love to moan. It's what they do. You just keep doing what you always do...taking us to lovely places, weeds or not, & always keeping us entertained with Andrew's lighthearted jokes & your knowledge through your history books. Been following you both for years now. Never miss a week. 😄x J x
Love your videos, I totally agree with you about Eden. I have a holiday in Beautiful Cornwall every year and have visited most of the mining sites. It would be really sad to lose the buildings and heritage. Would it be possible to get a lottery grant to pay for the upkeep I wonder.
Love your walk and talks. Apropo weeds. I dry nettle leaves and make tea which contains iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin K and helps with many health conditions including arthritis. I harvest dandelions and use all parts of it as it's a great anti-inflammatory and I also pick blackberries from brambles to make delicious jam and even more delicious blackberry wine. I love my weeds!
The definition of a weed is an unwanted plant in the wrong place, if it's in the right place then it can be a hugely valuable resource for both us and the rest of nature, so nettles, dandelions and brambles are not "weeds" except if they are somewhere where they are not wanted, and this applies to any plant.
There is space for both, let the rewilding happen but away from the buildings. As you say though, who will pay for it? There has been a huge decline in butterflies this year due to the wet and cold weather in the spring. This year’s big butterfly count recorded the lowest numbers on record. Really sad. They don’t like wet weather either! Love your lino print 😊
Thanks Sarah and Andrew, very interesting video. I definitely think some of those comments about your Eden video were very harsh! For me wildlife and heritage are the most important things about Cornwall, and what make it such a beautiful and fascinating place, so I absolutely love exploring such places. The ruins at Marriot's shaft are spectacular - as are the ones not far away at West Basset Stamps on the slope of Carn Brea. One thing I've noticed about many of the old mine buildings being taken over by wildlife is how, for some reason, they attract cotoneaster. So many of them are covered in cotoneaster, which doesn't seem to grow anywhere else nearby except on the mine buildings.
Some time back farmers were asked to do set a side . Well before set a side . I did go fishing near Rame Head . And after that hole fishing spot got put to set a side and it was near on chance to get to that spot at all .
Liked your post. Yes knotweed is a question sellers have to answer when selling a property along with Radon gas, mining etc., just selling my place in St Column. I have a keen interest in Organic Gardening and re-wilding, which differs a lot from some of the readers comments you have received. Simply put, a cultivated plant is something man has created from a wild/native plant. Corn and wheat are some of the best examples of this, so some farmers and gardeners try to eradicate any wild/native plants. Re-wilding is different in different places in the world. In the UK re-wilding could be planting native trees in places where the trees were removed many years ago for mine props or ship building. In Spain, where I now live, re-wilding is an attempt to stop the whole country becoming a desert. If you are into organic gardening or wildlife in general, you tend to plant plants which encourage beneficial insects and their predators to protect your crops. This is not really re-wilding as the plants may not be native to your area. Some places are re-introducing beavers, wild boars and wolves as they are very beneficial to the environment. Beaver dams are proving to stop flash floods. The aspect of "English Heritage" is a bit false, there are plenty of crumbling buildings which are not really old and are an eye sore. The tin mines are a good example, preserve some good ones and let the others go, otherwise funding is spread too thin to save any of them. Having visited great gardens all over Europe I can see why the Eden Project has been a disappointing experience, personally I never went there as I believe great gardens are in the open air. Here in Barcelona we have the Botanical Gardens which are divided into geographical areas, they all have "weeds" growing amongst the plants and trees, but the gardeners keep them under control, and it costs less than £5 entry (plus second visit free if you keep the ticket). So there you go, a wide and controversial subject. Some believe all non-native plants should be eradicated from the environment, some believe anything you cannot buy from your local petrol station shop is a weed, and some (like me) believe that re-building a good environment where we can live with natural processes is best 🙂
Having lived in Cornwall for over 40 years and even worked at The Eden project from it's conception I recently visited and again it's just a greenhouse but a big one, sadly although a good idea initially, it's greatness was it's vastness, rewilding would never work with constant footfall as nature needs peace to re-establish, Eden with the millions it had spent being created and the skilled people having worked there is now a sad reflection of Cornwall's perception that we needed more to influence tourism, we are in a beautiful part of the world with an inept council and a influx of sad individuals who want to profit from a unique part of our wonderful country.
That was a really interesting vid. Thanks for filming it and pulling it all together. Looked a wee bit damp in places. You mentioned that a lot of your videos had interest from tourists. Have you ever done one about Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, or is it too small? Went there years ago with my grandparents grew up and lived in the area. Was really interesting at the time and looks like it’s still running. On the topic of rewilding, it was my one of my father-in-laws PhD students who found the first grass that is now growing on the “Cornish Alps” :)
What an excellent vlog !! You two are spot on, we agree 110% with what you say about nature and re-wilding alongside heritage. About the gardens at the Eden Project; when we went there years ago the gardens were immaculate, but what you recently showed us is very obviously neglect. Surely you don't have re-wilding in a garden, isn't a garden by it's very nature an organised and cultured area ? Weeds are fine in their place, e.g. a re-wilding area, but they are still weeds in our book. Many thanks. David and Christine
Brilliant answer to those rude comments ! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Thank you again for a very informative video. Your videos let me think about them even hours later ! Travelling for me is definitely NOT to buy ice cream, fish and chips ( maybe some great pasties 🤔😊) but to LEARN about people and their countries, living conditions and heritage. For a national heritage, to see a gone by part of society, something cultural...I would definitely PAY for it - to preserve it for the future.
Yes, yes, yes! Rewilding can go hand in hand with historic preservation. But management is required, at least on some level. I love to see those rustic stone mine stacks, and agree that they are an integral part of your heritage and landscape. Good job, getting down to the literal definition. Here in S. California, we have a number of mountain mining towns (gold, silver, lead) that sprang up between 1850 and 1915. Many are just gone (wood buildings lost to fire), with only foundations and trash dumps left, however, some are 'ghost towns', which the state maintains in a state of "arrested decay". On a greater scale, I discovered a project in Nebraska where a former rock quarry was rewilded (is that a word?) and turned into a wetland. A Botany professor there spearheads a group that buys up adjacent acres of farmland (old corn and wheat farms), and are returning that land to natural Prairie. An intensive, slow process, they are removing (burning out) invasive grasses, and removing trees, then collecting seeds from existing native plants, and planting them out via student volunteers. All those grasslands you see in old Westerns were complex ecosystems. The thing that makes me really excited is that bison/buffalo, are being reintroduced to these areas, as well as on a number of Tribal Reservations. Switching gears here, I've seen Japanese Kudzu vine in Atlanta, Georgia, growing up over the highway signs, so I'm sure it will give your invasive plant a challenge, lol. I agree that non-native weeds allowed to grow without management is not really rewilding. And not worth what seems to me to be a lot of money. I'd suggest donations at those Heritage sites. Love your 'block print'!
The British Isles have been a managed landscape almost as soon as Flora, Fauna and humans moved back into the landscape as the ice retreated. Many plants and animals rely on humans for their existence, such as House Martins, Swifts, Swallows, Barn Owls, Field Mice, Dormice, dogs, cats, bees.
Our local park now comes under the rewilding umbrella. It’s over grown, the kids can’t play in the long grass no doubt full of dog poo. You can’t use the benches as they are overgrown with nettles and the amount of dead trees in danger of falling are ridiculous. It’s actually negligence on the part of yet another inefficient and ineffective council.
Thank you, a good and balanced view between rewilding and heritage. Both are equally important. And we shouldn’t forget that Eden functions as a tourist business creating a none UK environment, and is not rewilding. People pay good money to visit, and should not be seeing an uncared and unkempt landscape. If they can’t afford it, then they should stop trying to expand into other locations such as Morecambe using public money to develop.
Excellent and thoughtful presentation. Thank you, Sarah and Andrew. On the subject of rewilding, how do its advocates feel about invasive plant species? In your thumbnail picture and while you were walking about, there was crocosmia in abundance. Crocosmia is native to south and east Africa, but is all over Cornwall. It's taking over parts of Bodmin Moor, which has a detrimental impact on native plants such as heather, whortle berries, wood anemones, and the growth of hawthorn saplings. To me, rewilding seems to be a response to limited maintenance budgets and not about letting 'nature do its thing'. Please don't get me started on overgrown roadsigns in Cornwal! Ah! but that's just rewilding! Greetings from the Moor - the remote bit. 😃
Watched and enjoyed both your Eden videos. Maybe Eden should ring-fence the domes and charge the £42 to visit those making the grounds they cannot afford to maintain free. Visitors would have no reason to complain about value for money.
This was a very well made and interesting video again. I'm 100% on the side of Mother Nature and the natural world, but when going to see a place like Eden you would expect to see top class planting and maintenance around the entire site. Also if you want to preserve the old mining heritage sites, some management around the buildings is vital. Surely there is ample space in Cornwall for the manmade and natural environments to exist happily side by side. If not here, then where?
I agree with your final comments about preserving our heritage whilst at the same time leaving room for nature. Just to leave a place to get full of weeds without at least some maintenance is not rewilding , it is just neglect. Some weeds are very destructive for example ivy and bindweed. Places that are ment for encouraging visitors need to be safe or they will be closed to the public. The Eden Project, like other places are recovering from the effects of neglect caused by the lockdown. Hopefully in time they will catch up with their maintenance soon, but I think maybe the prices should reflect the fact it's not what it used to be but on the other hand they need the money to pay people to do the work. It is a difficult balance.
Thank you both for a wonderfully researched and presented vlog. You addressed the issues raised by the comments on your visit to The Eden Project perfectly and high lighted the underlying issues that this raises. UNESCO world heritage status has certain responsibilities as well as the rewards that run along side it. On the old, and not so old mine sites UWH status is granted because of the mining history and if that is allowed to decay this status could well be lost along with the buildings. Cornwall has several sites of special scientific interest (SSI's), which are the sort of places where rewilding could, should and in many places has taken place. Unfortunately in the present financial climate how Cornwall and other places in the UK who face similar problems can actually pay to do what is needed i do not Know but people like yourselves who highlight these issues can only help by bringing them to peoples attention. P.S. I can be serious sometimes 🤣🤣🤣🤣 as I have been mentioned in one of your previous vlogs. All the best and keep up the good work when ever you can.👍👍
As always, such an interesting video from you Sarah & Andrew. My Mum & I are coming to Cornwall in October & we’ve already booked our Eden Project tickets. We are from Western Australia & we are particularly interested in seeing the Western Australian section in the Mediterranean Biodome. Your channel has been invaluable in our preparation for our trip - thank you so much 🙏
Etsy states that you've gone away (to dry off?). Maybe you've gone to Miss Molly's Tea Rooms nearby - what an adventure that is. Love the lino cut. As for rewilding? Hmm and missing species? Ah, the Woolly Mammoth, when we've sorted out the cloning issues! Maybe just start with a few wolves, lynx and brown bears. They might eat a few children and emmets but there's always a cost!
I have just read on ‘Cornwall Live’ Our local Council CCC is Cash strapped but advertising 2 jobs with a 6 figure salary. It does make me question if the highly qualified recipients of these jobs will be remotely interested in our precious Cornish Heritage. Like everything in Cornwall our Mining Heritage is being diluted and you are quite right in years to come these once important sites will be lost, fenced off and like so many other things there is no ‘money’ left for really what Cornwall should be all about. “I rest my case”
Absolutely love your videos. I've been lucky enough to visit Cornwall quite a few times but I love seeing the places I haven't seen. Countryfile often has rewilding projects on and they don't seem to be about growing brambles and dandelions etc. I like seeing the tin mines too.
It’s a shame that Eden have let their maintenance slip and that the beds are not maintained properly. Good for you doing the video. It’s just very sloppy, especially the high entrance fee they charge. Leaving weeds and messy flower beds has got absolutely nothing to do with rewilding. If you want to know about rewilding, read the book Wilding by Isabella Tree about Knepp Estate. Proper rewilding needs a huge area with different grazing ruminants involved. It still needs maintenance and help to get the balance right. Too many people have jumped on the rewilding bandwagon and are basically leaving areas to grow out of control. Nettles, Ivy, Ragwort, thistles, docs and brambles can be a huge problem if not maintained, especially like the ivy on that building.
We visited the Eden Project years ago, the gardens etc were glorious, no weeds in sight. I think it's a money saving issue not rewilding, just like the local councils who now let verges etc get overgrown. It's all under the name of allowing insects etc to use it for their habitat, whilst I agree with that, it does look very scruffy when it becomes too overgrown. I certainly wouldn't pay good money to visit a load of weeds!
I was looking for the best tin mines to visit next year. I saw that only one or two lets you go down underground. Poldark and Lelant, but I need to look further into this. Also looking for the most dramatic setting to visit an example.
Love your videos, I think you made some great points. Rewilding has been used as an excuse for many organisations not to maintain open spaces and save money. And a note for those who meant English nature is taking over again, it’s not many weeds now are invasive species.
It was reading Poldark years ago that made me relocate to Cornwall in 97, plus my own background in the Yorkshire mining area. Sadly age abd infirmity means I cannot visit those sites any more. Glad you are highlighting these issues.
There's been a huge lack of insects up here in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. Ive friends who are farming families and others with bees and they've all said hoe gad this year has been for insects and butterflies/moths. Apparently, over in France, they've insects. Why not us? Using pesticides from the US, which are banned in the EU? As a heritage site, it really needs the 'weeds' tamed. NT gardens are also weedy compared to other years. Too many at the top on too big a salary! You do a great job both. Thank you for bringing Cornwall closer to me😀.
It’s mainly because this land is being destroyed at a disgusting rate for new housing developments, for millions of new people coming here every year. It’s totally unsustainable
Food for thought 😮 Eden Project has always been pitched as a series of cultivated gardens, both outdoor and within the biodomes where specific environments are created and controlled. The entry fees are supposed to fund the site, including all necessary “cultivation “ of the various gardens. It was created to showcase just what can be done to transform a post-industrial landscape with full recognition that it would become somewhere people would willingly pay to access and to learn about the biodiversity of our planet. Disused land fill sites are subject to “repair” and regreening .. but nobody would normally volunteer any cash for the privilege of visiting them! It should also be noted that rewilding is not the same as abandonment … the land still needs to be overhauled to give the wild things an appropriate chance in life. What you showed at Eden was simply neglect. Rewilding would have involved raking up the bark chipping and any suppression matting under. It will also involve activities such as introduction of features to encourage natural water management, pooling, etc to encourage the class of environment appropriate to the area. Rewilding is much more than simply neglecting the lad and seeing what random weeds will make a foothold. On a similar basis, the old mine sites (and other heritage that is considered worthy of preservation) need to be given careful consideration. If they are designated World Heritage sites, it is essential that due care and maintenance is provided .. tree roots will rapidly penetrate and entwine masonry, which will crumble and collapse. The bigger the tree… the bigger the roots and the more damaging. If the ruins are not maintained, the heritage status will be revoked and any funding or protection removed. Conversely, the industrial landscape around the ruins is prime candidacy for rewilding, the process for which should include removal of the acres of concrete that would have been associated with the site … not to mention an environmental cleanup to remove the heaps of toxic spoil associated with the old tin mines. As you observe, there are not many organisms that will survive on a diet of Arsenic … not to mention the health hazards to any visitors! I love the mine ruins … they are certainly well worth preserving and fully compatible with a rewilding of the surrounding landscape. Makes for a perfect romantic setting (specially with your classic Cornish sea mist percolating through the scene.
Watched a documentary some years ago about the railways and their continuous fight with nature in general. Plants growing out the side of walls etc. I remember the comment "What is a weed" - apparently a weed is a plant that we have not yet found a use for !!!
Wonderful thank you! We always look for ruins they're so interesting. I agree there are no weeds as all flowers (I read a long time ago) stem from the wild, but...I too agree that I'd not expect to see them in a place where you pay admittance unless contained.
I was at Eden almost exactly a year ago. My impression was like yours. That many areas outside the domes were neglected. No that is certainly not rewilding.
Interesting, thought provoking video. My understanding is rewilding still needs conservation management. I used to be a conservation volunteer with our local wildlife trust and worked on several reserves. There was a fair bit of maintenance and managing for improving biodiversity. So I’m pretty clear: rewilding doesn’t mean letting weeds take over, but giving nature a hand until it’s capable of managing itself and maintaining native biodiversity. Secondly: surely the £42 for Eden is to see the biomes. I’m not sure most people don’t pay for a ticket just to walk down to the main attraction? Ultimately whether it’s natural or historical we need to strive for balance in all things, including the demands of tourism.
Such good you tubers my vue on weeds as a gardener is in the right place and time. The thing that got me with Eden project was no one harvesting at the right time and using the producers they grow In the domes.
My partner and I, were going to Eden project, until we found out how much the admission fee was, too expensive, have been told by someone who went, it's not worth the money!
Hi Sarah and Andrew, having just watched this video yes you have got it right these mines are a part of our heritage, and they are also part of the heritage of the whole UK and the world; after all where would we be without Watt, Bolton, Murdock Stevenson, Davey, Priestley and Trevithick all of which were connected with Cornish mining? It would be a great tragedy if the engine houses were forgotten. With regard to your comments about Eden mom and i totally agree we haven’t been in years due to the cost and to be honest we are not likely to again. £42 pounds for that experience, sorry not worth it and the seeming dilapidation of the grounds was appalling, in my opinion this is an example of commercialisation gone mad to the detriment of the original purpose.
I live here and visit Eden often. I’m also into horticulture and big into wild land conservation. Eden is being poorly maintained and the prices are much higher now to boot! You’re always reasonable and your review is spot on!
Love your videos. Take no notice of those moaning eco warriors, they're probably all townies anyway. At Eden we are paying to see a managed and maintained garden with plants we wouldn't normally see, otherwise why would anyone bother to go there.
Good for you to address those prickly comments.
Always enjoy your videos, thank you
some of those comments you received were downright rude, never mind "prickly". Good that you didn't stoop to their level.
If your example in this video was in a city environment it would be classed as urban decay, and locals would be crying out for it to be redeveloped. Your Eden comments were spot on as it highlighted a lack of maintenance, rewilding is just an excuse. One TripAdvisor comment compared it to gardens in London, would they accept this level of neglect in those, free or not?
HaHa! Yes, I did wonder if they would pay to see an overgrown London garden attraction! Sarah :)
Wow! People can be so rude!.. and a lot of them are very ignorant themselves! There is a BIG DIFFERENCE between "rewinding and letting weeds take over."
Don't let ignorant slickers, eco warriers and grockles get under your skin... your vlog digging deep into the validity of the trip advisor comments left by tourists that visited the Eden Project was well done and fair.
Been watching you since you started, you are both always fair and polite in everything you post.. remember you did a similar one on Lands End! That was another one with heated comments!
I agree with you Andrew and Sarah. The area can be rewilded, but the mine buildings should be preserved as an important part of our heritage. My great grandmother was a bal maiden. Lots of other relatives in mining too. Thank you for a thought provoking video.
What a fabulously interesting video. You answered your critics with evidence and I fully agree with you. If there was really 'rewilding' happening at the Eden Project then where are the signs and information on their website. In reality, they appear to not have funds to employ local people to maintain their high standards. I too would be very disappointed if I had paid a lot of money to see such a tired and neglected place.
Totally agree that not tending to areas in an attraction is NOT rewinding, we loved the South Wheal Francis footage and would love more heritage content as we visit twice a year and love to have new places to see.
The lack of maintenance & neglect, call it rewilding.
Completely agree with you, comparing Eden to somewhere like Heligan it’s obvious Eden have cut back on gardeners. Before Eden opened you could take the tractor ride down towards the part built Biomes and the gardens were immaculate (as they were for first few years of it being open).
Rewilding ! New term for don't want to pay staff
@@Francis-xl2gu😂100%
Interesting video as usual, I think your comments about Eden are justified. I have been there 4 times over the years even when it was being built they did a guided tour on a tractor and trailer and seen it developing over time. I was shocked to see your video about the gardens how neglected it appears in places. You cant call neglect rewilding that's just an excuse.
As for the old mine buildings they all have a story to tell and what a wonderful story it is, Cornish people are very proud of there history and so they should be, l am not Cornish but I do live in Cornwall, it would be a shame if these old mine buildings were left to completely disappear but as you said who pays to stabilise them for the future.
Great, well planned video as always. We love the historical aspect of your travels and always look forward to Fridays to see what you have been up to next. We really appreciate the research and effort that goes into the videos. Well done and thank you both ❤
Love the art you did of this, wow!
Second week with no Friday video upload ... hope all is OK with you both x
When we visited Cornwall a couple years back (we only had a few days), we visited St Michael’s Mount, Tintagel/Port Isaac and Looe. All very enjoyable. It wasn’t until getting home that I discovered the rich mining history and how it intersected ever so slightly with my own: eating pasties growing up in Michigan: which had a variety of Cornish mining communities. I believe those mining buildings should be preserved. They’re at the heart of the many who lived there and their history needs to be preserved. Isn’t there plenty of land around the buildings where rewilding wouldn’t interfere with the integrity of the buildings?. It’s just too important…don’t want to lose a part of what makes Cornwall so great.
This was a very interesting video. I think the problem with terms like ‘rewilding’ is that it has strayed away from its original definition and become a bit of an umbrella term, which then causes confusion. I think Eden absolutely is using that as an excuse to just not maintain its gardens, and I would not be happy paying £42 to see barren land and some weeds, especially in the summer months when you expect everything to be in full bloom! A good comparison is the Knepp Estate, whose owners began rewilding their land years ago. It is now a beacon of hope for nature, and people DO pay to go and see it. Some are disappointed by how ‘messy’ it is because they are used to rolling green hills and tidy gardens, but most people are in awe of the diversity of species that have returned to those lands, including storks and boar! I think rewilding IS a positive thing, if done correctly and in an appropriate place. I love all of Cornwall’s heritage sites and think there is plenty of room for BOTH nature and history to live side by side, providing someone takes responsibility for it. Oh and I support the tourist tax in Cornwall 😉 Sorry, this turned into a really long comment!
went to eden once , never again !
If I ever get to come over to see around your lovely country, it would be to see your amazing historical buildings, and of course your stunning countryside.Thankyou so much for those of us,who love to see these places.I hope they get saved for future generations to learn about and enjoy.
I re wilded my back garden, I used to call it can't be arsed!
Thanks!
Hello Bill and Gerie! Many thanks for your support, much appreciated! Sarah :)
I live in the West Country and it would seem that for rewilding read neglect. Some years ago I stayed on an island where they were very keen to parade their green credentials. It was very expensive and I could have gone five star somewhere else for the same money. Imagine my suprise that the echo friendly claim was an excuse for poor facilities and quality of accommodation.
I think you were spot on about eden
I totally agree with your analysis of re-wilding and how we should balance heritage with nature. Both need our help and should be preserved. I also agree that £42 to see weeds is ridiculous. Eden took a knock during covid - all businesses did. It’s hard to see what the Eden Project is doing to encourage people to visit more. Seems like the high price is an attempt to claim what was lost during lockdown rather than provide a stimulating, educational, nurturing day out. Again, there’s a balance to be had.
I loved this video and the way you tackled the subject with respect and supported by evidence. South Wheal Frances is a lovely place and I’d like to see it preserved for future generations. It’s lovely that re-wilding is happening - but balance is the key. Looking forward to your next post. 😃👍❤️
I lived in Twelveheads near Truro.I remember Wheal Jane and Mount Wellington when both mines were up and running.Equally i remember the day when the pumps were turned off at Wheal Jane consequently both mines flooded.Now Poldice Valley is a cycle trail.All the places i enjoyed with my children walking in solitude are now jam packed with busy families of cyclists.Ho hum .
But it is a beautiful spot. Who else has a Billy Bray chapel? (Twelveheads)
Some of this "rewilding" on the roadsides is simply to save money and is dangerous when at junctions etc. hat you saw at Eden Project was simply lack of maintenance.
Well done, Sarah and Andrew! We totally agree with you. Your love of your heritage is inspiring. 3 from New Zealand
The comments about Eden are justified and London prices ? It doesn’t cost that much at Kew Gardens I am a member of Kew and trained in horticulture and worked in the industry for nearly 40 years these comments have made me laugh 😂 some are unsure about what they are talking about. Keep doing what you’re doing well presented as always 👍
Another very interesting and today a particularly thought provoking video from you both, always so enjoyable
Keep on with them all 🎉
We went as a family to visit the Eden Project after seeing your video. It was absolutely awful. There were so many people there, we were shuffling through the paths in long lines of people. Not a good experience. Huge queues for the cafes. As you say there were weeds in the flower beds. We all agreed that this wasn't a good day out. We did complain and were told that they were at capacity. Love you Guys 💖
Totally agree with your comments about rewilding. There has to be a balance and I feel it's used as an excuse to cut costs. We love visiting historic buildings and would hate to see them lost to future generations.
Well done on another thought provoking and informative film!
Thank you, once again for a fabulous video. My wife and I want to encourage you to keep doing what you are doing. It is sad that these buildings are being destroyed by plants crawling all over them and undermining the foundations. One idea for that lovely mining site is to have rewilding along the path between the buildings and then take care to preserve the buildings. Don’t you already have a tourist tax in Cornwall - at every camera parking lot that traps tourists with exorbitant parking fees???? 😂😂😂. My wife and I agree, we would not pay to see “weeds”
Wow! some people are so rude! and would they say it to your face - apparently, there are now eco keyboard warriors!! We love looking at the old mining buildings, thats more our sort of thing, we walked the SWCP from Porthleven to Praa Sands to see the Trewavas area - sooo excited as we are back down to Cornwall end of this week, I'll be keeping a lookout for CSI m
Mevagissy filming - thanks for the video both
I love your shows, I will never get to england to see it, some of my family history is Cornwall .
We shall now make point of visiting this fantastic world heritage site purely because your video is so educational and entertaining. Hopefully we will one day bump into you both. Keep up the fabulous work, Cornwall needs responsible tourism
Thank You
I really love your videos. I have been going through some pretty dark times having begun therapy for an anxiety disorder about a year ago and your videos are my go to when I am having those inevitable bad periods in recovery. They are calming, uplifting, funny, informative and a real tonic and have been a real blessing in keeping me grounded and not sinking in my thoughts. I love Devon and Cornwall and can only thank you for your efforts. Keep up the good work ❤😂
What an interesting and illuminating discussion! I don't have much truck with re-wilding myself, but I was horrified to see important historical buildings overrun with creeper. If they are neglected, they will indeed turn into "piles of rubble" in fifty years' time. English Heritage look after a lot of ancient castles and keep the masonry clear of vegetation as part of their maintenance and repair programmes. They would be an ideal agency to conserve these iconic buildings. They look after a number of industrial buildings, e.g. Southwell Workhouse in Nottinghamshire.
Another great video and some wonderful comments that make you think.
I remember your Eden vicious and sure looked like the complex was just letting the weeds grow . Not sure the reason but lack of staff and money seems more likely than purpose rewilding .
I remember visiting numerous churches and adjoining cemeteries in Cornwall and sometime certain areas were let overgrown on purpose however a sin usually explained why. It never looked out of place and most of the cemetery ground was well maintained that allowed exploring and walking .
Again many thanks for U2 and the wonderful presentation that you give us luck viewers.
If your PAYING to visit a garden? It is reasonable to expect flowers and shrubs, not weeds.
Plus I would like to points out? As a Mason, ivy cause's the worst damage to Masonry, as it doesn't allow mortar to dry out and eventually fail!!.
Keep up your own opinions.
YES paying forty ish quid to see weeds that i can see around my area For Free,
I am Cornish and I love your channel. My great grandad was a copper miner in the Camborne/Redruth area. As a child (60s/70s) our dad would drag us around mine dumps while he collected minerals left on the surface. He had a passion for the mining history of Cornwall.
Love your Lino print! And enjoy your videos. We like to visit places like this where nature is taking over. Did Eden once years back and don’t have plans to visit again especially at those prices. Look forward to your next one. 👍
You covered that subject very well. I remember the Eden Project as being well maintained and tidy as visitors approached it. Alas, to some local councils, it's an excuse not to trim footpaths, or country lanes. Sometimes I feel like carrying a pair of garden shears and a pair of thornproof gloves in order to actually get through.
To farmers, it means being paid for not producing food to feed the growing population and having to purchase expensive wild bird mixes to sow instead. Then we have solar panels covering thousands of acres of good agricultural land. Does that give us cheaper electricity? No, apparently not!
As for the mining heritage. The remaining buildings are very much part of Cornwall and should be protected from nettles, brambles and the like. Once these heritage buildings are gone, they're gone. They will appear on OS maps as 'Site of'. As you rightly say, "trees will undermine the foundations and we will be left with a pile on stones "
I'm with you two. At the Eden Project , yes there were a lot of weeds but that is i suppose because of the pandemic when visitors were down. Money is obviously a factor in getting the place to look as it was before the pandemic so that will take time. It is a shame that those buildings you saw have not been maintained. They do need to do something about it otherwise it will be lost forever. and that would be a terrible shame. Maybe in time it will change in a few years who knows eh? Lets hope so. :)
I love watching your vlogs, always find them fascinating and informative. Xxx😍😍😍😍
Watched this on TV last night with hubby. I think some people don't really understand rewinding and it was good you explained so well. I agree, the heritage site should be preserved definitely, it's important and tge buildings could be cleared around and made safe whilst tge rest of that particular sight could be left to rewind, just needs to be done soon as Nature will not slow done to await funding.
Anyway we both love your walks and views on things think we're on same wave length and you are both good fun, live his humour and your laugh. Thanks for entertaining and informing us 💗🙏🏾💙
Re-wilding is used as an excuse by our council to not cut the grassy areas around our houses and in our local parks - there are areas where they could re-wild however they choose to leave the ones outside our houses which are small - gardens take care of the insects etc but tall grass just smothers anything underneath - finally when they cut the grass - they had to buy special equipment to do this as theirs could not cope with the height! - they then left the long grass to rot - when we cleared the patch by our house it enabled the wild violets, daisies and buttercups to grow again - there was no sign of them when they left the tall grass!
That linocut is lovely, Sarah, well done!
Thank you! 😀
Another fun and informative video. Thanks Sarah and Andrew!
Your lino cut was very well done😍
I love the heritage vids you do. When I was younger I used to visit Cornwall for exactly that & have visited every nook & cranny I could possibly find in my pursuit of ancient dwellings, holy places & special sites. Not for me, lying on a beach with ice cream in one hand & a pasty in the other! (Not saying I'm not partial to a pasty though!!). Everyone has an opinion...some people have more than others. Wouldn't take the negative ones too seriously tbh. People love to moan. It's what they do. You just keep doing what you always do...taking us to lovely places, weeds or not, & always keeping us entertained with Andrew's lighthearted jokes & your knowledge through your history books. Been following you both for years now. Never miss a week. 😄x J x
Love your videos, I totally agree with you about Eden. I have a holiday in Beautiful Cornwall every year and have visited most of the mining sites. It would be really sad to lose the buildings and heritage. Would it be possible to get a lottery grant to pay for the upkeep I wonder.
Love your walk and talks.
Apropo weeds. I dry nettle leaves and make tea which contains iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamin K and helps with many health conditions including arthritis.
I harvest dandelions and use all parts of it as it's a great anti-inflammatory and I also pick blackberries from brambles to make delicious jam and even more delicious blackberry wine.
I love my weeds!
The definition of a weed is an unwanted plant in the wrong place, if it's in the right place then it can be a hugely valuable resource for both us and the rest of nature, so nettles, dandelions and brambles are not "weeds" except if they are somewhere where they are not wanted, and this applies to any plant.
There is space for both, let the rewilding happen but away from the buildings. As you say though, who will pay for it?
There has been a huge decline in butterflies this year due to the wet and cold weather in the spring. This year’s big butterfly count recorded the lowest numbers on record.
Really sad.
They don’t like wet weather either!
Love your lino print 😊
Thanks Sarah and Andrew, very interesting video. I definitely think some of those comments about your Eden video were very harsh! For me wildlife and heritage are the most important things about Cornwall, and what make it such a beautiful and fascinating place, so I absolutely love exploring such places. The ruins at Marriot's shaft are spectacular - as are the ones not far away at West Basset Stamps on the slope of Carn Brea. One thing I've noticed about many of the old mine buildings being taken over by wildlife is how, for some reason, they attract cotoneaster. So many of them are covered in cotoneaster, which doesn't seem to grow anywhere else nearby except on the mine buildings.
Some time back farmers were asked to do set a side . Well before set a side . I did go fishing near Rame Head . And after that hole fishing spot got put to set a side and it was near on chance to get to that spot at all .
Love your videos and yes we do seek out the Cornish heritage when come and stay.
Liked your post. Yes knotweed is a question sellers have to answer when selling a property along with Radon gas, mining etc., just selling my place in St Column. I have a keen interest in Organic Gardening and re-wilding, which differs a lot from some of the readers comments you have received.
Simply put, a cultivated plant is something man has created from a wild/native plant. Corn and wheat are some of the best examples of this, so some farmers and gardeners try to eradicate any wild/native plants.
Re-wilding is different in different places in the world. In the UK re-wilding could be planting native trees in places where the trees were removed many years ago for mine props or ship building. In Spain, where I now live, re-wilding is an attempt to stop the whole country becoming a desert.
If you are into organic gardening or wildlife in general, you tend to plant plants which encourage beneficial insects and their predators to protect your crops. This is not really re-wilding as the plants may not be native to your area.
Some places are re-introducing beavers, wild boars and wolves as they are very beneficial to the environment. Beaver dams are proving to stop flash floods.
The aspect of "English Heritage" is a bit false, there are plenty of crumbling buildings which are not really old and are an eye sore. The tin mines are a good example, preserve some good ones and let the others go, otherwise funding is spread too thin to save any of them.
Having visited great gardens all over Europe I can see why the Eden Project has been a disappointing experience, personally I never went there as I believe great gardens are in the open air. Here in Barcelona we have the Botanical Gardens which are divided into geographical areas, they all have "weeds" growing amongst the plants and trees, but the gardeners keep them under control, and it costs less than £5 entry (plus second visit free if you keep the ticket).
So there you go, a wide and controversial subject. Some believe all non-native plants should be eradicated from the environment, some believe anything you cannot buy from your local petrol station shop is a weed, and some (like me) believe that re-building a good environment where we can live with natural processes is best 🙂
Having lived in Cornwall for over 40 years and even worked at The Eden project from it's conception I recently visited and again it's just a greenhouse but a big one, sadly although a good idea initially, it's greatness was it's vastness, rewilding would never work with constant footfall as nature needs peace to re-establish, Eden with the millions it had spent being created and the skilled people having worked there is now a sad reflection of Cornwall's perception that we needed more to influence tourism, we are in a beautiful part of the world with an inept council and a influx of sad individuals who want to profit from a unique part of our wonderful country.
That was a really interesting vid. Thanks for filming it and pulling it all together. Looked a wee bit damp in places. You mentioned that a lot of your videos had interest from tourists. Have you ever done one about Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, or is it too small? Went there years ago with my grandparents grew up and lived in the area. Was really interesting at the time and looks like it’s still running. On the topic of rewilding, it was my one of my father-in-laws PhD students who found the first grass that is now growing on the “Cornish Alps” :)
What an excellent vlog !! You two are spot on, we agree 110% with what you say about nature and re-wilding alongside heritage. About the gardens at the Eden Project; when we went there years ago the gardens were immaculate, but what you recently showed us is very obviously neglect. Surely you don't have re-wilding in a garden, isn't a garden by it's very nature an organised and cultured area ? Weeds are fine in their place, e.g. a re-wilding area, but they are still weeds in our book. Many thanks. David and Christine
Brilliant answer to those rude comments ! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Thank you again for a very informative video. Your videos let me think about them even hours later !
Travelling for me is definitely NOT to buy ice cream, fish and chips ( maybe some great pasties 🤔😊) but to LEARN about people and their countries, living conditions and heritage.
For a national heritage, to see a gone by part of society, something cultural...I would definitely PAY for it - to preserve it for the future.
Yes, yes, yes! Rewilding can go hand in hand with historic preservation. But management is required, at least on some level. I love to see those rustic stone mine stacks, and agree that they are an integral part of your heritage and landscape. Good job, getting down to the literal definition. Here in S. California, we have a number of mountain mining towns (gold, silver, lead) that sprang up between 1850 and 1915. Many are just gone (wood buildings lost to fire), with only foundations and trash dumps left, however, some are 'ghost towns', which the state maintains in a state of "arrested decay". On a greater scale, I discovered a project in Nebraska where a former rock quarry was rewilded (is that a word?) and turned into a wetland. A Botany professor there spearheads a group that buys up adjacent acres of farmland (old corn and wheat farms), and are returning that land to natural Prairie. An intensive, slow process, they are removing (burning out) invasive grasses, and removing trees, then collecting seeds from existing native plants, and planting them out via student volunteers. All those grasslands you see in old Westerns were complex ecosystems. The thing that makes me really excited is that bison/buffalo, are being reintroduced to these areas, as well as on a number of Tribal Reservations. Switching gears here, I've seen Japanese Kudzu vine in Atlanta, Georgia, growing up over the highway signs, so I'm sure it will give your invasive plant a challenge, lol. I agree that non-native weeds allowed to grow without management is not really rewilding. And not worth what seems to me to be a lot of money. I'd suggest donations at those Heritage sites. Love your 'block print'!
The British Isles have been a managed landscape almost as soon as Flora, Fauna and humans moved back into the landscape as the ice retreated. Many plants and animals rely on humans for their existence, such as House Martins, Swifts, Swallows, Barn Owls, Field Mice, Dormice, dogs, cats, bees.
Our local park now comes under the rewilding umbrella. It’s over grown, the kids can’t play in the long grass no doubt full of dog poo. You can’t use the benches as they are overgrown with nettles and the amount of dead trees in danger of falling are ridiculous. It’s actually negligence on the part of yet another inefficient and ineffective council.
Thank you, a good and balanced view between rewilding and heritage. Both are equally important. And we shouldn’t forget that Eden functions as a tourist business creating a none UK environment, and is not rewilding. People pay good money to visit, and should not be seeing an uncared and unkempt landscape. If they can’t afford it, then they should stop trying to expand into other locations such as Morecambe using public money to develop.
Some people are too lazy to keep things up now a days especially councils
Excellent and thoughtful presentation. Thank you, Sarah and Andrew. On the subject of rewilding, how do its advocates feel about invasive plant species? In your thumbnail picture and while you were walking about, there was crocosmia in abundance. Crocosmia is native to south and east Africa, but is all over Cornwall. It's taking over parts of Bodmin Moor, which has a detrimental impact on native plants such as heather, whortle berries, wood anemones, and the growth of hawthorn saplings. To me, rewilding seems to be a response to limited maintenance budgets and not about letting 'nature do its thing'. Please don't get me started on overgrown roadsigns in Cornwal! Ah! but that's just rewilding! Greetings from the Moor - the remote bit. 😃
We visited the Eden Project in May and we were surprised at the amount of weeds. Very expensive to get in as well.
Watched and enjoyed both your Eden videos. Maybe Eden should ring-fence the domes and charge the £42 to visit those making the grounds they cannot afford to maintain free. Visitors would have no reason to complain about value for money.
Very interesting video. I totally agree with you. Well done!
This was a very well made and interesting video again. I'm 100% on the side of Mother Nature and the natural world, but when going to see a place like Eden you would expect to see top class planting and maintenance around the entire site. Also if you want to preserve the old mining heritage sites, some management around the buildings is vital. Surely there is ample space in Cornwall for the manmade and natural environments to exist happily side by side. If not here, then where?
I agree with your final comments about preserving our heritage whilst at the same time leaving room for nature. Just to leave a place to get full of weeds without at least some maintenance is not rewilding , it is just neglect. Some weeds are very destructive for example ivy and bindweed. Places that are ment for encouraging visitors need to be safe or they will be closed to the public. The Eden Project, like other places are recovering from the effects of neglect caused by the lockdown. Hopefully in time they will catch up with their maintenance soon, but I think maybe the prices should reflect the fact it's not what it used to be but on the other hand they need the money to pay people to do the work. It is a difficult balance.
i always watch your videos and love them x
Thank you both for a wonderfully researched and presented vlog. You addressed the issues raised by the comments on your visit to The Eden Project perfectly and high lighted the underlying issues that this raises.
UNESCO world heritage status has certain responsibilities as well as the rewards that run along side it. On the old, and not so old mine sites UWH status is granted because of the mining history and if that is allowed to decay this status could well be lost along with the buildings. Cornwall has several sites of special scientific interest (SSI's), which are the sort of places where rewilding could, should and in many places has taken place.
Unfortunately in the present financial climate how Cornwall and other places in the UK who face similar problems can actually pay to do what is needed i do not Know but people like yourselves who highlight these issues can only help by bringing them to peoples attention.
P.S. I can be serious sometimes 🤣🤣🤣🤣 as I have been mentioned in one of your previous vlogs.
All the best and keep up the good work when ever you can.👍👍
That was so interesting. Thank you so much.
As always, such an interesting video from you Sarah & Andrew. My Mum & I are coming to Cornwall in October & we’ve already booked our Eden Project tickets. We are from Western Australia & we are particularly interested in seeing the Western Australian section in the Mediterranean Biodome. Your channel has been invaluable in our preparation for our trip - thank you so much 🙏
My lovely other half gave me one of your prints for my birthday ❤
Etsy states that you've gone away (to dry off?). Maybe you've gone to Miss Molly's Tea Rooms nearby - what an adventure that is. Love the lino cut.
As for rewilding? Hmm and missing species? Ah, the Woolly Mammoth, when we've sorted out the cloning issues! Maybe just start with a few wolves, lynx and brown bears. They might eat a few children and emmets but there's always a cost!
Is it possible to view the outside of Kilmarth?Is there a coastal walk from there to Fowey?
Thanks.
Thanks for the video I learned a lot watching you today Sarah and Andrew💕
I have just read on ‘Cornwall Live’ Our local Council CCC is Cash strapped but advertising 2 jobs with a 6 figure salary. It does make me question if the highly qualified recipients of these jobs will be remotely interested in our precious Cornish Heritage. Like everything in Cornwall our Mining Heritage is being diluted and you are quite right in years to come these once important sites will be lost, fenced off and like so many other things there is no ‘money’ left for really what Cornwall should be all about. “I rest my case”
Absolutely love your videos. I've been lucky enough to visit Cornwall quite a few times but I love seeing the places I haven't seen. Countryfile often has rewilding projects on and they don't seem to be about growing brambles and dandelions etc. I like seeing the tin mines too.
It’s a shame that Eden have let their maintenance slip and that the beds are not maintained properly. Good for you doing the video. It’s just very sloppy, especially the high entrance fee they charge. Leaving weeds and messy flower beds has got absolutely nothing to do with rewilding. If you want to know about rewilding, read the book Wilding by Isabella Tree about Knepp Estate. Proper rewilding needs a huge area with different grazing ruminants involved. It still needs maintenance and help to get the balance right. Too many people have jumped on the rewilding bandwagon and are basically leaving areas to grow out of control. Nettles, Ivy, Ragwort, thistles, docs and brambles can be a huge problem if not maintained, especially like the ivy on that building.
We visited the Eden Project years ago, the gardens etc were glorious, no weeds in sight. I think it's a money saving issue not rewilding, just like the local councils who now let verges etc get overgrown. It's all under the name of allowing insects etc to use it for their habitat, whilst I agree with that, it does look very scruffy when it becomes too overgrown. I certainly wouldn't pay good money to visit a load of weeds!
I was looking for the best tin mines to visit next year.
I saw that only one or two lets you go down underground.
Poldark and Lelant, but I need to look further into this.
Also looking for the most dramatic setting to visit an example.
Well done, you two great video.
Love your videos, I think you made some great points. Rewilding has been used as an excuse for many organisations not to maintain open spaces and save money. And a note for those who meant English nature is taking over again, it’s not many weeds now are invasive species.
It was reading Poldark years ago that made me relocate to Cornwall in 97, plus my own background in the Yorkshire mining area. Sadly age abd infirmity means I cannot visit those sites any more. Glad you are highlighting these issues.
There's been a huge lack of insects up here in the West Midlands and Warwickshire. Ive friends who are farming families and others with bees and they've all said hoe gad this year has been for insects and butterflies/moths.
Apparently, over in France, they've insects. Why not us? Using pesticides from the US, which are banned in the EU?
As a heritage site, it really needs the 'weeds' tamed. NT gardens are also weedy compared to other years. Too many at the top on too big a salary!
You do a great job both. Thank you for bringing Cornwall closer to me😀.
It’s mainly because this land is being destroyed at a disgusting rate for new housing developments, for millions of new people coming here every year. It’s totally unsustainable
Food for thought 😮
Eden Project has always been pitched as a series of cultivated gardens, both outdoor and within the biodomes where specific environments are created and controlled. The entry fees are supposed to fund the site, including all necessary “cultivation “ of the various gardens. It was created to showcase just what can be done to transform a post-industrial landscape with full recognition that it would become somewhere people would willingly pay to access and to learn about the biodiversity of our planet.
Disused land fill sites are subject to “repair” and regreening .. but nobody would normally volunteer any cash for the privilege of visiting them!
It should also be noted that rewilding is not the same as abandonment … the land still needs to be overhauled to give the wild things an appropriate chance in life. What you showed at Eden was simply neglect. Rewilding would have involved raking up the bark chipping and any suppression matting under. It will also involve activities such as introduction of features to encourage natural water management, pooling, etc to encourage the class of environment appropriate to the area. Rewilding is much more than simply neglecting the lad and seeing what random weeds will make a foothold.
On a similar basis, the old mine sites (and other heritage that is considered worthy of preservation) need to be given careful consideration. If they are designated World Heritage sites, it is essential that due care and maintenance is provided .. tree roots will rapidly penetrate and entwine masonry, which will crumble and collapse. The bigger the tree… the bigger the roots and the more damaging. If the ruins are not maintained, the heritage status will be revoked and any funding or protection removed. Conversely, the industrial landscape around the ruins is prime candidacy for rewilding, the process for which should include removal of the acres of concrete that would have been associated with the site … not to mention an environmental cleanup to remove the heaps of toxic spoil associated with the old tin mines. As you observe, there are not many organisms that will survive on a diet of Arsenic … not to mention the health hazards to any visitors!
I love the mine ruins … they are certainly well worth preserving and fully compatible with a rewilding of the surrounding landscape. Makes for a perfect romantic setting (specially with your classic Cornish sea mist percolating through the scene.
Watched a documentary some years ago about the railways and their continuous fight with nature in general. Plants growing out the side of walls etc. I remember the comment "What is a weed" - apparently a weed is a plant that we have not yet found a use for !!!
Wonderful thank you! We always look for ruins they're so interesting.
I agree there are no weeds as all flowers (I read a long time ago) stem from the wild, but...I too agree that I'd not expect to see them in a place where you pay admittance unless contained.
I was at Eden almost exactly a year ago. My impression was like yours. That many areas outside the domes were neglected. No that is certainly not rewilding.
I love the old tin mines in cornwall
Interesting, thought provoking video. My understanding is rewilding still needs conservation management. I used to be a conservation volunteer with our local wildlife trust and worked on several reserves. There was a fair bit of maintenance and managing for improving biodiversity. So I’m pretty clear: rewilding doesn’t mean letting weeds take over, but giving nature a hand until it’s capable of managing itself and maintaining native biodiversity. Secondly: surely the £42 for Eden is to see the biomes. I’m not sure most people don’t pay for a ticket just to walk down to the main attraction? Ultimately whether it’s natural or historical we need to strive for balance in all things, including the demands of tourism.
I may be wrong . But i do think Tin may be needed again as for phones and other stuff in this age of teck .
I have walked around the Redruth Mine area, and i personally don't see it as that important, in comparison with Botallack Pendeen and St. Just.
You are bang on. We were really disappointed with Eden project, very poor for the cash 🙂
What would Bill and Ben do ? WEEEED !!!
Such good you tubers my vue on weeds as a gardener is in the right place and time. The thing that got me with Eden project was no one harvesting at the right time and using the producers they grow In the domes.
My partner and I, were going to Eden project, until we found out how much the admission fee was, too expensive, have been told by someone who went, it's not worth the money!
Hi Sarah and Andrew, having just watched this video yes you have got it right these mines are a part of our heritage, and they are also part of the heritage of the whole UK and the world; after all where would we be without Watt, Bolton, Murdock Stevenson, Davey, Priestley and Trevithick all of which were connected with Cornish mining? It would be a great tragedy if the engine houses were forgotten.
With regard to your comments about Eden mom and i totally agree we haven’t been in years due to the cost and to be honest we are not likely to again. £42 pounds for that experience, sorry not worth it and the seeming dilapidation of the grounds was appalling, in my opinion this is an example of commercialisation gone mad to the detriment of the original purpose.