Apparently, according to Google, I should write more blog posts! While I have a wildly over active imagination, I do struggle to find topics to write about especially as there really is only a few paragraphs I could string together about the tiny bits of pottery I find to go into my art, or the multitude of images that sit on my hard drive/s waiting to go into one composite piece. So, I'm testing the water with some of the walks I take with my constant side kick and studio supervisor Mr D, to find new inspiration and subjects for my next piece of art.
Walking is by far my most favourite pass-time (aside from creating things of course), which is just as well because Mr D can cover many, many miles in a single day. Walking helps me focus my busy brain and hush the jibber jabber! There's always a distraction and while this can often trigger another creative, 'genius', moment at least there is always the possibility it could turn out to be a useful one!
Just in case you haven't already guessed I like green stuff, any shape, shade or texture is fine. I also like flowers, rumbling rivers and gnarley old looking, 'step inside at your peril', old buildings. Oh dear life I should write a disclaimer here....
'This blog post is in no way intending to inspire you to go off on an adventure and explore dangerous old buildings, cover slippery rocks to get to them or wade through rivers for the hell of it, if you make that decision for yourself that's entirely up to you and I am absolved from any responsibilty, (but please do let me know if you find a good one!)' - end of disclaimer.
Anyway before I run the risk of spiraling off onto a completely different topic, here is a few of todays discoveries.
The Tregargus Valley china stone quarry and mills are situated, you guessed it, in a valley, in St Stephens conveniantly located along a lovely long country lane thronged with cow parlsey and, as an added bonus, pretty yellow, 'Welsh Poppies'. Fascinating fact about Cow Parlsey, also known, amongst many names, as 'Queen Annes Lace', Lady's Lace', or my personal favourite, 'Fairy Lace', if you don't already know, is part of the carrot and celery family and because verges and hedgerows are no longer used for grazing or harvesting for hay, as they were back in the day, it is thriving.
Anyway, back to the china quarry and mills. The circular walk is roughly 5 miles and takes you through a winding woodland trail through a number of moss laden buildings entwined with ivy, ferns and wild bluebells and an utter idulgence for any creative mind, so much so I even managed to climb THE most vertical hill without turning into a whining, 'are we nearly there yet', pre-schooler.
China stone was quarried here from c1870 to 1965, with the 'Trevear Mill', millers cottage closing it's tiny door for the last time in the 1970's.
The, 'Barn River', runs through the valley before joining the, 'River Fal', and would have provided water for the locals, livestock and crops, back along when it was part of a settlement, in fact, 'tre', translates as farm or settlement and 'gargus'as fort in the wood. If i'm wearing my rose tinted spectacles, as I often am when out exploring, I can see what a magical life it must have been to live and work alongside natures finest. I prefer not to take them off and see the darker reality, SO PLEASE DON'T MAKE ME!
At one time there were seven mills in operation in the valley, (today only the remains of five can be seen) each with water wheels all powered by the river. The valley is littered with evidence of a an exceedingly productive industry. Rail lines, bridges, stores, chimneys, bridges and if you look to the horizon mountains of white can be seen stretching away.
Right, that's it, I've finished wittering now, because Google also told me that people are inclined to nod off if I go on for too long. There's loads more I could tell you about the Tregargus Valley and woodland walk but I think you'll enjoy it far more if you go and discover it all for yourselves, look at me using a plural there, assuming anyone other than my long suffering, and hugely supportive husband, will get to the end of this!
I will leave you with one other image though, and I wonder, does anyone else look for the trail of bread crumbs in this scene? Or is this another, 'whoops there goes my imagination again', moment?
The long suffering husband thinks this post is just right x