Dinosaur Eggs
Porth Nanven, is a secluded spot on the west coast of Cornwall’s south-western tip. It lies at the mouth of the Cot Valley, about a mile’s walk from the town of St Just, which is characterised by its granite miner’s cottages.
In the spring and early summer the hedgerows of the narrow lanes of the valley are abundant with masses of wildflowers, such as three-cornered leek, cow parsley and lady’s mantle. There are also old disused mine shafts to the left and right which are not safe for exploring, as many of them are not sealed off. Dogs need to be kept on a lead.
The defining feature of this beach is the covering of round granite boulders that give it the nickname Dinosaur Egg Beach. Some of these smooth boulders can be seen embedded in the soft cliffs surrounding the beach, dating back to a time when sea levels were much higher. However, there are no fossils to be found here. A thin strip of soft, golden sand is exposed for around an hour each side of low tide.
Looking out towards the sea, the rocky twin peaks of the Brison islets, named after the Cornish word for ‘prison’ – ‘brissen’ – as they were once used as basic jails. However, in Cornish, they are known as ‘Enys Vordardh’, or ‘breaker island’, as they have caused many historic shipwrecks.
Today, they are a busy nesting spot for gannets, gulls, storm petrels, puffins and red-billed choughs. The islets’ 25m-high peaks slowly turn frosty white with guano throughout the breeding season. They are also thought to resemble a man on his back, leading to the nickname, ‘Charles de Gaulle in his bath’.
Dinosaur Eggs
Porth Nanven, is a secluded spot on the west coast of Cornwall’s south-western tip. It lies at the mouth of the Cot Valley, about a mile’s walk from the town of St Just, which is characterised by its granite miner’s cottages.
In the spring and early summer the hedgerows of the narrow lanes of the valley are abundant with masses of wildflowers, such as three-cornered leek, cow parsley and lady’s mantle. There are also old disused mine shafts to the left and right which are not safe for exploring, as many of them are not sealed off. Dogs need to be kept on a lead.
The defining feature of this beach is the covering of round granite boulders that give it the nickname Dinosaur Egg Beach. Some of these smooth boulders can be seen embedded in the soft cliffs surrounding the beach, dating back to a time when sea levels were much higher. However, there are no fossils to be found here. A thin strip of soft, golden sand is exposed for around an hour each side of low tide.
Looking out towards the sea, the rocky twin peaks of the Brison islets, named after the Cornish word for ‘prison’ – ‘brissen’ – as they were once used as basic jails. However, in Cornish, they are known as ‘Enys Vordardh’, or ‘breaker island’, as they have caused many historic shipwrecks.
Today, they are a busy nesting spot for gannets, gulls, storm petrels, puffins and red-billed choughs. The islets’ 25m-high peaks slowly turn frosty white with guano throughout the breeding season. They are also thought to resemble a man on his back, leading to the nickname, ‘Charles de Gaulle in his bath’.