Tehidy Country Park - 'Time for Tehidy'

Tehidy Country Park is please to see the Rogue Theatre return to the North Cliffs Plantation again this Easter with performance promising to share the magic that has emerged whilst Wild has been dreaming.

To find out more and book tickets please visit the Rogue Theatre website at WILD AWAKE | Rogue Theatre (rogueotherworld.co.uk)

Did you know that Tehidy Country Park offers a tranquil and centrally located camp site, which is available to individuals as well as schools and organisations?!

The Campsite Field is located at the woodland-edge near the Keeper's Cottage, accessed from the B3301 coast road between Hayle and Portreath.

Nestled into the gentle hillside above Oak Woods, a section of the field has been landscaped to provide a flat area for pitching up. Campsite facilities:

• Enclosed, sheltered field within the woods. Most of the field is on a slight slope but there are several level areas of hard standing.
• Vehicle access to the field via the ‘Rangers office’ entrance, approximately 500m to the west of the North Cliffs car park. Large vehicles such as coaches cannot access the field and should turn around where signs indicate.
• Parking space for approximately 6 cars inside the entrance to the field. It is inadvisable to drive vehicles onto the main part of the field.
• Additional parking may be available nearby by prior arrangement.
• A wash block with ladies and gents toilets and a separate accessible toilet, together with a single shower which operates on a £1 coin meter.

Affordable escape or activity at a Cornish Country Park:

• Campsite – Per 24 hour period - £90.00 for educational/community groups, £106.00 for all other groups.
• Deposit equivalent to 24 hour hire (deposit cheque will not be cashed if site is left clean and tidy).
• Additional car parking available nearby by arrangement - £32.00 per 24 hour period.
• Education field and toilets for daytime use only - £37.00 per day
• Daytime access to toilet block only - £21.00 per day

Expectations

Remember that Tehidy Country Park is a public place. We request that the following expectations are adhered to by all users in order to protect the safety and wellbeing of everyone:

• Respect the rights of other people who may wish to use the area.
• Dog users are asked to clean up after their dogs .
• Fires are only permitted within the designated fire pit, with prior consent
• The fire site must be left clean and tidy and debris removed.
• You may not cut down, pick or remove any wood, trees or vegetation whilst using the Campsite.
• The site must be left clean and tidy at the end of your stay or event. All rubbish needs to be taken home with you.
• A deposit will be taken and only refunded if all of the conditions set down have been adhered to.

Cornwall Council reserves the right to review booking requests on an individual basis.

To Book - please contact the Environment Service on 0300 1234 202

Offering yet more interesting goings on at Tehidy Country Park, dedicated members of the volunteer team shared their expertise in orchards and passion the Park during a free event at the site.

Did you know that Orchards were identified as a Priority Habitat in the UK biodiversity Action Plan (2007) – hotspots for biodiversity as fruit trees mature quickly, offering features like deadwood and treeforms that support decomposers and invertebrates, underpinning a rich interconnected food-web.

On 25^th February an event to introduce more orchard trees into Tehidy, and promote community orchards across Cornwall, was led by Andrew Tompsett, a stalwart volunteer who has, over the years, added significantly to the historic orchard on the north-side of Tehidy, and Michelle Lawson, a community orchard facilitator who recently established Resilient Orchards Cornwall and is also a volunteer at the Country Park.

Being canny with the cambium

Various methods of grafting were demonstrated by Andrew, which brought new variety to the existing orchard, which dates back well over 100 years and contains a range of Cornish and commercial varieties. ‘The key thing’ he explained, is ensuring a connection between the cambium (layer just below the bark) of the rootstock and the scion wood (introduced variety)’.

The whip and tongue technique was used to establish a new variety - ‘Sweet society’, a small aromatic eater, whilst the cleft technique was shown as a way to develop a new tree on existing mature rootstock, where the stump is much wider than the scion. Participants were also shown methods for introducing different varieties into the same tree through frameworking, whereby some branches of the original tree are replaced with new ones – great for small gardens as cross pollination and a range of produce can be achieved from the same tree.

Andrew Tompsett Resilient orchards for resilient places and communities

Activities then moved to the Event’s Field, an area that many people visiting Tehidy for a Rogue Theatre performance will be familiar with as the parking area. Here, there is a plan to introduce more biodiversity and interest and planting the apple trees, kindly donated by Michelle, was a great step towards this.

Michelle introduced her community interest company Resilient Orchard Cornwall’s explaining that upskilling in orchard skills and repurposing even quite modest spaces in towns and villages for orchard growing can contribute not just to nature recovery, but also to the ability of people and communities to withstand pressures on our food supply system cheaply and equitably.

Cornish Gillyflower, a distinctive eater with reddish toned bark, were planted at entrances to the woodchip paths winding through the North Cliffs Plantation, acting as ‘natural waymarkers’. Underplanting with spring bulbs including narcissus, fritillaria and bluebell was added to provide a decoration of gem-colours.

The trees having been grafted on to wild rootstock from Tehidy demonstrate how orchards represent ongoing sustainability. Recycled bike tyre inner tubes were used to provide a flexible tie to diagonal stakes and an area at least 50cm diameter was mulched around the tree, providing an important barrier to competitive grasses and helping to retain moisture in the soil whilst the tree roots into the parent soil.

Michelle Lawson of Resilient Orchards Cornwall leads the planting demonstrations

The finished trees looking comfortable in their new home at Tehidy Country Park

For more family focused events at Tehidy, continue to check this page.

To find out more about Resilient Orchards Cornwall visit: https://www.resilientorchards.org.uk/blog/

If you are interested in volunteering at Tehidy Country Park, see upcoming sessions in our Key Dates section.

Do you want to find out more about how to graft, plant and care for apple trees?

Pop along to our free event on Friday 25th February. Details are found in the poster below, or in our Key Dates diary. All welcome!

IMPORTANT UPDATE

The statement issued from the Council after the order was considered was as follows: "The consultation into charging at Tehidy's three car parks is complete and we are not introducing charges in those car parks at this time".

The portfolio holder's initial repose to members recognised “how valuable this wonderful facility is for so many thousands of residents in Camborne, Illogan, Pool and Redruth. I do not want to put that at risk. Quite the opposite, I wish to see the facility and experience of the Country Park enhanced”.

UPDATE ENDS

Cornwall Council has today (14th February) opened a consultation inviting comments on a proposed amendment to its Parking Places Order, which governs the operation of its car parks.

If you have any comments, Cornwall Council would be grateful to receive them by 6th March; the advised methods are by email or post.

The consultation includes changes to a number of carparks across Cornwall and includes parking spaces at Tehidy Country Park.

All relevant documentation and contact details can be found at: Consultation details (engagespace.co.uk)

https://www.engagespace.co.uk/cornwall/consultation_Dtl.aspx?consult_Id=2077&status=2&criteria=I&DisplayMode=Docs