England Guide
Devon and Cornwall
St Austell
The main reason for visiting the otherwise fairly unexciting town of ST AUSTELL is for access to the spectacular Eden Project. Housed in a disused china clay quarry 4 miles out of town, the hugely popular "green theme park" explores humandkind's relationship with plants and is Cornwall's biggest attraction. St Austell's nearest link to the sea is at Charlestown, an easy downhill walk from the centre of town. This unspoilt port is still used for china clay shipments, and provides a backdrop for the location filming that frequently takes place here.
It was the discovery of china clay, or kaolin, in the downs to the north of St Austell Bay that spurred the area's growth in the eighteenth century. An essential ingredient in the production of porcelain, kaolin had until then only been produced in northern China. Still a vital part of Cornwall's economy, the clay is now mostly exported for use in the manufacture of paper, as well as paint and medicines. The conical spoil heaps left by the mines are a feature of the local landscape, the great green and white mounds making an eerie sight.
The Eden Project
Opening time: April– Oct daily 9.15am–6pm, may close later late July to early Sept; Nov– March Mon– Thurs 10am–4.30pm, Fri & Sat 10am–9pm, Sun 10am–6pm; last entry 90min before closing
Price: £14; £4 reduction for walkers and cyclists
Address: 4 miles northeast of St Austell (buses #T9, #27B (Sun only) and #527 from St Austell station or #527 (and #T10 in summer) from Newquay)
Website: www.edenproject.com
Cornwall's highest-profile attraction, the Eden Project, showcases the diversity of the planet's plant life in an imaginative, sometimes wacky, but refreshingly ungimmicky style. It occupies a 160-foot-deep crater in a disused clay pit, its awesome scale only apparent once you have passed the entrance at its lip. The whole site is stunningly landscaped with an array of various crops and flowerbeds, but at centre stage are the geodesic "biomes" – vast conservatories made up of eco-friendly Teflon-coated, hexagonal panels. One biome holds groves of olive and citrus trees, cacti and other plants more usually found in the warm, temperate zones of the Mediterranean, southern Africa and southwestern USA, while the larger one contains plants from the tropics, including teak and mahogany trees, and there's a waterfall and river gushing through. Plans are afoot to add a third biome, using cutting-edge design and technology, dedicated to the warm desert regions and the impact of climate change. Equally impressive are the external grounds, where plantations of bamboo, tea, hops, hemp and tobacco are interspersed with brilliant swathes of flowers. The whole "living theatre" presents a constantly changing spectacle, and should ideally be visited in different seasons.
Allow at least half a day for a full exploration, but arrive early to avoid congestion. In summer, the grassy arena sees performances of a range of music – from Peter Gabriel to Hot Chip – and in winter a skating rink is set up.