Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The historic sluice gates  that used to be under the Swing Bridge in Copperhouse Pool Hayle, replaced by the current Flood Prevention gate many years ago were found buried near the Harbour Office during works on the new North Quay road and infrastructure.
They have been stored on North Quay while a use for them has been sought, but time is almost up, no-one has a use for them and they will soon have to be cut up into manageable pieces and disposed of.

The gates (pictured here on a foggy day in 1971)  were used for many years as part of the sluicing system of Hayle harbour to keep the navigation ways safe and clear for coastal shipping trade.
The gates would be a challenge to move as they are quite a size, unwieldy and 11 tons each!

UPDATE! After a fair bit of debate and a close vote Hayle Town Council agreed to have the sluice gates sited as a "feature" on King George V Memorial Walk, where they will be part of a permanant display with  planting and an information board.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013



Work is underway restoring the footpath and historic rail bridge along the old railway line across Wilson's Pool, connecting the eastern end of King George V Memorial Walk to Lethlean Lane and Hayle Recreation Ground.

Years of half hearted 'maintenance' by the old District/County councils have seen it "grown in" so the actual path dwindled to about 12-18 inches (30-45cm) in places, with scrub int
ruding from the sides, and parts of the embankment broken down to allow easy access to the reed beds and salt marsh.

Wilson's pool is actually part of the "Hayle and Carrick Gladden SSSI" (Site of Special Scientific Interest) , and Hayle Town Council who own the actual path/rail track have been in negotiations with Natural England who administer the SSSI, and other environmental and heritage agencies and bodies to get all the necessary permissions to go ahead.

The project is actually a Hayle Town Council "Jubilee Project" but was delayed until now to avoid the main bird nesting seasons, bird migration times, and mammal breeding seasons, but it is still called the Jubilee Walk project.

The path will be as wide as possible, with a ground stone surface of the type used for local and National joint use "Cycle and Pedestrian" paths, with excellent access for wheelchair disabled and pushchair family users.

It is hoped users will be encouraged to stay on the path and not stray onto the SSSI and we hope and encourage English Nature, RSPB and Mining Heritage bodies to consider educational and explanatory signs and interpretation boards.

It is hoped as well that the open aspect of the renovated path with prove a discouragement to under age drinking and other antisocial behaviour that has blighted this path in past years
.