The Eden Project

Today we only planned one activity – to visit the Eden Project.  This is an incredible labour love by many hundreds over the years, transforming the barren pit left over from mining for kaolin into an amazing series of gardens, including two massive ‘biomes’ that mimic the rainforest and the Mediterranean respectively. 

We arrived at Eden at about 10.45am, after a leisurely (and delicious) breakfast at our b & b.  We wondered where the gardens were, as we have seen pictures and knew about the biomes.  They are huge – surely we would be able to see them by the time we parked the car?  Actually, no.  They really are right down in the pit and the top of the tallest bubble does not rise above the edges of the old clay pit.  This is saying something as that bubble is 55m tall at its highest point.

 

They have really done a fantastic job here.  We spent the first hour or so strolling around the gardens that are outside.  The grounds are huge and they have done all sorts of creative planting. There are also extensive vegetable gardens where they try to grow all of the veges that they need to feed the masses of people that visit there each day.  One thing we thought was really interesting – in the South American bed there is a root crop called ‘oca’, and apparently the only country to really cultivate it outside South America is New Zealand.  On inspection of the actual plant, it turned out to be yams. Yum.

Our next stop was the Eden Canteen and despite all the amazing looking food on offer we only had coffee (breakfast was too good).  Then it was on to the Mediterranean Biome.  This is really designed to represent a number of arid parts of the world, having gardens that mimic the Mediterranean, South Africa and California.  We have to be honest and say that we never saw gardens like that actually in California!  Near the entry they had a small café with the biggest wok I have ever seen containing a tomato chickpea dish that smelled amazing and was made from the produce of the biome.  We still weren’t hungry though so we just appreciated the aoma before moving on.

From here we went into the Rainforest Biome.  This place is huge and takes over an hour to appreciate properly.  It is of course very warm and humid, and as we were dressed for the English spring, we were soon far too hot (jeans, singlets and t-shirts in 27° heat and 74% humidity!).  We were undaunted however, and not only did we wander the whole forest, we climbed the 162 steps into the very top of the dome to see out over the whole domain.  It was truly spectacular, although even more hot and humid!  On the way out there was a stand selling baobab smoothies, made with baobab and pineapple juices mixed with coconut milk.  Very cold and very delicious!  They certainly know how to target the market there.

On returning to the welcome cool spring air outside, there were still plenty of outdoor gardens to admire.  They have been so creative, and the different areas showcase what is possible with even the most barren starting point. 

On the way home we thought that we would detour through St Austell.  As we were approaching St Austell there were signs to the St Austell Brewery.  I took this as a sign and followed them.  Unfortunately, the brewery wasn't open on a Sunday.  Not to be deterred, we went into St Austell and discovered the Hop & Vine pub.  I was able to have a St Austell brewery beer anyway.

After this we headed back to cook our dinner in the kitchen in our b & b suite and spend the evening catching up with our blogging and emails.  It doesn’t take long to fall behind!

Tasting notes: 

At the Hop & Vine in St Austell I had an HSD (or Hicks Special Draught) from St Austell's Brewery. Another real ale and quite smooth and creamy.