Clay Pit

I completely forgot all about this explore until yesterday and managed to dig out (no pun intended! ) these photos of the clay pit before the excavation and subsequent building of the Eden Project. I thought it might be interesting to show what the site looked like then.
The Eden Project opened in March 2001, and I believe my visit was in early 1996, therefore would have been just before, or even in the early stages of the project, although I wasn't to know that at the time.
I only have a few photos, as it was an unexpected find on the way to somewhere else, and I was more interested in the landscape than the industrial side then. A few more pics in the gallery.
EDIT
Just found out that it wasn't the site of the Eden Project, after all. thanks to Weasel's reply later in the thread. My mistake...sorry about that!











Cheers
Foxy

Wow, how blue is that water?!! Really interesting to see what the place looked like before "the domes"! have you got any pics of Eden Project under construction?

Thanks Foxy

Lb

Lightbuoy;14087; said:

Wow, how blue is that water?!! Really interesting to see what the place looked like before "the domes"! have you got any pics of Eden Project under construction?

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Strangely enough, the pics don't do that colour justice. It was an amazing bright turquoise, quite unlike the colour of the sea, probably due to the clay? I meant to mention that in the thread (raging insomnia has turned my brain to mush today!). Also, the pics in the thread show only one part of the whole of the site. There are other lakes and mounds further along, some of which can be seen in the gallery pics.

Unfortunately I didn't get to visit there again, and didn't know about the Eden Project until it was almost done and dusted. It was one of those lucky circumstances that brought me there just at the right time, before it went.

Cheers Lb
Foxy

Weasel;14094; said:

I drove past it about 4 days ago, Its just after that village with the old chimney and clay spoil heaps in the background. The blue water is what drew me to it also.

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4 days ago? You mean it's still there? If so, then it obviously wasn't to be the site of the Eden Project and I've got it badly mixed up. Wow! Sorry about that folks. I thought there was only one clay pit area on the outskirts of St Austell, but there must have been more.

Actually, that's really good news as I thought it was rather neat landscape there, so it's good to know it hasn't gone to make way for the Eden Project (The Eden Project's brilliant, btw, and I'd recommend anyone to go if they get the opportunity).

It all makes sense now, too, as it took 6 years to build, and I knew that the very earliest I'd've visited was Spring 1996 (poss later - I'm a bit vague as to when ), yet there was no sign of it.

Again, my apologies for getting it mixed up, and thanks to you, Weasel, for putting me right. Any chance of being in the vicinity again, and if so can you get some more pics? Be great to see if you could, as I believe there were some buildings at the entrance of the site too, which I didn't get chance to look at.

Cheers
Foxy

Stunning photo`s looks like somewhere abroad, !! like it !!

Thanks foxy, that looks brilliant. Saw those old China clay mounds in 93 when we'd driven down from Paignton to visit my old Ents Manager at Duporth. Wondered what on earth they were, as id never seen them before (or since, thats the only time ive been down that way). Looks a little like moonlike surfaces etc. another reason i want to get down cornwall way. some stunning shots.

Cheers foxy

Sal

staffordshireranger;14102; said:

Stunning photo`s looks like somewhere abroad, !! like it !!

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Cheers Steve,
I might tack another pic on the end of this thread tomorrow; nothing to do with exploring, but one which really does look like the Med...and it's only up the road from here!

Cheers
Foxy

King Al;14158; said:

I really want to go and swim around in that water, but I bet there’s a whole array dangerous spiky things in there though

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Probably a whole new clayoid ecosystem!

Foxylady;14159; said:

Probably a whole new clayoid ecosystem!

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Take me to your leader, I could the king of the clay

King Al;14160; said:

Take me to your leader, I could the king of the clay

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Ha Ha Ha! I can imagine a whole bunch of little clay-forms bowing down and chanting: 'Hail to King Al'.