“I was born in South East London, and lived in the suburbs of Kent. I Joined the army when I was 21 and came out when I was 28. I always used to come down the west country for holidays, so I’ve always had a love for it. I spent 6 and a half years in the army, and saw a lot. Nearly got eaten by a pride of lions, It was one of the many times God’s come into my life. I got a 5 and a half year prison sentence for the importation of drugs from Jamaica, again God found me there. Didn’t get into too much trouble while I was in jail. then I come out and I get back into drugs again. Thats when God sent Norman. He said I should come down to church, and I said nah, the don’t want me up there. But they did, and I’ve loved it ever since. I’ve been surfing for thirty years. Down here I was part of this hedonistic crew of surfers… I went out surfing with a couple of good guys, big wave surfers, lifeguards. This one wave come up and it just stopped - It... (read more)

A working harbour just outside St Austell.

“I came down here over 40 years ago, to get away from school. I’ve been down every summer since. But now I’m retired I have a bit more time. My parents were Welsh, born and bred Welsh speaking, I was born and bred Welsh speaking in London. I worked in London for 20 years, then out of London for another 15 years as a P.E teacher. The intriguing thing about the sort of music I do is the lyric, it’s the story. I’m not into ‘pop culture’, If the lyrics are inaudible, I’m thinking why the heck are you bothering? You know? If the story’s interesting, and most of the stories are based on fact, some may have political or social comment in them. After retirement I got fed up of going to the Mediterranean. I found the weather was becoming too hot. I’d had enough of that, and when I was in spain I didn’t have a second language there, I was OK in france, but I just thought I’ll stay in the British Isles, so I moved around a bit and finished up in Bude, and then some people from here came to Bude to hear me. They... (read more)

“I was the last principle keeper here at Pendeen lighthouse. I was here from ‘92 till ‘95, and then I stayed on here as the attendant until 2005. Since which time its been fully automated. It was inevitable, the technology was there, so it was gonna happen, but it was the end of a way of life for all of the keepers. It was a very big part of Cornwall, there were quite a few Cornish keepers, and quite a few Cornish lights. I came out of the forces in 91 and moved down here, joined Trinity House in the mid 70’s and been here ever since. My relationship to Cornwall is very much in the landscape. It’s a bit late in life for me now, but I couldn’t see myself living anywhere else. I shall stay here, and hopefully be carried out in a box. I remember we were on Bishop Rock lighthouse for the Christmas and New Year period, 89. We had a bit of bad weather. We got hit by a heavy sea. And the tower trembled, and it trembled for three or four seconds, but we got hit by a second sea virtually immediately after. It... (read more)

“I moved from a village on the outskirts of Exeter five years ago and I can’t wait to go back. I came with the intention of doing up a house and selling it on, but then couldn’t shift it. I spend half my time on the A30 to go back to see family, and to watch the football. The problem here is there’s no real community. Eighty percent of the houses are second homes or holiday lets, and I’d say twenty fiver percent of my round is empty second homes. They’re saying the local school will be closed within 2 years because there arent enough kids to fill it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a beautiful place, and the locals are very friendly. I have a good laugh with them, but the rest of the population here don’t really give much back to the community. They have no idea what village life should look like.”

Allen's Shaft was created after they re-opened Botallack Mine in the 1980's, but closed soon after as the price of tin plummeted and the mining industry collapsed.

“I’m from Polzeath, born and bred just up on the hill. This is my eigth season lifeguarding, but I’ve been involved in it for my whole life, my Dad was a lifeguard and I’ve been part of the Polzeath surf lifesaving club since I was four years old. I’ve always been in a beach environment. I’m a very water based person. The whole place, especially these days is centred around surfing and watersports. If I wasn’t living here I probably wouldn’t of done any of the stuff that I’ve done, If you know what I mean? It’s hard to get into surfing properly if you haven’t been brought up and lived around it all your life. I was at uni in Swansea for three years, so I had kind of the city and the surf there, and I still always wanted to come home. I’ve even done a season out in Australia, and still wanted to come home, the weather was nice... But I still wanted to come home. It’s a very relaxed way of living. No real hustle and bustle at all, yeah it does get busy and everything in the Summer, but it’s very slow paced in reality... (read more)

“I’m originally from Stroud, but I live in Penzance at the minute with my Mum and my Sister. I’m a student at Truro college, and I work in Mousehole. I’m studying to do psychology, geography and world development at the moment. I want to move away definitely, it doesn’t feel like theres much down here for me but I may come back one day. I wanna travel.”

Goonhilly's large satellite dish's contrast the sparse, natural landscape of the Lizard. It was at one point one the largest satellite earth station in the world. It remains a landmark in Cornish landscape and heritage, and can be seen for miles around.

“Been here for about 6 years now, everybody calls me ‘Denzel’ cos I’m stupid as he is, or at least everybody tells me so! I come down here every day, just walking around y’know. I’ve always been a long distance lorry driver all over Europe, been everywhere for my job. Then I joined the post office, but then I was medically outed from them after fourteen years cos I ripped all this shoulder out. So I became medically retired and I have been retired since... Well for eleven years now. Lost me job, lost everything. I loved me job see, driving big articulated lorries. But thats my life, I’m happy. The only thing I got is a misses that gives me hell! Thats the only trouble! Yeah born in Cornwall, born down near Redruth, lovely, yeah. But a job took me into Devon, in Tavistock and I said one day I’ll go back to Cornwall, so thats what I did. Back up Harrowbarrow, bought a little house up there, cos I don’t like new houses at all, I like old houses like y’know, with beams in them. It’s good it is, lovely really. I love it. I’d die for ‘em... (read more)