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Cornwall Wildlife Trust launches their new boat.
Highlights: The second largest breeding colony in Cornwall of great black-backed gulls nests on the Island. This species is kleptoparasitic, meaning it will rob other sea birds of their catch as a means of obtaining food. The rat population is a constant threat to the nesting sea birds on the Island, predating on eggs and young. If the 19th century author Wilkie Collins is to be believed, rats were caught on the Island, 'smothered in onion' and 'eaten with vindictive relish by the people of Looe'.
Location and access: From Easter to September it is possible to get a boat to the Island from East Looe. The Island is home to a number of people - please respect their privacy. Boat times vary with the tide and the boat will not sail in bad weather. There is a charge for the crossing and a landing charge collected on the Island. From the landing point, there is a steep track up to a café/shop. (In certain conditions the boat moors at a small jetty, from which steps lead up to the cafe/shop.) There is a marked trail around the Island that takes in the chapel site at the highest point (150m). Some paths are closed in spring/early summer to minimise disturbance to nesting birds.
Grid reference: SX 255 515
For further details, please see the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website.
St George’s Island Marine Nature Reserve.
The Island is a marine nature reserve and the waters around it are teeming with life. It provides a quiet haven for wildlife, with a variety of habitats including woodland, maritime grassland, sand, shingle and rocky reef.Cornwall Wildlife Trust launches their new boat.
Highlights: The second largest breeding colony in Cornwall of great black-backed gulls nests on the Island. This species is kleptoparasitic, meaning it will rob other sea birds of their catch as a means of obtaining food. The rat population is a constant threat to the nesting sea birds on the Island, predating on eggs and young. If the 19th century author Wilkie Collins is to be believed, rats were caught on the Island, 'smothered in onion' and 'eaten with vindictive relish by the people of Looe'.
Location and access: From Easter to September it is possible to get a boat to the Island from East Looe. The Island is home to a number of people - please respect their privacy. Boat times vary with the tide and the boat will not sail in bad weather. There is a charge for the crossing and a landing charge collected on the Island. From the landing point, there is a steep track up to a café/shop. (In certain conditions the boat moors at a small jetty, from which steps lead up to the cafe/shop.) There is a marked trail around the Island that takes in the chapel site at the highest point (150m). Some paths are closed in spring/early summer to minimise disturbance to nesting birds.
Grid reference: SX 255 515
For further details, please see the Cornwall Wildlife Trust website.
These maps are intended as a guideline only; you must check the exact location of the reserve yourself. Wildlife Extra assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or usefulness of the information on this website.
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