After more than ten years, we decided to make a return visit to The Eden Project. We arrive early and are directed to Lime 1 car park, which is nearer to the entrance than some. We walk down to the entrance and wave our annual passes, which were the same price as a single in advance ticket. Last time I came, I qualified for reduced student status entry. We wander round the pathways surrounding by a stunning variety of plants. The round the world allotments are fascinating, each growing vegetables that feature in a different international cuisine, that is now represented in the British cultural mix.

Next it was time to enter the biomes. This is the nearest I am going to get to the tropical rainforest. Perhaps it is because there is less contrast with today’s outside temperature but it doesn’t seem to be as unpleasantly hot as we remember from our previous visit. I spend some time trying to photograph the roul roul. These are birds that live in the biome in order to control the insects. They all seemed to travel in pairs and some had chicks. The photography was tricky for several reasons. These little, quail-like birds never keep still, continually making a backward scratching motion with their feet, presumably hoping to bring insects to the surface. They also like to shelter under the leaves, making it quite dark and using flash was not appropriate. My cheap camera is really not up to this. We climb the aerial walkways but pass on the very highest look-out. We then move to the Mediterranean biome, a foretaste of our upcoming holiday.

There is a building called The Core, which I think was being constructed last time we were here. This includes some art installations that I am not sure I fully appreciate. Infinity Blue, billed as a breathing sculpture, is however fascinating. Periodically, it huffs out smoke from apertures around it’s twenty-five foot high form. More not hugely successful photographic attempts ensue, as I try to capture the smoke rings.

I climb round a grassy area to photograph some wild flowers. It is only on my way back past a barrier that I spot the sign that reads no admittance – oops. The whole regeneration concept of Eden appeals to me. It is sited in a former quarry, a legacy of the china clay trade. I would like to see a bit more of the history represented but the use of the site as a way of ‘promoting the understanding and responsible management of the vital relationship between plants, people and resources leading to a sustainable future for all’, is admirable. Being a former quarry, the site is decidedly slopey and we have done our fair share of walking up and down hills over the past few days. We decide to head back to the car, especially as there are black clouds looming. We wander up, we wander down. There are helpful signs directing us to various parts of the site. None seem to indicate the way out. Shades of Glendurgan once again; are we trapped here forever? It seems not and evetually we are on our way.

On our outward journey we passed through Luxulyan. I have Cornish ancestors; much of this part of my family history has had little attention for more than forty years but Luxulyan rings a bell. We stop off so I can take a quick photograph just in case. The rain comes to nothing and I take a look at my Cornish ancestry in preparation for a tour round some ancestral parishes in a few days’ time. I may have made a minor breakthrough.