St Gothian Sands Local Nature Reserve As the seasons change, look out for the Welcome to the Towans - following wildlife in this part of the towans: St Gothian Sands’ Industrial past Towans a’gas Dynnergh Spring The Red River enters the sea at the Gwithian From the Cornish ‘Tewyn’, meaning ‘sand From early March, flocks of sand beach. It gets its name from mineral waste dune’, the towans between Hayle and martins, with swallows and house associated with tin mining in the Camborne/ Gwithian make up Cornwall’s second martins can be seen skimming over Redruth area. In the late 19th century, deposits of tin ore were extracted from the beach sand largest sand dune ecosystem, extending the water in the main lagoon. These Cinnabar moth migrants have just returned from over- and processed on site. Horses and carts were for around 400 hectares. The famous Photo Credit: David Chapman wintering in Africa. used to transport the sand as well as buckets beaches of St Ives Bay lying below you Stonechat Skylark suspended on wires attached to pylons which provide a continuous supply of sand to Wheatears have also come back - were bedded in concrete blocks and can still these are easily viewed on the open maintain these dunes. St Gothian Sands Key be seen. dune grasslands around the edge of Path NORTH the lagoon. Track St Gothian Sands – Ownership and Minor road National Trust Fencing P car park Moorhen explanation of name Power lines Electricity station Concrete blocks (tin streaming) (tin streaming) Formerly known as Gwithian Sandpit, this area Sand areas Autumn was a focus for gravel and sand extraction Sand areas with stone Many waders and waterfowl visit Marram grass for many years- for agriculture and building – Chimney St Gothian Sands on their autumn Scale until Cornwall Council took over the ownership 100m migration south for the winter. and management of the area in 2003. It was Portreath Look out for waders such as dunlin designated as a Local Nature Reserve in along the waters’ edge. 2005. One of the key features is an artificial RED RIVER Wheal (LNR) lagoon created by the removal of sand. Confi dence Bund Winter The site was renamed after the Medieval St Wildlife Sanctuary Gothian’s Oratory which was located in the Wintering gulls, geese and ducks There are the remains of an engine house on the beach connected to a chimney below Wildlife the electricity station, probably part of Wheal Confidence according to documents House Martin dunes to the east. Sanctuary visit the lagoon in larger numbers from 1831. during winter. Quite a number Summer of scarce species have been Coastal dynamics A number of birds breed successfully in recorded, such as little gull, ring- The large bank behind the beach, running the main sanctuary area. Have a look billed gull and scaup, so the larger B3301 south from the Red River is in fact artificial, for young mallards, Canada geese, flocks are always worth a careful placed here to protect the site while extraction South West Coast path Key moorhens and shelduck. scan. Main roads Minor roads took place. P Sewage Resident stonechats are quite Access roads A colony of sand martins nests in works South West Coast Path Access to beach On high tides and in winter storms, sea water NORTH AONB You obvious during winter, flitting SSSI Site Of Special Scientifi c Interest the sand cliff on the eastern side of are is already moving inland behind the lower here LNR Local Nature Reserve the lagoon. between bramble or gorse perches AONB Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty section of this bank. In time, it is expected that GODREVY TOWANS or foraging on the ground. (SSSI) The adjacent towans south of the P much of the bund will erode away, causing tidal Area of the towans High dunes Several large clumps of sharp rush Portreath or saline habitats to develop behind them. lagoon become a riot of colour as described on this board Red River ST GOTHIAN many plants flower now. Look out for can been easily seen beside the SANDS This will introduce further valuable habitat (LNR) Strap Rocks path near to the roadside entrance. GWITHIAN swathes of yellow bird’s-foot trefoil Churchtown road diversity, and should be encouraged whenever GREEN (LNR) Chalets GWITHIAN This plant is nationally scarce and along with numerous pink flowers of Ceres Rock possible, although movement of features such GREEN P Gwithian pyramidal orchid. (LNR) only occurs in two places in west Church as paths will need to be carefully planned. GWITHIAN Cornwall. TOWANS Prosper Hill (SSSI/LNR) St Ives lane Sunny days at this time of year fill the Holiday Peter’s Point P air with butterflies and day flying moths. Park Green lane Wildlife Look out for the black and red six spot This area of the Towans lies next to the Burnet moth and the beautiful Silver Gwithian Village UPTON TOWANS Gwithian to Mexico Towans Site of Special studded Blue butterfly. The latter (SSSI/LNR) Chimney Scientific Interest(SSSI) meaning the area is species has one of its biggest nationally important for wildlife. P Upton populations in the country on Look after yourself and the wildlife A30 Camborne Several areas were fenced-off when the the Hayle to Gwithian dunes, PHILLACK B3301 Black TOWANS LOGGAN’S Cliff (SSSI) MOOR LNR was established, in order to provide and St Gothian Sands provides • Adders are quite common. • If you are walking a dog, ensure you pick (SSSI) MEXICO TOWANS sanctuaries away from disturbance by dogs a vital ‘bridge’ linking to the They normally feel the vibration of up after it - other visitors will not welcome Loggans road (SSSI) Phillack your feet and move away before you the dung, and it also causes changes to the Church and humans. population on Godrevy Towans HAYLE see them, but in early spring take rare vegetation. TOWANS P to the north. Churchtown road The sand dune areas of Cornwall contain special care as they may be slower to COPPERHOUSE • Be careful not to step in a rabbit hole and POOL (SSSI) move away. B3301 calcareous soil containing lime-rich shell Overhead, skylarks will be singing. P take more care in any steep or eroding SCALE The towans holds good numbers Bird’s foot trefoil 1KM sand. This allows about 300 different species • Don’t drop litter or light barbeques on dunes, as the ground may give way. Hayle the dunes - as well as being unsightly, of vascular plants to occur- a fifth of all plant of these declining ground-nesting A30 remains can injure wildlife and vegetation. • Motorbikes and bikes are not Hayle by-pass species found in Cornwall growing on 2% of birds. Keep your dog under closer permitted on the Towans. Funding for this board was kindly St Ives Penzance the total land area. control during these months to reduce provided by the Gwinear-Gwithian St Ives Sustainable Community Fund disturbance. Silver-studded Blue Pyramidal Orchid Designed and produced by Nature Signs. 01271 812301 www.naturesigns.co.uk.