Summer of 23 - UK Tour - Eden Project

Wednesday May 31st, 2023 

Our next day out was to the Eden Project.

Taken from their website:

"Our home in Cornwall used to be a barren landscape - a former clay mine with no soil or plants.  We transformed this huge crater into a beautiful global garden, which sets the stage for an extraordinary day out where you'll rediscover the natural world as you've never experienced it before.

Explore massive covered Biomes to trek through one of the world's largest indoor rainforests and immerse yourself in the calm fragrance of the Mediterranean Biome.   Enjoy extensive Outdoor Gardens, contemporary artworks, performance and storytelling.  Discover places to rest, play and eat, and pick up inspiring ideas to take home on how to care for the planet that cares for you."

Biomes

We took our pictures in front of the Biomes.

There was a zipline that you could pay to go over the biome and surrounding countryside. I managed to get the picture below and one as they went overhead above the Mediterranean Biome while we were in there.

There were many creative sculptures!!

The trees being trained

Lillies

Foxgloves?

Metal Bee

We went into the Rainforest Biome first.  Click the link for more information.

This recreated "the humid tropics from tropical islands to SE Asia, and West Africa to tropical South America."

There was a walkway above which gave views looking over the Biome. We would have loved to walk that but knew our walking/climbing limitations. 

Old tyres reused for seating.  Loved this idea!!

Yes I used English spelling above. I do still remember the differences!!

We bought some lunch and had a rest before going into the next Biome.

Next was the Mediterranean Biome. Click HERE for more information.

This recreated the Mediterranean, California, South Africa and Western Australia and the sun!!!

Create a picture

I managed to get another picture of the zipliners as they went over the biome. Sorry it's not the clearest but was the best I could do!!!  They moved very quickly!!!

For more information about the Rights of Dionysus click HERE.  I liked this area but I'm not sure why. It intrigued me!!

Tim                

Dionysus, Greek God of the Vines

Cafe

That was the end of the Mediterranean Biome.  

Both Biomes were fascinating.  It's difficult to choose one over the other. I preferred this one, always sun over rain!! However, I loved the water features in the Rainforest. Bryan preferred the Rainforest.

We started our trek back towards the entrance.

There was a school band playing in the Outdoor Theatre and we stopped and listened for a while but we were really tired by now, and we still had to walk uphill back to the entrance!!!

Outdoor Theatre

Fortunately there was a couple of benches along the way and we stopped at one for a short rest.

"Artist Heather Jansch created these life-sized horse foals from two different materials: one is made from carefully chosen pieces of driftwood found on the beach, the other is a bronze cast.  Our original, much-loved driftwood horse, which usually stands at this spot, has grown so fragile that it is currently at the foundry being cast in bronze too, so that it's immortalised forever. It will be back..."

Bronze & Driftwood Horses

On that note we finished our day at the Eden Project. It was interesting but not entirely what I was expecting.  I think it's an excellent place for children, as they can learn so much from different displays and interactive things to do. It was a little too much walking for us, maybe we're getting old or because we were still recovering from Covid, we will never know.