Gribben Head facts for kids
Gribbin Head is a cool headland on the south coast of Cornwall, England. A headland is a piece of land that sticks out into the sea. It's owned and looked after by the National Trust, a group that protects special places. Gribbin Head separates two important areas: St Austell Bay and the estuary of the River Fowey. You can spot it easily because it has a tall tower that helps ships find their way to nearby harbours. The closest town to Gribbin Head is Fowey. The western tip of this headland is called Little Gribbin.
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Exploring Gribbin Head
Gribbin Head is the most southern part of the Fowey area. If you look west across St Austell Bay, you'll see a small village called Polkerris. Beyond Polkerris is the harbour at Par. To the east of Gribbin Head is Polridmouth cove. This cove leads to the Fowey estuary, where the town of Fowey itself is located.
Inland from Gribbin Head, to the north, is the Menabilly estate. This estate was built for the Rashleigh family. Later, it became the home of the famous author Daphne du Maurier.
A Special Natural Area
Gribbin Head is about 75 meters (246 feet) high. It is part of the South Coast (eastern) section of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This means it's a very special place with beautiful scenery. The South West Coast Path is a long walking trail. It goes all around Gribbin Head on its journey from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset.
The Gribbin Tower
The Gribbin Tower is a tall, square beacon tower. It is about 84 feet (26 meters) high. It was built in 1832 by Trinity House. Trinity House is an organization that helps keep ships safe at sea. The tower's job was to help sailors tell Gribbin Head apart from other points like Dodman Point and St Anthony Head. This made it much safer for ships to enter Fowey and the harbours in St Austell Bay.
What is a Daymark?
The Gribbin Tower was never lit up like a lighthouse. Instead, it is painted with wide red and white stripes. This makes it a "daymark." A daymark is a special marker that helps ships navigate during the daytime. Since 1974, the tower has been a Grade II Listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Wildlife and Nature at Gribbin Head
Gribbin Head was once part of the Menabilly Estate. It was owned by the Rashleigh family. In 1967, cows stopped grazing on the land. Because of this, the headland started to become covered in thick bushes, called scrub.
Protecting the Environment
Since 1988, the National Trust has been working to remove the scrub. They have also brought back cows to graze the land. These cows are owned by a local farmer. This helps the land stay healthy. Now, around the tower, you can find a grassland full of different herbs. This includes beautiful early purple orchids.
The Rashleigh family also planted two small woodlands on the headland. They did this to provide cover for game animals. In the spring, the ground in these woods is covered with ramsons, also known as wild garlic, and other lovely flowering plants. The woodland on the eastern side is quite rare. It is a coastal elm woodland, which means it has elm trees growing close to the sea.
