Barnaby Bear Visits Golant

	The road between Lostwithiel and Golant is sometimes not much more than a dirt track with grass growing through the tarmac. The landscape is very hilly - the road is very steep in places. Fortunately, Barnaby Bear didn't meet many cars coming the other way, because the road was very narrow. This is the shortest route, on a 'B' road - ther is a much easier road!
The village of Golant is at the bottom of a steep hill, and has 'grown' around the Fowey Estuary. What does the landscape tell you about people's jobs here?	This image copyright Golant.net and used with kind permission.	The main geographical features of Golant are human (man made) and physical (natural): the railway that carries china clay out of Cornwall, and the Fowey Estuary.

There are just over 200 people living in Golant. Most of the houses are built on the hill. There are several streets in Golant, but no street signs! You have to use the maps to find your way around.

Golant is at a very important area on the Fowey Esutary. In this area there are two confluences here. The Penpoll and the River Lerryn both join the Fowey here.

	The area in this photograph, on the east bank of the Fowey, is owned by the National Trust. This means that the beautiful landscape and wildlife are protected. This stretch of the River Fowey, and it's wildlife, was what inspired Kenneth Grahame to write The Wind in the Willows.
Because the area is protected and unpolluted, many birds, such as egrets, heron, kingfisher, oystercatchers and cormorant, live in this area. The valley in this photo is Penpoll Creek: the Penpoll's confluence with the Fowey.
	The valley in this photo is the confluence with the Lerryn. The River Lerryn is the Fowey's biggest tributary.

There are lots of boats moored in the estuary here. The estuary is an important part of Golant. In the carpark, Barnaby Bear found a map of the moorings. Because the map is for people in boats, it isn't really called a map, it's a chart.

Aerial photograph Golant.net and used with kind permission.

The photograph shows the same area that you can see in the chart. Most of the white dots are boats that are moored.

These boats are moored in "The Pill". That is the area between the railway line and the shore. The tide is out at the moment, but when the tide is in, the boats can sail under the bridge and out into the estuary. Can you see Barnaby Bear hiding in the boat?
	What clues does this photo give you about what jobs people might do here? Barnaby Bear is sitting on a slope - what do you think the slope is for?
Larger boats with motors are moored in The Pill, too. These boats help to provide work for a local man...
	...boats with engines need a special boat-engine-mechanic!
The boats also provide a job for a harbour master, or someone to make sure everything runs smoothly, and to organise the moorings.
	In areas like this, any emergency services need reliable vehicles that can cope with narrow lanes and rough terrain.
There are very small boats kept here just for pleasure too. The Fowey Canoe Club keep some of their canoes here.

Barnaby Bear has enjoyed his visit to Golant - he likes to find out interesting things about where people live. His next stop is in the town of Fowey, where the mouth of the River Fowey is.