Big Buzz in a Cornish Valley... (and I'm not talking about bees!)

A warm welcome to my first blog! A taste of everything in my life - circus, performance, Cornwall, travel and anything that takes my fancy really! I hope you enjoy and follow me through this journey...

Quite unexpectedly today, I found myself returning to somewhere I spent a fair amount of time at when I was younger. Chyan Farm, near Penryn in Cornwall. For those of you who don’t know the space, it’s a farm where Swamp Circus do a lot of their work.

Upon arrival, you park at the top of the field and the view down into the valley is just beautiful - but what really catches your eye is the big top poking out of all the green. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen a similar sight, but it still ignites a spark of excitement in me.

And Chyan has certainly grown into a wonderful community since I was last there probably 13 years ago or so. It was before I had decided to really make circus my career. My Dad used to drop me off and pick me up on a Sunday morning. Commenting as ever that I was always the last out of class!! It was just one barn then. Now there are barns and buildings all over, all fitting in seamlessly with the beautiful surroundings.

I didn’t have a car then. Now I do and after a text from my training buddy I got into it and drove the narrow country roads to get to Chyan. And when I got there it was a hive of activity! They are running Easter circus activities and there was also the regular Tuesday circus school under way. People everywhere stretching, tumbling, hula hooping, juggling.

It was a really great atmosphere and I thoroughly enjoyed training there this morning. Out in the fresh air, the colours of the circus tent, and the buzz of people…some discovering for the first time the incomparable joy of learning circus. Just as I did 17 years ago now!!