Hidden Cornwall Volunteers

Watchkeepers of the English Coastline at Cornwall's Rame Head

Sep 5, 2009 Lito Apostolakou

Spend some time with Cornwall's coastwatchers in Rame Head, one the hidden attractions of the English coastline.

The remote lookout at southeast Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula does not look like much: a whitewashed L-shaped low structure with the Union Jack flying on the roof and a beacon towering over it. Yet the two-man volunteer team of the National Coastwatch Institution, who were on watch on 18 August 2009, Paul Dodge and Bertie Jukes, provide a vital service and give the visitors the warmest of welcomes.

Rame Head, Hidden Cornwall Attractions

The dramatic western promontory of the Rame peninsula on England’s south-west coast is one of Cornwall’s hidden attractions. With the steep cliffs and sandy beaches of Whitsand Bay to the west, Rame Head offers clifftop and coastal walks, spectacular views of the English coastline and bird watching opportunities. It is also the location of one of 38 National Coastwatch Institution stations (figures valid in 2008) manned by watchkeeper volunteers.

Walking past the Watchkeepers station, the path leads to the remains of a typical Iron Age fort with panoramic sea views at both sides and after a short climb to a small slate building with windows and doors open to the wind, a medieval chapel of St Michael. In the 15th century a watchman was paid to maintain a beacon there.

National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) Volunteer Watchkeepers

Back from a bracing cliff top walk, the watchkeepers of the Coastwatch station welcome visitors of all ages who have the chance to see them at work and get to know the vital service they provide. The NCI is a voluntary organisation set up in 1994 relying on dedicated volunteers to keep a daylight watch of the coast. Their motto is Spot, Plot and Report. Their aim is to:

maintain continuous surveillance of the sea within their range of vision – visually and by using telescope and radar; monitoring the distress channel and listening in poor visibility for aircraft and cries for help.
log sightings of all vessels as well as aircraft, divers and walkers.
work closely with the Coastguard and the Search and Rescue Organisation and provide an emergency contact for hikers and coast users.

Watchkeepers are fully trained to a standard acceptable to HM Coastguard. The NCI is a registered charity and the individual stations rely heavily on the goodwill of local people to stay open.

Watchkeepers of Rame Head

The dedicated volunteers of the National Coastwatch Institution station at Rame Head make the visit of one of the attractions of hidden Cornwall an unforgettable experience. Visitors, children and adults, were allowed to use the telescope, spot vessels and see them appear on the radar and listen to exciting rescue stories. One feels that the English coastline with its vessels, wild life and people is all the more protected under the watchful eyes and listening ears of the watchkeepers.

The Rame Head lookout started on 2 May 1998 with 16 volunteers and today involves over 60 watchkeepers from the surrounding area. It is equipped with tripod-mounted binoculars of high magnification, a telescope and several pairs of personal binoculars. There are three VHF radios and a radar with a range of 36 miles. Rame Head is a self-supporting station.

Related Articles on Travel in Cornwall

Sources

Interview with Watchkeepers, Paul Dodge and Bertie Jukes, Rame Head Station, Cornwall, 18 August 2009.

“Rame Head”; “National Coastwatch Looking After You”; “What do watchkeepers do?” Information leaflets by National Coastwatch Institution, Registered Charity No. 1045645.

Cornwall AA Guide, 2007.

Cornwall's Archaeological Heritage website

The author wishes to thank Paul Dodge and Bertie Jukes for their help.

The copyright of the article Hidden Cornwall Volunteers in U.K./Ireland Travel is owned by Lito Apostolakou. Permission to republish Hidden Cornwall Volunteers in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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