Goonhilly Downs
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Goonhilly Downs
|
|
 Location within Cornwall
|
|
| Area of Search | Cornwall |
|---|---|
| Grid reference | SW720200 |
| Coordinates | 50°02′22″N 5°10′15″W / 50.0394°N 5.1709°WCoordinates: 50°02′22″N 5°10′15″W / 50.0394°N 5.1709°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 1,271 hectares (12.7 km2; 4.91 sq mi) |
| Notification | 1951 |
| Natural England website | |
Goonhilly Downs is a Site of Special Scientific Interest that forms a raised plateau in the central western area of the Lizard Peninsula in Cornwall, England, UK. Situated just south of Helston and the Naval Air Station at Culdrose, it is famous for its Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station, the largest in the world. The large satellite dishes are an iconic landmark, and can be seen for miles.
Goonhilly Downs is now also home to a 12 MW wind farm consisting of six two MW wind turbines and a tourist attraction called Cornish Camels.
The downs themselves are an area of sparse heathland, based on serpentinite geology. This is home to rare plants, such as the Cornish heath, which has been adopted as the county flower.
A menhir can be found on the downs, near the BT site.
A couple of miles west of the BT site is another SSSI and nature reserve, owned and managed by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust. This reserve is prime Cornish heath (Erica vagans) with ponds and willow fen. Early Bronze Age barrows are present and there are several ancient 'turf-hut' circles. There are remains of buildings which were part of RAF Dry TREE and later RAF Trelanvean, used during the Second World War. Both adders and stonechats are commonly sighted here.
...
Wikipedia