Hayle is a small town on the north coast of Cornwall in the District of Penwith.

To the west it is about 4 miles to St. Ives, 7 to Penzance, and about 16 to Lands End.

To the east are Camborne and Redruth, and it is about 20 miles to Truro, Cornwall's only city.

In the middle of the last century Hayle was one of the most highly industrialised towns in Britain, boasting large metal foundries and ship building. These industries have now largely gone, but Hayle still has its harbour, from which a small fishing fleet operates.

There are at present very large redevelopment plans for the harbour area, including a considerable amount of new housing, and light industrial units, particularly for industries related to fishing.

The famous 'three miles of golden sand' that constitute Hayle beach, attract thousands of holidaymakers every year. The beach is excellent for swimming, safe for children, and, at one end, provides good surfing. Windsurfing and sand yachting championships are regularly held here.

At the far end is the magical Godrevy Island which was immortalised by Virginia Woolf in her novel To the Lighthouse.

Along King George's Walk (left) there are fine displays of subtropical plants.

On the harbourside is a beautiful wooden sculpture of a woman holding a fish (right).

It is the work of the late Max Barrett who donated it to the town.

The memorial to Rick epitomises the man. A huge slab of granite has been erected to represent a man who was large in every sense.

He was physically a big man. He had a huge personality. And he had vast reserves of courage and an overwhelming sense of loyalty and duty.

The representation of the American eagle was designed and produced in a foundry in Hayle. is used to