It seems our paddlers are not the only mammals that enjoy a wild swim on the Helford! Yesterday our SUP guide Emma and the SUpers spotted a deer swimming in the river. It's not the first time we've seen a deer crossing the river. Our boatman Roger, from Helford River Cruises spotted one around the same date as last year. We had no idea until recently that these deer have been inhabiting the Helford since the 1500s, in Merthern Wood, Merthern Wood is an ancient coppiced oak woodland and a of Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Stretching for two kilometres along the north shore of the Helford, it sits between the main river and Polwheveral Creek, and is one of the largest remaining oak woodlands in Cornwall. There is no public access to the wood, but it can be enjoyed from the river. Thanks for the info Helford River Marine Conservation. We always thought it looked like a haven for wildlife, with no humans and a mass of woodland who knows what else might be lurking in there!
