Eating pancakes has been common in Cornwall for a long time, but there are many other traditions special to Cornwall. Shrove Tuesday is one of the times of year that “triggin” is popular. Triggin is the collection of shellfish from the foreshores of beaches and rivers, in order to eat them. There are special rules for triggin, one being that no shellfish should be collected if it is smaller than a 20p piece. This stops people taking and eating very young shellfish that are needed for the future of the environment. Many kinds of shellfish can be collected, including mussels, whelks, cockles, oysters and even limpets.
Shrove Tuesday is also one of the dates for the game of hurling. This is much like a giant game of rugby, played with a silver-covered ball around the same size as a cricket ball. Hurling was once popular all over Cornwall, but is now found in only three places, including St Columb and St Ives.
