Country diary: a swish and a splash lead me to a monster

St Agnes, Isles of Scilly: Giant gobies are the largest fish of their kind, found only in this far south-western extremity of the British Isles, for now at leastThe directions I've cobbled together read like a treasure quest: a tiny sun-baked island; unlikely-sounding rock formations; a sandy cove; granite pinnacles; a hidden pool.The turf is crispy with drought, and arrays of desiccated thrift vibrate like the wires of an arcane musical instrument whose bass is too low for me to pick up. Instead, I hear the incessant chirping of house sparrows - a soundscape of childhood, the audio equivalent of Kodacolor. There are gulls crying, too, and a stonechat chipping away in the gorse. Continue reading...