33 Photos: A Circular Walk Based On Gover Valley, St.Austell, Cornwall

A different sort of Cornish walk today, with no beautiful beaches or cliffs! Instead the 33 photos will take you on a circular walk starting in Gover Valley, St.Austell and through some of the old china clay district.

The walk starts in Gover Road, St.Austell. There are usually several places to park a car. Walk up the road to the viaduct and you are then properly in Gover Valley.

The London to Penzance train travels over the viaduct. There is greenery while you walk.

The first sign of any industry from the past is the large chimney on the right hand side of the road.

There are a few cottages and also an old chapel has been converted into living accommodation.

The track is in reasonably good shape and the occasional car might be seen.

More china clay workings to the left of the road.

Another photo below of the track.

You'll pass a pleasant house tucked away ...

... and they have put up an old road sign just in case you get lost!

A small stream follows the valley.

There are some more china clay workings on the right hand side of the track.

There is a sign that directs walkers to to the left for a shorter walk but we go straight on ...

... and avoid going over the wooden bridge.

The path gets stonier.



Many of the trees are covered in moss because of the dampness of the valley.

The path gets narrower still.

To the right it's now possible to get a clear view of the countryside. The hills are the waste product from the china clay industry - but nature is taking them over.

The same clay hills but a closer photo.

At last the path leads to a road, with a wind turbine nearly hidden away. The road is very little used - we saw no cars or other vehicles as we walked. 

We walk left from here along the road, until we can get on to a footpath.

There are china clay settling tanks to the right of the road.

The views on the left show green fields.

It's also possible to see the sea! Unfortunately it was quite misty when we walked - but you can still make out Gribbin Head with it's tower.

The road forks, take the left fork and you'll see the Public Footpath sign. It may look like you are heading onto someone's private property but this is a legal footpath. A lovely new house is being built with glorious views.

We pass what I presume was once a farm house.

The footpath is quite green, which shows that not many people walk this way.

There are views over the countryside 

... and we keep following the path.

Eventually we reach some houses where we have to turn left down Trevanion Hill. It's a proper road but there is only room for one car - so can cause a problem if two cars meet!

We head down Trevanion Hill and there is a spot on the right where we can see the Gover Valley and its viaduct.

Across the far side of the valley there is a farm with a few animals.

It's quite a drop going down the hill - but much easier than walking up the hill!

We arrive at the last photo and can see the chimney we saw in the fourth photo. We head down to the bottom of the hill, turn right and we are back where we started. Another walk completed. I think it took us about two and a quarter hours.

A Meal at the Pier House, Charlestown and lots of Flowers

It was my wife's birthday and in the evening eight of us went for a meal at the Pier House, Charlestown. A good time was had by all! 

There are photos of Charlestown harbour on my post Charlestown Harbour on a Sunshine Morning

The roses were received by wife. The pink and white ones were perhaps past their best when I took the photo ...

... but the yellow roses were perfect...

... as was the orchid.

There is generally a bit of colour about now. The following three photos were taken this morning as we walked to a local shop.

And, as usual, there is a nice display of bluebells in Kings Wood, Pentewan - below. The bluebells above were in a garden we passed.

A Walk At Lerryn, Cornwall With River and Country Views, Woods and a Church With Celtic Crosses

There is a very pleasant walk from Lerryn, Cornwall which takes in river and country views, woods

and a church with Celtic crosses.

We parked our car at Lerryn and crossed the River Lerryn using the stepping stones (right) - this can only be done when the tide is low as the river is tidal. The alternative is to use the 500+ year old  bridge as per the photo at the top of the post.

Once to the other side. it's initially just a matter of following the path alongside the river.

The path soon ends and into the woods we go, still easy going. I guess the total length of the walk is just over five miles.

As the path through the woods steepens there are lovely views over the river (below).

As the woods fade away we have to hop, well climb, over the style and into a farmer's fields. 

There are often cows or other animals roaming about but this is a public right of way, so they no doubt get used to walkers.

We leave the River Lerryn behind as it becomes the River Fowey but continue walking along the bank as we are nearly at St.Winnow.

We reach St.Winnow and head into the church where there are some lovely examples of Celtic crosses.

 St.Winnow Church was founded in the 7th century and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

St.Winnow, or St. Winnoc, was an evangelist who set up many churches and died around 717 AD. The church tower was most likely added in the 15th century.

The church itself found a fame back in the mid to late 1970s when it featured in the first series of television's Poldark,  based on the books by Winston Graham, which were  set in Cornwall in the 1700s.

When following this walk we often sit for a while in the churchyard. It's pleasant to look across the river - more Celtic crosses - though it turned a little hazy. 

While at the church I noticed an old memorial (as above) to Sir William Sawle who died on the 16th of February 1651. The verse reads:

When I was sick most men did deem me ILL

If I had lived I should have been so still

Praised be the Lord, that in the Heavens doth dwell

Who hath received my soul, now I AM WELL

Then it's off again into a farmer's field with a well trodden path.

Nice to look back at the river and the animals in the fields.

Now it's back into the woods along an easy path.

Once finally out of the woods there are more fields, with many fine old oak trees - until we eventually  return to the stepping stones / bridge.

Yes, a very pleasant easy walk.

Old Stories of Cornwall: The Wife Sold For Four Pence

March 27, 1835

On Friday last, the people assembled at St.Austell Market were surprised by the appearance of a man of advanced age leading a woman about thirty by a halter which was tied around her waist.

The fellow is named George Trethewey, a labourer, and having become tired of his wife, he adopted this mode of leading her into the market in order to dispose of her to the highest bidder.

Among those present were two itinerant tinkers who travel in company, one of them offered two pence for the woman, and after some time his companion doubled the sum stating they were acting in partnership. 

The husband agreed to accept the last offer, when four pence was handed to him, and the woman was delivered to her purchaser, with whom she proceeded to a neighbouring pot-house where they regaled themselves with a jug of ale.

Meantime the collector of market tolls applied to the husband for a penny, the sum usually demanded for selling a pig, etc. This was at once paid.
____________________________________________________________________________

As reported in a Cornish newspaper in 1835

A Short Walk From Spit Beach to Carlyon Bay

A while back I mentioned a short walk from Carlyon Bay, Cornwall which ended when approaching Spit Beach. So today I'm starting at Spit Beach.

Now Spit Beach isn't everybody's cup of tea. There's a pull in to park the car but then a messy path winds its way to the beach. The path isn't very attractive as it passes a china clay works. It's also known locally as - well to put it as politely as possible - 'Dog S**t Alley '. As the name suggests it's used by local dog walkers.

In saying that the beach isn't too bad as can be seen from the photo at the top of this post.

Once at the beach there is a coastal path which leads to Carlyon Bay.

There are pleasant views of the sea and coast

The path climbs upwards and there are warning signs to stay away from the cliff edge. I'm not making this walk sound too good am I! But the path itself is quite safe.

The sea can look quite attractive from on high - so clear at times.

The path continues ...

... until Carlyon Bay is in view. To get to the beach just keep on following the path.

See also:
A Short Walk From Carlyon Bay, Cornwall

Knockers, Tin Mines and Cornish Pasties

I have mentioned Cornish tin mines in several posts so I thought that today I would write about the spirits that frequented the underground passages. 

According to Cornwall's tin miners along with them in the mines were the Knockers. These were mischievous spirits. They both helped the miners and also played tricks on them. 

To keep in the Knockers good books the miners would often leave a small portion of their Cornish Pasties for these small spirits - more about Cornish Pasties later. 

The Knockers were the equivalent of the Irish leprechaun and were described as being about 2 feet tall, rather strange looking and lived underground. This meant that the tin mines were a perfect habitat for them and sometimes they would be seen wearing smaller versions of miners clothes. 

According to Cornish folklore the Knockers were of help to the miners in two main ways. Firstly they would make a knocking sound to indicate where the tin ore veins were to be found and secondly they would knock to warn of any imminent danger. 

On the mischievous side they would steal tools and food and play jokes on the miners - but were generally good natured. Some claim that the Knockers were the spirits of tin miners who had died in the many accidents which happened in the early days of Cornish mining. 

The traditional food for Cornish miners was the Cornish Pasty made from a circle of pastry filled with steak, sliced or diced potato, swede and onion, seasoned with salt and pepper. The pastry is folded in half and then baked in an oven. 

Note that a true Cornish pasty is crimped (joined) at the side - and never on top. There was a reason for this. The miners would take larger versions of the Cornish pasty for their meal breaks and would hold this by the crimped edge with their dirty hands. This way they could discard the soiled pastry for the Knockers to eat. 

Going back to the Knockers these spread to the USA as Cornish miners - who became knows as Cousin Jacks - joined the Gold Rush in the late 1800s. 

There is a story of how in 1956 a mine was closed and sealed. Generations of Cousin Jacks insisted that the mine be re-opened for all of the Knockers to escape and move to other mines. The mine owners agreed and the Knockers were set free. 

The tin mines of Cornwall are - or rather were - interlinked with Knockers and pasties. Cornish pasties thrive in Cornwall and, in Europe and the UK, Cornish pasties can only be made in Cornwall.

There are other rules and regulations about Cornish pasties. According to the Cornish Pasty Association the official recipe must contain 12.5% beef and 25% vegetables. Therefore you can't have such a thing as a vegan or vegetarian Cornish pasty - they would simply be 'pasties'.

It is said that at least 120 million Cornish Pasties are made each year and this is worth over 65 million to the Cornish economy.

How To Make Your Own Cornish Pasty