Yesterday was generally very low cloud - at sea level it was dry but as soon as our route took us up to the base of the cloud, it was rather damp. However, it never became so wet that we needed to take our waterproofs out of the rucksack.

We began at Par, with the chapel-of-ease called the Church of the Good Shepherd, in the main part of Par, close to the railway lines and china clay works.

The rail track from Par Docks runs inland and quickly joins the branch line to Newquay. A good footpath follows the route and that of a small river and, we think, the remains of the canal once built to the foot of the incline from the Treffrey Viaduct tram network. As the path crossed the track at one point, our predictions about a train being unlikely as two had alr4eady passed in the past 15 minutes (it is not exactly the busiest of routes) we spotted a Virgin train making its way slowly down to Par at about 20 mph - or less!

The path emerged at Tywardreath Highway and from there it was a short walk to St Blazey Church. From there we walked uphill and around to Par church. Although from the main road this feels as if it is at the top of a hill, it is actually art way down - as you soon discover when approaching it on foot. Thye cloud base was sufficiently low to leave the top of the steeple very unclear!

After eating our lunch in the hcurchyard, we continued through Tregrehan Mills and then up a hill to cross the newish Distributor Road before arriving at Boscoppa on the outskirts of St Austell. The church here meets in Bishop Bronscombe Church of England primary school.

It was downhill, through Bethel, almost all the way to Charlestown - this is one of the main Forward in Faith bases in Cornwall. It is set a little back from the harbour, once important for the export of china clay but now more popular with visitors as a base for a small fleet of sailing ships, wich appear in many films and television dramas.

After a plesant cup of tea and teacake, the last part of the walk followed the coastal path, through Carlyon Bay (why cannot the planners allow the development to continue? Wrecking objections from local residents serve only to leave this beach little better than a disaster area whilst official inquiries continue)

Fowey and Tywardreath

We walked on Saturday this week as I am going to Torpoint this evening to sing Evensong with the Washaway West Gallery Choir. As it happened, yesterday was also foreast to be the better weather - despite this there was a little drizzle in the air as we parked at Par Beach and set off along a coastal stretch of the Saints Way to Polkerris. Dropping down into the harbour, we found a cafe for a late morning coffee.





Afterwards, we walked back up a wooded valley to the spinal road, emerging close to Tregaminion, a chapel-of-ease belonging to Tywardreath parish and originally founded by William Rashleigh in memory of his wife.


Still following the Saints Way we arrived at Readymoney beach - ready for our lunch. We found some seats (which Christine recalled from the last time walked the Saints Way about three years ago! or it might have been when doing the coastal path, only two years ago) As we sat with a good view of the mnay yachts in the river mouth, a china clay ship left port, escorted by the pilot boat.





We continued through the town, calling at the church of Finbarrus before passing the Bodinnick ferry landing and then inland, still following the waymarked Saints Way, until we arrived at the isolated village of Golant.





The railway line, still used to carry china clay to Fowey, separates the village from the river. The church is up a very steep hill from the centre of the village.





Now, it was a straightforward run to Tywardreath, once at the top of the hill at Castledore it was a good downhill. The House on the Strand is the interpretation of the name, reflecting the fact that once boats could come upriver to the village, but no longer. Although rather a backwater today, this was formerly quite an important place, shown by the substantial size of the church.

From here it was not far, although up and down a sharp hill, back to Par beach where, alas, the cafe had already closed!

Lanteglos-by-Camelford

This is one of the churches we visited before setting up the blog. I am adding it at this time as a test of Blogging directly from Picasa

Lansallos and Lanteglos-By-Fowey

This week's walk was shortened as a result of having Andrew as a visitor for the weekend and there was a priority on fixing the communications facilities for the upcoming canal journey! On the other hand, his speed of walking led us to a longer distance in the time than might have been the case left to ourselves!

Having parked at the National Trust car park not far from Pont, we wlked along lanes and across fields to Lansallos church. This building is still undergoing restoration following an arson attack. The roof now appears to be complete (about half of it had to be fully replaced) but the rest of the inside is still a working site! Meanwhile, services are held in the adjoining Sunday School.

Next, we walked the short distance down to the coastline and continued in the westerley direction, stopping shortly afterwards for our lunch picnic.

This is a very beautiful stretch of coast, but you are always either steeply ascending or steeply descending. There is little time on the level to recover!

With time catching up on us we headed back across a three fields to the spinal road that leads to Polruan, but took the narrow lane to Lanteglos church. (Known in slightly wider circles as Lanteglos-By-Fowey to avoid confusion with the Lanteglos near Camelford)

From there is was a simple task to follow the old track down to the road near Pont and back along the road to the car park.

Lanlivery and Luxulyan

Today's walk included the two 'clay' parishes of Lanlivey and Luxulyan - although Lanlivery aligns more to Lostwithiel and the clay towns of St Blazey and St Austell.

We parked in the Luxulyan Valley, close to the Treffrey Viaduct and walked for about an hour to Lanlivery - mostly uphill. However, it was perfect walking weather: sunny with a slight breeze and enough haze to take the burning quality out of the sun - although this did mean the longer views were not as good as they might have been.

Spurning the opportunity for a drink at the pub (which Christine knew from a recent visit for lunch with a friend) we continued to Luxulyan where, after a look inside the church, we sat on one of the benches outside for lunch. (The pub turned out to be a little distance from the church - odd in many ways but it is alonside the small station on the Newquay branch line)

In fact, by the time we had had our lunch and then walked down to the pub Christine no longer fancied a drink of cider preferring instead to aim for tea at the Eden project.

After a short distance along a side road we saw a sign for the new(ish) Clay Trail - suitable for horses, cycles and walkers. Signpost suggested about 1.75 miles - although this turned out to be to the entrance to the long drive to the Visitor Centre. The trail took us through an area once a clay pit but which finished extracting china clay in 1971 and has now been landscaped for community use.

Once we arrived at the entrance to the Eden Project, the path for walkers and cyclists (not pushbikes as Christine told me off for saying!) the first sign said that it was another mile to the Visitor Centre!

Eventually we arrived and settled down to a welcome cup of tea (or in my case two cups) plus a small slice of cake. Refreshed we set off back up the hill to continue along the route of the Cornish Way No3 (cycle route) and then down to Tywardreath Highway, where to Newquay Branch Line sets off up the Luxulyan Valley.

Therw had been an indication on the Cornwall County Council rights of way map that there was a footpath (with no right of way) alongside the railway line and indeed we were able to locate it and walk up to Ponts Mill without having to take the longer route along the A road. The railway line followed the route of both a canal and a tramway that Treffrey built (at different stages) as part of his amazing complex network of leats, tramways and other haulage routes, maily to access granite from neat Luxulyan.

After climbing most of the steeply sloping former tram route (still marked with the granite sleepers) we struck off along a lower path, pleasantly level which eventually broght us back to the car park, shortly after passing under the huge Treffrey Viaduct (which was built both as an aqueduct (which still is) and a tranway.

Bodmin Team area

This week we had to walk on Saturday, rather than Sunday, which gave us the opportunity to tackle a slightly longer route - about 14 miles in the end. We began at the start of the Camel Trail in Bodmin and followed the river to Boscarne Junction where we headed to the village of Nanstallon.



This is a small daughter church which is linked with Lanivet, although equally close to Bodmin. From there we walked along narrow lanes evntually arriving in Lanivet, now a substantial village, albeit with a main A road through the centre. The church is set just away from the traffic. Time for lunch!



Further narrow lanes followed, crossing the main A30 Bodmin bypass at one stage. The sight of Lanhydrock estate (National Trust) was especially welcome as we anticipated tea and cake of cookie outside the Stable Tea Room.



The church is alongside the main Lanhydrock house and was effectively the chapel for the house! After enjoying our mugs of tea, it was quite a struggle to start off agian, but the wonderful, if unseasonable, sunshine encouraged us. We followed several woodland paths, first through the outlying parts of the Lanhydrock estate and then down to Cardinham woods. We emerged - not quite where we intended after one of the steepest paths we have encountered - in fields close to Callywith. From here it was downhill all the way into Bodmin and the large parish church where singers and audience were gathering for an evening performance of Rossini.

Lerryn Area

Today we started our walk at Lostwithiel, parking alongside the river. It is hard to imagine today, with the river so shallow, that in the past, sea-going boats were able to come up-river from Fowey to collect tin from this once-important Stannary Town.

Our route took us to St Winnow, arriving along the river side walk to see a number of yachts being prepared for the summer. This is a beautiful church in a beautiful setting. Inside there are some interesting old carved pew ends as well as a board over the door that lists some ancient benefactors, in the days when 'the poor' depended on the luck of which parish they lived in.

The footpath along the river contines down the River Fowey to St Winnow Point where it turn left to follow the River Lerryn up to the village that bears its name. The tide was coming in but there was just enough time to cross over the stepping stones as the water lapped at the top!

Across the other side we walked back down the other bank of the River Lerryn to the hamlet of Cliff where we took to lanes and footpaths steeply uphill to St Veep, typically on a hilltop location.

With the prospect of a cup of tea we opted for the direct route back to Lerryn - in about a third of the time! Sitting alongside the river was relaxing and it was not a little difficult to stir ourselves for the final stage, back to Lostwithiel.

We retraced out route back along the Lerryn bank to find a valley path which eventually brought us back to the ridge road into Lostwithiel. before crossing the railway and the ancient river bridge, there was time to look at St Saviours Church Centre. Although now part of the town of Lostwithiel, it was originally in the parish of St Winnow.