A walk down Silver Valley to Cotehele Quay.

 A new route for us for this linear walk, from a lay-by at the back of Kit Hill and down to Cotehele Quay. We did a shuttle with both our cars. And the sun shone all the way!

We started at a lay-by on the A390 Callington - Gunnislake road and dropped down to Cotehele Quay on a mixture of tracks, footpaths and quiet lanes. It came out at just under 5 miles and had a mid-walk uphill stretch that give it a little spice.

To the right of the footpath as we descended was the top of an old chimney in a wooded valley - Silver Valley. This was the site of the Wheal Brothers mine. It was first opened about 1810 under the name of Wheal Duchy. When prospecting for copper ore, a rich lode of silver ore was found. Wheal Duchy was closed in 1816, but was reopened in 1833, and called Wheal Brothers. When the 30 fathom level (There are two yards (6 feet) in an imperial fathom. Originally the span of a man's outstretched arms) was investigated, a quantity of silver ore was found in previous excavations. The previous owners had apparently not recognised it as silver ore. And within three months nearly £6000 worth of silver ore had been produced. Hence the name Silver Valley for this area.

It's becoming quite rare to see vintage horse-drawn agricultural machinery. This piece was used to rake grass during hay making, as evidenced by the long tines/teeth at the back. The rake teeth dragged along the ground collecting the cut hay. When the teeth were full they were lifted which left the hay in a pile. More hay was then added to the pile, or windrow with each pass. A windrow is a row of cut (mown) hay or small grain crop. It is allowed to dry before being baled, combined, or rolled. 

Just one of the lanes we walked along. What took my eye on this stretch was the green of the moss that covered the sides.

The green lane coming up from Barrett's Mill. It was quite a climb and was, perhaps, a route of direct access from various farms to the mill. The mill used water from the Morden Stream, which serviced a few other mills, including Cotehele Mill, on its way down to the Tamar.

We don't often see Kit Hill from this side - the east side. This is reputed to be the sunnier, drier side as it doesn't get the full force of the westerlies that affect the other side more. By other side, I really mean 'our' side.

A way marker for the St Dominica Heritage Trail, a circular route starting and ending at the church in St Dominick. The entire route is just under 7 miles and we walked just a couple of miles of it. But we have walked all of it a couple of times in the past.

It is the time of year when the Lesser Celandine really starts getting into its stride. A lovely member of the Buttercup family, and its bright yellow star-like flowers are a sign that spring is definitely well under way. I particularly like their glossy, dark-green, heart-shaped leaves which are quite tasty if you want a natural nibble.

'Tis the season for daffodils and in this part of the world, they grow in profusion and are very common inhabitants of the roadside. Many of them were originally discards from the commercial fields that were once plentiful in the Tamar Valley. These are some doubles. In a 20 - 30 yard stretch of this lane heading towards St Dominick, I counted some seven or eight different varieties but, as far as I could tell, no natural 'wild' daffodils.

Oh, how I laughed after I realised it was me in the mirror and not the stranger I had said "good morning" to.

Two of my very favourite things: Mrs P and walking in the fresh air. Lucky me. This is the stream which fed Radland Mill.

And we finish at Cotehele Quay with the tide just about on the turn. Is there a more tranquil spot than this? Even better during lockdown when there are fewer people around. An ideal spot for refreshments from the pop-up kiosk there. I had a curried cauliflower pasty - not a combination made in heaven. We'll chalk that one up as an experience not to be repeated in a hurry.

The Shamrock is the last remaining Tamar barge or ketch, the last of a line of ships that plied their trade up and down the Tamar from Plymouth and Saltash. It dates from the late 1890s and has been moored at Cotehele Quay for some 40 years. Prior to the Covid crisis, it was laid up for some major repairs. These were not completed and, sadly, the funds have dried up. To compound this, several of the key craftsman involved in its restoration have recently retired. What all this means for the future of The Shamrock is unknown at the moment but it would be a great shame if it ended up decaying on the quay.