Lockdown 3 Walks: #4:Lanes, hills, puddles and three parishes

 I started this one a while back so I'll finish...............
This walk was unusual for us as it was all on lanes with almost no footpaths or bridleways (there was just a little stretch at the end when we took the 'back' footpath from Venterdon into Stoke Climsland). We did it as a change at the height of the 'walk local' period and reckoned that the 2 mile drive to our starting point in Stoke Climsland village was within the spirit of the restrictions.

We started and ended at the car park at the Old School in Stoke Climsland. The walk was around 6.5 miles and took us through Bealsmill, Treburley, Penpill and Venterdon. Almost all on lanes, with a couple of 'interesting' hills and touching three parishes - Stoke Climsland, Lezant and South Hill. |And the puddles in the title? Read on.....

There's always something new to see on the lanes and this milestone is one of them. It is classed as an ancient monument by English Heritage and its listing tells us 'Milestone. Probably late C18. Granite. Rectangular section, rounded top. Inscribed "IV/+/C (for Callington)", I think the + means that the distance is taken from Callington church, but it might not be.

Looking over the fields towards Bealsmill Farm and Rezare. Just a nice pastoral scene.

Walking up the hill from Bealsmill, with typical Cornish hedges either side. Drivers beware: the hedges are more than likely to be rather unforgiving granite. Too early from primroses or daffodils.

The banks of the lanes are very effective screens for the surrounding countryside and, quite often, it's like walking in a tree-lined tunnel. But every now and again, a gateway offers a glimpse of what's beyond. If I was being poetical, I'd wax lyrical about the gateways offering a window into the world. 

A letterbox dating from the reign of Queen Victoria - hence the 'VR'. It would have been put up sometime between 1853-1901. Sadly, the number of these is in decline as building are being demolished and/or collections stopped, making them redundant. A shame as I think they are an important part of our social history and make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of the areas in which they are located. Without this one, the wall in Treburley would be just that, a wall. With it, the wall becomes a destination and a focal point for linking Treburley with the rest of the world.

We were actually going down this lane abut I took the photograph looking up. We were heading towards Trekenner Mill at the bottom of this hill. Trekenner Mill is mentioned in the Domesday Book and this lane would probably have been in existence then as the only route out to Trekenner and Treburley. I could imagine the carts being hauled up this incline by oxen and horses.

Two old milk churns acting as guardians to this farm entrance. Objects of mystery to recent generations but I can remember taking them full of milk up to the milk stand by Mr Lewis's farm ready for collection by the Cambrian Dairies lorry. There is a knack to manoeuvring a heavy churn into the right position on the stand. I had it once: I wonder if it's still there? Thinking about it, it is - it comes in handy when I'm shifting our large LPG bottles when they need refilling. A skill for life!

Heading uphill - again - towards Tresallack Farm. The lane to the right heads back to Bray Shop. Hard to believe that the National Speed Limit of 60mph applies to these lanes.

It was about this point that we realised that paddling along the lane in ice-cold water was not a good idea, particularly as we couldn’t make out where the dry bit restarted. So we retraced our route by scrambling along the hedge and then taking a shortcut across a field.

These are becoming quite rare - a block for mounting horses. 

A view of Stoke Climsland church that we don't often see. In the background is Kit Hill and, if you know where to look, you can just make out our house.