A walk on Bodmin East Moor - away from the madding crowds.

Another dry day without the recent high spots and Bodmin East Moor was the target for our walk today. A select band of only five of us this time but, what we lacked in quantity, was more than made up in quality. The rest of our usual walkers missed a good one but one that wouldn’t need much arm twisting to do again. This part of Bodmin Moor is definitely off the beaten track and sees very few visitors. In fact, we've never come across anyone else on our walks and today was no exception. Bodmin Moor vs Dartmoor? Both but it depends where and when you go.

We started out in a lay-by adjacent to the Bastreet Water Treatment Works (our water comes from there) and then dropped down along the lane to Tolcarne. From there we skirted the edge of the moor and ascended Fox Tor. After finding our way to the Nine Stones Circle we walked over the ridge back to the cars. It was just under 7 miles and a good varied route to take whatever the weather.

The view from our starting point - open moorland with a generous covering of gorse and ferns. If the navigation worked out correctly, we'd come down from this ridge at the end of our walk.

A leafy lane leading up onto the moor. Originally it probably took cattle up from nearby Tolcarne Farm for grazing.

The flower spike of Umbilicus Rupestris - Navelwort or Pennywort. The young leaves make a tasty and crispy snack when you are walking along. 

Clitters cottage - definitely off-grid. Not abandoned and still used occasionally by the owners.

The porch is constructed of some very impressive slate slabs.

Slates so unique that the owners improvised when it came to fitting shelves for wellies etc. Suspend them from the rafters on lengths of baler twine.

This pair of Tilley Lamps seemed natural subjects for a monochrome shot. I remember my paternal grandmother using these when I first visited her original bungalow in Woodingdean, outside of Brighton.

Some deciduous leafy shade.

Some coniferous needley shade.

The River Lynher at Trevague Ford. The clapper bridge is a two-slab construction and dates from the 19th Century, so mo particular antiquity there. Once upon a time, there was a large mill nearby and, so my sources told me, even a village green. All very quiet now and rather nicely isolated. At this time of the year, the ford is easily walked through. If you want to read more about the course of the Lynher, you can no better than head for the Blog of our friend and neighbour, Mary Atkinson. You can find it at: https://maryatkinsonwildonline.blogspot.com/2021/04/cornish-rivers-1-lynher-in-spring.html

'X' does indeed mark the spot where we were heading - Fox Tor standing at 323 metres (1060 feet). It’s all uphill from here!

This year has not been a good year for butterflies and we came across comparatively few on our way around. Here's a Red Admiral and a Meadow Brown enjoying the sun.

Approaching the trig point on the summit of Fox Tor. Not a particularly slog to get up here, more of a steady incline with a steep bit at the end.

But it’s worth the effort for the panoramic views. Fox Tor is the 10765th highest 'peak' in the British Isles  and is the 1539th highest in England. Hardly vertiginous. Whilst dealing with numbers, this trig point is documented as the 812th most visited in the UK.

And we are heading to that ridge in the distance but not by the direct route as this would take us through some very marshy ground. Been there, done that, got the wet socks. For most of the year, the area is one large bog and must be treated with care. In the ‘wet’ season (most of the year, really), following well defined animal tracks is generally a good idea. And avoid any areas of Cotton Grass as this likes getting its roots wet.

I'm not great at identifying orchids but I think both of these are Heath Spotted Orchids. We hit a patch when there were lots of these but they were the only ones we came across.

The Nine Stones circle is the smallest of its kind on Bodmin Moor. It was heavily restored in 1889, when only two stones remained erect whilst the others were recumbent. Who knows how accurate the reconstruction was but I always think it looks rather eerie in its isolated position. Usually, it’s standing in the middle of a pool of water as it’s so damp up here. Nowadays the stones function as a series of rubbing posts for cattle - a modern use for a Bronze Age monument.

The East Moor is well used for grazing by the local farmers and there are usually lots of sheep, cattle and horses to be seen.  Cows and their calves are generally to be approached with an appropriate level of caution.

On the ridge before dropping back down to the car. A little hazy in the distance but that's where Plymouth Sound can just be made out.