A walk from Jamaica Inn

A walk that Mrs P and I reconnoitered a couple of years ago as a possible route for our Thursday Walking Group. And today was the day that we finally managed to repeat it with the group. It did not disappoint.

About 5.5 miles for this one but a very pleasant route. Starting at Jamaica Inn in Bolventor, we took a circular route that visited some fairly isolated places - but all within sight of the A30. Bypassed by most people as they head further west for the likes of Newquay and St Ives.

In the distance was the elongated ridge of Brown Willy. Our recent walk up there from the other side took us up to the highest spot on the right.

Sometimes footpath markers are rather ambiguous. Taken at face value, this one directs you through the clump of gorse. Not a good move.

Looking down the valley at the bottom of which runs the River Fowey.

And here is the River Fowey, from its highest crossing point at Codda. Not a lot of water running down which is no surprise after all the recent dry weather. Until the mid 1800s, Bodmin Moor was known as Fowey Moor, in the same way that Dartmoor and Exmoor were named after their eponymous rivers. Why the change of name? Lost in the mists of time but the first mention of Bodmin Moor seems to have been in the very early 1800s.

Codda farmhouse and shippon. Thought to date from the 17th century but possibly on earlier foundations. It was originally a longhouse. It stopped being a residential farm in the 1980s and, after a period of gradual decline, is now being slowly renovated.

A not particularly good shot of a Mistletoe Thrush. It looks like it was shedding some of its feathers - perhaps getting rid of its breeding plumage?

Looking across Catshole Down towards Brown Willy. Eminently walkable after the dry spell we've had but normally extremely boggy and to be negotiated with care - and waterproof boots. Somewhere over there are the remains of the wreckage of a Halifax bomber that crashed in 1945.

A white-tailed bumblebee feeding on a Rosa Rugosa. Unlike honey bees whose colonies can number 50,000 individuals, the white-tailed bumble bee's colony is much smaller and will house approximately 200 bees. They nest underground. They are easily confused with the buff-tailed bumblebee but this one's tail was definitely white.

The next (ignoring the A30 bridge) downstream crossing of the Fowey at Dryworks. It was, as are all of these such, a ford and was probably used to get access to the moor. The ford is still there but walkers can keep their feet dry by using the nearby wooden bridge.

Heading away from the Dryworks crossing and up a rather steep sunken track. I love this sort of place and they always get me thinking about the days when they were used by various animals, maybe on their way down for water or for grazing on the moor. A hidden part of Bodmin Moor and one that relatively few ever visit - hooray for that.

Just simply a field of very contented cows enjoying the sunshine. A lovely scene.

Ignore the ribbon of the A30, this view shows a large part of our walk. We basically went from left to right, but didn't reach the heights of The Beacon on Hendra Downs.

Septuagenarians on Bodmin Moor - Bolventor and beyond

We've driven across Bodmin Moor on the A30 many, many times. And occasionally we have stopped at Jamaica Inn, which most people associate with this part of the moor. But we've never been there with the intention of taking a walk in the surrounding countryside. Last week we did and here's a post to prove it. It was great walking in a new area and along tracks and footpaths that were obviously not well-trodden.

A 6.3 mile circular route that took us over the River Fowey twice, onto Codda Down, Webbs Down and Palmersbridge before returning to our starting point. Which was just opposite Jamaica Inn on the north side of the A30. Not the best of days weatherwise and I'd grade this walk as 'moderate' with a fairly difficult stretch across a few fields of tufty grass. Oh, I should mention the rather poor signposting - and probably equally poor map reading - that lead to a few moments (!) of confusion.

Our starting point, showing the mizzly hazy conditions that accompanied us for a great part of our walk. There were, however, some periods of blue skies and clear views. Typical Cornish weather really.

It's a good year for all sort of berries.

Looking up the valley towards Leskernick Hill in the centre distance. Keen eyes might be able to make out the isolated Leskernick Cottage, nestling at the base of the hill. An almost blue sky.

For lovers of sheep creeps, here's a good one for you to admire. Made to look even more attractive by the brown of the bracken.

The River Fowey is formed from the drainage of Fowey Marsh, which is probably a mile or so from this point. Luckily there was a rather handy footbridge to get us over this bit without having to wade.

Browngelly in the distance.

Move 45 degrees from the above and we can see Brown Willy. Most of the farm land in this area has been reclaimed from the open moor since the early 1800s. When the reclamation first started, Bolventor was known as 'Bold Venture' which gives a good indication of how difficult farming was thought to be.

Brown Willy in the mist. We really must make an effort to get up there.

I've already mentioned the questionable signposting and here's a good example. Spot the finger post.

Our second crossing of the Fowey - Palmersbridge. One of those places that are so quiet that it seems a pity to intrude. But intrude we had to to get to the other side..............

....and have the joy of negotiating this steep, leaf-bestrewn cattle track. This lead from Dryworks Farm, over the ford by the bridge and then up to grazing on the moor. I doubt whether it's done that often nowadays.