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Botetoe Bridge Walk with Gwinear Footpaths and Bridleways Association

Saturday 17th October 2015. Dry weather with little wind as we meet at Botetoe Bridge on the Camborne to Praze road.

Led by Richard Saundry sixteen cheerful walkers set off, heading into Pendarves Wood and following the well- marked footpath, heavily carpeted with dry, fallen leaves which crackle as we walk along.

It 's quiet and peaceful and there are lots of different trees to see-some now old and gnarled, some dead and fallen and some with boughs twisted into impossible shapes! We cross several little bridges over streams and we stop for a breather by the bird hide overlooking the lake in it's peaceful serenity.

We stop for a chat near the bird hide.

Interestingly we neither see nor hear much bird activity, except for a 'Cornish eagle' perched aloft a telegraph pole later on in our walk. Nearing the end of the wood we negotiate a wide stream which carries little water given the dry spell recently. The stepping rocks are well above the water line -we help each other across except for one blessed soul wearing wellingtons who wades through with ease and delight!

At this point someone at the back shouts "Put the kettle on!"

And so we arrive in the hamlet of Carwynnen from where we take a steeply rising footpath up Chapel Hill to arrive at Chapel Hill Farm where we join a narrow metalled road taking us, still climbing, up to Copper Hill. We pass t he former Plantation Chapel (now converted to a house) and further over to the east the Experimental Mine, still used by Camborne School of Mines.

The lettering at the top means '( If )a man loses his language he loses his land'

The stick -on letter E should be next to the R, thus making the Cornish read as ' DEN HEB DAVAS REGOLLAS Y DYR'

All the way up there are extensive views south and west, of St Ives and the bay. We identify the many landmarks in between.

We reach a crossroads and turn northwest, downhill now, with Treslothan in the distance and Troon to the north. A short cut down a path saves going into Stennack and after 200 yards w're back on the road leading south west back towards Carwynnen Quoit, a Neolithic site also known as 'The Devil's Frying Pan, ' or Pendarves Cromlech. [ Information at the site gives tha date as approx. 3836BCE, which seems an extremely accurate looking approximation.]

Come and join this companionable group!

There were boards telling us of the history of the site and it's recent restoration by The Sustainable Trust. George talked about some of the activity surrounding it .

Most interesting information is available at The Sustainable Trust. .....www.giantsquoit.org

Back in Carwynnen we retrace the path back across the stream, then divert to the south of Pendarves Woods to follow the Bridleways. bringing us back to Botetoe Bridge.

Our pleasure walk today was just over three miles - thanks Richard, for leading us.

Walk Report:Geoff Webster

NEXT WALK. Sat. 14th Nov. Meet 2pm at Kehelland Chapel Grid RefSW 622411 Three mile walk includes Red River Valley Nature Reserve. Info. Geoff. 01736 851173

Created By
Beth Saundry adding the photos
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